LITMIR.BIZ

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he was charming, in that down-home, straight-off-the-ranch sort of way. Since when did she melt over a man with a Texas accent?

      She’d never had a cowboy fantasy in her life, but when she’d closed her eyes the night before, the first thing she saw was a grinning Joe Morgan in a cowboy hat, a dusty pair of jeans and well-worn boots.

      Yum, she thought, unable to help herself for a second.

      She wasn’t even looking for a man. The last thing she wanted or needed was a man. And the absolute last thing she’d allow herself to want or need was a man with kids.

      “Samantha?” The voice came from the intercom system on the phone, startling Samantha as it always did when she suddenly found someone speaking to her when she was absolutely alone in the room.

      “Yes, Jess,” she said.

      “Sorry to bother you, but there’s a man on the line who said he needs to see you tonight after your last appointment. No emergency. Nothing to do with teeth. And I thought I’d better check with you first before giving him a time. Your last appointment should be over by six.”

      “Okay.” Puzzled, Samantha asked, “Who’s the man?”

      “Joe Morgan,” Jess said innocently. “The would-be dentist’s dad.”

      Samantha couldn’t stop a long slow sigh from escaping her mouth.

      Obviously Jess heard it, too, because she laughed. “I thought that was him. Which means I win! If he called anytime before two-thirty today, I win!”

      “Jess—” she protested.

      “I’ll put him right through.”

      The phone buzzed at her, which meant the intercom had been turned off. A light under the button labeled Line 3 started blinking, which meant Joe was there, right at her fingertips.

      Samantha closed her eyes and told herself to make up some socially acceptable little lie. She had plans, errands, some reason to get home tonight. But there was nothing. She couldn’t lie to herself. She was intrigued. The cute cowboy wanted to see her again. He’d seemed so reluctant to be here yesterday, although it may have been nothing but embarrassment over what his son had done.

      If only he knew, Samantha thought. Kids did the silliest things. Luke certainly wasn’t the first or the last to give his father fits.

      Samantha took a breath and reached for the receiver. Play it cool, she told herself. He’s just a man. Okay, a boyishly handsome man, but one with an adorable kid—definitely off-limits.

      She punched the button and said, “Hello? This is Dr. Carter.”

      “Hi. This is Joe Morgan,” he said. “From yesterday? My son—”

      “I remember you,” she jumped in. As if any woman forgot him. He hesitated then, and she wondered just how eager she’d sounded when she told him she remembered him. Trying to be the professional woman she was supposed to be, Samantha said, “Luke didn’t pull another tooth, did he?”

      “No. At least, not that anyone’s told me about. But the day’s still young.” Joe might have been smiling then. She couldn’t be sure. “I was wondering if Luke and I could come by your office this evening. He has something of yours that he needs to return.”

      “Oh?”

      “I’m afraid he swiped one of your ceramic tooth fairies, Doc.”

      “He did?” Samantha was surprised and more than a little disappointed now that she knew why he’d called. Despite what she’d told herself about becoming involved with a man like Joe Morgan, a part of her still wanted him to want her enough to call her today. Which was silly, she knew, but that was how she felt.

      “I can’t believe Luke did that,” Joe rushed on. “As far as I know, he’s never done anything like that before. I told him he has to return it to you himself so he can explain what he did and tell you how sorry he is. If you could make time for us, of course.”

      “Of course,” she said. “Six o’clock?”

      “That’s fine. Thanks.”

      “It’s no problem at all. Luke is a delightful child.” She couldn’t help but add, “I hope you won’t be too…”

      “Harsh?”

      “Yes.” Samantha closed her eyes and winced. It was absolutely none of her business. But Luke was special. She remembered the sad puppy-dog eyes when he’d asked her quite seriously how many teeth she thought it took to get a grand wish granted by the tooth fairy. Not an ordinary wish and certainly not money, he’d explained. A real wish. Real magic.

      Oh, Luke. She’d lost a bit of her heart to him already.

      “I’m sorry,” Samantha rushed on. “I know it’s none of my business.”

      “It’s all right. If it will make you feel better, I’ll tell you that I tried to yell at Luke this morning, but I really didn’t have the heart to do it,” Joe admitted. “Still, he has to know he can’t get away with this. And that it’s a serious thing to take something that doesn’t belong to him.”

      “Absolutely,” Samantha agreed, thinking she should help him out here. “I’ll try to be stern when he apologizes.”

      And then she heard this wonderful rich laughter coming through the phone. Joe Morgan was laughing at her, and she couldn’t have been more surprised, nor could she imagine such a joyous sound coming out of Joe’s mouth. He was altogether too serious.

      “You? Stern?” He laughed again, the sound rolling over her and sending little shivers of delight along her skin. “You’d be even more hopeless at it than I was.”

      “W-well,” she stammered, all flustered, the room suddenly much too warm, “I could try.”

      “Okay, Doc,” he said. “Give it your best shot.”

      “I will,” she declared, wondering how long it had been since he’d laughed like that.

      It had been wonderful to make him laugh. And she wished he’d been here so she could have seen what it did to his face. Half the office staff would have been swooning.

      “I’ll see you at six,” he said, his voice just as deep and sexy as before, a hint of the laughter still there.

      “I’ll be waiting,” she said, then didn’t even realize until she’d hung up the phone just how that sounded.

      Samantha folded her arms on her desk, then let her head fall into them. She was just so stupid where men were concerned, and she couldn’t seem to think before she spoke. She’d have Joe believe that the highlight of her day was going to be his son returning her stolen fairy—which was sad, but true. It would be the best part of her day.

      Still, she didn’t have to tell Joe that.

      Her day flew by from there. With every passing minute, Samantha got more and more nervous. And she knew she was making a fool of herself when she dashed into the washroom at five-thirty and combed her hair and put on some lip gloss. Hers was an all-female office, and every one of her staff members knew exactly who was coming to see her this evening and what she was doing in front of the washroom mirror.

      She finished with her last patient at five forty-five, then went into her office and hid. There was paperwork to deal with, but she knew she’d never be able to concentrate on it.

      There was nothing to describe how she felt except excited. She was going to see Luke, the little rascal, and Joe. Would Joe smile at her today? Would he open up just a little about what he and Luke were going through? Maybe she could help.

      Samantha had all sorts of foolish scenarios running through her head when she heard the intercom buzz.

      “Samantha?” said Tess. “You there?”

      “Yes.” Glancing at her watch,

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