Expecting the Doctor's Baby by Teresa Southwick Page B

time. “I want to see you, Sam.”
    The problem with losing control and rational thought was that when both returned, everything came back into focus in a rush. She couldn’t regret what they’d done, but…Why did there always have to be a but?
    She shook her head. “That’s not smart.”
    â€œI believe it would be one of the smartest things I’ve done in a very long time.”
    â€œThis was a huge mistake, Mitch,” she said, looking at her bra and panties still on the floor. “You’re a client of my firm.”
    â€œBut not your client. It’s not an ethical violation.”
    â€œBut it’s a gray area.” She bit her lip. “So very, very gray.”
    â€œThen let’s just cut to black. I want to see you. Personally. On a date. You, me, dinner. Maybe a movie. A show. I hear there’s a new musical at the Venetian. I’ll get tickets. We could—”
    â€œNo. Let’s just chalk it up to—whatever—and move on.”
    He dragged his fingers through his hair. “I’m not going to argue with you.”
    That would be a first. “Good.”
    â€œIt’s late. You’re tired.” He threaded his fingers through her hair and cupped her face in his hands as he dropped a tender kiss on her lips. He brushed his thumbs gently over her cheeks before saying, “We’ll talk about it another time. Good night, Sam. Lock the door after me.”
    She did, then leaned against it with a sigh. The light caught the glitter of her gown in the middle of her living room floor, evidence of how bad this idea had been. While he was kissing her she’d had no room for regrets but now she was flooded with them. He made her forget everything except being in his arms.
    She’d only wanted to be with him, so desperately she hadn’t given a single thought to making it into the bedroom. Not only was he a client of her firm, the intensity of the physical attraction simmering between them made her too vulnerable. Thank goodness he wasn’t her client because she didn’t have to see him again. That would be a very bad idea.
    Â 
    Whistling tunelessly, Mitch leaned an elbow on the counter at the nurse’s station in the E.R. It was a slow day and two women were working there. A redhead, Tina, was inputting computer information and the one kneeling on the floor, straightening out a cupboard, had brown hair. She was kind of new and he thought her name was Jill. He remembered giving her a hard time after car accident victims were brought in when the trauma bay wasn’t stocked the way he liked it and his orders weren’t followed fast enough. He had ridden her pretty hard more than once. She hadn’t looked up, but knew he was there because her shoulders were so rigid one touch would snap her in two.
    He stopped whistling. “Jill?”
    Her hands stilled and her body went tight. It wouldn’t surprise him to see her crawl into the cupboard, but she met his gaze. “Dr. Tenney—”
    â€œCall me Mitch.” He smiled at her with all the charm he had.
    Blue eyes widened as she rested her hands in her lap. “Okay. Is there something you needed, Doctor?”
    â€œYeah. I just want to say you did a good job this morning with that asthmatic kid.”
    â€œI did?” she asked warily.
    He nodded. “By the book. You got respiratory therapy down here stat and we had everything before anyone asked for it. I just wanted to say thanks.”
    She looked as if he’d sucker punched her. “Y-you’re welcome.”
    â€œKeep up the good work.”
    â€œYes, Doctor.”
    He sighed and figured it would take a little more effort on his part before the deer-caught-in-headlights look disappeared. “Thanks for your efforts. You, too, Tina.”
    â€œOkay,” they both said, exchanging a glance that clearly said “who is this alien creature?”
    â€œOkay,