Marrying the Playboy Doctor by Laura Iding

reassured her. He almost offered to go with her to the follow-up appointment, but caught himself in the nick of time. What was he thinking? There was no reason for him to go to Ben’s appointment. Bad enough he’d invited her and Ben to Saturday’s game.
    “Yes, he’ll be fine,” she repeated, although she didn’t sound convinced.
    He fought the insane urge to pull her into his arms. The day of their lunch meeting he’d been tempted to kiss her. There was something about Kylie that had gotten under his skin. He needed to get his inappropriate physical reaction to her under control, and fast.
    “Well, if you need something let me know.”
    She looked surprised by his offer, and he inwardly cursed, realizing he wasn’t doing a very good job of hiding his feelings.
    In the past it had always been easy to keep women at arm’s length. So why this strange urge to force himself into Kylie’s life?
    Before she could respond, Nanette Drake, a pretty paramedic with bright red hair, whom he’d dated a couple of times in the past, came up and put a casual arm around his waist in a half hug. “Hey, Romeo, long time no see. How are you?”
    “Romeo?” Kylie echoed with an arched brow.
    Damn . He really detested that nickname. It had been started by an ICU nurse, Rachel, who’d been upset by his no-strings rule. Showing his aversion to the nickname, however, would only encourage people to use it more. So he kept his mouth shut, although it wasn’t easy.
    Especially now, beneath Kylie’s slightly accusing stare.
    “Romeo because our Seth Taylor has quite the reputation with the ladies,” Nanette teased.
    He knew Nanette wasn’t being purposefully mean, but he wished she’d shut up.
    “Oh, really?” Kylie murmured, taking a step back, as if she wanted to leave.
    “No. Not really. Nanette likes to exaggerate.” He glanced away, not wanting Kylie to see the truth in his eyes. He’d never apologized for being who he was, and he didn’t intend to start now. No matter how much it irritated him to have Kylie thinking the worst.
    His pager went off, announcing the arrival of another patient. “Excuse me, ladies, I need to go. I’ll see you Saturday, Kylie. Nanette, don’t tell her too many unflattering stories about me.”
    “Only the true ones,” Nanette promised with a laugh.
    He scowled, seeing the withdrawal in Kylie’s eyes moments before she turned away to head back out to the paramedic rig.
    Yeah. Only the true ones. That was exactly what he was afraid of.
     
    “Seth is a nice guy, but not the kind of man you want to get involved with,” Nanette said as they loaded their gear inside the ambulance. “He’s the type who plays the field, never getting serious about one woman.”
    “I’m not looking to get involved,” Kylie said, desperately trying to think of a way to change the subject. She really, really didn’t want to hear the details of what had transpired between Nanette and Seth. “After my son Ben’s father left, I learned it was better not to count on anyone but myself.”
    “Ben’s father ran off on you?” Nanette’s sympathetic gaze caught hers. “What a jerk.”
    Kylie shrugged. What could she say? Tristan had been a jerk. “I’m over it. Honestly I’d rather be alone than have to share custody of Ben with some guy who’d resent every moment.”
    “I can certainly understand that. And I give you credit,” Nanette said. “It can’t be easy raising a child alone.”
    No, it wasn’t easy. But since she’d moved to Cedar Bluff her worry ratio had diminished considerably. Afterthe horrible crime she’d experienced firsthand in Chicago, the nice, laid-back atmosphere of the town was perfect for them. Even the hospital had a calmer atmosphere than Chicago General. There were still times late at night when she’d wake up, her heart pounding from the all too familiar nightmare, but all she had to do was to open her window and gaze up at the stars, fill her head with the scent of