by Linda Wisdom
“Gwen, you want to check his vitals? I’ll be in there in a minute,” Logan said.
“He doesn’t like being examined,” Lucy warned Gwen, following her into the examination room.
“No problem. He’ll soon realize I’m more evil than he is.”
Lucy stood back and watched Gwen skillfully extract the angry cat from the carrier. Luther snarled and tried to swipe at the woman with unsheathed claws but she easily avoided injury.
“Oh, honey, nastier critters than you have tried,” she chuckled, wielding a thermometer.
“We wouldn’t be too fond of that process either,” Logan said, walking in. “Over the weekend, Luther found something that didn’t agree with him. I hope that didn’t happen again.”
“He stayed in the rest of the weekend and demanded full pampering,” Lucy replied.
The large cat’s head swiveled around in Logan’s direction. His nose scrunched up as he hissed.
“This is definitely a cat meant for Halloween.” Gwen looked impressed with the feline’s temper.
Logan was more cautious as he examined the cat. “Let’s draw some blood, make sure there are no parasites lurking about.” He looked up when they heard the front door open.
“Thanks.” Lucy smiled at them then slipped out of the room.
Gwen didn’t wait much longer before she said, “Let’s see if I’ve got this right. You kissed her, but you didn’t stay the night.”
Logan’s head snapped up.
“The way she avoids looking at you directly says a lot while you practically stand on your head to get her to look at you. If you two had had sex, you’d probably make sure to stay out of her way.” She picked up the cat who by now recognized he had met his match. He remained docile in her grasp. “Don’t hide from Nick, boss. That will be a telltale sign to the kid.” She waltzed out of the room.
Logan pressed his hands against the side of the metal examination table.
“Spare me from women who are intent on making me crazy.”
He knew kissing Lucy could land him in trouble. Not with her, but with himself. Since his divorce he’d trod carefully around women, not wanting anyone he dated to think she would have the chance to become the next Mrs. Logan Kincaid.
His ex-wife taught him a lesson about relationships that he’d never forget. He thought he’d married the love of his life, instead, he’d married a woman who thought he would change his way of life to what she wanted. He enjoyed the quieter more rural life. She wanted bright lights and the busy city.
To this day he couldn’t understand how he was first attracted to someone so much his opposite. But back then he wasn’t thinking entirely with his brain.
He’d thought he could keep it light with Lucy. Light flirting, maybe some dinners out, and if they ended up in bed together, he wouldn’t complain. Except Lucy didn’t make it easy for him. He indicated his interest. She shot it down. He asked her out. She rejected him. His ego was more than a little bruised and even he couldn’t understand why, like an idiot, he continued to pursue her.
Then her son ended up performing community service in his clinic and she took over his front desk on a full-time basis.
If he didn’t know better, he’d think fate had thought up the ultimate practical joke by throwing them together.
Chapter Seven
“He is so adorable that I want to just cuddle up with him,” Lucy chattered away, each word easily heard by Logan as he exited one of the examination rooms.
He could hear the faint sound of another woman’s voice, but he couldn’t hear it clearly enough for him to make an identification. He inched his way down the hallway in an attempt to find out.
“This is all new for me and I have to admit I’m really enjoying it,” Lucy went on.
He stealthily made his way farther down the hallway, so he would have a better chance at finding out to whom she was talking.
Lucy’s laughter floated back toward him. “Having that warm body under the covers on cold nights is a definite plus. He’s like sleeping with my very own personal furnace.”
Logan didn’t think she was dating anyone. When had that changed? Who was she dating and how come he hadn’t heard anything about this before?
He racked his memory through past conversations, but he swore she hadn’t said a thing about seeing anyone. He would have heard something. Gwen and Kristi excelled in dissecting everyone else’s social life. He’d overheard enough of their discussions to make sure he kept his private life exactly that—private.
“What are you doing?”
Logan jumped at the unexpected intrusion. He spun around with his hand flat against his chest. Yep, his heart was still beating. He glared at Gwen who looked at him with mock innocence.
“I swear I’ll put a bell around your neck someday,” he whispered fiercely.
She merely arched an eyebrow at him then tilted her head up as she heard Lucy’s voice.
“The kisses get pretty wild,” Lucy said, oblivious to the two eavesdroppers. “But sometimes that’s the best part.”
Logan swore that Gwen’s expression radiated pure feminine evil. He countered it with his best innocent look, but she wasn’t buying it.
“You little dickens,” she whispered with a wicked smile. “You’ve been fooling around with the help.”
“Have not,” he stoutly denied, secure in the knowledge he hadn’t fooled around with Lucy the way he’d like to.
She looked as if she didn’t believe him. “You try anything with me, you will get smacked upside your head,” she threatened before walking down the hall toward the front of the building.
Logan knew Gwen well enough to know her threats were as secure as Fort Knox. He hurried to catch up with her. When he reached the front he slid to a stop. Lucy was partially leaning over the counter as she talked energetically to Ginna whose white shepherd, Casper, was sitting quietly by her feet.
“There’s nothing like a furry bed warmer.” Ginna chuckled as Logan walked out.
That was when he noticed that Domino was sprawled on the counter surface. Lucy’s new lover.
“He crawls under the covers and stretches out beside me at night,” Lucy said as she adjusted the wiggling puppy.
Stifling a smile, Gwen shot Logan an amused look. Then she picked up a chart on the counter and turned to Ginna. “Do you want bring Casper back?”
As Ginna walked past the desk, she glanced at Lucy then at Logan then back to Lucy. She turned to Gwen as they walked back down the hallway.
“It must be getting mighty interesting around here,” Logan heard her say to the assistant.
“More interesting by the minute,” Gwen replied.
“Did you need something, Logan?” Lucy put Domino inside the multi-colored fenced enclosure set up behind the counter to keep him from wandering around the clinic. Unfortunately, it was short enough that he could climb over it, but so far, he was happy enough staying in there. The puppy immediately pounced on one of his toys.
“Yes.” He moved toward her.
She turned around to ask what he needed, but the pressure of his mouth against hers immediately silenced her words.
His kiss was swift and hard and spoke volumes. When he lifted his head, she appeared dazed.
“Who knew that listening to someone talk about their dog cuddling up with them could turn a guy on,” he murmured as he turned and walked away.
Gwen was writing in the chart when Logan entered the examination room. The smile on her lips warned him the two women shouldn’t have been left alone.
“Here you go,” Gwen said, said handing him the chart. “I’ll get the hypodermics ready.”
“Thanks.” He checked the information she had written down. “How’s Casper doing with having kids around all the time?” he asked.
“He loves them. I think it has to do with all the treats they slip him. And they learned he hates peas just as much as they do.” Ginna chuckled. “How are you doing?”
“Busy as always.�
�� He concentrated on the dog since he knew just how skilled Ginna was in extracting information. He remembered how she had watched him at the barbecue. He always considered newly married women to be one of the most dangerous species on the planet. They always wanted to see their friends married and didn’t care what they had to do to accomplish that task. He wasn’t about to dredge up old memories by reminding Ginna he’d been married and most of that time hadn’t been happy. He knew she’d only point out that it was time he had some happiness. It wasn’t happiness he was afraid of. It was fear of getting hurt that kept him cautious.
Lucy had tempted him more than enough already, but so far he’d kept his wits about him. At least he thought he had.
Damn. He hoped he had.
He was relieved when Gwen returned with the hypodermics and the dog was soon brought up to date on vaccinations.
“All done, Gin,” he pronounced.
“Thanks.” She smiled broadly as she passed by him with the dog. She stopped before she reached the door. “Oh, by the way, while Canyon Rose is a great color on Lucy, it really doesn’t do all that much for you.” Her smile grew even wider. “’Bye, Logan.”
He spun around to stare into the shiny metal surface of the paper-towel dispenser. A smudge of pink smeared his lip. Cursing under his breath, he pulled a paper towel down and wiped his mouth. He crushed the damp paper towel until the damning evidence was hidden from the casual eye and tossed it into the trash.
He walked to the rear of the building and entered the shelter area. Kristi was busy setting kittens down in an enclosed area for exercise so she could clean their cages.
“Where’s Nick?”
Her head snapped up; apparently she was surprised by his abrupt tone.
“He’s outside exercising Jake. Although you’d think that it’s more like Jake’s exercising him,” she said with a grin. “That dog’s energy level is two speeds—fast and faster.”
“He needs a home with lots of kids to keep up with him,” Logan said, heading for the rear door.
“I’m sure he’ll get one.”
When he walked outside, he heard Nick calling the dog’s name. Logan stood at the fence and watched the boy running back and forth with a black-and-white Australian shepherd. He was impressed that Nick did his best to keep up with the energetic dog. Smears of dirt on the kid’s T-shirt and grass stains on his jeans revealed Nick did more than just run with the dog. Logan wondered what Lucy thought of all the dirt Nick brought home each day.
“I’d have a better chance if I had four legs like him,” Nick panted, as he walked over to the fence while the dog paused to investigate a corner of the enclosure.
“You and Jake seem to have hit it off,” Logan commented.
“He’s pretty cool,” the boy agreed. “I think he’s tried to herd me a few times.” He grinned.
“There’s some sheep herds still around here, so he could have come from one of them. Just a shame he wasn’t wearing a collar and tags.”
Nick laughed when the dog walked up and nudged him in the back as if to say “We’re not through playing yet.” “Boy, you’re pushy. Just like Mom.”
“Speaking of your mom.” Logan took a deep breath. “Would it bother you if I dated your mom?”
Nick’s head snapped up. “Excuse me?”
“I asked you if it would bother you if I dated your mom.”
“That’s what I thought you said.” Nick took a deep breath as he looked off into the distance. He kept his hand resting on Jake’s head. The dog stood quietly by his side as if content with the contact. “Mom doesn’t date much.”
“So she’s said.” Logan couldn’t remember ever feeling so awkward with a conversation. But then he’d never asked a teenage boy for permission to date his mother before either.
“So she said she’d go out with you?” He sounded surprised.
“Not yet, but I thought if she knew you were all right with the idea, she wouldn’t give me as much grief,” he admitted. “Do you have any suggestions on how I can wear her down?”
Nick considered his question. “Forget sending her flowers. She thinks that’s dorky. Or trying to impress her with fancy restaurants. When I was eight she went out with this guy named Stuart. He owned an art gallery in Capistrano. I didn’t think the paintings he had there made any sense, but they sold for lots of money. He always took Mom to fancy restaurants and plays and concerts. He called me Nicholas.” The dark expression on his face said what he thought about that. “And he kept telling Mom I should expand my artistic side.”
“I don’t see anything wrong with that,” Logan commented. “He was probably trying to find a common bond with you. While a single mother is raising you, a single father raised me. Some of the women my dad dated tried to act like a mother toward me, others tried to be a friend.”
“I couldn’t stand the guy,” Nick confessed. “See, he bought me all these paints and told me to paint my feelings. So I painted words on him. Mom took away TV and video games for two months. He told her I obviously had psychological problems and recommended she take me to his psychiatrist whom he’d been seeing for a real long time. Mom told him to take it up with his psychiatrist.”
Logan breathed a silent sigh of relief that he wouldn’t have to compete with the memory of a wealthy art dealer.
“Got it. As long as I don’t call you Nicholas or suggest you take up art, I’m safe.”
Nick scratched Jake behind his ears. When the dog dropped to the ground and rolled over displaying his belly, Nick crouched down and began rubbing.
“So far, Mom’s turned you down. If you convince her to take her out, more power to you.”
“That’s good enough for me.” Pleased with their little talk, Logan walked back to the building.
“Excuse me, Dr. Kincaid, but did you happen to forget you have patients waiting?” Gwen asked him the minute he stepped inside. “This is an animal clinic, remember?”
He didn’t break stride. “The barking was my first clue.”
She followed him down the hallway. “Glad to see you got the lipstick off.”
“Yeah, I might have told everyone it was yours.” Logan’s grin grew wicked.
Gwen got off a parting shot as she entered an exam room. “Until they looked at Lucy and realized she was wearing the same color.”
Logan remained in the hallway for a moment, listening to Lucy talk to Beau. The macaw’s raspy reply told him the large bird was as captivated by her as Logan was.
He walked into the examination room, feeling more relaxed and lighthearted than he had in some time.
He’d kissed Lucy Donner exactly twice. He hadn’t realized those two times would only whet his appetite for more. Shannon hadn’t affected him this way the first few times he’d kissed her. He hadn’t realized that his memory had been playing tricks on him since his ex-wife had actively pursued him and had initiated that first kiss.
But it was the memory of Lucy’s kisses that kept Logan going all through the afternoon. He cheerfully ignored Gwen’s questioning looks and Lucy’s curious expressions. For once, he felt in control.
He wondered what Lucy would say if she knew her son had given him permission to date her. Of course, now the challenge would be to convince her to go out with him.
It was a good thing Logan enjoyed challenges.
THANKS TO a slow afternoon, Lucy was able to catch up on housekeeping chores. As she straightened up the supply cabinet, she was aware of a piercing gaze centered on a point between her shoulder blades.
“Do you honestly think you can mentally coerce me into giving you what you want?” she asked, not bothering to turn around. “I can be as stubborn as you are.” She continued with her task. Ten minutes later, the prickling sensation was still there. She heaved a pretend sigh. “Oh, all right, but just one.” She pushed items aside as she dug into the back of the cabinet and pulled out a large bone-shaped dog biscuit. She casually tossed it over her shoulder. She heard the clatter of plastic hitting t
he floor then the snap of powerful jaws and a crunching sound. She turned around but by then the cell phone was back between Magnum’s jaws. There was no sign of the dog biscuit. The dog bowed his head in a regal motion before he rose to his feet in a graceful play of muscles and walked away.
“He’s got you trained,” Logan said.
“I figure if I keep him well fed he won’t have that hungry look in his eye when he looks at me,” she replied, returning to her desk and sitting down.
“I think that dog could eat a Tyrannosaurus Rex and still ask for seconds.” Logan wandered around the area.
Lucy watched him. She wondered why he appeared so restless. Logan was always such a focused person, she couldn’t imagine him acting like this.
“Would you like to go out to dinner tonight?” he asked abruptly. “Nick’s even invited.”
“Well,” she murmured, amused by the invitation issued so bluntly, “it does save me having to cook.”
Logan winced. “I didn’t say that very well, did I?”
“You’ve done better, but perhaps you thought if you changed your technique you’d have a better chance,” she said kindly.
“So did it?” he asked. “Work, that is.”
Lucy appeared to consider his question. “I’m not exactly a fun date,” she warned him.
“Says who?”
“I have references,” she said gravely.
“Then you need to change who you go out with.” He braced his hands on the edge of the desk as he leaned over her. “Come on, Lucy. Take a chance,” he softly coaxed.
She looked up at him, bemused by the dusting of gold in his brown eyes. The minuscule bits of light seemed to make them gleam.
The man really was too handsome for his own good. But he wasn’t someone who was obsessed with his looks. Free time at the beach had given him tiny lines around his eyes and the lean musculature of a swimmer.
Then there was that smile of his. Talk about dangerous! Logan’s smile held a hint of wickedness along with the temptation of the forbidden fruit. Forget the apple. Logan Kincaid was more than enough to entice any woman to go astray.
