Page 10 of Risky Move

“I’m checking in with Tom. We won’t monopolize Lauren too long, will we, Cassie?”

“As if we could.”

6

Cassie bit back a smile as she watched Caryn and Andrew transition to parent-mode the instant they entered the house. Both Jenna and Daniel’s faces transformed from eyes at half-mast to excited delight when they spied their mom and dad.

Caryn plucked Daniel from Tom’s arms, and Andrew unfastened Jenna from her bouncy seat. “You see where I rate on the twins’ affection scale,” Tom said to Cassie.

“You’re definitely one up on me.” Cassie brushed the hair away from her eyes as the sexy doctor-turned-babysitter stopped by her side. “I wish you could have seen the presentation today—Lauren and Dave made a huge impact on the audience.”

“I caught a few minutes of the stream from the Suns’ website…until my nephew and niece demanded more attention.” He glanced over at them with a smile, then turned his grin toward Cassie. “Surprised by Dave’s proposal?”

“You saw that?”

“Couldn’t hear a thing with these chatter bugs, but easy to guess.”

Cassie grabbed his arm without a thought. “I had no idea, but I’m not surprised Dave proposed. But in front of all those people? Lauren looked shell-shocked.”

“Good thing she said yes, then.” His cinnamon eyes sparked little electric bursts throughout Cassie’s body.

She chuckled. “She told me no wedding planning until after their Greek Islands cruise. Darn it! I can’t wait to help with that.”

“In the meantime, how about helping me with dinner? It’s my day to cook when I’m not working.”

Those eyes!As if she’d resist his invitation. “What’s on the menu, doctor?”

“Fresh vegetables. We have a community garden at the hospital. I’ve got squash, green beans, tomatoes, romaine, corn on the cob…I was thinking maybe some grilled chicken, corn, and a huge salad.”

“Yum…put me to work.”

When Caryn and Andrew took the twins to their room for a nap, Tom connected his phone to a Bluetooth speaker and handed it to her. “Pick some music, Cassie.” She looked at him after she scrolled through some playlists.

“How about your Extra Golden Oldies?”

“That’s a great list. Songs we listened to growing up—our mother’s favorites. Brings back some great memories.”

Cassie pressed “Play” and set the phone on the counter. “My mom has a playlist like that—my grandmother’s favorites…from the sixties. No surprise, I prefer the oldies.”

His smile threatened to melt her into a puddle. After a beat, Tom nodded toward the basket of fresh vegetables. “You want to figure out what to do with that while I finish marinating the chicken?”

“Got it.”

Cassie chanced a glance at Tom as he flipped the chicken and brushed marinade over it.Physician, son, brother, uncle, friend, chef…Even though he has a girlfriend, he must have women beating down the door? Maybe he does—at the hospital? I’d grab a number to stand in that line. Green scrubs or blue? Doesn’t matter—with those looks, that smile, not to mention his smoking body, he’d look good in a burlap sack.Her body still tingled when she allowed herself to think about “the kiss,” and wished every day that Tom didn’t top her “Forbidden/Do Not Touch” list.

Cassie yelped as the knife nicked her finger instead of slicing the zucchini. “Stupid move, Johnson.” She reached for a paper towel, but Tom gently grasped her hand. He turned on the water and held her finger under the light stream. “Distracted dicing,” she joked as she looked away from the blood.

“You did a number on your finger.” Tom wrapped a paper towel around the finger and showed her where to apply pressure. Cassie nodded, still averting her face. Tom pulled a chair behind her and helped her to sit. “Dizzy?”

“It’s just seeing the blood. Makes me woozy.”

“Hold on for one second.” Tom pulled the first aid kit from the pantry and set what he needed on the table. He gently lifted her hand above her shoulders and unwrapped the paper towel. Although the towel was red, blood now trickled from the cut. “Just need to clean and bandage it,” he told Cassie.

“No stitches?”

“Not today.” He rested his hand against her neck. “Water?” Cassie shook her head. “Give me a few minutes, we’ll have this bandaged and ready to go.”

Cassie nodded.Klutz, squeamish, and the sight of blood makes me faint.She closed her eyes as Tom cleaned and dressed the wound.Does he notice that not-so-little flutter in my heartbeat each time he touches me? Probably the only person who gets turned on by a doctor cleaning a cut. Hope he doesn’t hear my heart pounding…at least the nausea’s easing.

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