Page 54 of Born to Make You Smile

When we arrived at the convention, we signed in and received lanyards with our names and occupations on them. It seemed Gavin knew almost everyone, saying hello and conversingwith most people we met. We walked around and gathered information about new sealant and composite products on the market. We watched demos and got information about several digital radiography systems. I was sure to grab as many samples as I could manage to fit into our bags. I felt like a kid in a gumball factory who just had her braces removed. I snagged us some fluoride varnish, polishing cups, applicator brushes, syringe tips, dental dams, and retraction cords. I even won a high-end burnisher instrument for being the first out of a group to answer a trivia question:What is the space between the lateral incisors and canine in maxillary primary dentition?

“Primate space!” I shouted.

“Wow,” Gavin said with a proud nod. “I’m impressed, love.”

Pride enveloped me like a warm blanket.

We continued to walk, then Gavin pointed at some people standing in a crowd. “It’s Dr. Paul Southerland.”

“Who?” I asked.

“He’s a well-known orthodontist with several practices in and around the city. I know him from way back when.”

My mouth dropped with surprise as I caught sight of the elegant and striking dark-haired dentist dressed in what looked to be an expensive tailored gray suit. He stood chatting enthusiastically in a group of mostly women.

We walked up to Dr. Paul Southerland, who greeted us with a beaming smile.

“Dr. Brinley, hello, hello,” he said.

“Dr. Southerland, fancy meeting you here,” Gavin said with a handshake, then he turned to me. “Paul, this is my assistant, Grace.”

Paul shook my hand, then introduced us to the two unbelievably attractive women by his side. I felt my cheeks blush. The three of them could have passed as movie stars.

“How are the girls?” Paul asked Gavin. They proceeded to have some small talk about their kids. Paul was married with two young boys.

“What time is your presentation tomorrow?” Gavin asked him.

Paul rubbed a finger on his clean-shaven chin. "Two forty-five."

“Wonderful, we’ll be there,” Gavin said, then whispered to me. “Paul has extensively researched orthodontic treatment for children with cleft lip and palate."

“Oh wow," I said with a nod, my eyes wide with awe.

“Well, Gavin, I gotta run. It was very nice to meet you, Grace.” Paul’s stunning blue eyes burned into mine as he stared at me intently. “I hope to see you againvery soon.”

His words were forward, perhaps a little suggestive, but I brushed them off. The man was married, after all.

“He seemed nice,” I said as we walked away. “Very handsome.”

Gavin shook his head and rolled his eyes, then leaned in and whispered, “Yes, well, in my opinion, a little too handsome for his own good.”

I chuckled at his jealous tone. “What do you mean?”

His heated breath grazed my ear, causing my neck to warm. “While I respect the man on a professional level and appreciate everything he does in the field, he's got a bit of a reputation. It's very hush-hush, but let's just say he goes through his assistants and hygienists rather quickly. If you catch my drift.”

“Oh, I see,” I said quietly. “But isn’t he married, with two boys?”

He nodded with a shrug, and I got the hint loud and clear.

***

That evening, I was smoothing on some lip gloss when there was a knock on my hotel door. When I opened it, I just about toppled over.

Wow. Gavin looked incredible.

His black-and-silver hair was effortlessly styled, begging to be touched, and without his glasses, his emerald eyes were mesmerizing. He wore a black dress shirt and pants with a sharp gray-patterned blazer. The entire outfit was modern and classic, impeccably tailored to his body.

I’d never seen him look so striking and gorgeous. I had to press my lips together to keep my jaw from falling to the floor.

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