Page 1 of Marrying a Spy

Chapter One

Sophia sat at her desk, studying the dental images that had just been emailed to her. Another complicated case that required her expertise. She smiled as she leaned closer to get a better look at the case of xerostomia. A shiver of excitement raced up her back.

Was it normal to get a thrill from sticking your hands in someone’s mouth?

Probably not.

Should she seek out help?

Maybe.

But there was something so comforting about the security of her job. If there was a problem in front of her, she could, and would, figure out a way to fix it. That certainty brought her more joy than anything else.

“Soph, your three o’clock is ready.” Kari, her dental hygienist and best friend, popped her head through Sophia’s open doorway.

Sophia nodded and slid her desk chair back. “He’s all cleaned and ready to go?”

Kari wiggled her eyebrows, making Sophia sigh. It was the same look Kari got every time a hot guy came into the practice.

“What is it now?” Sophia asked, hesitating to grab her glasses and slip them over her head.

Kari shrugged. “Oh, nothing. It’s just that he is hot. Like, scorching sun hot.” She leaned against the doorframe and fanned herself with her hand.

Sophia rolled her eyes. “You’re married, Kar,” she said, motioning to the giant rock on Kari’s left hand.

“Tony and I have an understanding. Besides, he knows I would never cheat. I just look at the merchandise.”

Sophia chuckled as she passed by Kari and made her way out into the hall. “He’s a very understanding guy.” She gave Kari a pointed look.

“He’s perfect. The one for me.”

Sophia swallowed, a lump forming in her throat. Sure, she played it off like she didn’t care that she had literally no one in her life. Her mom and brother had died the year after she graduated. And her dad? He was the one person she refused to think about.

Ever.

“Well, most of us aren’t as lucky as you,” Sophia said, smiling at Kari as she made her way down the hall to where the row of treatment rooms faced the windows that lined the far wall After passing by a few rooms occupied by other patients, Sophia got to her chair.

She grabbed the chart from the counter and flipped it open. She liked to take a moment to learn a little about her patients before walking in. It gave her time to prepare.

“Good Mor—” she started to say, stopping when she read the patient’s name. Noah Elliot. Her heart sank. No. It had to be someone different. It couldn’t be the same Noah Elliot that had broken her heart in high school.

That Noah Elliot had left. And this being the small town of Rockport, Massachusetts, there was no way he’d return. At least, that’s what he’d said to her after their senior prom.

He was leaving this town and never coming back. There was nothing for him here but bad memories of a painful past.

She swallowed as she composed herself and stepped closer to whichever Noah Elliot was in her chair.

It’s not the same Noah. It’s not,she chanted in her mind.

She held her breath as she approached the chair. From where she stood, she could see the man’s dark brown—almost black—hair. It was styled in a tousled, unkempt sort of way. She could see his well-shined dress shoes and creased suit pants.

This wasn’t Noah. The Noah she knew was an outdoors, rough-it kind of guy. Relief flooded her chest as she smiled and introduced herself. “Good afternoon. I’m Sophia, and I’ll be checking out your teeth today.”

The man turned around, and her heart sank. Noah’s familiar bright blue eyes greeted her. It was Noah. Her Noah—the Noah who broke her heart. What was he doing here?

She was sure she looked like an idiot. Standing there with her mouth hanging open as she tried to figure out what to say. She was in shock. Or maybe she was having a brain embolism.

“Why?” The words tumbled out before she could stop herself.

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