Misters of Love: A Small Town Romance Boxset

by Piper Sullivan

  My thoughts exactly.

  Maxine

  Waking up completely naked with Derek Cahill’s body wrapped around mine was surreal. The usual morning-after awkwardness wasn’t so bad, since it was too early in the morning for any kind of conversation to be had. We both showered—separately—and got on the road, stopping only for coffee and pastries.

  Then we headed to Tulip in sweet, blessed silence. It gave me plenty of time to think—okay, obsess—over the night before. Specifically, the mind-blowing, toe-curling sex I’d had with Derek. All. Night. Long. The one thing I now knew for certain was that Derek was more than a pretty face with charm. More than a capable and friendly doctor. More than a highly-skilled lover—and he was very, very skilled. I had sore thighs and abs to prove just how skilled he was in the area. His proximity combined with last night’s memories had my body humming with pleasure and vibrating with desire for more. Even now, as I tried to sip on piping hot coffee, all I could think about was finding a dark corner to pull over the van and go at it one more time. Just one more time, because this had to be the end of it.

  Derek definitely wasn’t what I thought, or who I thought, but I was pretty sure he still wasn’t the man for me. So, unless a forest entrance or a mysterious and dark spot appeared on the side of the road, this was just a one-time thing. Or so I thought.

  Just as we passed the Welcome to Tulip, Texas sign, Derek spoke. “You never did respond to my text about our first date.”

  His words took me by surprise. We’d just gotten naked and dirty together last night. All night. Multiple times throughout the night, in fact. “Why?” I worried my question might have offended him but Derek, the easy-going guy that he was, only laughed.

  “Now that I know exactly how crazily explosive things are between us, I’m even more eager to see if things are like that in other areas. Aren’t you?” His lips pulled up into a hopeful yet flirty smile, like he really did want to get to know me. To test the waters, so to speak.

  He had an excellent point, one I’m afraid to admit hadn’t occurred to me because I was too busy reminding myself why this couldn’t happen. Why we couldn’t happen. “And what about your commitment problems?” Because there was no way I’d set myself up for that again.

  Derek grinned and leaned against the passenger door. “The ones you made up? Well, the good news is that they’re still made up, Maxine.” The way he said my name, all formal and seductive with a hint of authority, was too much this early in the morning.

  “Smart ass.”

  “I am. So, about that date. You’ll let me know when you’re free and I promise to show you a good time.”

  I stared at him, stunned. “You’re doing that on purpose,” I accused, and he only laughed and shook his head. Derek moved carefully, deliberately until he had as much of my attention as I could give while still watching the road.

  “Doing what?”

  “Deliberately making every word out of your mouth sound dirty. Suggestive.” He had to be.

  “Am not,” he argued immaturely and leaned forward until I caught a whiff of him. And chocolate. “Maybe you’re just so amped up from our night together that everything just sounds dirty to you, Maxine.” He did it again, emphasizing the ‘x’ in my name, pitching his voice low and sexy. Almost commanding.

  But maybe he had a point and my overworked hormones were to blame. “Definitely not that,” I assured him with confidence. At least, I tried for confidence, but then his palm landed on my thigh, giving it a light squeeze that stole my breath.

  “I’m sure I could change your mind. But I am a gentleman,” he said with that arrogance that was slowly growing on me because it was good-natured, not cocky. “That, plus there’s an adorable miniature version of you waving at us from the porch.”

  Dammit. I was so caught up, so wrapped up in flirting and bantering with Derek, that I didn’t realize I’d brought the car to a stop in front of my house. Even now, after his reminder, I couldn’t look away from that smoldering gaze or the promise in his smile. “Damn you, Derek.” He laughed at my distress and I let my gaze swing to my daughter, who waved excitedly from her position beside Nina on the porch, rather than focusing on him.

  He chuckled. “Don’t blame me, I was as caught up as you were.”

  That didn’t make me feel any better. “One of us has to use our head.”

  “It won’t be me,” he promised and stepped from the car before I could respond. “Good morning, ladies.” He flashed a smile to Callie and Nina, both of whom looked shocked to see him.

  By the time we both made it to the porch, Callie was practically vibrating with nervous energy. “Morning, Mommy! You and Dr. Derek had a sleepover, too?” She grabbed my hand and tugged me inside, not waiting for an answer. “Me and Nina ate big fudge sundaes and watched a movie with lasers and spaceships and war. It was really cool, Mommy!” Callie’s excited chatter went a long way to soothing my overworked mind, to calming my raging hormones. “What did you guys do?”

  “A question I’d also like an answer to,” Nina added with a saucy grin that said she thought she knew more than she did. Then again, considering the way she and Preston had gotten together, maybe she did.

  “We got a flat tire in the middle of a storm and found a roadside motel to sleep in. We’re tired, hungry, and in need of coffee.” I shifted a glance behind Nina to Derek, who wore a smirk that was just about irresistible.

  “Thanks for the offer, but I need to go check on some patients. But I’ll be seeing you real soon, Maxine.” He gave a short wave and my body quivered at his words, a half promise and half threat I couldn’t wait to explore.

  With Derek gone and just us girls remaining, I looked down at Callie with a grin. “Sounds like you have a lot to share over breakfast?”

  “Oh, man, Mommy, we had so much fun!”

  “Hey, kid, help me get breakfast started while your mom gets ready for the day.”

  “Thanks,” I whispered and rushed down the hall to my bedroom and a hot shower and a fresh change of clothes. It was still early in the morning, but it was still a work day, which meant I needed to get to the shop after getting Callie off to school. When I returned to the kitchen, a plate of scrambled eggs and toast sat in the middle of the table, along with coffee and orange juice. “Smells incredible, Nina. I owe you.”

  “You can repay me by sharing the details of your evening.”

  “I already did. Thanks to those meddling old women, I missed out on hours of planning last night.” I didn’t have my laptop or my notes because it was supposed to be a simple delivery, which put me roughly four to six hours behind schedule.

  “I’ll bet you gained a lot more than you missed out on,” she added with a smirk. “Oh, come on, it’s written all over your face, not to mention his cocky swagger. I’m just saying, it’s about time.”

  “It was a one-time thing,” I told her once Callie finished her breakfast and went to get dressed for the day. “But something odd happened—he still wants to go out on the date. Why, when he already got what he wanted?” The truth was, I’d wanted it, too, but that was one more reason it had to be a one-night event.

  Nina looked at me like maybe she thought I lacked intelligence and shook her head. “Maybe because he likes you,” she suggested, her words filled with sarcasm. “Or maybe this is all part of his evil plan to make you fall in love with him so he can cheat on you, rip your heart out and stomp all over it.” She grinned at me. “It’s definitely one of those.”

  “Your sarcasm is not welcome here.” I poured another mug of coffee and took a long, fortifying sip while I tried to ignore her words as they bounced around in my mind.

  “Maybe unwelcome, but so damn entertaining.” She laughed and shook her head, having way too much fun at my expense. “I’m gonna go crawl back into bed with my man for a few hours, but we’re not done with this conversation.”

  “Aren’t we?”

  She shook her head. “Nope. Wouldn’t it be great if I said yeah, t
hough?” She laughed again and waved, dropping a kiss on Callie’s head when they crossed paths in the living room. “Bye, girls!”

  With Nina gone, it was just me and Callie, like it was most mornings. I let out an exhausted sigh, which was crazy. I couldn’t be exhausted already, it wasn’t even eight o’clock in the morning yet. The day had just gotten started and I had plenty of items to check off my to-do list before it was over. “Okay, kiddo, you have enough to eat until lunch?”

  “Yes, Mommy.”

  Perfect. “Find a pair of shoes and I’ll be back to check in a second.” It was a small task that would keep her busy for just long enough to give me time to toss my hair into a braid, which I then wrapped into a bun, and grab an extra shirt because food went everywhere in a working kitchen.

  “I got my purple sneakers, Mommy!”

  “Great choice.” It was, too, because I wouldn’t have to explain to her why one pair of shoes didn’t go with a certain outfit. Not waking up in my own bed, a thought which still brought a smile to my face, had gotten my day off to a weird start. Nothing was forgotten, but I felt like I was forgetting everything as I herded us both back into the van.

  “Why are we taking the van?”

  “Because my car is still at the shop. When I pick you up, I’ll have the car.” The answer seemed to satisfy her, and I breathed a sigh of relief as I started the engine and got the car on the road. When my mind inevitably wandered to thoughts of Derek and his flirty smile and that lazy grin, or his soft, gentle touch, I would bite down on my cheek to stop it. Nothing good could come of that particular fantasy, because that’s what it was. He might not be my ex, but until recently he’d shown no signs of settling down. Of committing.

  “Mommy, is Dr. Derek your boyfriend now?”

  I stared at my daughter through the rearview mirror, trying to get a clue where this question came from and, more importantly, how she felt about the answer.

  “I don’t mind if he is, I like him. And both Grandma Vargas and Grandma Betty say he’s too darn good-lookin’.” She mimicked Betty’s Texas twang and sent herself into a fit of giggles that were, honestly, contagious.

  That was an apt description of Derek so I smiled, but those dang matchmakers were becoming a thorn stuck in my backside. They would be the death of me, I was certain.

  But then I thought of Derek and those intoxicating kisses, and all I could think was, oh what a way to go!

  Derek

  “Your studio has changed a lot since I was last in here,” I pointed out as I looked around.

  Janey’s photography studio used to be a one-room operation, with all of her props and backdrops crammed into one corner. The black-and-white checkerboard designs had only made the space appear smaller and more cramped back then.

  She flashed a smile and pushed up the black-rimmed glasses she rarely wore because they came between her and her camera, and let her gaze wander around the room. The checkerboard hadn’t changed but everything else had, including a sleek reddish-brown desk to welcome potential customers at the front and two vibrantly-colored sofas arranged to keep everyone comfortable while they waited. The walls had been filled with her creative work—everything from Texas landscapes to beauty pageant portraits and headshots, even a few official photos for the local Tulip officials.

  “Business has been good and thanks to the craziness surrounding the Hometown Heroes calendar, it’s raised my profile.” She shot me a grin and I was proud of her, happy for her.

  Even if I didn’t want to be here right now, pretending to smile when I had no reason to. I’d given Maxine two days, technically three, to reach out to me. She still hadn’t. “Good for you.” At least something other than matchmaking and being ogled by women old enough to be my mother and, in some cases, my grandmother, would come from this calendar.

  She snorted. “I know you guys hate this part of the job, but this calendar is making the town big bucks—and that’s because of your abs and smile, Dr. Cahill.”

  I glared at her and Janey only laughed. For such a small woman, she was feisty and not easily intimidated. “Yeah, yeah. Let’s get on with it.” I’d shown up in my scrubs and lab coat, just as she’d requested. I even brought along my stethoscope as an act of good faith, but Janey was never satisfied with a win. Ever.

  “Okay, how about lift up the hem of your shirt, just a little?” I couldn’t see her face, but her amused smirk peeked out from below the lens.

  “Janey,” I growled, crossing my arms.

  “Oh, that’s perfect. Hold it. Right there.” She snapped more than a dozen photos, capturing me from so many angles I wondered what else she was doing with these shots.

  “How many do you need?”

  She jumped up onto her feet with a shrug and a smile. “I won’t know which one is the right one until I see it. But if you’re getting antsy, tell me what’s going on with you and Max while I set up for some shots without the coat.”

  I shrugged out of the white coat and leaned back against the black leather stool I’d been using to create some kind of power pose. “There’s nothing to tell.” At least, I didn’t think there was. If a woman doesn’t call three days after you’ve rocked her world, either she isn’t interested or her world hadn’t been as rocked as you’d thought.

  “Oh, come on, you have to give me something.”

  “So that you can maintain your reign as queen mini-gossip?” I arched a brow and she stuck her tongue out before snapping a few more photos.

  “I prefer to think of myself as junior executive gossip-in-training.” She lifted her chin in proud defiance and ducked back behind her camera. “If not Max, then who put that goofy smile on your face?”

  “I’m always smiling,” I insisted with a playful, forced grin. My friendly, professional smile worked wonders at the hospital—it helped make nervous patients, and their even more nervous family members, a lot less panicky.

  “Yeah, that’s true,” she conceded. “But not like this.” She squinted her eyes and pouted out her lips, spreading them into a sort of constipated grin. “It’s all dark and broody. Kind of hot, actually.”

  I snorted at her and rolled my eyes. “Don’t so sound surprised; I am a hometown hero, after all.” But she was right about one thing: I felt like I was smiling more now that I had Maxine in my life. “I have no idea what’s going on with Maxine and I.”

  She rolled her eyes, but her smile was affectionate. “The matchmakers have been busy with you two, I see. How did Eddy get you out to Cosgrove Orchards?”

  I groaned. “I took her at her word—a mistake I won’t be making again anytime soon. But I can’t say I hate their meddling completely.”

  Janey mimed zipping her lips and tossing away the key. “That particular secret is safe with me,” she promised, and even though I appreciated it, I knew she had a more selfish reason for her easy agreement.

  “You know you’ll be next on the list.” Her cheeks turned pink and I laughed while she snapped a few dozen more photos.

  “Max is great, you could do a lot worse than her,” Janey said, ignoring my comment. “She’s tough, but you’re a good man, and I think she could use one of those in her life. Callie, too.”

  That was laughable. “Callie is great. So smart and bubbly, but Maxine thinks I’m a skirt chaser.” Like her ex, which still pissed me off.

  Janey snapped another photo and held the camera at her hip, shaking her head. “Wrong. If that’s really what she thinks, she wouldn’t spend any time with you. You must be warming her up somehow, Romeo.”

  I clenched my jaw and willed my face and body to remain neutral, refusing to give away any indication that her hints had any merit. But then her words finally sank in. “You think she’s warming up to me?” That thought hadn’t occurred to me. I was beginning to wonder if I’d spend my entire relationship with Maxine trying to prove that I was nothing like her ex.

  “Heard you two were looking pretty cozy at Reese’s last week.”

  I blinked. “Where�
�d you hear that?” None of the guys at work, or the nurses who were obsessed with the calendar, had said a word. No teasing or razzing. Nothing.

  Janey shrugged and put her camera down. “I saw a photo of your tongue down her throat. On Facebook.”

  “What?” I didn’t have time to keep up with town gossip, which meant I never visited the town’s social media sites—not even when it was time to harass my friends. Now, it seemed like an oversight on my part, and I wondered if Maxine had seen it and if she was upset.

  “There you both are, kissing like the world is ending in the morning. Look how many votes you two have for the next Hometown Heroes love story!” She shoved the phone at me and gasped. “Hey, do you think I can get Max to play the patient to your doctor for another round of photos?”

  “Probably not.” I didn’t want to say it, but there was a good chance that photo was why I hadn’t heard a peep from her in days.

  “Think of it. A little bit of cleavage and abs, and we could revamp Tulip’s Tribute in gold.”

  I shuddered at that thought. “Just imagine how Sabrina would throw her weight around if we did that.” The thought of Sabrina Worthington reminded me of the other task I had to make progress on. The ball.

  Janey snorted. “Good point. You’re still a ruiner of fun.”

  “That’s me. Derek Cahill. ER doctor and ruiner of all things fun.” We shared a laugh and, finally, Janey called a wrap on the photo shoot and walked me to the door.

  “Look, Derek, her ex did a number on her. Shook her trust in relationships and in men, especially pretty men like you who are still single long after it’s socially acceptable to still be single.” She leveled me with a serious look behind her too-serious glasses. “You want her? Show her that you’re different.”

  “I am different.”

  “I know that, dummy. And if you play your cards right, she will, too. Keep trying unless she tells you to get lost, because we both know she will if that’s what she truly wants.”