by Flynn, Ava
His eyes widened, making her laugh.
"I know. Crazy, right?"
He stepped toward her and took her hands. "I think it’s great. I saw how much you loved that place."
"And it’s not just the shop. The quaint little town, the fresh air, the slower pace. And I’ll still be by the water, which I like."
He smiled. "I have no doubt you’ll be a huge success."
"Thank you."
He reached up and smoothed a lock of hair away from her face. "I’m glad you’re staying in the area."
A jolt of surprise and anticipation shot through her. "You are?"
"Yeah. It’d be hard for me to ask you out on a proper date with you on the opposite side of the country."
"A date? I don’t understand."
"While you were gone, I went to see Heidi. I quit."
Erin’s mouth dropped open.
"Why?"
"Because I’m done hiding from the past, from who I am. I’m going to see if I can make another run at being a doctor, though I was thinking more about general practice this time."
"Justin, that’s great." She tried not to think about how a lot of her excitement was because he wouldn’t be sleeping with a different woman every week.
"But there’s a more important reason why I’m quitting."
Erin’s heartbeat increased its speed. "Oh?"
Justin stepped closer, forcing her to lift her head to meet his gaze. "I’m falling for you." He lowered his mouth to hers, and it was the best kiss ever because it was coming from a man who was kissing her because he wanted to, not because it was his job.
"We can take it slow," he said. "We already know we’re sexually compatible. Maybe it’s time for a little romance."
A giddy grin spread across her face. "You mean it?"
"Every word."
"If I’m going to consent to a date, I think I need to know your last name, cowboy."
"Summers. How about you?"
"James."
"Nice to meet you, Erin James."
She took his hand and stood. "You too, Dr. Summers. But before we slow things down, I think I still have a few hours left that are paid for," she said as she started walking backward toward the bedroom, leading him. "Any objections?"
With his free hand, he took off his hat and tossed it onto the couch. "Not at all."
She squeeled as he scooped her up into his arms and carried her to bed.
* * * *
Thank you for purchasing this novella. I hope you enjoyed it. Watch for more Pleasure Ridge Ranch stories coming soon.
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