Free Strictly Professional by Sandy Sullivan Page A

and handed her a glass of sweet tea.
    “Thanks.”
    “You’re welcome.” He took a seat in chair across from her and watched her over the rim of the glass. “If it wasn’t already dark, I’d take you out back and show you my place. Being raised on a cattle ranch, I’m sure you can appreciate it.”
    One shoulder lifted in a shrug. “It’s fine. I try not to have anything to do with cattle, horses, or cowboys if I don’t have to.” She caught her lip between her teeth and her eyes widened when she caught his surprised gaze across the room.
    “You have a thing against cowboys?”
    Her focus dropped to the carpet at their feet for a second before it returned to his. “Sorry. Nothing against you. I just haven’t had much luck with them.”
    “Fair enough.”
    “So where did you grow up? I don’t know anything about you at all and here I am sitting on your couch, sipping tea.”
    The corners of his mouth lifted in a smile and one dimple peeked out, tempting her like nothing else could. Her heart fluttered in her chest and it felt like a million butterflies were beating against the inside of her stomach, trying to get out.
    “Let’s see. I grew up in Montana. Billings to be exact, or should I say outside of Billings. My parents owned a place there.”
    She took a drink from her glass and studied him a moment.
    “I have one brother and two sisters. Like you, I’m the oldest.”
    “Where did you go to school?”
    “I did my pre-med at Montana State then went to New York University Mount Sinai.”
    “Mount Sinai? Wow! That’s one of the best schools in the country.”
    “Vanderbilt is pretty prestigious, too. You did well to get in here.”
    Heat crept up her neck to splash across her cheeks. “Yeah, well...”
    It helps to have connections and parents with money.
    “How did you end up in Tennessee then?”
    “Centennial Medical Center offered me a nice contract to work the emergency room here.”
    A frown pulled down the corners of her mouth. “So how did you end up at Vandy?”
    “Once I got here, things weren’t the way they stated them in the contract. I did my stint and then Vanderbilt offered me a position, so I took it.”
    “You’ve been in Tennessee a while, then.”
    “Yeah, about a year.”
    “Do you like it here?”
    “I love it. I plan on staying for a long time. I’d say forever, but you never know what might happen in the future.”
    “What about your siblings? Where are they?”
    “My brother Aaron lives in Montana still and works the home place with my dad. He’s twenty-eight. My sister Beth just got married last year and lives in Washington State with her husband. She’s thirty-two and my baby sister Alyssa is in college in California.”
    “No grandkids yet for your parents either?”
    “Nope. That’s why I had to laugh when you mentioned your parents pressuring you and your sisters about grandchildren. Every time I’m home, I get the same lecture.”
    “You have no idea,” she mumbled as she stared into the bottom of her now-empty glass.
    “What? I didn’t hear you.”
    “Nothing.” She stood and moved toward the fireplace against the wall. Brandon had several pictures of what she assumed to be his family lined up in individual frames. “Are these your parents?” She picked up one silver frame with an older man and woman smiling brightly on the front porch of a house.
    His voice came from right behind her and she jumped. “Yeah. This one was taken a few years ago right before their anniversary. That’s the front porch of the family place.”
    “Looks nice.”
    He set the picture back down on the mantle. “I like it. They don’t have a huge place, but it’s plenty big enough I guess you could say.”
    “Do they raise horses?”
    “Horses and cattle. You know the typical Montana cattle ranch.”
    She picked up another photo of one of his sisters, noticing the resemblance between his features and hers. “How many acres do they own out there?”
    “Five