Free Midsummer Sweetheart by Katy Regnery

months?”
    “More than okay!” She nodded at him, rocking. “It’s great.”
    “The town really wanted this clinic. Kalispell’s about 35 minutes away on a good day, much longer if the weather’s bad. That’s a long way if you need stitches or you’re going into anaphylaxis…or labor. It’ll be good to have somewhere closer.”
    “I haven’t bagged anyone in a while,” she admitted. “I was mostly working in maternity, not ER, so you take the anaphylaxis, and I’ll handle the labor.”
    “Deal. But you know what? It’ll all come back to you in a pinch. We can do some practice runs too, if you like.” He raised his eyebrows teasingly. “I’ll let you bag me.”
    Erik, who had crossed to the window and had his back to them, snorted then muttered something low under his breath. Katrin ignored Erik and chuckled at José, blushing. “Not necessary. As you say, I’m sure it’ll come back.”
    “Denied!” José put his hand over his heart, as if wounded, then sighed dramatically, smiling at her. “Okay. Well, why don’t you settle in? I’ll be downstairs. Maybe we’ll head out for a welcome-to-Skidoo Bay supper in a bit. Gabrielle should be back from her run any minute now.” He saluted Katrin once, then turned and headed down the stairs.
    Once he was gone, Katrin felt— felt —the energy in the room shift, and Erik turned around to face her, intense, icy eyes cold and narrow. “ I’ll let you bag me? Welcome-to-Skidoo Bay supper? Is that guy for real? Doctor Martinez. More like Doctor Smarm -tinez. He’s a tool.”
    “Oh, please!” Katrin said, wondering if he was jealous and then telling herself to stop being an idiot. Erik wasn’t interested in her, or any other woman, for that matter—he’d made that clear. “He was just being silly. Friendly.”
    “Yeah, right. A little too friendly.”
    She opened the duffel and took out a picture of herself with Anna, which she placed on her bureau. “That wasn’t very nice. What you said.”
    “He didn’t hear me.”
    “I did.” Katrin met his eyes, trying to figure out what was going on. Was he really upset about José? It didn’t make any sense.
    Erik backed up against the windowsill, stuffing his hands into his pockets, eyes down.
    Katrin continued. “He’s not a tool .”
    “A little bit, he is.”
    He looked up and it was his sheepish grin under lowered lashes that was her undoing. She grinned back at him, even though she didn’t agree with him. God, you’re adorable . She turned her back to her bag and busied herself taking things out and laying them out on the bed.
    She didn’t hear him move, but she suddenly felt him behind her. Close. Maybe his warmth or his breathing tipped her off, but when she turned around, he was so close to her that her breasts brushed his chest and he inhaled sharply, looking down at her breasts, then back up to capture her eyes with his. Katrin stared, mesmerized by blue eyes lighter and cooler than her own, but she didn’t back up or look away. She didn’t move at all. Her heart raced and even though she wholly respected Erik’s declared boundary of a friends-only rapport with her, curiosity and attraction won out. She was almost breathless, waiting to see what he’d do next, wishing that she didn’t want him to reach out for her, touch her, give in to the sparks that leaped and crackled between them.
    He ran his tongue over his lips and stared at her hungrily. She met his gaze, unable to look away. He was so much taller than she, so much bigger, and with the bed directly behind her, she had a fleeting thought that his body would just about crush hers. He’d need to hold himself over her so that he wouldn’t—
    Kat, stop!!
    But, she couldn’t. The thought was already there in her head. Her belly filled with fluttery warmth at the thought of him covering her petite body with the heavy strength of his. The fantasy made her breathing labored, more deliberate.
    He leaned toward her and a small