Free Feels Like Home: A Southerland Family Contemporary Romance Book 1 by Evelyn Adams

beds as boys,
knocking down her prize daylilies.
    “ I don’t think a body
should get medical treatment from the same place people buy tires
and groceries.”
    “ Of course, ma’am. I’ll be
happy to take care of it.” At least it gave him something to do
besides obsess about Autumn.
    He didn’t generally schedule appointments on
Saturday. With the exception of some of his older patients like
Mrs. Morris, Kristen kept Saturdays open for walk-ins. They only
worked a half day and most of that was spent dealing with sick
kids.
    Usually he and Kristen could handle Saturday
hours alone, but Kristen had taken off for her sister’s wedding.
Autumn came in to fill in for her. It was okay; they hadn’t had
many patients. The rush of back-to-school colds seemed to be over
and flu season hadn’t started. But it meant there’d been precious
little to distract him from Autumn.
    She’d worn one of those sexy 1950’s housewife
dresses with the rounded neckline that showcased the tops of her
even rounder breasts and a wide belt cinching her waist. He wanted
to wrap his hands around the belt, boost her up onto the counter,
and find his way under the layers of her skirt.
    “ Doctor
Southerland?”
    “ Hmm?”
    Mrs. Morris was looking at him like he was
touched in the head. Good Lord. He had to do something or he was
going to go nuts.
    “ Yes, ma’am. Just a
minute.” He opened the exam room door and called for Autumn. She
walked towards him, hips swinging, on impossibly high heels. Her
dark hair haloed her face with tousled curls and her bright blue
eyes were fringed with inky black lashes. The only noticeable
make-up she wore was red lipstick. She was walking sex, all lush
curves and generous lips begging to be kissed, but still perfectly
appropriate. Even Mrs. Morris wouldn’t be able to find fault in her
appearance, but it was driving Jude crazy.
    The worst part was he didn’t think she had
any idea how beautiful she was. He certainly didn’t think she meant
to tease him. He couldn’t help wanting her. It didn’t matter how
many times he reminded himself that she worked for him. She found
her way into his thoughts and into his dreams.
    “ Did you need something,
Doctor?” When she said doctor, she smiled, playing with him, but
part of her attention seemed to be somewhere else. She’d been
distracted all day. Maybe he affected her, too. It was too much to
hope for.
    “ Could you grab one of
those flu shot trays Kristen fixed, please?”
    “ Sure.” She turned, leaving
the spicy floral scent she wore behind.
    God, he had it bad. He pulled out his
stethoscope and started checking Mrs. Morris’ vitals, partly to
make her feel like she’d gotten her money’s worth but more to
distract himself from thoughts of Autumn Maddox. He’d just
unfastened the blood pressure cuff when he heard a soft knock and
the sound of the door opening behind him. Mrs. Morris peered around
him and scowled.
    “ You’re not Kristen. Who
are you, child?”
    “ My name’s Autumn, ma’am.
I’m filling in for Nancy while she’s on maternity
leave.”
    “ That’s right. I heard she
had a baby girl. But who are your people, dear?”
    Jude saw her flinch and wondered why the
question bothered her. He didn’t have to wait long to find out.
    “ My grandmother was Marion
Maddox.”
    “ She just died, didn’t she?
Poor dear.”
    Jude couldn’t imagine anyone calling Marion
Maddox a poor dear. She’d been strong as steel up until the end.
But it didn’t sound like Mrs. Morris meant Autumn either.
    “ Yes, ma’am.” Jude watched
as Autumn shrank inside herself.
    “ I’m sorry for your loss.
You’re not a Smith, though, are you?”
    “ No, ma’am. I’m a Maddox.”
Her voice sounded so small. She may as well have said she was a
bastard.
    Mrs. Morris pulled herself up to her full
height and Jude could tell something nasty was coming. He couldn’t
stand the idea of the old biddy making Autumn feel like less than
what she