The Doctor Wears A Stetson (Contemporary Western Romance) (6 page)

She pulled the truck around back of the
house and parked. Gazing at the home she and TR had shared
together, Jessie drew in a deep breath. It couldn't compare to the
magnificence of the Diamondback ranch house, but it had a charm all
its own. She loved this place; she loved living in a real house.
Before marrying TR, she had lived with her father in the tiny rooms
behind the garage. If only she could have loved TR like he
deserved.

Loud barks greeted her when she climbed out
of the pickup. "Down, Sherlock! Down, boy." The German shepherd
followed her to the door where a large orange tabby waited, meowing
impatiently. "I know, Katnip, I know. Life's tough for an old
tomcat."

Jessie opened the door and switched on the
lights. The animals bounded past her into the kitchen. After
feeding them, she stood at the sink and thoroughly washed her hands
with a degreaser until all traces of black disappeared.

She enjoyed working at the garage. Really,
she did. But seeing Cameron again had resurrected the dreams of her
youth. Her life was satisfying, she reminded herself. Comfortable.
Rewarding. Only sometimes a little lonely.

Jessie quickly showered and changed into a
cream-colored sweater and dark brown slacks. Sitting at her vanity,
she applied mascara and a dab of lipstick, then frowned at her
reflection in the mirror.

She really shouldn't be going out with
Cameron McCade. TR had hated the McCades with a passion. There'd
been a feud of some sort between his grandfather and theirs. Jessie
had never found out what it was all about. But she did know it had
something to do with the mineral rights. The same ones she was
going to be forced to lease in order to raise money to save the
garage.

She hadn't allowed TR's feelings to
interfere with her friendship with Ruth McCade. And she wouldn't
let her husband's animosity toward the McCades stop her from going
out just this once with Cameron. She had many regrets concerning
her marriage to TR Devine. One more added to the pile wouldn't
matter that much.

Jessie grabbed her purse and let herself out
of the house. She'd always had a weakness for Cameron McCade. That
had never changed and probably never would.

Inside Sarah Sue's Cafe, almost all the
tables and booths were occupied. It seemed everyone in town was
here tonight. Delicious scents of fried chicken, meatloaf and
fresh-baked bread wafted in the air. Cameron looked around, spotted
an empty booth and made his way across the crowded room. Old
friends and neighbors greeted him from all sides. He stopped
several times to exchange howdy-dos and good-to-see-yous. So much
for the quiet intimate dinner he'd planned.

As soon as he sat down, the door opened and
in walked Jessie. Damn, she looked good. The sweater she wore
hugged her pretty breasts and her feminine curves filled the tight
slacks. Desire riveted through his body. He was starving for a
taste of her. Later, he promised himself. Dinner first, kisses
later.

She didn't see him at first as she scanned
the room, so he stood and waved. She smiled and nodded and started
weaving her way around the tables. Of course, she had to pause
every few feet and say hello to people. When he couldn't stand the
wait any longer, Cameron moved toward her. Ignoring the raised
eyebrows and knowing smiles, he grasped Jessie's elbow and
practically dragged her from the Johnson's table, where she stood
conversing.

"What do you think you're doing?" she said
in a furious whisper.

Cameron helped her into the booth and slid
in on the opposite side. "You're having dinner with me, not half
the town."

Jessie narrowed her eyes and sat back,
crossing her arms over her chest. "I've known these people all my
life. And so have you, if you bothered to look around."

"I already looked around and said my hellos,
while I was waiting for you."

"So you haven't completely forgotten the
friendship and fellowship of living in a small town," she said.

"No, I haven't forgotten--"

He fell silent when a tall woman with gray
hair rushed up to the table, carrying menus and two glasses of ice
water.

"Evenin', Jessie. I'm running late. Just got
here and we're short staffed tonight." Sarah Sue handed her a menu
then turned to Cameron and nearly spilled the water when
recognition dawned. "Good lord! If it isn't Cameron McCade! How you
doing, darlin'?"

She set his water and menu on the table and
bent down to hug him. "It's right nice to see you again. You
haven't been in my café in a coon's age."

"It has been a while. I'm very glad to be
back." He shot a challenging look at Jessie. She just smiled at him
over her menu.

Sarah Sue patted his cheek, just as if he
were fifteen years old, instead of thirty-five. "You always were a
handsome boy. Broke all the girls' hearts when you left Salt Fork.
You here for Ruth's birthday?"

"Wouldn't miss it for the world."

"Well, I'm sure Ruth is mighty glad you're
home. Y'all ready to order, or do you need a minute?"

"I think we're ready. Here, I don't need the
menu." Cameron handed it back to Sarah Sue. "I know exactly what we
want . . . give us two orders of chicken-fried steak and two pieces
of chocolate cake. That okay with you, Jess?"

Jessie nodded and closed her menu.

Sarah Sue grabbed a yellow pencil from
behind her ear and jotted down the order. She stood a moment,
looking from Jessie to Cameron, then winked before heading to the
kitchen.

Shaking her head, Jessie's cheeks turned
pink as she squeezed the lemon slice into her water, then took a
sip.

"You're beautiful when you blush," Cameron
said. "I want to kiss you again. I want to do a lot more than just
kiss you."

Jessie nearly choked on her ice water. With
a trembling hand, she set the glass down, sloshing water onto the
table. Grabbing a napkin, she dabbed haphazardly at the droplets,
her face rosier than ever.

"Here, let me help." He reached over and
used his napkin to sop up the puddle. His hand brushed against
hers, and he frowned when Jessie jerked back as if she'd touched a
live coal.

Cameron folded his napkin. Had he shocked
her? It wasn't like when they were kids and she'd been untouched.
He gripped the napkin tightly in his hand, wishing he could have
been the one to touch her first. Jessie had always been special. He
had wanted her that night on Lovers' Point. He ached from wanting
her now.

"Relax, Jess. I'm not going to do anything
you're not comfortable with. But I won't lie to you, either.
There's something between you and me. It was there the night of the
prom. It's here between us now."

"I know," she said. "But you're moving too
fast for me. Let's take it slow and easy." She tried to smile.

"I'll do my best, sweetheart. That's all I
can promise." Not for a moment did he think it would be slow and
easy when they came together. It would be hard and fast. He
adjusted his position on the vinyl seat of the booth, hoping like
hell he could keep his promise.

Sarah Sue waltzed up to the table, carrying
a loaded tray. She placed the plates in front of them. "Careful,
they're hot. Anything else you need?"

"I don't think so," Cameron said.
"Thanks."

Sarah Sue tucked the tray under her arm.
"I'm glad you're back, Cameron McCade. And I'm so glad you brought
Jessie to dinner. The poor darlin' doesn't get out near enough.
Y'all enjoy."

Jessie groaned and Cameron smiled at the
murderous look she shot at Sarah Sue's retreating back.

"Maybe you have the right idea about not
living in a small town," she said. "I'd give anything to be in a
large, impersonal restaurant right now."

"Oh, I don't know. I'm kind of enjoying the
fellowship." He grinned, then took a bite of his steak.

Jessie smiled back. "Do I detect a change of
heart?"

Cameron shrugged. "I can think of a couple
of things I like about small towns.
This
town in
particular."

"Such as?"

"Sarah Sue's chicken-fried steak," he said.
"And a certain female mechanic, who took apart my brand new car
when nothing was wrong with it."

Cameron watched the chin lift and the green
eyes sparkle with mischief. His body instantly responded. It took
an enormous effort not to lean over and kiss those moist lips.

Then Jessie smiled at him again--a secret
smile, an intimate smile--before turning her attention to her
dinner. Cameron's gut clenched with desire. He hadn't been this hot
for a woman in years. Seventeen years, to be exact.

****

Jessie watched Cameron sigh with pleasure
and push away his empty dessert plate. When he wiped his mouth with
his napkin, her heart did a little skip. She wanted to feel that
mouth on hers.

All during dinner, she'd been hyper-aware of
the man sitting across from her. Their legs had brushed several
times beneath the table, each encounter shooting sensual shock
waves through her body. She felt on edge with expectancy. Like
something important was about to happen.

Unlike Cameron, Jessie didn't believe in
plans. In her experience, life was a crapshoot and the luck of the
draw; life dealt you a hand of cards, and you made the best of it.
Or not. No use planning anything, because something would
invariably come along to upset all your careful arrangements.

Sarah Sue walked up to the table holding a
steaming coffee pot. "Y'all want more coffee?"

Cameron nodded. "That would be great. How
about you, Jess?"

"Yes, please."

After Sarah Sue filled their cups, Cameron
settled back against the cushioned booth. "So, tell me about this
clinic of yours."

"It's not
my
clinic," Jessie
said.

"Well, that's what Mom calls it. She always
refers to it as
Jessie's clinic
."

Jessie smiled. "That sounds like something
Ruth would say."

"Yeah, Mom gets an idea in her head and it's
hard to budge her from it. So, how'd you get on the bandwagon? Why
is a medical clinic so important to you? No one's ever wanted to
build one in Salt Fork that I've known about. Everyone's been
content with the hospitals in Abilene and Lubbock."

"Seemingly content," Jessie said. "When Dad
was diagnosed with cancer, it would have been so much easier if
we'd had a resident physician in town."

"A country doctor couldn't treat cancer,
Jess."

"I know that, but he or she could have
treated him for pain and some of the other side effects. Instead,
we were always having to pack up and go to Abilene for every little
thing."

"I see your point. Eighty miles is a long
way to travel to see a doctor."

"And that's just one way. Then there was
TR's accident," Jessie continued. "If we'd had a clinic in Salt
Fork, with a doctor and oxygen, maybe he could have been saved. As
it was, the drive to Abilene just made his injuries worse. He was
in a coma for two months. It was awful."

"You must have loved him very much."

"He was my husband. It was hard to see him
die."

"I'm sure it was," Cameron said. "Life's
dealt you some pretty hard blows: Your mom, your dad, your husband.
I really admire how you've bounced back and moved on with your
life."

Oh, if that were only true.
Jessie
shrugged. "I haven't had much of a choice. I've just rolled with
the punches."

"So, when can I see this clinic of yours?
You've got me curious about it."

"How about tomorrow? No, wait, not tomorrow.
I have to go to Lubbock."

"Lubbock?"

"I have some business to take care of. How
about the day after tomorrow? I can take a long lunch and show you
around."

"Sounds good, Jess. Where is it, by the way?
I didn't see it on the main drag."

"It's over on Elm Street, by the high
school. Why don't you meet me there around twelve-thirty?"

"I'll pick you up. I
will
have my car
back by then, won't I?" he said with a teasing lilt to his
voice.

"Of course," Jessie said with a smile. "You
could have picked it up this afternoon."

"I could have picked it up this morning, if
the engine hadn't been scattered all over the floor." He winked and
her tummy fluttered in response.

"I told you I was sorry about that."

Cameron leaned toward her over the table.
"Hey, I was kidding. I think it's great you're so enthusiastic
about your work."

"And you're not?"

Cameron sat back, exhaling a long breath. "I
used to be. Not lately, though."

"Why is that?" Jessie asked. "What happened?
From what Ruth's told me, all of your plans have worked out so far.
And now you're up for a dream promotion. All should be right with
your world."

"You'd think so. I thought moving away from
the ranch would cure my restlessness, but it didn't."

He stirred his coffee and placed the spoon
on a paper napkin. "For so long, I thought I knew exactly what I
wanted. But lately, I feel like all my plans were wasted. I still
don't know what the hell I want. I shouldn't be telling you this.
You've had enough to deal with and don't need to hear me
whine."

Without thinking, Jessie reached across the
table and placed her hand over his. "Sometimes, talking helps you
see things in a different light. I'd like to think we could be
friends, Cameron."

He reversed positions of their hands, with
him holding hers in a tight clasp. His sapphire-blue eyes suddenly
glittered hotly. The intensity in Cameron's eyes would be her
downfall, she was certain of it.

"I'd like to think we could be more than
friends," he said, squeezing her hand. "In fact, I think we're
already more than friends."

That bubble of expectancy grew in Jessie's
stomach. She tried to retrieve her hand, but he wouldn't let her.
"I've never been good with the male/female thing," she said.