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FREE READS By Lizzie T. Leaf CHAPTER SIX “My, how interesting. I don’t believe I’ve even seen anything like this.” Amanda studied the growth on the cat’s nose and turned her violet eyes to Rand. “When did you say you first noticed it?” “Well, I...um.” Rand fidgeted for an answer without telling an out and out lie. He really saw no way to avoid it though. If he told the truth and said about an hour ago, he didn’t think Amanda Livingston would believe him. “Oh, we noticed it a short while ago.” Bingo, saved by a quick thinking Riz. “It seemed to really increase in the blink of an eye.” “I see.” From the way Amanda shook her head in bewilderment, Rand knew she didn’t. “This is really an unusual growth. I don’t know if it’s a wart or a cancerous tumor that I’ve never come across.” She stroked Simma along the jaw line as she held his head in her hands and studied his nose. “We probably should do a biopsy.” “No biopsy.” The cat’s shout vibrated in Rand’s head. “Can’t you just prescribe a cream or something to try?” Rand watched the cat twist his body in an effort to get away from Amanda’s hold. The cat continued to scream at him. “I didn’t sign up for needles or cutting, no matter how horny you are. If you think you had problems as a Scottie dog, you ain’t seen nothing yet.” “Calm down, I’ll take care of it.” Rand smiled at Amanda. “I mean, it’s tough enough to catch him if he thinks a trip to the vet is involved. I don’t want to make it completely impossible.” “Well,” Amanda hesitated. “I’m really not sure what we’re dealing with here. If you insist, I can prescribe an antibiotic cream and give it a few days. Then if I don’t see any improvement, a biopsy will definitely have to be done.” Rand breathed a mental sigh of relief as the cat settled down. “Thank you. Yes, let’s try the antibiotic first.” “It’s a good thing she’s reasonable or you’d be slithering out of here.” Simma fumed on the way to the car. “Somebody get a tissue and get this crap off my nose.” “I’ll leave you in the capable hands of the twins.” Rand placed the large cat on the back seat of the car. “I forgot the tube of ointment she wants me to use on you.” “You better get back in there and ask her out. I didn’t go through all this trouble for you to lose your courage, big boy.” Glaring at the bossy cat, Rand slammed the car door and retraced his steps back into the clinic. Let the girls listen to Simma’s complaints. He didn’t have the time. The cat was right about the need to invite Amanda out, though. He wasn’t sure how much time he had in his human form before he became a little black dog again. “Mr. McAllister?” Amanda looked up from behind the reception desk as she hung up the phone. “Is there something else I can help you with?” “I forgot the cream you prescribed for Simma.” He admired her shapely bottom as Amanda walked ahead of him into the treatment room to retrieve the tube of antibiotics. What the hell, if he didn’t go for it, he’d blow the chance to ask her out. “Say, how would you like to have lunch?” Rand flinched at how awkward the invitation came out. He sounded like a teenager asking someone on his first prom date and felt the same rejection coming his way. A smile spread across Amanda’s full mouth. “That would be nice. When did you have in mind?” “Now…I mean today.” Crap, he could feel the blood rush to his face at the blundered invitation. “Let me take the family home and I’ll be back to pick you up.” Rand hurried out the door before she had the chance to change her mind. Amanda rushed into the office and smiled a quick hello to her waiting patients and their owners, well aware she took too long for lunch with Rand. Her afternoon of appointments vanished from her mind the moment he walked back through the door and looked at her with those dark, soulful eyes. Eyes that reminded her of the little Scottie dog she’d come to love. Alistair disappeared out of her life as quickly as he entered and the void in her heart needed filling. Did she think Rand could do that? How stupid, Amanda, to think along those lines. Get real, you don’t replace a dog with a man any more than you’d replace a man with a pet. Come to think of it, she knew some people who had better luck in getting the love they needed from a four legged animal instead of the two legged variety. She laughed and pulled the chart for her first patient. Her hand reached for the door knob and paused as memories of the fleeting kiss Rand placed on her lips when they said goodbye surged forward. Even now, she felt the chills run down her body all the way to her toes. Never had a man’s lips against hers brought such a strong reaction. “Be careful with this one,” she whispered to herself. Squaring her shoulders, she plastered a smile on her face and opened the door to greet a German Shepherd and his owner. “Let me see that foot, Shotsy” Examining the paw, her mind drifted to dinner tonight with Rand. Why did she agree so quickly to his suggestion? She already had plans for a book club meeting. Oh well, she hadn’t read the book anyway. “That’s it Mrs. Johns. I removed the thorn and he should be as good as new.” Amanda patted the large head and scratched behind the dog’s ears in an attempt to get back on his good side. The rest of the afternoon flew by and before she realized it, work was over and she now put the finishing touches on her appearance before Rand showed up to collect her. The doorbell signaled his arrival and a quick glance at her watch told her he was on time. “Hi.” He leaned down and brushed her lips with his. She wondered if his pulse jumped as much as hers did with the brief contact. What will it be like when he actually kissed her with a deep tongue thrusting hot one, if she reacted so strongly to a buzz. “Hi.” Amanda stepped back and fought the desire to jump the bones of the man who created such strong emotions in her. Don’t act like a bitch in heat. “Let me get my wrap.” Glad for the excuse to put distance between them, she picked up the shawl and purse from the table where she placed them earlier and started for the door that Rand held open. Her cell phone rang as she stepped out onto the porch. Crap. The urge to ignore the shrill demand surged forward, before her common sense took control. “Sorry,” She smiled at Rand as she grappled to get the phone from her purse. “No problem.” He stood quietly while she talked with the hysterical woman on the other end. “I really am sorry. Dinner’s off. I have to go into the clinic. One of my patients has been hit by a car.” Memories of her slamming into Alistair the night he ran out into the street in front of her SUV flooded back. Once all of her compassion would have focused on the dog, but now she also felt pain for the person driving the vehicle that hit him. She bit her lip to fight back the tears, threatening to flow. “I’ll drive.” Rand took her arm and led her to his car, a silver sporty model she would have admired under different circumstances. They pulled up in front of the clinic at the same time as the owner of the hurt dog. A sobbing Millie Adams jumped out of her vehicle before it came to a complete stop. “Please, Doctor Livingston. Don’t let Max die.” The distraught woman opened the back of the station wagon and reached in to pick up the blood smeared body of the white poodle. “Here. Let me.” Rand moved Millie aside, lifted the limp form and followed Amanda. Inside the clinic she directed him to the trauma room, where he laid the little body on the table. “Max, oh Max, I’m so sorry. I should never have let you outside.” A guilt ridden Mille stroked the head of her beloved pet. “I know how he chases cats and if there’s one within a mile, he sniffs it out.” Amanda flinched as she recalled the impact of her car against the soft body the night it collided with Alistair. Once again she wondered what became of the little dog she’d come to love so deeply. “Why don’t Millie and I go make some coffee?” Rand’s soothing voice interrupted Amanda’s trip down memory lane. “Great idea. The kitchen’s down the hall on the left.” Relief flooded through her as Rand slipped an arm around Millie’s shoulder and steered her toward the door. She’d be able to focus better without the distraction of the emotional Millie. Hopefully, he saw the smile of gratitude she flashed his way. Once she had Max settled, Amanda found Rand and Millie sitting around the table in the small kitchen the staff used for lunch breaks. “Is Max going to be okay?” The red rimmed eyes in Millie’s pale face were dark with worry. Amanda smiled and nodded. “He should recover with time. His right hip is broken, plus a couple of cracked ribs. I had to splint the hip for now. We need to let him stabilize before I do the surgery to put a pin in the break. He may have a limp after he recovers, but otherwise he’s one lucky dog.” Rand placed a cup of coffee on the table and pulled out an empty chair. “Sit.” He softened his command with a smile. “Millie said the person that hit Max just sped off into the night.” He shook is head. “I don’t understand people like that.” Exhausted, Amanda leaned back in her seat and sipped on the coffee. How did he know I take cream? Oh, yeah. I had coffee when we went out to lunch. Lunch. That seemed like a lifetime ago now. A glance at the clock above the stove showed midnight. No wonder she wanted to crawl into bed. The cot she kept in the closet of her office called her name. “Millie, I’ll keep Max here for a few days. You should go home and get some rest.” Amanda patted the woman’s hand. “I’m staying here the rest of tonight to make sure there are no complications.” A yawn escaped and Millie laughed. “I admit, I am tired, but you look beat Doc. I feel guilty leaving you here alone sitting up with my dog.” “Don’t worry, you won’t feel so guilty when you get my bill.” Amanda walked the woman to the outer door and locked it behind her. She sensed Rand come up behind her as she watched Millie’s taillights drive away. His arms circled her waist and pulled her back against him. “Do you want me to take first shift?” “What ever are you talking about?” “I’m staying with you and I’ve already unfolded the cot you keep in your office. Put the sheets and a blanket on, too. You go get some sleep and I’ll keep an eye on the patient. If there’s a problem, I’ll call you.” A surge of anger bubbled to the surface and Amanda pulled out of his hold. How did he know she kept a cot in her office for nights like this? And who does he think he is ordering me around in my own clinic? “I do this type of thing all the time when I need to. I thank you very much for your consideration, but you need to go home, too.” “Not gonna happen.” Rand leaned back against the desk and folded his arms. He met her glare without flinching. “Get used to it Mandy, I’m in your life and I’m staying.” How dare he talk to her like that? In her life? She didn’t need a man in her life other than for an occasional fling. Too tired to argue the point right now, Amanda turned and stomped down the hall to her bed for what was left of the night. She’d set Rand McAllister straight in the morning when her muddled brain could focus. |