“a startling affect on her” #MFRWhooks

Running from a disastrous engagement, and an over-powering father, Dr. Allie Parsons agrees to help out an old friend and travels to Duster, Montana. She’s agreed to help the local doctor for a brief period of time until he can find a permanent new doctor. Raised her whole life in New York city, Allie is greeted with culture shock when she finds out how small Duster is, but she also finds a warm, friendly community. And the doctor turns out to be young, tall, dark and handsome. He sends her emotions shooting sky high. She’s welcomed into the Hawkins family and develops a relationship with his daughter. A mysterious stranger leaves notes at the clinic and Allie fears they are a warning he’s going to kidnap the doctor’s daughter.

Luke Hawkins, one of the Hawkins’ brothers is looking for a doctor to take over half the practice from the retiring doctor. He’s not expecting his temporary replacement to be a young, sexy, single woman from New York. He knows she’s the woman he’s been searching for all his life, but he also knows she won’t stay in Duster. He doesn’t believe the notes are meant for him until his daughter is kidnapped. Now he has to save his daughter and convince the woman he loves that she really is a small town doctor at heart.

Allie closed the door, made a note on the front of the chart and popped the file into the slot on the wall before she walked back to the front desk.
 
She picked up the next chart. “Mr. Almeara?”
 
“Yah.” A man, probably in his late seventies, stood up and limped forward. He might have been over six feet in his younger days, but now, with a stooped back, he looked about five feet eight or nine inches. He had a fuzzy gray fringe with a receding hairline and a long gray beard.
 
She saw a definite twinkle in his brown eyes.
 
“Follow me, please.” Allie led the way down the corridor.
 
“Yah, I follow you anywhere, you sweet thing.”
 
“Ouch.” She jumped, turning around to stare at the man who had just pinched her backside.
 
Winking, he nodded. “You got a nice patootie there. You got a fellar that appreciates it?”
 
The initial anger dissipated. A smile crawled up from the inside. She tried to look forbidding. “Mr. Almeara, please don’t do that again.”
 
“Ahhh, you could make an old man very unhappy if he couldn’t appreciate a good lookin’ woman.”
 
“You may look, but, please, don’t touch.” Allie tried to hide the laughter busting to get out. She opened the next door and stepped to one side so he couldn’t touch her as he went past.
 
“In here, please. What are you seeing the doctor about today?”
 
“I...I got problems with the water works.”
 
“I see. That’s common with men in your age bracket. The doctor will talk to you about it. Don’t worry.”
 
“Really, are you sure?”
 
“Not for sure. The doctor will have to run a few tests first to find out what the problem is. Have a seat. He should be right in.”
 
Her lips still tugged at the corners as Allie closed the door behind her.
 
Dr. Hawkins entered the hall. “Are you smiling at a private joke?”
 
“Sort of,” she had no intention of sharing that pinch with him. He might think she couldn’t handle the patients if this sort of thing happened in the first few hours after she started work. She had no idea of his ideas on harassment. Besides, she found it more funny than upsetting.
 
“Your next patient’s ready.”
 
“Thanks. You’re doing a great job. I really appreciate you doing this.”
 
She nodded and went back to reception to pull the next patient file and answer the ringing phone. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d had a compliment on her work. And this one was for her work as a receptionist.
 
Every time she passed him in the corridor, his closeness, his masculine musky scent and those hypnotizing eyes had a startling affect on her.
 
Duster didn’t appear to be so depressing any longer. However, he could make working together a challenge.
 
They needed to keep things strictly professional. He might be sexy, but she had no desire to get involved with any man right now.
 
Why would he have chosen to practice medicine in this godforsaken place?