Amanda Witherspoon had heard Riley McCabe was returning to
Laramie, Texas to join the Laramie Community Hospital
staff, but she hadn't actually seen the handsome family
physician until Friday afternoon when he stormed into the
staff lounge in the pediatrics wing.
Nearly fourteen years had passed, but his impact on her
was the same. Just one look into his mesmerizing amber
eyes made her pulse race, and her emotions skyrocket. He
had been six foot when he left for college, now he was
even taller. Back then he had worn his sun-streaked light
brown hair any which way. Now the thick wavy strands were
cut in a sophisticated urban fashion, parted neatly on the
left and brushed casually to the side. His lanky body
filled out his button-down shirt, V-necked Fair Isle
sweater and jeans in an exceedingly appealing way. He
looked solid and fit, mouthwateringly sexy, and every inch
the kind of grown man who knew exactly who he was and what
he wanted out of life. The kind not to be messed with. The
sound of holiday music playing on the hospital sound
system and the Christmas tree in the corner only added to
the fantasy-come-true quality of the situation.
Had Amanda not known better, she would have thought Riley
McCabe's return to her life would have been the Christmas
present to beat all Christmas presents, meant to liven up
her increasingly dull and dissatisfying life. But wildly
exciting things like that never happened to Amanda.
"Notice I'm not laughing," Riley McCabe growled as he
stormed close enough for her to inhale the fragrance of
soap and brisk, wintry cologne clinging to his skin.
"Notice," Amanda returned dryly, wondering what the
famously mischievous prankster was up to now, "neither am
I."
Riley marched toward her, attractive jaw thrust out
pugnaciously, thick straight brows raised in mute
admonition. "I would have figured we were beyond all this."
Amanda had hoped that would be the case, too. After all,
she was a registered nurse, he a doctor. But given the
fact that the Riley McCabe she recalled had been as full
of mischief as the Texas sky was big, that had been a
dangerous supposition to make. "All what?" she repeated
around the sudden dryness of her throat. As he neared her,
all the air left her lungs in one big whoosh.
"The practical jokes! But you just couldn't resist, could
you?"
Amanda put down the sandwich she had yet to take a bite of
and took a long sip of her diet soda. "I have no idea what
you're talking about," she said coolly. Unless this was
the beginning of yet another ploy to get her attention?
"Don't you?" he challenged, causing another shimmer of
awareness to sift through her.
Deciding that sitting while he stood over her gave him too
much of a physical advantage, she pushed back her chair
and rose slowly to her feet. She was keenly aware that he
now had a good six inches on her, every one of them as
bold and masculine as the set of his lips. "I didn't think
you were due to start working here until January 2," she
remarked, a great deal more casually than she felt.
He stood in front of her, arms crossed against his chest,
legs braced apart, every inch of him taut and ready for
action. "I'm not."
"So?" She ignored the intensity in the long-lashed amber
eyes that threatened to throw her off balance. "How could
I possibly play a prank on you if I didn't think you were
going to be here?"
"Because," he enunciated clearly, "you knew I was going to
start setting up my office in the annex today."
Amanda sucked in a breath and tilted her head back to
glare up at him. "I most certainly did not!" she insisted.
Although she might have considered a practical joke had
she realized he intended to pick up right where they had
left off all those years ago. Matching wits and wills. The
one thing she had never wanted to cede to the reckless
instigator was victory of any kind.
Riley leaned closer, not stopping until they were
practically close enough to kiss. "Listen to me, Amanda,
and listen good. Playing innocent is not going to work
with me. And neither," he warned, even more
forcefully, "is your latest gag."
Amanda regarded him in a devil-may-care way designed to
get under his skin as surely as he was already getting
under hers. "I repeat โ" she spoke as if to the village
idiot " โ I have no idea what you are talking about,
Doctor McCabe. Now do you mind? I only have a forty-five
minute break and I'd like to eat my lunch."
He flashed her an incendiary smile that left her feeling
more aware of him than ever. "I'll gladly leave you alone
just as soon as you collect them."
Amanda blinked, more confused than ever. "Collect who?"
she asked incredulously.
Riley walked back to the door. Swung it open wide. On the
other side was the surprise of Amanda's life.
IF RILEY HAD GONE STRICTLY by the stunned and baffled look
on his former antagonist's face, he would have thought
Amanda Witherspoon was entirely innocent in the commotion
that had just gone on down in the hospital's main lobby.
But four years of nonstop high school rivalry had taught
him that no one could plan and execute a ruse better than
the beautiful woman before him. Amanda stared at the
triple stroller, currently being manned by two college-age
hospital volunteers โ Riley's twenty-one-year-old sister,
Laurel, and her friend, premed student Micki Evans.
Amanda's glance moved over the three children ensconced in
holiday clothing. "I take it these aren't patients?"
Amanda guessed finally.
Riley gave a reassuring smile to the three kids. He had no
idea who they belonged to, but they were incredibly cute,
nevertheless. The infant โ Cory โ had short dark hair and
inquisitive eyes so dark blue he knew they would
eventually turn brown.Amber, the toddler, was practically
bald; her thin blond hair barely covered her crown. But
she had an infectious smile and a sunny, easygoing
personality. Chloe, the preschooler, had a mane of wildly
curly light brown hair that stopped at her shoulders, and
light blue eyes that radiated more natural mischief than
Riley's ever had in his prime. Riley had tried talking to
them, to get to the bottom of whatever was going on here โ
to no avail. The baby merely cooed, the toddler babbled
happily but incoherently, and the preschooler was so
stubbornly mute it appeared they were playing a game Riley
was not in the mood for. Scowling, Riley turned back to
Amanda. He could understand her wanting to pick up the
jokes again, even if they were a little old for such
shenanigans. His life had never been more enthralling than
when they had been testing each other's wills and skills.
But this ploy was, in his estimation, way over the line of
acceptable behavior. And he was determined to make Amanda
Witherspoon understand that.
Micki Evans piped up nervously, "Laurel and I found them
outside one of the entrances when we were coming in to
volunteer this morning."
"There was an envelope addressed to Riley attached to the
stroller," Riley's younger sister, Laurel, quickly put
in. "And for the record, I don't think you had anything to
do with this, Amanda."
"Thank you," Amanda said.
"Well, I do," Riley groused. And he was damn furious about
it. He didn't care how beautiful Amanda Witherspoon had
become over the years. Or how sweetly sexy she looked in
her pale blue nurse's uniform and white cotton sweater.
She might appear innocent enough with her dark blond hair
tucked into a casual ponytail at the nape of her neck,
with sprigs of lighter blond hair escaping to frame her
face in wispy strands. But Riley knew better. Her wide-set
turquoise eyes radiated a spunk and daring that warned him
not to be taken in by her soft feminine lips, stubborn
chin and pert straight nose. Her fair skin might be lit
with a glow that seemed to come from within, her cheeks a
pale, becoming pink, but that did not mean she was the
least bit trustworthy. Not when it came to him. Which was
why, Riley schooled himself firmly, he could not let
himself dwell on the new fullness of her breasts, the
admirable slenderness of her waist, and the enticing curve
of her hips. Never mind the lithe, graceful way she moved.
Nor could he let himself wonder if her legs โ now hidden
by her uniform trousers โ were as sexy and lissome as he
recalled.
He was not here to woo her, but to call her to task. Not
that she looked ready to own up to anything she had done.
"May I read the note?" Amanda asked.
Curious to see how she was going to play this ruse out,
Riley set his lips grimly and handed the red envelope
over. Their hands brushed. He noted Amanda's hands were
trembling slightly as she removed a Christmas card with a
jolly old Saint Nick, adorned in cowboy hat and boots and
holding a rope in his hand, featured prominently on the
front of it. "I lassoed you a present," Amanda read out
loud, before turning the page. Brow furrowed, she cleared
her throat and continued reading out loud. "Dear Riley,
Four-year-old Chloe, seventeen-month-old Amber, and four-
month-old Cory need the kind of love only a daddy with a
heart the size of Texas can give. Please do right by them
and see they have a very merry Christmas. Santa."
Amanda's lips formed a round O of surprise as she looked
up at Riley. "You have three children?" she asked in
amazement. "I didn't even know you were married!"
If Riley had been in a charitable mood, he would have
given her an Academy Award for her acting. He was not in a
charitable mood. "I'm not married," he told her flatly.
Amanda's eyes widened. "Wow. I mean, I remember you as
being sort of irresponsible and joking around all the
time, but...wow," she stammered again.
Temper surging, Riley turned to his younger sister and her
friend. "Would you mind taking the children to the
playroom down the hall?" he asked in a low, clipped voice,
doing his best to keep his emotions under control lest he
upset the children.
"No problem," Laurel said with a nervous smile. She
wheeled the triple stroller around with Micki's help, and
they all exited.
Once again, Riley and Amanda were quite alone. "Guess
you've been a little busy since you left Laramie," Amanda
quipped as she picked up her sandwich, slid it back into
the paper bag bearing her name, and placed it in the
fridge.
Not that busy, Riley thought. "Those aren't my kids," he
repeated firmly.
Amanda tilted her head at him. "Tell that to the kids'
mother," she suggested skeptically.
Riley planned on that and much more. An outrageous act
like this would not pass without retribution. He promised
Amanda Witherspoon that. "Which brings us to the next
point," he continued calmly, looking deep into her
eyes. "What kind of mother would let you use her children
to play a joke on me?"
GOOD QUESTION, Amanda thought. Only she wasn't playing a
joke on Riley McCabe. Which could only mean one thing โ he
had to be playing a joke on her. The kind that would break
all records in the history of their long-running
feud. "Forgive me for trying to get you to do the right
thing," she said with a shrug, aware staff were gathering
in the hall just outside the lounge.
"So you admit you're behind this!" Riley crowed, ignoring
the implication that the trio of children was his.
"I admit," Amanda countered, as she stalked away from him
and out into the hallway, "you're a fool if you think you
can get away with trying to publicly embarrass me. And
furthermore โ" she whirled around to face him once again
" โ had I known when I accepted a position as pediatric
nurse here two months ago that you were going to show up
here, too, I would have found some other small and
charming West Texas town in which to live and work!"
Riley studied the indignant blush warming her face and
neck. "If I were you I would admit I was bested and call a
halt to this right now."
"Hey!" Amanda angled an accusing finger his way. "I'm not
the one with three children spirited away to the pediatric
floor playroom."
Riley lifted a dissenting brow. The air between them
practically sizzled with sexual sparks. "Aren't you?"
Oh, no, Amanda thought as dread spiraled inside her. She
knew that look. The look that said Riley was about to do
something even wilder and crazier than what had already
been done.
"Is it true?" Meg Lockhart-Carrigan, LCH director of
nursing, finally piped up. She and her husband, Luke, had
a brood of four. Meg looked Riley in the eye. "Are those
children yours?"
"Actually," Riley smiled, wrapping an arm around Amanda's
shoulder. "They're ours."
A gasp went through the hallway as even more staff,
patients and parents gathered to witness the unfolding
scene.
Amanda could feel the blood first draining, then rushing,
to her face. Damn you, Riley McCabe. She clamped her lips
together and spoke out of the side of her mouth. "Stop.
Teasing."
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