Read Online Healing Dr. Fortune by JUDY DUARTE - Free Book Online Page B

gesture, she suggested he spread it out on the table, then asked, “Should I put on some coffee? Or would you rather have milk?”
    â€œI’ll have whatever you’re having.” He set the bags on one of the chairs, then proceeded to pull out take-out containers filled with tiramisu, cheesecake, cannoli, afruit tart, biscotti, fresh berries and what had to be the soufflé he’d mentioned. “I hope you don’t mind, but I decided not to bring the gelato. I was afraid it would melt before I got here.”
    â€œBelieve me,” she said, “I don’t think we’re going to miss the ice cream.”
    Within minutes, her table looked like a dessert buffet at a wedding. When Jeremy took a step back and smiled at his handiwork, she laughed. “You must have a real sweet tooth, Dr. Fortune.”
    â€œI do. But I was also a Boy Scout, and we were taught to be prepared.”
    â€œFor what?” she asked, chuckling. “A sugar embargo?”
    â€œI wanted to make sure I had whatever you would have ordered last night.”
    â€œI probably would have just asked for a bite of what ever you were having,” she admitted. What in the world were they going to do with all these goodies?
    â€œWhy do women do that?” he asked. “Just ask for a bite when they’d like the whole thing?”
    â€œBecause it’s a way to diet and have our cake, too.” But if Kirsten had any ideas about counting carbs or calories today, she was going to be toast. Because she wanted to try a little of everything he brought.
    While she put on a pot of coffee, she couldn’t help but wonder just how far a man like Jeremy would go for a woman he cared about, and a smidgen of envy stirred in her heart.
    If he didn’t have ties to Sacramento, if he was settled here in Red Rock…
    As the water began to gurgle and dribble into the carafe, she realized that he’d certainly gone out of his way for her today. Did that mean he cared about her in spite of the reasons a long-lasting relationship between them wasn’t feasible?
    Or was she just a date he was trying to impress?
    No, that couldn’t be it. The man was impressive enough in his own right and didn’t need to play games like that. Any woman would be lucky to have caught his eye, even if it was just a temporary thing.
    After Jeremy set out the plates, silverware and napkins, he wandered over to the Crock-Pot and peered through the glass lid. “Boy, this sure smells good.”
    â€œIt’s just a little something I threw in for dinner.”
    A part of her wanted to invite him to stay, but Max was so unpredictable these days. She never knew what he’d say or how he’d act. And she wasn’t up for the stress.
    Not when she was hoping this “temporary thing” with Jeremy would last longer than a date or two. So she decided to let the whole thing ride.
    When the coffee was finished, she poured two cups.
    â€œHow do you like yours?” she asked. “Cream? Sugar?
    Both?”
    â€œBlack, thanks.”
    She added a bit of skim milk and artificial sweetener to hers, which was clearly a waste of time considering the sugar and calories they were about to consume, but shewasn’t going to blink an eye at the indulgence. Instead, she joined him at the table.
    He took his fork and cut into the tiramisu, then offered the bite to her. “Here, try this.”
    She opened her mouth, letting him feed her. The sweet, gooey taste was mesmerizing, but she was more awed by the fact that he was spoon-feeding her.
    Could anything be sexier than that?
    Yes, she realized. If they were feeding each other in bed after making love all afternoon.
    â€œWhat do you think?” he asked.
    About feeding each other in bed? She forced herself to focus on the taste of the tiramisu instead. “It’s delicious.
    You’re going to have to try it, too.”
    Then she reached for a fork, filled