Page 20 of A Mommy for His Daughter

He fixed her with a piercing stare—one that made her blood heat with the intensity of it. She was always attracted to stand-offish alpha males, but usually they never wanted anything more to do with her than a quick fling. Just sex. And she could tell this was no exception.

Nathan had wanted more.

The problem was, she hadn’t wanted more from Nathan.

Did she want something from Derek? Yeah, she did. It was alarming how much she was attracted to him. How he made her nervous and yet excited. How much he affected her.

No man had ever made her feel this way before, and she wondered if Derek might be the kind of guy who might cure her of her restless nature.

But even if she wished it, it wasn’t that way—because she didn’t want any of that. It was way too risky.

You’re not here to stay. You don’t have time for a relationship.

He shrugged. “They’re like family, and someone has to be.”

She understood that. He was protective of his practice just like her father had been. Where her grandmother had loathed his dedication to Wolf’s Harbor, Evelyn had admired him for it.

“Are you okay?” he asked.

“Of course,” she said, hoping he didn’t detect the nervousness she was feeling.

He cocked his head to the side, as if he didn’t quite believe her. As if he knew what she’d been thinking about only moments before.

“It was an intense first day for you,” he remarked before going back to his mopping.

Whew.

“Yes,” Evelyn replied, relieved.

“It’s usually not like this here. It’s a quiet town.”

“Oh, you know that’s not a word you should utter after an emergency situation. Especially to a surgeon.”

Derek cocked an eyebrow. “Why?”

“‘Quiet’ means anything but in the emergency room. It’ll get busy again now. You just watch.”

“I hope you’re wrong. We’ve had enough for one day. Heck, we’ve had enough for a month!”

They laughed together at that.

Just as she had finished disposing of the trash and placing the instruments on a tray to be sterilized she heard the distinct cry of a child in pain.

Derek’s head snapped up and he dashed out of the room as if he’d been struck by lightning.

What in the world…?

Evelyn peeled off her rubber gloves and followed him.

An older woman was holding a gauze bandage to a little girl’s head, and Evelyn could tell it was soaked through with blood. The girl was clinging to Derek, who was rubbing her back, and as the little girl stopped crying to speak to him she could see brilliant gray-green eyes—Derek’s eyes—looking up at him.

Now she understood what was keeping him in Wolf’s Harbor. It wasn’t just his patients who were his family.

He had a family. A real family.

Great. You’re lusting after a married man.

“Is everything okay?” Evelyn asked.

Derek looked at her defeatedly. There was worry etched on his face.

The older woman spoke up, “She was feeling better and running around the house, but then she had a dizzy spell and slipped, hitting her head against a cupboard door. It was a deep gash, so I’ve brought her here.”

“She’s my daughter,” Derek said. “This is Monica. Mo for short.”

She was surprised. Derek didn’t wear a wedding ring, and had never mentioned his daughter before, but then again he didn’t chat much about his personal life.

She looked at the little girl, bleeding from her head wound, crying and clinging to her father. She had once been that little girl in her father’s arms.

Her heart melted. She loved kids.

“Well, why don’t you bring her into exam room two and I can look at the gash?” Evelyn suggested gently.

“I can do it,” Derek said, not looking at her but holding his daughter close and rubbing her back.

“No, you can’t. You’re her father. I will do it.”

“You’re an OB/GYN.”

“I’m a surgeon, first and foremost. I think I can suture a wound.”

Derek nodded, and then turned to the older woman. “I’ve got it from here, Edna. Thank you for bringing her in. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Edna nodded, but looked worried all the same as she left the clinic.

Derek followed Evelyn into exam room two. His daughter had calmed down and was staring at her, with her head pressed against her father’s shoulder. She had the same beautiful eyes and tawny skin, and the most beautiful curly sandy-colored hair that Evelyn had ever seen.

Derek set her down on the paper-covered exam table and Monica still watched her.

“Who’s that, Daddy?” she asked.

“I’m Dr. Evelyn Saunders, but you can call me Evie.”

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