Reading Online Novel

Their Divine Doctor(Divine Creek Ranch 9)(11)



Duke got up and sat on the sturdy coffee table so that he faced her with Gage sitting beside her. He leaned forward with his elbows on his thighs and caressed her knees with both hands. He glanced at Gage and then said, “Emma, we’d like to invite you out on a date tomorrow night. The three of us.”

“Re—Really?” she asked, clearing the frog from her throat. “You both…”

Duke and Gage nodded together. Duke’s thumbs stroking her knees were hypnotic as little tingling rivulets of heat travelled up her thighs to her center. “We’d like to take you to supper, then…maybe…I don’t know—for a drive or a movie?” His uncharacteristic uncertainty somehow made her feel more at home with him. More comfortable. She understood how he felt and didn’t hesitate.

“I’d love to, Duke, Gage. I have a wedding to attend in the afternoon, but I’ll be free after that. I’d like it very much. Of course, that’s provided I don’t get called in, since this is my on-call weekend.” She hadn’t planned to stay for very much of the reception since she was going alone and didn’t dance.

“Fair enough. We know how that goes,” Gage said as he rose from the couch. She walked them to the door and came to a sudden stop when they both turned to her and, one at a time, leaned toward her for a soft, sweet smooch. No tongues, no arms flung around each other, or bodies pressed tightly together. Just simple, affectionate gestures that inexplicably shot her libido through the roof as though they had done all those things to her.

“We’ll talk to you tomorrow?” Duke opened the door, and the humid evening air surrounded them. The scent of someone grilling steaks for a late supper nearby lingered in the air.

Emma nodded, and they turned to go. Moths fluttered around the porch light as she watched them climb the stairs. They waved one last time before they disappeared from sight. She quietly closed her door and turned out the lights. Her heart was fluttering wildly in her chest at the memory of their kisses.

After a warm shower, she climbed into bed completely nude. It took an hour of tossing and turning before she finally fell asleep. Even asleep, she dreamed of what it would be like if they did more than just kiss her chastely on the lips.





Chapter Three



Saturday afternoon, Emma removed her phone from her scrubs pocket and pulled up Duke’s phone number. She waited as the call connected, looking over at Grace Warner who sat beside her, breathing deep with her eyes closed. Ethan sat on Grace’s other side, holding her hand and speaking in soothing tones to her. His voice seemed to calm her considerably as Adam watched with loving concern on his face from the front passenger seat.

They’d just left the romantic ceremony binding Maya Daire to Kendall, Boone, and Richard Warner. Grace’s husband, Jack, had to take the bumpy journey from Divine Creek back to the Rockin’ C Ranch slower than Emma had liked, but it had been necessary for Grace’s comfort. Once they’d reached the paved drive at the Rockin’ C Ranch, Jack had been able to drive at a much faster pace.

With her eyes still closed, Grace leaned her head back and let out a long, slow breath that ended with a shaky note.

Emma patted Grace’s hand and said, “You’re doing great, Grace.”

Grace kept her eyes closed and replied, “That was a long one.”

On the fourth ring, Duke picked up. “Hello?” Even under these circumstances, his voice sent a shiver of pleasure down her spine.

“Duke? Hi, it’s Emma. I’m sorry to do this but I’m going to have to reschedule our date. I’m on my way to the hospital with a patient.”

His voice held a trace of disappointment. “It’s okay. I understand. I just got off the phone with Ace. He told me that you’d just taken off with Grace. I hope she’s okay.”

“Everything is fine, but I’m really sorry about our date. I was looking forward to it.” Emma glanced at her watch when Grace signaled the beginning of another contraction.

She heard his sexy chuckle on the line, and he replied, “Me too. But we’ll make plans to go out soon. We’re not letting you off the hook.”

She could hardly contain the giddy feeling inside at the thought that they’d both asked her out for that Saturday night. But babies came when they wanted to, so here she was on her way to the hospital. “I’ll look forward to it. Talk to you soon.”

They ended the call, and she checked her watch. Grace had been having mild contractions all morning. When Emma had arrived for the wedding, Grace had reassured her that the baby was just being very active. As the wedding ceremony had drawn to its conclusion, Emma’s suspicions had been confirmed as she’d observed Grace breathing through an active labor contraction. They’d left the gathering a few minutes later.