Fortune's Texas Surprise. Stella Bagwell
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serious expression on her face never wavering, she turned to Dayna and instructed her as to what sort of medications she needed for the dog.
“I’ll be right back with them,” Dayna said, then warned Stephanie, “But while I’m gone don’t listen to a word Acton says. He’s a wolf disguised in cowboy clothing.”
“Aww, Dayna, don’t be telling Miss Fortune scary stuff like that. I’ll never get her to like me.”
“Ha!” Dayna laughed and gave him a backward wave as she hurried out of the examining room.
With Dayna gone, Acton glanced at Stephanie, but her attention was riveted on Seymour. What did a man have to do to get a smile out of the woman? Stand on his head or walk on his hands? Maybe she just didn’t like cowboys. The thought bummed him out more than he cared to admit.
“Dayna is joking,” he said. “I’m not really a wolf. See? I don’t have fangs, at all.”
To his delight, she looked up at him and he gave her an extra wide smile to show his teeth.
“I’m quite certain you’re not a member of the Canis lupus family, Mr. Donovan,” she said primly.
He shook his head and wondered why he wanted Stephanie Fortune to notice him. Not as Seymour’s owner, but as a man. She wasn’t his type at all. He liked fun girls who naturally smiled and laughed. This woman was as serious as a judge.
“No one calls me Mr. Donovan. I’d be pleased if you’d just call me Acton. And if I knew what a Canis lupus was, then I might know what you’re really thinking about me, uh, being a wolf.”
To his surprise, the corners of her mouth lifted with something like amusement. “Canis lupus means dog wolf.”
“Oh. That’s good. Because I’m as gentle as a little pup.”
She looked as though she was about to reply to that when Dayna suddenly stepped back into the room carrying a needle, a syringe and a fat jar.
Before Seymour had a clue what was happening, Stephanie had already pulled up the skin on the back of his neck and injected him with the medicine.
“Amazing. Purely amazing,” he said with disbelief. “I’d have to chase Seymour all over the county to do that.” He looked at Dayna and winked. “Does she put spells on all the animals who come to the clinic?”
“Ninety percent of them,” Dayna agreed. “She has the touch.”
Stephanie opened the jar of ointment and began to swipe it on the worst of the raw spots on Seymour’s skin. “Do you think you can do this twice a day? It will help stop the itching and heal the skin.”
“We’ll probably end up in a wrestling match, but I’ll try.”
“Any amount you can manage to put on him will help.” She put the lid back on the jar and jumped the dog off the examining table. “Seymour is ready to go home. If he doesn’t seem to be improving in a couple of days, then we’ll need to see him again.”
She handed Seymour’s leash and the jar of ointment over to Acton, and with the dog walking alongside him, he followed the two women out of the examining room and back to the waiting area, where a payout counter was located next to the check-in desk.
“Don’t wait so long to come see us again, Acton,” Dayna said. “We can always use a smiling face around here.”
“I have a feeling I’ll be back soon.” He glanced around to see Stephanie squatted on her heels, giving Seymour a goodbye hug. Too bad he wasn’t a dog, Acton thought.
Leaving the dog, she stepped forward and handed an itemized bill to the young woman behind the counter, then turned and extended a hand to him.
He wrapped his hand around hers and was totally enchanted by the incredibly soft skin pressed against his, and the gaze of her deep blue eyes connecting with his. Acton could’ve stood there until the cows came home. Unfortunately, she had other ideas.
Easing her hand from his, she stepped back. “It was nice meeting you, Acton. I’m glad you brought Seymour to the clinic to be treated. He should feel better soon.”
Feeling unusually tongue-tied, he stuttered, “Uh, sure. It was nice meeting you. And thanks for taking care of my dog.”
She turned and walked away, but not before the tiny smile on her face smacked Acton right in the middle of his chest. What in heck was going on here? he wondered. First she had Seymour eating out of her hand and now he was feeling like a moonstruck teenager.
“Will that be cash or card, Acton?”
The question failed to register with him. He was too busy watching Stephanie leave the waiting area with an older woman toting a cat carrier.
“Acton! Do you think you can beam yourself back to earth?”
Forcing his attention back to the counter, he stared blankly at Sheri, a young woman he’d known since their kindergarten days.
“Sorry, Sheri. Did you say something?”
Sighing, she gave him a smile that would’ve melted a lesser man’s bones. “How do you want to pay your bill today? With cash or card?”
Mentally shaking himself, Acton dug his wallet from the back pocket of his jeans. “Card. How much is it?”
The amount Sheri quoted caused him to whistle under his breath and he glanced wryly down at Seymour. The dog was grinning happily and thumping his bushy tail. Yep, Acton thought, the dog was still under Stephanie Fortune’s spell.
“Seymour, I’m not so sure you’re worth this,” he said. “But I guess I’ll keep you.”
He swiped the debit card, then punched in his PIN. After he’d placed it back in his wallet, he leaned casually against the counter.
With gamine features and short black hair, Sheri was cute, but in his opinion, not anywhere near as pretty or classy as Stephanie.
“So when did Miss Fortune come to work for Paws and Claws?”
Sheri handed him a receipt. “Before our new clinic opened. She had lots of experience back in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, working with animals, so Dr. Neil hired her right off.”
“Hmm, Florida,” he mused aloud. “Wonder how she happened to come to Texas?”
Surprised, Sheri asked, “Are you saying you don’t know who she is?”
Acton frowned. “Am I supposed to know her?”
She rolled her eyes. “Acton, you really ought to get out of the barn more often. It means Stephanie is one of the Fortunes. It also means that she’s way out of your league, cowboy.”
“Maybe in your mind, Sheri. But I might have other ideas about that.”
Grinning at the shocked look on Sheri’s face, Acton stuffed the receipt in his shirt pocket and led Seymour out of the clinic.
“It was more than obvious the cowboy liked you. The way he was looking at you...” Dayna’s words ended on a wistful sigh. “If only he would look at me that way, I’d be walking around on a cloud.”
Stephanie glanced at her coworker as the two women moved from one kennel to the next, checking on the cats that had been spayed and neutered earlier in the day.
“He? Who are you talking about?”
Dayna rolled her eyes to the ceiling. “Oh, come on, Stephanie. There’s only been one hunk of a man stroll into the clinic today. I’m talking about Acton—the dreamy cowboy. You know! Blond hair, sparkling blue eyes and a grin that turns my knees to mush.”