The Doctor Wears A Stetson (Contemporary Western Romance) by Anne Marie Novark

step of the way in her
attempt to get this clinic up and running.
    She stared at Cameron across the table.
Could she ignore her attraction for him in order to pick his brains
about what was needed for a rural medical clinic?
    If she wanted to move on with her life, she
really had no choice.
    "Jess, I'm sorry I've been coming on too
strong," he said. As always, his deep voice oozed over her, turning
her bones to jelly. "Let's start over. Can you forgive me and share
this picnic with me? Then, I want to see your clinic. You said you
needed my advice about it."
    That certainly was true, she thought.
    "And I promise to keep my hands to
myself."
    Jessie sighed, and then nodded slowly.
Lifting a leg over the bench, she sat at the concrete table. "All
right. We'll start over."
    "Okay, then." Cameron removed his Stetson,
set it on the table and took a seat across from her. He filled a
paper plate with a crispy chicken leg and golden biscuit and handed
it to her. Then he poured a steaming cup of coffee from the thermos
and set it in front of her.
    Jessie bit into the piece of chicken, not
really tasting it. Her appetite was gone again. Keeping her head
down, she covertly watched Cameron fill a plate for himself. He
broke a biscuit in two, popping half into his mouth, chewing
slowly, gazing intently at her.
    Why did he have to be so handsome? Why was
she so attracted to him? Why was her life always so complicated?
She didn't need this kind of complication right now. She was
hanging on by a thread financially. She certainly didn't need to be
hanging emotionally, too.
    "Mom told me you're having money
troubles."
    Jessie swallowed wrong and nearly
choked.
    "Are you okay?" Cameron asked, a look of
concern crossing his face. He shoved her cup closer. "Here, take a
drink."
    She sipped the coffee and scorched her
tongue. Damn, she needed to get her act together. Taking three deep
breaths, Jessie looked at Cameron. "Ruth told you I was having
money troubles?"
    He shrugged and popped the other half of his
biscuit into his mouth. "She's worried about you. So is
Dallas."
    Jessie took another sip of coffee,
cautiously this time. "I just bet Dallas is worried about
me."
    "Why do you say that?"
    "He hasn't told you?"
    Cameron selected another piece of chicken
from the picnic basket. "He said you've leased the mineral rights
on the Devine place, and that you own a large portion of the
mineral rights on the Diamondback Ranch. He's afraid you'll lease
them to Copper River Oil Company."
    "Did he also tell you that I promised I
wouldn't, unless absolutely necessary?" She bit into one of Ruth's
homemade biscuits and even though it melted in her mouth, she
couldn't enjoy it because her stomach was twisted into knots.
    "That's what they're afraid of. If you're so
short on cash, you might be forced to lease them."
    Jessie took a sip of coffee. What could she
say? That was exactly her predicament, and her options were fast
running out.
    "Jess, you aren't going to lease them, are
you?"
    Once again, Cameron's smooth voice washed
over her, causing tingles along her nerve endings. Why couldn't
things be different? Why did she always feel guilty and
regretful?
    "Jess?"
    She took a deep breath. "Ruth's right. If I
don't come up with some money, I could lose my garage. I can't let
that happen."
    "Why don't you sell the mineral rights to
Dallas?"
    Jessie grabbed a napkin and concentrated on
wiping her fingers. "I promised TR I would never sell them."
Especially to the McCades, but she couldn't say that.
    "Why not? Dallas would pay good money. He
doesn't want anyone drilling on the ranch, Jess."
    She crushed the napkin in her hand. "I can't
sell them. I promised."
    "You're stubborn, aren't you?"
    Jessie shrugged a shoulder. "A promise is a
promise, Cameron. I always keep my promises."
    He narrowed his eyes. "You promised my mom
you wouldn't lease those rights. Looks like you're going to break
that promise."
    Jessie swallowed the lump in her throat.
"Yes, and it's