The Brooding Surgeon's Baby Bombshell. Susan Carlisle

looked around, then headed toward the kitchen table, where he set the bags down. “You sit down and rest. I’ll get things on the table. Just tell me where they are.”

      Zoe closed the door and followed more slowly. Her apartment went from small to tiny with Gabe in it. She needed to get a grip on her attraction to him or she would lose control of the situation.

      Her mother joined them, looking from Gabe and back to her, perplexed.

      Zoe put a reassuring hand on her mother’s arm. “Mom, I want you to meet a friend of mine, Gabe Marks.”

      “Friend” might be stretching their actual relationship, but she didn’t want to explain more.

      Gabe came around the table with a smile on his face. “Mrs. Avery, it’s a pleasure to meet you.”

      Her mother smiled. “Hello.”

      “I brought you some dinner. I hope you’re hungry.” He pulled a chair out from under the table and held it for her.

      “Thank you. I am.” Her smile broadened as she sat.

      Zoe sank into a chair.

      Gabe returned to the bags, continuing to remove cartons. “Zoe, I hate it, but I forgot drinks.”

      How like him to take control and look comfortable doing it. “I have iced tea made.”

      “Sounds great.” He looked at her mother and smiled. “That work for you too, Mrs. Avery?”

      Her mother grinned, an endearing expression Zoe hadn’t seen in some time, and nodded to Gabe. The devil was charming her mother out of her fog.

      Zoe stood.

      “I said I’d get things.” He waved her down and headed into the kitchen. “Just tell me where they are. Plates? Silverware?”

      “I don’t feel that bad.” Zoe joined him. Gabe took her by the arm and gently led her back to her chair.

      Her body trembled at his touch. She sat, forcing him to release her. If he had noticed her hypersensitive reaction to him, he didn’t show it, much to her relief. She had to somehow smother her physical desire for him. She couldn’t spend the rest of her life fighting it and hiding it from him.