The Playboy's Proposal (Sorensen Family) by Ashlee Mallory

soon. And let me know how it goes with Dr. Seeley tomorrow.”
    But as he walked back to his place, the thought of Dr. Seeley sitting on Benny’s couch, talking renovations, and sharing worst-patients-of-the-day stories kind of annoyed him. Which was pretty ridiculous. He and Benny had become…friends. And this was the whole reason they’d set this all in place.
    Good friends. At that thought, he smiled. Already looking forward to their next encounter.

Chapter Eight
    Benny was outside an examining room the next morning reading the chart of her fourth patient when she heard the low timbre of Luke’s voice coming from around the corner. Normally, she’d hightail it the other way, but this time she made herself take a deep breath and wait.
    After all, she’d spent an extra torturous hour this morning blowing out her hair and applying makeup as Katrina had instructed, to look her best for this moment. Nervously, she smoothed one hand down over the cloying white top and short, flirty skirt she’d taken another half hour agonizing over, determined not to embarrass herself today.
    Okay. All good. Game time.
    Benny looked back down at the chart, pretending to be absorbed in reading about her patient’s reported arm rash when she saw Luke arriving from the corner of her eye.
    “Dr. Sorensen?” he asked, sounding uncertain, and she looked up, feigning surprise. As if she hadn’t known he was coming.
    Only Luke’s light hazel eyes hadn’t yet met her own, his gaze still perusing her from her toes up, and she tamped down the nausea and terror she felt. It wasn’t as if she was wearing anything overly revealing, but the skirt was short enough to show off her legs and the blouse tight enough to show what she’d been hiding under oversize shirts and jackets for so long—breasts.
    “Wow. You look so…different. I mean—great. Not that—I mean. How are you doing?” he finished lamely and this time met her eyes, looking the tiniest bit flustered.
    That was different, and she felt suddenly a little more confident in the face of his own uncertainty. Was this what Henry had meant?
    “I’m great, thanks. How are you?” she said, trying for casual.
    “Good. Good. Thanks.” His confusion was easing away, and a slight smile was turning his mouth up in an adorable way.
    She smiled back, feeling suddenly empowered. “Well, I’d better get in there. See you later.”
    Before he could form a reply, she knocked on the door and swept inside the small room even as her heart raced The three kids climbing on the examining table despite the harping of the weary-looking mother seated on the bench did nothing to bring down Benny’s excitement.
    Luke Seeley had definitely noticed her today. And it felt good. No, great.
    She thought about pulling her phone from her pocket and shooting Henry a quick text, but the sight of the smallest kid about to leap off the exam table brought her quickly back to reality.
    Later. Definitely later.
    …
    The next day, Benny arrived at the office wearing another skirt and top that she’d picked up last night on the way home. She found that the array of clothes didn’t fluster or horrify her as much as they had before. She was more familiar with what styles flattered her and had a good idea of what she wanted. That in itself was miraculous.
    She’d spotted Luke a few more times yesterday after their first conversation, and she’d definitely seen his face light up when he saw her, a warm smile crossing his face as he greeted her or nodded, so something had to be working.
    A yawn pulled from her mouth now, and she stretched her arms in front of her. She and Henry had spent another late night watching two episodes of Property Brothers , and she’d shared her victory at not having bumped into any door, wall, or cabinet the entire day.
    She considered Henry’s advice, imparted on his way out the door. “Keep in mind, when he asks you out—” A statement she’d interrupted when she snorted and