He took a sip of wine as he watched his mother. Her face was alight with laughter at something Terri had said as the two of them stacked the dishes from the meal.
His mother obviously adored Terri…and this from the woman who’d given him and Kevin such a hard time about their motorcycles.
Carrying a pile of plates, Terri set off towards the house. Luke ran his fingers absent-mindedly over the rounded belly of his wineglass and down the stem to the base as his eyes followed her slender figure. She moved gracefully with effortless elegance. Womanly curves, nicely proportioned. Long, long legs. He suppressed the urge to gulp. Altogether a very nice package.
‘Earth to Luke?’ He started slightly and glanced up to find his sister standing beside him, a grin on her face. ‘Have you finished with your glass?’
He handed it over silently and Megan walked after his mother and Terri.
His sister. Another member of his family under Terri’s spell. It was Megan who had sensed that Terri might help Allie. By taking her down to visit at the beach cottage, a link had been established between his daughter and the woman who had saved her life only a matter of days later. That link had set up the trust that had enabled Allie to confide her agonising guilt and set her on the road to recovery.
His father had thawed completely after Terri’s banter. Anxiety that she felt displaced by the hospital board’s decision was understandable. At least now, with concern eased, Luke would be able to get a better idea of how the man was coping psychologically after the heart attack. It was a relief because the faint ongoing hostility hadn’t been good for any of them.
They were all putty in Terri’s hands-including himself. Any way she wanted to handle him was just fine with him. Any way at all. The sooner the better for his sanity…
‘Nice girl.’ His father broke into his thoughts. ‘Something special.’
Luke swallowed and hoped the rush of heat warming his face wasn’t visible in the dusk. He yanked his thoughts back into line and looked across at the older man.
‘Terri,’ his father clarified, arching one eyebrow at him.
Luke cleared his throat. ‘Yes, she is.’
‘Allie likes her.’
‘She does.’
‘So does your mother.’
‘Mmm.’ Luke looked into his father’s interested gaze. ‘What are you getting at, Dad?’
‘Nothing. Just making an observation.’ Will brushed the leg of his shorts. ‘Your mother would like to do some travelling.’
‘Would she?’ It was a curious segue. Luke wondered what was coming next.
‘She’s been at me again to retire.’
‘Has she? How do you feel about that?’
‘I used to think it was a ridiculous idea.’ He sighed then continued after a moment, ‘But since the heart attack…’
‘You’re thinking about it seriously, then?’
‘Today, anyway.’ A wry smile curled his father’s mouth. ‘Maybe tomorrow I’ll change my mind. Anyway, I thought I’d float the idea at you, just in case. I’m sure the board would look favourably on you taking the director’s job permanently. If you wanted it.’
‘Okay. Thanks for the heads up.’
‘Would you want it?’
‘I’m not sure, Dad. I’d have to think about it. Sound Allie out. I promised her we’d only be here for a year.’
‘She seems to have settled in.’
‘She has now.’ Thanks to Terri.
There was a companionable silence for a few minutes and then his father said, ‘Well, it’s something for you to think about.’
‘Yes, it is.’
The back door opened and Terri came out with a coffee pot in hand. Allie, her faithful shadow, was beside her, holding the sugar bowl. His mother followed a few steps behind with the mugs.
Conversation meandered through various topics for another half an hour and then Terri stood.
‘I should make tracks,’ she said, turning to his mother. ‘Thank you for a wonderful evening, Vivienne.’
‘You know you are always welcome, Terri. Don’t be a stranger.’
Luke rose, too. ‘I’ll walk you home.’
‘Oh, no need.’ Terri tucked a curl behind her ear. ‘I can practically see my place from here.’
‘That’s a good idea, Luke,’ said his mother. Luke blessed her and her fondness for observing the niceties. Never mind that Terri wandered backwards and forwards between the hospital and the cottage at all hours of the night when she was on call.
Good manners would be observed. And in this case, it definitely worked to his advantage.
He smiled at Terri, who made a small grimace at him.
‘I’ll be back shortly, Allie,’ he said.
‘No worries, Dad.’ Allie beamed at him. ‘Don’t hurry. I’ll go up to bed.’ She gave a theatrical yawn. ‘You can kiss me goodnight when you come back.’
‘Er, right.’ He stared at her as she kissed her grandparents.
Confident of her welcome, Allie walked over and put her arms around Terri’s waist for a quick hug. ‘Thanks for coming shopping with us today.’
‘Thank you for asking me, Allie. I enjoyed it.’ Terri smiled, her face soft with affection as she looked at his daughter.
‘Goodnight.’ With one last fierce look at him, Allie set off towards the house.
As he crossed the grounds with Terri, Luke was aware of everything about her. The way her slim arms swung slightly at her sides, the way her hair slipped forward when she bent her head.
‘This is so silly, you walking me home.’ Her voice was light and quick.
He detected the tiniest tell-tale catch. Wicked anticipation curled through his gut. ‘It’s what a well-mannered boy does at the end of a date.’
She rolled her eyes at him. ‘This wasn’t a date. It was an invitation from your mother, I seem to recall.’
‘Ah, good point. That makes it even more significant than any ordinary date.’ He nodded sagely. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw her misstep and reached out to steady her.
‘Sorry?’
‘You’ve had your feet under my parents’ dining table.’ He left his fingers curled around her arm as he expanded on his theory. ‘In dating traditions, that’s an important milestone.’
There was a small silence and then she teased, ‘Does it count when it’s outdoor furniture? Surely it’s much too casual.’
‘A table is a table. Tradition isn’t fussy.’
‘It certainly isn’t when you’re making up the rules.’ She laughed as they approached the narrow line of trees that separated the house from the lower yard.
‘Tsk. I’m starting to wonder if you’re going to renege on that other time-honoured end-of-date tradition.’ Her cottage was just ahead. Too close.
‘It depends which tradition you’re thinking of,’ she said, not backing down an inch. ‘Some traditions might earn you a slap for your trouble.’
Heat sizzled along his nerve endings as his imagination conjured a scenario that would definitely earn him a slap. He swallowed the groan that crept up his throat. Being with her like this made him want to throw caution to the winds and find out.
‘That’s not what you said the other night.’ He followed her up the front steps.
‘That was then. This is now. Besides, a gentleman wouldn’t remind a lady of her moment of weakness.’ At the door, she turned to face him.
He braced his hand on the frame and looked down at her. Her light fragrance teased his senses. He resisted the urge to lean forward and breathe deeper. ‘I’m not feeling much like a gentleman tonight.’
‘Aren’t you?’
‘Nope. Invite me in.’
‘And find out? I don’t think so.’ She flicked her hair back in a quick nervous gesture that made his pulse leap. ‘You’re in a peculiar mood.’
‘Yeah, I am,’ he murmured, reaching out to run his fingers along her jaw. ‘So how are my chances for a kiss goodnight, then?’
‘If we’re tak
ing things slow and sensible, they should be zero.’ Her voice was ragged as he curved his fingers around the back of her neck and tilted her chin up with his thumb.
‘Should be?’ He bent and brushed his mouth across hers. Once, twice. She resisted him. On the third brush, her mouth softened, moved. Heaven. Sensitive nerve endings in his lips revelled in the warmth and sweetness. His muscles quivered as he ruthlessly suppressed the need to take more, take it deeper.
Take it all.
He caught her lower lip between his and sucked gently before moving his mouth across her cheek to the column of her throat just below her ear. When she arched her neck slightly to give him better access, he nibbled his way down to the nape.
‘Oh. You are too good at this,’ she moaned as a shudder ran through her. ‘W-we should s-stop now. Please.’
He took a deep breath, inhaling her scent as he reached for control. He closed his eyes and rested his forehead in the curve of her shoulder. Her skin felt warm and alive beneath his brow.
‘This is a bad idea.’
‘Right this minute, it feels pretty good to me.’
‘Yes,’ she breathed. ‘Me, too.’
He pressed his lips to her throat, felt the frenzied beat of her carotid pulse, felt her muscles move in a swallow. His heart leapt with the confirmation that she was as affected as he was.
‘But that’s in this moment.’ Her voice was more determined. She shifted, inching away.
He let her. She was going to make him go. He moved back, his hand still braced on the doorjamb. His eyes moved over her face, taking in each fine feature. ‘You don’t think we should seize the moment, explore the possibilities.’
‘It’s not necessarily a bad thing. To leave possibilities unexplored.’
‘Only if we’re faint-hearted. Are we going to be faint-hearted, Terri?’
‘Tonight? I…Yes. Yes, I believe we are. Goodnight, Luke.’ She groped behind her back and the door swung open. He saw a gleam of white as she smiled then backed inside. ‘Thank you for the escort home. See you on Monday.’
He smiled back. ‘Monday.’
The door closed gently. He lifted his hand, spread his fingers on the wood and after a moment said softly, ‘Lock your door, Terri.’
‘I will.’ Her voice came from just the other side of the door.
The latch clicked into place. In spite of his frustration there was some small comfort in the thought that she’d loitered there. Was she as torn as he was? He’d like to think so.
Terri pressed her hand to her sternum, feeling her wild thump of her heartbeat begin to settle as she listened to Luke’s footsteps.
She felt so much, wanted so much when she was near him.
He made her wonder just how truly deep and beautiful a relationship between a man and a woman could be. Made her wonder what it could be like between them.
How foolish she’d been to think they could agree on slow and sensible and keep things under control. Her hunger was unnerving and she sensed Luke’s matched it. They were both too eager to take the next step.
It had taken all her willpower to resist inviting him inside.
Regardless of how tempting it was to throw caution to the winds, there was too much at stake for both of them. Professionally, personally and emotionally.
CHAPTER TWELVE
TWO weeks later, Luke shrugged into his grey suit jacket and straightened his red tie.
Red for confidence, red for determination.
Red for passion and daring.
Excitement spiralled through his lower abdomen. He hadn’t been this wound up about a date since he’d been a teenager.
An evening with Terri. Alone. Just the two of them…He chuckled softly. And a restaurant full of people, of course.
He picked up his car keys and wallet from the end of the bed then walked along the hall to his daughter’s bedroom.
‘Allie, let’s go.’ He tapped at her door. There was no reply. ‘Allie?’
The door was slightly ajar so he pushed it open to see his daughter sitting on the edge of her bed, looking glum.
He frowned. ‘Honey, what’s wrong?’
‘Nothing.’ She studied the tips of her new sandals, refusing to meet his eyes.
She’d been fine half an hour ago when he’d gone to have his shower and get dressed for tonight. What had happened between then and now?
‘Are you sick?’
A shake of her head.
He crossed to sit beside her, his hand automatically moving to her forehead. Her skin was cool to his touch and she wasn’t having any obvious trouble with her breathing.
Silent alarm bells went off. Was it a return to the troubled days where Allie had been sullen and uncommunicative? His earlier excitement fizzled out abruptly. He wasn’t going to leave it this time. He wasn’t going to let her shut him out.
Maybe Allie didn’t like the idea of him dating Terri after all. They’d discussed it but perhaps she’d changed her mind now that it was about to happen.
‘Come on, Allie. What’s going on?’
Her bottom lip wobbled.
‘I’m staying right here until you tell me.’
‘You can’t.’
He took a slow deep breath in and let it out as he strove for patience. He couldn’t believe it. Over the last couple of weeks he and Allie and Terri had spent a lot of time together. It’d been fantastic. But now it looked as though Allie’s morose mood was to do with Terri.
‘I can. You and I are getting to the bottom of this even if it means I have to cancel tonight. Terri will understand.’
‘Oh, no!’ Allie’s gaze flew to his, wide with dismay. ‘You can’t do that.’
Her vehemence made him raise his eyebrows. ‘So talk to me.’
She looked back at her shoes. He clenched his jaw and set himself to wait for as long as it took. After a moment, she mumbled, ‘I don’t see why I can’t come, too. I’ll be good and I can help.’
‘Help?’ He heard the strangled note in his voice.
The relief was so overwhelming, he had to work to suppress a great shout of laughter. Allie was happy for him to go out with Terri-she just objected to being left behind.
‘Yes.’ She looked at him, her face suddenly alight with enthusiasm. ‘You know. With ideas and stuff. We had heaps of fun at the movies, didn’t we? And Terri likes me.’
‘We did have fun and I appreciate that you want to suggest things to do,’ he said carefully. ‘But I’d like some time with Terri so we can talk about things that would be boring for you.’
‘You mean like work things and that.’
‘Like that.’ He nodded.
‘Will Terri want to do that, too?’ Allie looked doubtful
‘Yes,’ he said firmly. ‘She will.’
‘Oh. All right, then, I guess.’ She plucked the hem of her shorts. ‘Will you kiss her?’
Definitely.
Absolutely.
One hundred percent guaranteed.
But was Allie ready to hear that yet? She was used to seeing him and Terri holding hands but was more going to be difficult for her to handle yet?
A split second later, she said, ‘I think you should. Otherwise she won’t know that you like her.’
He swallowed. ‘Okay, then I’ll make sure that I do. Are you ready to go over to Nana and Granddad’s?’
‘Yep.’ A small resigned sigh escaped as she stood and picked up her backpack.
‘Got your pyjamas? Toothbrush?’ He reeled off the items as they walked through to his parents’ wing.
‘Yes, Dad.’
‘Inhalers? Drawing book?’
‘Yes, Dad,’ she said with a roll of her eyes.
‘Pencils, Rubbers? A kiss goodnight for your father?’
She giggled. ‘Probably.’
After he’d dropped Allie off with his mother, Luke jogged down the steps to his car.
It was his birthday.
He knew what he’d like from Terri as a present. Perhaps she’d let
him put his order in.
He grinned. Or perhaps not.
Whatever happened, he was looking forward to having a great time. Slow and sensible might be agonising for him on one level but it was worth it. Terri was letting down her defences, relaxing with him. That was worth every bit of physical suffering.
Terri’s heart lurched when she heard the knock at her door.
Luke.
Fortifying herself with a deep breath, she smoothed her hands down the heavy silk of her cheongsam and walked through the hall.
She’d shared wonderful family outings with Luke and Allie recently but this was different. This was their first real date.
The man waiting for her at the front door was starting to mean more to her than was sensible.
She turned the handle and opened the door, her pulse tripping crazily. He looked formal and so handsome dressed in a charcoal-grey suit.
‘Hi.’ Her grin felt wobbly.
‘Hi, yourself.’ His voice was husky. The broad smile on his face faltered as he ran his gaze down her length and slowly back up. ‘You look fabulous.’
His eyes were dark and intense when they focussed on hers again, his mouth moving in a small enigmatic smile that had her catching her breath.
‘Thank you,’ she managed. ‘You, too.’
He stared at her a moment longer. ‘Ready to go?’
‘Yes. I just need to get my purse from the kitchen.’ She should have brought it with her to the door, she thought as he followed her down the hall.
She grabbed it off the table and turned to find him right in front her. Her eyes were level with his mouth.
He leaned forward, still not touching her. Her fingers tightened on her purse. The tiny beads pressing into her skin as her breath caught in her chest.
All she had to do was step back.
She didn’t move.
His head tilted, moved closer, lips hovering over hers.
Closing her eyes, she waited. Sensations bombarded her, the musky scent of his aftershave, his breath feathering across her cheek.
And finally the delicious touch of his mouth on hers. Light and sweet and lingering with a hint of leashed passion. Her system quaked as she recognised a deep feminine desire to surrender.
City Surgeon, Small Town Miracle Page 29