by Lucy Clark
‘Susie,’ he called softly, and she turned around, gazing at him expectantly.
‘Thanks.’
‘For what?’
‘For talking to me.’
Was he trying to make her feel guilty? Both Greg and Walter had used that tactic and she’d fallen for it every time. His next words, however, made her rethink his sentiments.
‘I know it wasn’t easy for you.’ His gaze bored into hers and she felt that familiar stirring sensation in her stomach. ‘Drive carefully.’ With that, he turned and hobbled over to the lift. Susie watched him, torn between amusement at the sight he made and the urge to assist him.
‘Your car is here, ma’am.’
Susie forced herself to look away and walked out of the hotel. Jackson pressed the button for the lift and watched her go. She was magnificent and she had become far too important to him far too quickly.
The lift bell chimed and Jackson hobbled in, recalling the way he’d felt as she’d cradled his foot in her hand. As she’d been angry with him, he’d half expected her to be rough with her examination but instead she’d been extremely gentle. Her skin had been soft against his, and although she’d touched him in a professional, medical way, he hadn’t been able to stop the stirring of excitement that had shot through him.
At the fourth floor, he walked to his door and reached into his back pocket for the key-card. Once inside, he opened the curtains and turned off the lights before settling back on the bed, propping his foot up on a few pillows.
He’d come so close to kissing her—so agonisingly close. Ever since they’d met, Jackson had wanted to sample her mouth, and the longer he waited, the more urgent the desire grew.
He knew the score. He knew she didn’t want to get hurt and he had no desire to hurt her. He raked an unsteady hand though his hair and groaned in confusion. What about Alison? Would she mind if he kissed another woman? The feelings of betrayal hit him forcefully but it still didn’t stop him from making a decision. He’d be leaving at the end of the week and, regardless of the war taking place inside him, he knew one thing for sure.
Despite everything, he needed to kiss Susie.
Susie didn’t sleep at all well that night and when she did manage to drift off sometime before dawn, she dreamt she was anxiously trying to glue a vase back together. The pieces were tiny and the tears she was crying kept blurring her vision. She stood and looked down at the mess and only then did she realise that the vase was heart-shaped.
The realisation only increased the urgency as she was expecting a new delivery of flowers at any minute. Working frantically, Susie managed to piece the heart-shaped vase back together. The doorbell rang and she hurried to answer it. There stood Jackson, holding a bunch of roses. Susie stared aghast at the vase. She couldn’t accept the flowers from Jackson because the vase was still drying.
She wanted the flowers but where was she going to put them? Anxiousness and fear gripped Susie’s heart as Jackson held the flowers out to her. What was she going to do? What was she going to do?
She woke suddenly, her heart pounding fiercely against her ribs. ‘Just a dream,’ she whispered to herself. She lay back and sighed, breathing deeply. She glanced at the clock and realised it was one minute before her alarm was due to go off. ‘So much for a good night’s sleep,’ she muttered, and clambered out of bed.
She glanced at herself in the mirror. She looked horrible. ‘Perhaps a little make-up might be in order today.’ Susie finished getting dressed, deciding that she wouldn’t chance breakfast as her stomach didn’t feel settled.
She arrived at the hospital and went straight to the ward. All through the round, she kept anxiously glancing at the door in case Jackson decided to join them again. He didn’t. Feeling a bit flat, she returned to her office, hoping to catch up on paperwork before her theatre list began in half an hour.
Sitting at her desk, it wasn’t long before further thoughts of Jackson intruded. Instead of fighting them, she gave in. She was exhausted from fighting her emotions, as well as from lack of sleep. She thought about her dream, reflecting on the symbolism of the heart-shaped vase. It was true that both Walter and Greg had broken her heart and she’d managed to mend it both times.
With Jackson, her feelings for him were so out of proportion to what she’d felt for her fiancés that it was scaring her. She acknowledged that Jackson had more power to hurt her than any other man and that was only after two days of his acquaintance. What would happen if he was around permanently?
‘Finished with that file yet?’ Todd asked as he walked into her office.
‘Huh? Oh, sorry.’ She looked down at the open file and realised that she hadn’t started. So much for getting through her paperwork. ‘Not yet.’
‘Everything all right?’ he asked.
‘Yes.’
‘Sure? You seem to be…preoccupied.’
She shrugged and looked down at her work, not wanting him to see the tell-tale blush she could feel creeping into her cheeks. ‘It’s been a busy two days,’ she rationalised.
‘It certainly has. Today, thankfully, isn’t going to be as hectic.’ Todd went over her schedule, which included her operating list that morning and time to work on her research proposal in the afternoon. ‘Then there’s a dinner this evening.’
Susie groaned. ‘I don’t think my feet will be able to handle it.’
Todd laughed. ‘You’ve been doing a great job walking in those ridiculously high heels.’
‘Hmm. Well, I think I might wear a trouser suit tonight so I can keep the heels low.’
‘You can’t do that!’
‘Why not?’ She narrowed her gaze, noticing the teasing twinkle in his eyes.
‘We’ve all been enjoying the transformation.’
‘What are you talking about?’ Had people noticed the chemistry between her and Jackson? Susie’s spine stiffened as panic started to grip her.
‘Well, it’s the first time people have seen you more formally dressed. Usually, it’s just one suit after another, but the other night you looked hot in that black dress.’
Susie sighed with relief and relaxed into her chair. Her clothes. Todd had been referring to her clothes. ‘Hot, eh? Actually, I was neither hot nor cold,’ she told him, her humour returning.
Todd laughed. ‘You know what I meant.’
The phone on her desk shrilled to life and she instantly hoped it was Jackson. In the next instant, she dreaded it being Jackson. Oh, would she ever get control of her wayward emotions again? She reached out for the receiver but Todd beat her to it. ‘Dr Monahan’s office.’
He stared at her, making her feel uneasy again. ‘I’ll put you through.’ He put the caller on hold and handed the receiver to Susie. ‘It’s A and E.’
‘Oh.’ Why did she feel so deflated? Surely it was a good thing that Jackson hadn’t been calling her, especially after what had transpired last night. She took the receiver from Todd. ‘Do you need me for anything else?’ she asked, and he shook his head.
As she took the call, Todd left her office, giving her some privacy. ‘Dr Monahan,’ she said, and listened to the triage sister.
‘Susie, I’ve been paging you for the last fifteen minutes.’
‘You have?’ Susie clipped her pager off her waistband and stared at it. ‘Uh—sorry. Battery is flat. Is there a problem?’
‘I know you’re not on call but a patient came in about half an hour ago with a mangled hand.’
‘Oh?’ Susie’s interest was immediate. The research proposal she was in the process of drawing up was a continuation of her previous research concerning microsurgery of the hand. ‘Can I come and take a look?’
‘That’s the reason I’m calling. She’s been seen by Mr Petunia but he asked me to call and let you know. He thought it might be good for your research.’
‘He’s right. I’ll come down now before Theatre and take a look.’
Susie quickly changed the battery in her pager before heading to A and E. She found Mr Pe
tunia and together they discussed the patient.
‘Her name is Hilda Kazinski, a forty-seven-year-old factory worker. She got her hand caught in a conveyor belt.’
‘Ooh.’ Susie winced. ‘Has she had X-rays?’
‘She’s in Radiology now, but from what I can see the phalanges are a mess with bad metacarpal damage. I think it best if I give her over into your care and then you can request whatever other scans you need.’
‘Great. Thanks.’ Susie shook hands with her colleague and headed off to Radiology in search of her new patient. Hilda Kazinski was having the last X-ray taken when Susie arrived. She introduced herself and told Hilda about the transfer of care.
‘Why?’ Hilda asked, her words slurring a bit from the pain relief she’d been given.
‘Well, upper-limb injuries and in particular hand reconstruction are a speciality of mine.’
‘But I don’t have private health cover,’ her patient protested.
‘That’s fine. You’ll still be under the public system but I’ll be treating you.’
‘Because I have a bad hand injury.’
‘Yes. I’ve done extensive research in this field and am qualified to perform the surgery you’ll require.’
‘So you’re the best, eh?’
Susie smiled. ‘In a manner of speaking, yes. Listen, you just rest here while I go and check on the status of your X-rays.’ Susie headed off to find the radiologist, leaving Hilda in the care of the A and E nurses.
‘Do you require any other views, Susie?’ the radiologist asked as he continued to report on them.
‘No. These look fine. She’ll need an MRI and a CT scan, but for the moment these look great.’ Susie studied the illuminated images before her one more time before turning away. ‘I’ll get the other scans organised and then I’m due in Theatre.’
Susie managed to get everything done before she headed up to the elective theatres for her list. Everything progressed smoothly and she degowned just after one o’clock, pleased with what she could accomplish when she pushed thoughts of Jackson aside.
With determination in her step, she headed back to A and E to find out where Hilda was and to get things ready for surgery. Hilda was back from MRI and sleeping. Susie sat down in the tearoom to examine the films, quickly eating her lunch as she did so. She heard the door open and close again but didn’t look up as she was too engrossed in the scans.
‘Interesting case?’
A flood of excitement washed over her at the sound of Jackson’s voice. She looked up in surprise, right into his deep blue eyes. Eyes that had plagued her dreams, intruded during her day and were now gazing at her with repressed emotion. She breathed in and swallowed at the same time, choking on the last mouthful of her sandwich. She coughed violently and Jackson patted her on the back.
‘Take it easy,’ he said, before quickly fetching a glass of water.
‘I’m fine,’ she whispered, but then coughed again, proving herself wrong.
‘You seem to be forever choking,’ he jested.
‘Only when you’re around,’ she mumbled as she took a sip. She cleared her throat. ‘What brings you to the hospital?’ His spicy aftershave entwined itself about her and she fought hard to resist it.
‘Aren’t I allowed to call in without an invitation?’ He smiled as he leaned against the edge of the table. His firm thigh was so close to her arm that she could feel the heat radiating from him. Her breath caught in her throat and her mouth went dry.
Susie took another sip of the water. ‘No…it’s just that…I thought you were lecturing.’
‘I was.’ He picked up a scan and held it to the light. ‘Ouch.’ He frowned. ‘Horrible injury.’
‘She caught her hand in a conveyor belt. I want to get to Theatre soon so I can make a start on it.’ Why was she so aware of him? It simply wasn’t fair! She moved her arm to gather up the films and accidentally brushed against his leg in the process. An explosion similar to fireworks burst throughout her and her eyelids fluttered closed for a brief second. He was silent and she quickly looked up at him. He was gazing down at her with burning desire reflected in his eyes.
Jackson fought hard for control but it wasn’t easy. She set him on fire. With the mildest touch, with the merest flutter of her eyes, with the perfume which was driving him insane. She set him on fire and he was sick of dousing the flames.
He fought for something to say. ‘Er…how many reconstructions like this have you done before?’ He couldn’t help the huskiness that accompanied his words, and as Susie looked away from him, he feasted his eyes on the slender, smooth skin of her neck. Her hair was clipped back at her nape and he remembered how incredible it had looked flowing freely around her face last night.
‘Um…quite a few.’ Susie shifted her chair slightly, trying to put a bit of distance between them without appearing rude.
‘Are you operating in the theatre with the viewing gallery?’
‘No.’
‘Pity.’
‘Why?’
‘This type of operation should be videoed for future reference.’
‘There are already a few in the hospital’s library,’ she told him as she concentrated hard on putting the films in their packets, noticing that her hands weren’t quite steady.
‘Ones that you’ve done?’ He could see she was getting ready to take flight and he wanted to stop her. If he edged a little to the side and bent his head, he was positive he’d be able to capture her sweet lips with his. Lips he ached to feel.
‘Yes.’
‘I’m impressed.’
‘Really?’ She looked up at him from where she sat, warmed by his praise. Here was a man who had worked with some of the finest surgeons in the world and he was impressed because some of her operations had been recorded on video.
‘Yes.’ He gazed into her eyes and leaned closer. ‘I know only the most impressive surgery is recorded.’ Unable to resist touching her any longer, he reached out and tenderly ran his fingers down her cheek, bringing them to rest beneath her chin. ‘Susie.’ As he breathed her name, he lifted her chin slightly, angling her head towards his.
Susie gazed at him, her heart pounding wildly against her ribs. He was going to kiss her. This time, for sure, he was going to kiss her. She watched beneath her lashes as his head slowly drew closer. She shouldn’t be doing this. She had an operation to concentrate on.
‘Jackson…I—’ She didn’t manage to finish her sentence as his mouth finally made contact with hers.
CHAPTER SEVEN
JACKSON groaned as Susie leaned closer to him, showing him that, despite her words, she wanted this as much as he did. Her lips were soft and pliable, just as he’d known they would be.
Susie sighed and opened her mouth beneath his subtle urging, elated to finally give in to her feelings. He tasted like chocolate and coffee—both sweet and addictive. She knew she was going under and there was nothing she could do to stop it.
Without breaking contact, his hands cupped her face, urging her closer, and she edged from her chair, reaching out for him as she moved to stand in front of him. She was amazed to find her usually wobbly legs were willing to support her.
He shifted to accommodate her, his hands sliding around her back as he deepened the kiss. Never in his wildest dreams had he imagined torture could be so agonisingly delightful. She simply melted into his embrace as though they’d been made for each other. The realisation only increased the overpowering emotions that were swamping him.
Fireworks like she’d never felt before exploded one after the other throughout her body, each new burst sending her senses spiralling out of control. This was impossible. Never before had she been so overwhelmed by a kiss. Then again, this wasn’t any ordinary kiss. The spark that flowed freely between them now had been repressed for two and a half full days, building and simmering within, only to be unleashed with such intensity it was no wonder it was unique.
Her hands were pressed against his chest and she could feel th
e contours of his firm, muscled torso beneath his cotton shirt. Delighted at being able to touch him at last, she slid her hands up his chest, entwining them about his neck, her fingers plunging into his rich, dark hair. A low, guttural sound, primitive, came from him and she revelled in her power.
His hands slid ever so slowly down her sides, his fingers splayed outwards, moulding her ribs. His thumbs lightly brushed the underside of her breast and she gasped in shock as yet another wave of pleasure coursed through her.
The power he had over her only ignited his passion even more.
Her excitement was mounting with every passing second and she was having difficulty breathing. What did she care about oxygen when she had Jackson? With a satisfied moan, Susie pulled her mouth from his, dragging air into her lungs, pleased to note that his breathing was just as erratic.
He pressed kisses to her cheek, working his way towards her ear, and she tipped her head to the side, allowing him access. A thousand goose-bumps cascaded over her body, increasing her light-headedness. He was a drug and the more she had of him, the more she knew she’d become addicted.
He brought his hand up and brushed her neck, gently urging her collar aside to make room for his hungry lips. She had the smoothest skin, the most luscious neck, and he doubted whether he’d ever be able to get enough of her. Now that he’d kissed her, the realisation of how incredible they were together only made him want her even more.
He brought his mouth up to meet hers again, their lips mingling together like old friends. Although he wanted nothing more than to deepen the kiss, heighten the intensity, Jackson could feel her starting to withdraw.
He pressed his lips to hers one last time before allowing her to rest her head on his chest, and their breathing slowly returned to normal. His arms embraced her, holding her tightly, never wanting to let her go.
As she stood there, listening to his heart gradually return to a steady rhythm, Susie started to feel uncomfortable and awkward. What would happen now? Jackson had kissed her and it had been…the most powerful experience she’d ever had. Her frazzled mind acknowledged that she would never be the same again. The kisses, the passion, the desire—all of them had changed who she was. Never had she experienced anything like the onslaught of emotions or the intensity of feeling which had just transpired.