by Lucy Clark
Dave stood and came around the desk to crouch down beside her chair. ‘You looked amazing.’
‘Amazingly awful,’ she said on a laugh.
‘No. Amazingly stunning,’ he whispered, and the mood between them instantly changed to one of sensual delight. Dave edged in closer and raised one hand to caress her cheek. When her eyelids fluttered closed at the slight contact, that was when his restraint snapped.
‘I need to kiss you,’ he whispered hoarsely, his tone deep with desire.
‘Ditto,’ she replied, and shifted so their impatient lips could meet. She sighed into his embrace and leaned a little too heavily towards him.
‘Whoa. Whoa—hang on, I’m…’ Tightening his grip around her, hoping it would steady him, Dave lost his balance completely and toppled backwards, bringing Rose with him. ‘Ugh!’ She landed on top of him, their legs sprawled and tangled together. She started to shake. ‘Rosie?’ No reply. ‘Rosie? Are you all right?’
Rose lifted her head, tears streaming down her face.
‘Where are you hurt?’ he asked instantly, not sure whether he should move her off him or not.
Rose gasped for breath and that was when he realised she wasn’t crying at all but laughing instead. He relaxed back onto the floor. ‘Oh! The look on your face as you went was priceless,’ she said between giggles. ‘Thank you, I needed that.’ And she reached up and kissed him on the lips.
‘Oh, fair dinkum, Dave Dunbar,’ Sadie spluttered from the doorway. ‘Is this the girlie who’s had you in a tailspin all day long?’
‘Uh, now someone calls you by your surname!’ Rose mumbled in his ear, which had him chuckling. She looked up, unable to believe they’d been caught in such a compromising position. Sadie glared down at both of them, especially at her. Slowly, they untangled themselves and stood on their feet.
‘Really, Dave, I expected better of you. Besides, I thought you didn’t like blondes.’
‘Sadie.’ His voice held a hint of warning. ‘You may have known me since I was born but that doesn’t mean you know what I like and don’t like.’
‘But she was a blonde.’
‘Yes. You’re correct. Margaret was a blonde and so is Rosie, but apart from hair colour they are nothing alike.’
‘Fine.’
Rose thought Sadie was obviously smart enough to know when to pick fights with Dave and when not to. ‘I came down to tell you that you’re both needed for an emergency. Hazel Fredrick is being brought in with abdominal pains.’
‘Let’s go, then.’ He reached for Rose’s hand and together they walked out.
‘She wasn’t too happy, was she?’ Rose risked a glance over her shoulder to find Sadie glaring at her.
‘Do you think I really care what Sadie or anyone else in this town thinks of whom I choose to date?’
‘Uh…I don’t know. Do you?’
He opened the door to the stairwell and waited for her to go first. ‘No.’ Their footsteps echoed as they headed down to A and E. ‘Who I choose to spend time with is my business and no one else’s.’
‘Glad to hear it. Julian was always more concerned about what other people thought.’ She went to pull open the door that led to A and E but he stopped her. He leaned in close, one hand still up against the door.
‘I’m not Julian.’ His tone was firm and Rose nodded. Dave bent his head and claimed her lips, his kiss more possessive than before. When he pulled back, he took her hand in his, opened the door and led her through the A and E department. People’s heads turned and whispers broke out as he led her to the tearoom.
‘I figured it was OK to hold your hand in public now,’ he stated with a crooked smile. ‘No doubt Sadie had already phoned her juicy bit of gossip around the hospital before we reached the bottom of the stairwell.’
‘No doubt.’ Rose shrugged. ‘Nothing to be done about it now.’
‘So much for trying to save your reputation.’
She smiled tiredly back at him. ‘So much for dinner,’ she said.
‘You’re right,’ he groaned. ‘At least you understand.’
‘I’m not Margaret.’
‘Touché!’ Dave laughed. They heard the ambulance sirens and headed out to triage. ‘Good evening, Mrs Fredrick,’ he said as she was wheeled in to treatment room two. ‘I gather you’re not feeling the best.’
‘Can’t say I am, Dave.’
‘Tell me where it hurts.’
While Dave examined Mrs Fredrick, Rose checked the ambulance notes to see what pain relief she’d already been given.
‘I’d like to do an ultrasound,’ Dave told his patient once he’d finished examining her. ‘I think it might be gallstones and the ultrasound will confirm it.’
‘Do I need an operation?’ Mrs Fredrick asked, her tone worried.
‘Hopefully not. Nowadays, we use a technique called lithotripsy. It’s where ultrasonic shock waves shatter the stones. Once that’s done, they’ll be passed naturally into the bile duct and then the bowel. First of all, though, let’s confirm that it is gallstones which are giving you this pain.’
Dave’s diagnosis turned out to be spot on and once Mrs Fredrick’s treatment had been completed, they left her to rest. Rose ensured she had sufficient medication authorised to get her through the night.
‘Now we just wait and see if the stones pass by themselves. I’ll be surprised if they don’t.’ Dave placed his arm about her shoulders as they walked out to the car park. ‘Hungry?’
‘Surprisingly not, but if you want something, I guess I can make us a bite of dinner.’
‘I don’t expect you to cook for me,’ he told her as they came to stand by her car.
‘I’m like my dad. Cooking relaxes me.’
‘Well, in that case…’ He laughed and gathered her closer, noticing the tired lines around her eyes. ‘Actually, sweetheart, it’s getting late and I’ve got a busy day tomorrow, getting things ready for when Mel and the nanny arrive.’
‘Oh, yeah. That’s tomorrow.’ The smile disappeared from her face and her voice became flat. Why did everything have to become so complicated? It didn’t matter how hard she worked to block out the fact that Dave had a daughter, it never quite worked. Reality had a way of intruding.
‘Do you ever want to have any?’ He kept his eyes focused on hers.
Rose swallowed nervously. ‘Children?’
He nodded.
‘Truthfully, Dave…I don’t know.’
‘I see.’
‘Do you? Everything’s just happened so fast, Dave. You only really kissed me properly last night. Then you tell me you have a child, and not only that but she’s coming to live with you. The next bombshell was that my ex-fiancé is marrying your ex-wife. That’s quite a lot to deal with in such a short space of time.’
‘I know, Rosie.’ He kissed her forehead and held her tight. They stood like that for a few minutes before Rose edged away.
‘I don’t like being rushed and right now that’s exactly how I feel. Julian rushed me and it ended in pain—and before you say anything,’ she continued when he opened his mouth, ‘I know you’re not Julian. You’re very different from him. You’re caring and considerate and chivalrous and…and extremely sexy, but it’s as though you need to get our relationship, whatever that may be, onto a more even footing before your daughter arrives tomorrow.’ She took a breath. ‘I’m sorry, Dave, but I just don’t feel it’s possible. You’re going to need to spend time with Melody when she arrives to make her feel more comfortable with the changes happening in her life. I understand this so I think, perhaps, that we should just…you know, cool it for a while.’
He was silent for a few minutes and she wondered whether she’d lost even a remote chance of a relationship with him. ‘Dave,’ she said softly, ‘I didn’t mean to go on like that. I’m telling you how I feel. I’m being honest. Isn’t that what you wanted?’
‘Yes.’ He nodded. ‘It’s just not as easy to deal with as I’d anticipated.’
‘What?
Me not being completely comfortable with things?’
‘No. A woman who actually communicates.’
She smiled. ‘I could say the same about you.’
‘I’ve heard what you’ve said, Rosie, and I respect it, but I can’t stop seeing you. I’m at the stage that if I don’t see you, I feel like I’m going to go insane. You’re right about Mel, though. I do need to spend time with her but there’s no reason why the three of us couldn’t do it together.’ He felt her tense beneath his arms but went on. ‘I’m going to move from the farm and get a place in town. I’ve already looked at a few places but wanted Mel to help me choose. After all, she’ll be living there, too.’
‘What about the papers—from Margaret?’
‘They came this morning. My solicitor’s looked at them and it appears everything is going to go through uncontested and smoothly. With Mags getting married on Saturday and then leaving the country, things are moving like the proverbial freight train, but there’s nothing else to do.’
Dave raised her chin slowly until their gazes met. ‘I need to be with you, Rosie.’ He placed a kiss on her lips. ‘You’re very special to me.’ He kissed her again. ‘I know this has been incredibly fast but…’ he shrugged ‘…it’s just the way things have turned out.’ He kissed her once more before leaning his forehead against hers.
‘I know Julian probably belittled your existence but don’t believe anything that creep said. Cutting people down is the only way he can make himself look big. I’ve seen him do it, Rosie, and you’re way beyond him. Believe me when I say you’re a lovely person—inside and out. I’ve seen you with patients, I’ve seen you overcome your fears. You’re strong and independent. It may not feel that way but you are. You took the chance to come here to Broken Hill, to give yourself a fresh start and to spend more time with your father. That tells me so much about the real you, Rosie.
This time, when he kissed her, it was slow and sensual, making her feel as though she were floating on a cloud. With the utmost certainty, his mouth moved over hers, his tongue tracing the outline of her lips before slipping between them.
His touch remained gentle yet provocative. Sweet yet electrifying. She may have been floating but desire exploded deep within her. His hands were drawing little circles on her back, causing floods of tingles to spread in every direction. Her heart was pounding fiercely against her ribs and she was positive he could hear it. She moaned with delight, threading her fingers through his hair.
Dave nearly crumbled completely as her fingers plunged through his hair, ensuring his head was kept firmly in place. The spiralling passion that he could feel building to a frenzy was becoming harder to control with every passing second. What was it about this woman and her completely uninhibited response to him? She was a natural aphrodisiac and one he was finding he couldn’t get enough of. He pressed his body hard up against hers, pressing her back against her car. Her car!
Dave pulled back suddenly and looked around them.
‘What’s wrong?’ Rosie’s tone was a mixture of desire and confusion.
‘Sorry, sweetheart. I just remembered where we were.’ His wry grin was crooked and she felt her heart melt once more.
‘I see your point,’ she said, drawing in a deep breath. ‘Kissing in the car park like a couple of adolescent teenagers.’
‘Guess we’d better get going,’ he replied, not moving away from her.
‘Guess we’d better.’
‘You have a really good sleep tonight. Doctor’s orders. OK?’
‘Why? Do I look all drawn and ugly?’
He chuckled. ‘Would you believe me if I said no?’ He kissed her lips again. ‘You know you look beautiful, Rosie, and if you don’t, take my word for it because it’s true.’
She smiled. ‘I guess I’ll have to.’
‘Here. Let me open your door for you.’
‘Always the gentleman.’
‘Chivalry, remember.’
‘How could I forget? You and your brother seem to have it in spades. Someone in your upbringing did something right.’
‘Yeah. I guess they did. Never thought of it that way before.’ He kissed her again. ‘Sleep sweet, Rosie—and I mean it.’
She laughed. ‘I promise to do my best but with memories of kisses like the ones we’ve just shared, I don’t know whether they’re going to relax me or keep me awake!’ She raised her eyebrows suggestively and laughed again when Dave groaned.
‘Don’t torture me. I’ll call you.’
‘I’d like that.’
She stepped forward and, reaching up, pressed her lips to his. ‘Get in the car,’ he growled. Rose smiled, glad to know she had the same encompassing effect on him as he had on her.
Finally, she pulled out of the car park and headed back to her father’s house. As she drove, she thought about what they’d said tonight and was pleased with their progress. Even though she wanted to slow things down, she’d been happy to hear that Dave didn’t know if he could.
He was everything she’d been looking for in a man and the thought scared the life out of her. He had a child and, although she’d come to terms with that, she still wasn’t quite sure how she felt about it. ‘All you need to do is to relax and be honest with them.’ Rose repeated Dave’s words out loud. Was it that easy?
Was Dave worth taking the chance on? Rose shook her head as she pulled into her father’s driveway. ‘Sleep?’ she queried as she walked to her room. ‘Ha!’
Rose dragged herself from the depths of sleep as the phone persisted in ringing. Maybe it was Dave? He’d said he’d call her. She flicked the covers back and stumbled out of bed, stubbing her toe on the wall as she rounded a corner to silence the offending instrument.
‘Ow! Yes? What?’
‘Rosie? Are you all right?’
‘Oh, hi, Dad.’ She tried to keep the disappointment from her tone. ‘Yes, I’m fine. I just stubbed my toe, getting to the phone.’
‘Did I wake you? Don’t tell me I’ve got the time difference mixed up again. I thought it was about seven-thirty.’
Was it? Rose glanced at the grandfather clock that stood in the hall. ‘Oh, no!’ she gasped.
‘What now?’
‘Nothing. No, you didn’t get the time wrong, Dad. I’ve just slept in, that’s all.’ She bent down and examined her toe more closely, wincing slightly from her own light touch. It was fine.
‘Really? That’s not like you.’
‘No,’ she agreed as she realised it had been the first really good sleep she’d had since she’d arrived here. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. ‘Everything OK in honeymoon paradise?’
‘Actually, no.’
‘Dad? What’s happened?’ Rose was instantly alert.
‘Oh, we’re both fine, dear. It’s the weather. It’s turned bad and hasn’t stopped raining. You know how unpredictable tropical weather can be at this time of year.’
‘Sure. So you’re coming home early?’
‘Yes. We’ll be back tomorrow. No point in hanging around as we were due to leave on Saturday so it’s only a day early. Besides, Bev’s missing everyone so we’ll be back tomorrow.’
‘Do you need me to pick you up from the airport?’
‘No. We’ll find our own way home. Well, you’d better run, princess, if you’re going to make it to the hospital on time.’
‘You’re right. OK. See you tomorrow, Dad. Love you. Bye.’ The instant she’d replaced the receiver, Rose hobbled back to her bedroom and quickly dug out some clothes. After showering and quickly drinking a glass of orange juice, she headed out the door. By the time she got to the hospital, Dave was ready to start his list.
‘Sorry,’ she mumbled, as she raced in and quickly changed into theatre garb. They had no time together and although she felt a little deflated, she was glad to at least be in the same room as him. Their gazes met a few times across the busy theatre and she saw the repressed desire that she knew was mirrored in her own.
Every patient s
he met that day, every nurse she spoke to, interns, theatre staff—everyone—gave her knowing little glances or big beaming smiles, except for Sadie who scowled at her instead. At lunch, she was sitting in the cafeteria, sipping a cup of tea, when Dave walked in. He smiled and waved at her and it was then she realised that a hush had fallen over the place.
Dave slowed his pace and stopped by her chair. ‘Fine,’ he said to the room. ‘The rumours are true. Rosie and I are dating so now that the announcement is out of the way, would you, please, leave us alone?’
A few people clapped, others just started talking to the person next to them, but once more the place was filled with noise. ‘Whew!’ he said as he sat down beside her, giving her a quick peck on the lips. ‘It’s been a long time since I’ve been gossiped about.’
Rose laughed. ‘Serves you right. You should have gone to greater lengths to protect my reputation. How’s Mrs Fredrick this morning? She looked good when I saw her earlier but what’s your professional opinion?’
‘Lithotripsy appears to have been successful.’
‘Excellent.’ They ate lunch together then Rose’s pager sounded.
‘Ah. Looks as though the ophthalmology surgeon is ready to begin. I’d better go.’
Dave leaned over and kissed her again. ‘How do you like being under the microscope?’ he asked with a grin.
‘Not very much, but I guess I’ll just have to put up with it—especially after your little announcement,’ she teased. ‘I’ll speak to you later.’ With that, she left. Dave watched her go, his feelings for her increasing with every passing second.
He was really falling for her—in a big way—and he was determined to enjoy every minute of it.
‘Hi, gorgeous,’ Dave said, as he strode towards his daughter. She was coming out of the small aircraft which had finally come to a stop a few minutes ago.
‘Hi, Dad,’ she said, heaving a bag into her hand, her teddy bear tucked securely beneath her other arm. It was the bear he’d given her when he’d first seen her, and he was delighted that it was her favourite toy.
He gave her a quick hug, noting she didn’t sound or look too happy. Dave glanced around. ‘Where’s the nanny?’