by Lucy Clark
Just seeing how different he was around Jed made Jordanne realise that after tomorrow night she’d be in for even more sleepless nights—dreaming of Alex!
‘Retractor,’ Alex ordered, and Jordanne complied. They’d been in Theatre now for almost five hours and Louise Kellerman had been stabilised. Once she’d finished in Radiology Alex and Jordanne had prepared for Theatre, and when Louise had been anaesthetised they relocated her left shoulder back into position as the X-rays had shown there was no fracture to the neck of humerus.
They’d also relocated her left hip, although the X-rays had shown a fracture to her left acetabulum. Her left femur had been stabilised in A and E but Alex and Jordanne fixed the fracture back with a G and K nail down the centre of the bone. Thankfully the cast had protected her other femur and a new cast was all that was necessary. Her left humerus required plating, and once that had been done they’d turned their attention to the open reduction and internal fixation of the Colles’ fracture.
One aspect of her job that Jordanne had been amazed about was the way she and Alex worked together in Theatre. It was as though they’d been designed to complement each other, pre-empting what the other required without a word being spoken. As they realigned the bones of Louise’s wrist, Jordanne smiled to herself behind her theatre mask. The operating theatre was one aspect of her job where Jordanne was more than happy for Alex to use monosyllables. She often did herself. Concentration was paramount and having to completely explain the procedure and requirements were distractions she’d rather not deal with whilst performing operations.
When the wrist was finished and both of them were happy with the check X-ray, they moved onto the tibia. Alex drilled a hole in the shinbone in order to secure a pin for the external fixator that was going to be attached to Louise’s tibia. There were too many open wounds for a cast to be used.
For the next hour they worked solidly to attach the external fixator to Louise’s tibia. Finally, everything was done and the patient was being wheeled to Recovery.
‘I’ll meet you in the tearoom and we can discuss Louise’s pelvic X-rays,’ Alex told Jordanne as he headed for the male changing rooms.
Jordanne changed and went to the tearoom, smothering a yawn on the way. When she arrived, she headed directly for the urn and made herself a cup of coffee. ‘Would you like a drink?’ she asked Alex as she stirred in some sugar, which she didn’t usually have but felt she needed after that operating session.
‘Black coffee.’
Jordanne was surprised. For some reason, she’d expected him to decline. She made him a cup and carried it over to where he was standing, looking at the X-rays on the viewing machine. She made sure their fingers didn’t touch when she handed it to him.
‘Thanks.’ His gaze met hers briefly as he accepted the cup and placed it on the table.
Again she was surprised. Manners? Between the way he’d smiled at her in his office earlier and now a ‘Thanks’, her head was starting to spin. Jordanne felt her lips twitch into a small grin at this recent turn of events.
‘Something funny?’ he asked, glancing at her again.
‘Nothing of consequence,’ she replied, and took a sip. Jordanne closed her eyes, relaxing instantly as she swallowed the hot liquid. ‘Mmm,’ she groaned, and licked her lips. When she opened her eyes again it was to find Alex staring at her, a mixture of amusement and desire smouldering in the depths of his midnight blue eyes.
She watched as though in slow motion as Alex raised his free hand to her face. The instant his fingers made contact with her cheek Jordanne’s breath caught in her throat, and when his thumb rubbed lightly over her parted lips a shiver of anticipation swept over her like a tidal wave.
Her heart hammered wildly against her ribs and she was positive he could hear it.
‘So soft,’ he murmured, before dropping his hand and turning his back to her.
Jordanne’s mouth gaped open as she stared disbelievingly at the square set of his broad shoulders. A frown creased her forehead as she watched him remove an X-ray and put another one up.
‘I think I’d like to leave the pelvis and take another set of X-rays in a few more days,’ Alex said, not turning around to look at her.
‘Excuse me?’ Jordanne said, feeling her anger at his attitude beginning to mount.
‘Surely you don’t think we should operate now?’ he asked, still not looking at her.
‘I’m not talking about Louise Kellerman’s X-rays, Alex, and you know it.’ She took a step forward and placed her cup on the table. She held her breath and counted to ten before saying more calmly, ‘Look at me, please.’
At first she thought he wasn’t going to comply but slowly he shifted slightly, his gaze meeting hers.
Under the penetrating effect that his blue eyes had on her Jordanne almost faltered—but not quite. ‘Alex, you can’t just caress my face, say how soft it is and then leave it at that.’
‘Why not?’ His expression was deadpan.
‘Alex!’
‘Jordanne!’ he countered calmly.
She stopped and took another deep breath. ‘There’s…something going on between us. It has been since the first time we met. Don’t try and deny it because your actions just testified to it.’
‘All right, I won’t deny it. I find you attractive.’ He shrugged as though it was no big deal. ‘Half of the male staff in the hospital find you attractive. It’s simply a statement—you are an attractive woman.’
Jordanne was surprised at his words. ‘I wasn’t fishing for compliments,’ she prompted.
‘No?’
‘Alex,’ she ground out in exasperation, her temper beginning to bubble again.
‘Look, Jordanne, we work together. Let’s just leave it at that.’
Before she could say another word the door to the tearoom opened and Ian Parks walked in.
‘What’s the verdict on the Louise Kellerman’s pelvis?’
‘I’d like to leave it for a few days to see how it settles,’ Alex told him. ‘Are those her case notes?’ Alex held out his hand for them.
‘Yes.’ Ian passed them over.
‘Right. I’ll go around to Recovery now and check on her progress.’ With that, Alex walked out of the room without so much as a backward glance at Jordanne.
‘Any water left in the urn?’ Ian asked as he crossed to the sink. ‘That was one involved operating stint.’
Jordanne just stood where she was, looking down into her cup of coffee.
‘Jordanne?’ Ian said a moment later, and she realised that he’d been talking to her.
‘Sorry.’ She turned to face him.
‘Would you like another cup?’
‘No, thanks.’ Jordanne picked up both her own and Alex’s coffee-cups and carried them over to the sink. She tipped the liquid down the drain, feeling as though it was some sort of symbolic gesture.
‘Are you all right?’ Ian asked.
‘Just tired,’ she sighed. ‘It’s been a long day.’
‘Do you want to grab a bite to eat after we do a quick ward round?’ Ian asked. When Jordanne hesitated slightly he added, ‘Usually on a Friday afternoon some of the theatre and ward staff head over the road to the pasta restaurant. You’ve always been at the IAS on Fridays so we haven’t been able to invite you before.’
Jordanne smiled and nodded, glad Ian wasn’t asking her out on a date as she’d initially thought. After Alex’s tossed out comment about half of the men in the hospital finding her attractive, she was feeling a little apprehensive. Going out to dinner with a group of people would definitely take her mind off Alex. Besides, the more friends she could make, the better chance she’d have of surviving this year working alongside her enigmatic boss.
Jordanne dressed with care the following evening, changing her mind at least five times. Eventually she settled on a pair of good denim jeans and a red knit top. She wanted to look casual but not too casual. Dressy but not too dressy. She brushed her hair out, letting it flow loose
around her shoulders and down her back.
The last time Alex had seen her with her hair down had been the night she’d arrived in Canberra. Her brother Joel had been involved in a terrible skiing accident and Alex had been head of the retrieval team sent to rescue Joel. Jordanne could hardly remember her trip on the plane from Sydney to Canberra, except that the weather had been awful.
She sighed and looked at her reflection. ‘Over a month ago,’ she murmured. It seemed more like a lifetime since she’d first laid eyes on Alex Page. She brushed her hair with even more determination.
‘That caress in the tearoom yesterday was definitely your cue to take things further,’ she mused out loud. ‘You’re attracted to the man and he’s attracted to you. Tonight you’re going to make him realise that the attraction should be pursued,’ she told herself with force, ignoring the small doubt that crept into her mind.
Jordanne checked her make-up and, satisfied with the result, she turned to find her bag. Her bed was covered with discarded clothes and she realised her bag was probably beneath them. Glancing at the clock, Jordanne groaned.
‘You’ll just have to dig it out and clean this mess up later,’ she told herself sternly as she began hunting through the clothes. ‘I really should make an effort to become a neater person,’ she mumbled a second before she triumphantly closed her fingers around her elusive bag.
Hurrying into the kitchen of the small apartment she was renting for the duration of her twelve-month contract with Alex, Jordanne found the present she’d bought for Jed and Sally, picked up her keys and turned off the lights with her elbows. The cool September wind whisked around her the instant she set foot outside and she immediately re-thought leaving her hair down. Too late. She shrugged.
After the short drive to Jed’s place, which was only two blocks from her own, Jordanne parked the car on the road behind Kirsten’s old sedan. She’d been driving that car since med school and Jordanne smiled, remembering some of the camping trips and the old car which had faithfully taken them there. She, Kirsten and Sally had gone camping a few times after exams to let off steam and to get away from everything.
Sally’s Mercedes was in the driveway but apart from that there were no other cars around, so she presumed that Alex hadn’t arrived yet. As she raised her finger to the doorbell, Jordanne wondered whether he’d turn up at all!
Her question was soon answered. With her finger poised in the air a loud screech of tyres could be heard. She looked across the street to see a midnight blue Jaguar XK8 pull into the kerb. The driver cut the lights and engine before slipping from the car. Alex’s movements were fluid, reminding Jordanne of a panther, as he locked the car and began walking towards her.
As she was standing illuminated beneath the front porch light Jordanne knew she had nowhere to run—even if she’d wanted to.
‘Jordanne,’ he said with a nod, his eyes quickly scanning her hair which was still being teased slightly by the wind.
Jordanne couldn’t reply. Her mind was too busy registering how incredible he looked. He was dressed in black jeans, black shoes and a black jumper—sleek, suggestive and, oh, so sexy.
Her lips parted slightly as she allowed her gaze to slowly take her fill of him. Alex Page was becoming far too prominent in her life, her sluggish senses realised as her tongue slipped between her lips, wetting them. Jordanne clenched the present, bag and keys tighter in her hands.
Alex leaned insolently against the doorframe and hooked his thumbs into his jeans pockets as his gaze followed her lead. Jordanne’s eyes widened in surprise but she couldn’t have moved, even if she’d wanted to. He began at her sensible lace-up leather boots, travelled very slowly up her long legs, lingered briefly on her bust before visually caressing her lips. Jordanne felt a thrill of excitement course through her—as though Alex had actually reached out and touched her.
When his gaze finally reached her own, Jordanne knew the blue depths of her eyes were filled with desire. His sensual caress had left her feeling breathless and lightheaded.
Neither seemed in a hurry to break eye contact. Jordanne shifted her stance, feeling as though her knees were about to give way at any moment, but she didn’t drop her gaze. She leaned against the opposite side of the doorframe, marginally closer to Alex but still far apart.
‘All right!’ Jed yelled as he wrenched open the door, startling both Jordanne and Alex to stand up straight. ‘Just press the doorbell once, Jordanne. There’s no need to lean on it until the noise drives me insane.’
‘Oh?’ She looked at the button she’d inadvertently leaned against, then at Alex, then at Jed and back to the button again. ‘Sorry, Jed.’
‘Yeah, yeah,’ her brother mumbled as he made way for them to come inside.
Jordanne tried to force her thoughts onto a more even keel and asked, ‘Where’s Sally? I have an engagement present for you.’
‘She’s in the kitchen,’ he said as he ushered them into the living room. ‘She’s the one who’s done most of the cooking tonight. Darling?’ he called and went in search of his fiancée.
Kirsten was standing in front of the fire, looking at a family portrait of the McElroys that hung above the mantelpiece.
‘Hi,’ Jordanne said, and Kirsten spun around, her face lighting into a smile. They all greeted each other and Alex sat down on the lounge.
‘Did Jed say Sally was cooking?’ Jordanne asked Kirsten.
‘You heard him correctly.’
‘Why?’ Alex asked.
‘Sally doesn’t cook,’ Jordanne and Kirsten stated together.
‘I see.’ Alex smiled and rubbed his chin with his thumb and forefinger. ‘This could be rather interesting. So, Kirsten, what have you been up to lately?’
Kirsten told him about the building project being undertaken at the back of her house. Jordanne was massaging her shoulder. ‘We’ve spent the better part of the day painting.’
‘I’m starting to feel my muscles complain,’ Kirsten added.
‘Have you finished?’ Alex asked with a frown.
‘Almost, but the outside still needs to be done.’
‘Why don’t you get someone else to do it?’ Alex asked.
‘Are you volunteering?’ Jordanne queried.
‘I meant pay someone to do it,’ he clarified.
‘Now he wants to charge you. He doesn’t come cheap,’ Jordanne quipped, and both she and Kirsten laughed.
‘That’s not what I meant,’ he said with a smile. It appeared that tonight Jordanne was definitely going to see the side of Alex that everyone else had already witnessed. That of the cajoling, fun-to-be-around friend of her brother’s.
‘Hi, guys,’ Sally said as she came into the room and embraced her new sister-in-law-to-be. Alex stood and kissed Sally’s cheek.
‘Congratulations again.’
‘Thank you.’
‘Rumour has it you’re cooking dinner,’ Jordanne said, teasing her friend.
‘Yes,’ Sally said proudly. ‘Nothing flash but at least it’s edible.’
‘Sounds good.’
Jed came up behind Sally and placed his arms about her waist, drawing her close. ‘I’ve had the best cooking teacher,’ Sally pointed out as she turned her head for a kiss.
Jordanne sighed with happiness for her brother and her friend. ‘I have a present for you both,’ she announced, and handed over the beautifully gift-wrapped box.
‘First one from Kirsten, now you. This wasn’t supposed to be another engagement party.’
‘I know but I couldn’t resist.’
Sally carefully opened the present. ‘Tea! How perfect.’
It was a wooden box with ten different teas in it. Considering that both Jed and Sally drank a lot of the beverage, Jordanne had thought they’d like it.
‘We can sample some after dinner,’ Jed suggested.
‘I guess now it’s my turn,’ Alex said, and withdrew from the back pocket of his jeans an envelope. ‘A small token—for you both.’
Jed took the envelope and opened it. There were some tickets inside and he looked at them before handing them to Sally.
‘Thank you.’ The two men shook hands.
‘What is it?’ Kirsten asked.
‘A package to fly to Sydney, get picked up and chauffeured to dinner before going to the theatre.’
‘You have the option to either stay overnight or fly back ready for a sunrise breakfast on the shores of Lake Burley Griffin here in Canberra,’ Alex added. ‘It’s valid for twelve months so use it whenever you get the time.’
‘It’s terrific,’ Sally said and kissed his cheek. Tears were brimming in her eyes. ‘I can’t believe I have such good friends and family.’
‘Believe it,’ Jordanne said, her own eyes filling with tears for her friend.
‘I think this calls for champagne,’ Jed announced, and with Alex’s help soon they were all drinking a toast to good friends.
Jordanne glanced at Alex as she sipped from her glass and noticed that he was looking back at her. She felt a tingle of awareness travel through her body. Was there any hope of the two of them becoming more than just friends?
The evening progressed with a continued jovial air. Sally’s spaghetti Bolognese was received with enthusiasm by everyone, especially Jed who was so proud of his fiancée he kept extolling her virtues until even Sally told him to be quiet!
In everything she did, Jordanne was very conscious of Alex sitting opposite her. Their gazes had met across the table several times and on each occasion Jordanne had felt a mass of tingles invade her body.
She was happy and enjoyed seeing this other side of Alex. After they’d had dessert and were relaxing in the lounge, sampling some of the tea from Jordanne’s gift, Jed asked about work.
‘So, how’s my little sister been shaping up?’ he asked Alex.
At Jed’s words, Jordanne instantly thought back to the episode at the front door. It made her wonder just how she did shape up in Alex’s eyes, especially after such a sensual caress.