“Oh, no. Oh, I’m so sorry.” She raised her head in an effort to see his leg.
“Or maybe the swelling’s higher up.” He gave her a wicked grin, took her hand and guided it to his erection. “Worse luck, I do believe we’re going to miss the morning seminar, and probably the afternoon one, as well. I need to stay off my ankle. And with that knee you can’t possibly attend any lectures, doctor’s orders. So I propose we just stay right here where we’re comfortable. We can discuss hospital business, and when lunchtime comes, there’s always room service. Only next time, you get to answer the door.”
He ducked as she whacked him with a pillow.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
“TONY?”
The curtains were blowing gently back and forth in the predawn breeze. It was Sunday morning, their last morning in this room, Kate thought, and sadness tugged at her sleepy brain. They’d slept in snatches, greedy for each other.
“Tony?” No answer. He was cuddled close against her back, and Kate moved against him.
“Mmm-hmm?” His arm tightened around her, his hand cupping her breast, automatically stroking.
It was delicious. She snuggled into him. “Are you sleeping?”
“I was.” His voice was gravelly. He yawned and stretched. “Now I’m not.”
“Tony, I wish we didn’t have to go home. I wish we could just stay here forever.”
“I was going to talk to you about that.”
“About staying here forever? Would we have enough money? I think these rooms cost a bundle when we’re not paying conference rates.”
“No, about going home tomorrow morning. Is there any reason you can’t stay until Monday?”
She thought it over for all of two seconds. Scott had Eliza. School was done. She couldn’t remember when she’d last taken a day off work.
“Not a reason in the world.”
“Good. I’ll change our reservations and we can fly home Monday.”
“Tell them at the desk that we only need one room tonight.”
She could sense his smile. “I think the room service waiter has already spread the word.”
Grinning Kate moved against him again with her bottom.
“Now, Kate, that’s going to lead to consequences that will shock the waiter.”
She turned in his arms, nuzzling his chin and his neck, loving the taste of him. “He’s a mature adult. I’m sure he’ll survive.” She took his hand and placed it on her breast again, and shivered. “But I won’t unless you do this—” She put his other hand exactly where she wanted it.
“Like that?” He touched her and she caught her breath with delight.
“You’re such a quick study, Doctor.”
“It’s a subject I’m really interested in.”
How quickly they’d learned each other’s rhythms. How easily they’d come to know each other’s bodies.
He kissed her, his tongue slowly dancing in and out of her mouth. She shifted slightly, to accommodate him, and he slid deep inside her, hot and hard. She gave a little moan, and he began to move, slow and teasing, pausing when she wanted more. She smiled against his neck, and tightened muscles she’d almost forgotten she had, reveling in his indrawn breath, his muffled gasp.
It was a dance, one whose tempo increased until she cried out his name and whirled straight into fire.
Afterward, he slept again, and she lay in his arms, her body boneless and sated. One long day, one short night, before they had to return to the world. What would it be like, going back to work with this new awareness between them? Is that all it was, just awareness?
She listened to his deep, regular breathing, feeling tender and protective when he began to snore. She felt totally safe here in his arms, but how would she feel when life got back to normal? Could the magic they’d shared in this room transfer itself to Vancouver? How could they be together this way, with his mother and daughter in his house and Scott and Eliza in hers?
The joy that permeated her faltered a little.
They had to find a way. There had to be a way.
She just couldn’t think of any right now. And she didn’t have to worry about it this instant, either. Right now, this was their world.
Nestling deeper into his embrace, she tugged the sheet up over his shoulder and hers, and slid into sleep.
IT WAS ELEVEN-FORTY-FIVE Monday morning when Tony pulled his car up in front of Kate’s house. There were now two old wrecks in the driveway, and Kate made a disgusted sound in her throat.
“Don’t tell me Scott found a second old car to dismantle,” she muttered.
Tony carried her suitcase to the door and waited as she unearthed her keys, but the door flew open before she’d found them in her bag. Eliza stood there, wearing dirty shorts and a stained T-shirt. She gave Kate an accusing look.
“Kate, where were you? We came home early last night, and I wanted to show you the fish I caught.”
“Eliza, it’s good manners to say hello before you start asking questions.” Kate’s first, instinctive reaction was intense disappointment that Eliza was there. She’d been looking forward to a few moments alone with Tony, time to bridge the transition between Edmonton and here. She’d been looking forward to a long, passionate goodbye kiss, and time in which to contemplate the last several incredible days.
Immediately she felt guilty. Of course Eliza would be disappointed that she wasn’t here to listen to her camping adventures. But that didn’t excuse rudeness.
“Eliza?” Kate’s voice was stern. “Would you like to start over again?”
“Hello, Kate.”
Kate gave her stepdaughter a knowing look, and after a moment the girl added in a lackluster tone, “Hello, Dr. O’Connor.”
“Hi, Eliza. So you caught a fish, did you?”
Eliza nodded, but Kate noticed she didn’t offer to show it off.
“Where do you want this, Kate?” Tony put the suitcase down just inside the front door.
“It’s fine right there.”
“With that sore knee, you’d better let me take it to your bedroom.”
Acutely aware that Eliza was tagging along right beside them, Kate limped into her bedroom. The bed wasn’t made, and a bra was lying on the chair. Her pink cotton nightie was tossed on the duvet. It seemed much longer than three nights since she’d last slept here.
Eliza got up on the bed and pulled Kate’s white duvet over her knees.
“Eliza, you’re not very clean. How about putting those clothes in the hamper and taking a shower?”
She shook her head. “I don’t feel like it. Daddy said it was holidays. He said I didn’t have to have a bath this morning.”
Kate felt the usual hot flash of irritation with Scott, but she told herself it wasn’t Eliza’s fault.
Tony heaved the suitcase up on the old trunk at the foot of her bed. He gave Kate a meaningful look, and they smiled at each other. He’d teased her about bringing so many clothes and then only wearing one black dress and—for fifteen minutes last night, because he’d asked her to model it—her peach satin nightgown.
“Thanks, Tony.” Having Eliza right there made Kate uncomfortable. She longed to throw herself into his arms, but of course she couldn’t. “Would you like something to drink?”
He shook his head. “I’d better be getting home. McKensy will be wondering where I am.”
“I’ll see you to the door.” Kate led the way, and Eliza scrambled off the bed and tagged right along at their heels.
Tony reached out a hand, and when he would have pulled Kate into his arms, she resisted with a glance at Eliza. She just didn’t feel right about kissing Tony with Eliza looking on.
Immediately he understood, and gave her fingers a warm squeeze instead. “It was an eventful trip, Kate,” he said in a low, intimate voice. “I never dreamed Edmonton could be like that.”
“Me, neither.” She returned the pressure of his fingers.
“Better keep on icing that knee. Bye, Eliza.” He smiled, but Kate noticed that
Eliza didn’t return either the smile or the goodbye.
“I’ll call you later. And I’ll see you at work tomorrow, Kate.”
Kate watched him walk out the door and down the front path to his car, feeling as if a piece of her heart was going with him. How could she be homesick for something she’d only had for three days and three nights? She wanted to run after him, throw herself into his arms. God, she wanted to go back to Edmonton.
“Now will you look at my fish, Kate? What happened to your leg? I found a turtle. It was this big around.”
Kate sighed and shut the door on her dreams.
HE DIDN’T WANT TO DISLIKE a child, but it was hard not to feel resentful of Eliza. Tony slammed the car door hard and pressed his foot against the accelerator with unnecessary force. The wheels laid rubber, and it gave him a perverse sense of satisfaction.
The way that girl looked at him, you’d think he was planning rape and pillage. If she were his, she’d be given a time out and sent to her room in short order for being rude. But she wasn’t his, he reminded himself. And it was her attachment to Kate that made her act the way she did, which was a reaction he could well understand. He’d give a guy the evil eye, too, for coming on to Kate.
But Eliza’s negative reactions were going to make it difficult to further their relationship. In Edmonton, he’d projected family outings for him and Kate and their girls, trips to the Omnimax, the Space Center, Science World. He’d envisioned them all having burgers together, hanging out in parks, tossing Frisbees.
At the light, he pulled the car to a stop behind a bus, and like a harsh smack on the back of his head, he realized what he’d been doing.
He was thinking family here. For the first time since his divorce, he was actually considering involvement again. Which was why he was so pissed off at Eliza, because she wasn’t fitting into his scenario the way he’d envisioned it.
Certainly the picture didn’t include Kate’s ex, either, dismantling cars in her driveway, barging into her bedroom. The way Kate had explained her living arrangements had made sense at the time, but now he thought about how possessive Eliza was, how few boundaries there seemed to be between Scott’s living space and Kate’s, and it bothered him. It bothered him a lot.
How would he fit into that picture? Their kids weren’t buddies the way he’d hoped they might be, although with time that could sort itself out.
But a relationship like the one he’d been imagining was pretty unlikely. There was the issue of privacy, for one thing. Eliza had the run of Kate’s entire house, which meant it would be difficult for him to spend a night there.
His heart sank when he thought about his own house. Things were even worse at home—he had Dorothy to contend with, as well as McKensy. And he also had the complications of his father’s visit, coming up in just four weeks.
He’d been on an emotional high, but now his spirits came crashing down. Unless he planned to rent a hotel room every time he and Kate wanted to make love, which would mean a permanent rental, it looked as if they were in for a long period of abstinence. He couldn’t even figure out how they’d manage dating, never mind sex.
And damn it all, he wanted her in his arms. He ached to take her to his bed. They’d made love that morning. It wasn’t even afternoon, and already he desired her. He needed her. Maybe he even— A bus pulled out in front of him, and he forced his mind away from what he’d been about to admit.
ONE NIGHT WITHOUT TONY, and Kate already felt deprived. Her knee hurt, and the clutter of decrepit cars, greasy spare parts and discarded beer cans in her front driveway wasn’t helping her mood.
“Daddy got the other car from a wrecker,” Eliza explained. “He’s gonna make ours just like new.”
Yeah, Kate thought, and it’s going to rain ten-dollar bills.
She hadn’t had the energy to confront Scott on Monday afternoon, and he and Eliza were still asleep when she went to work Tuesday morning. She left a note on his door asking that he get rid of the mess before she got home that night.
The entire drive to St. Joe’s Kate was fuming over the way Scott took advantage of her. She reminded herself that there weren’t any victims in relationships, only volunteers, but somehow it didn’t help her state of mind one bit. She arrived twenty minutes early and made her way to the ER, hoping Leslie would have time for a cup of tea and a chat. She needed to make sure her friend was doing okay, and she also desperately wanted to confide in Leslie, get some impartial advice on what was happening with her and Tony. Her heart sank when Leslie shook her head.
“Sorry, Kate, I can’t this morning.” The ER seemed quiet, but Leslie looked weary, Kate noted, the lines in her face more pronounced than she’d ever seen them.
“This afternoon, then?”
Leslie shrugged. “I’ll have to see how it goes.”
There was a distance between them that hadn’t been there before, and Kate struggled to bridge it.
“Les, are you sure you should be back at work? Maybe a few more days off—”
“I’m fine, okay?” The harshness of her tone softened a little. “I’m just tired, that’s all. I haven’t been sleeping well.” She glanced past Kate at an orderly and her voice became shrill. “Elliott, how many times do I have to tell you that the patient in two needs to be taken to radiology?”
Kate was shocked at the venom in Leslie’s tone. She’d never heard her friend speak that way to anyone. Leslie was famous for her good nature.
Elliott, too, was shocked. “Hey, keep your shirt on, Les, I’m on my way to get him right now.”
“I don’t want to have to tell you again,” Leslie snapped.
The orderly gave Leslie a hurt, resentful look, then shrugged before he hurried off.
Deeply concerned now, Kate reached out a hand and put it on Leslie’s arm. “Les, if you need to talk—”
Leslie shook her head and moved her arm away. “I don’t need to talk. And I’ve got to get back to work, Kate.”
There was nothing Kate could think of to do or say. She made her way back to her office, feeling forlorn and hurt and terribly worried about her friend.
She checked her messages, thinking that Tony might have called, but he hadn’t. Well, she’d call him. She picked up the phone and dialed his number, but his secretary answered. “Sorry, Kate, he was here but now he’s up in the OR. One of his patients is having a hysterectomy and the surgeon asked Tony to assist.”
Feeling let down all over again, Kate checked her morning schedule. She had a meeting with a disgruntled patient, and she was pleased when he arrived early. She greeted him and introduced herself, making him comfortable and offering him a cup of coffee, which he refused.
Walter Rundle was a tall, emaciated man who looked much older than his forty-three years. He sat slumped in the chair, cradling his right arm.
“Tell me what’s bothering you, Mr. Rundle,” Kate invited. “I understand you had recent surgery on your arm.”
Her words unleashed a torrent of emotion and information. Walter had come to St. Joe’s for simple surgery, an ulnar nerve transposition to relieve tingling and numbness in his right elbow. He was a house painter, and because of the numbness he was having difficulty doing his job.
“Before the operation, Dr. Snider told me there was nothing to it, he said it was real simple surgery,” Walter recounted in a bitter voice. “But now I’ve got awful pain in my hand and arm. It never quits, and I can’t work at all.”
“Did you ask the surgeon what might be causing it?”
Walter nodded. “Sure I did. I asked Dr. Snider but all he said was, There’s nothing more I can do for you.” He shook his head. “That just isn’t good enough, Ms. Lewis. I don’t even know how the operation went, nobody would explain it to me. And this pain in my hand and arm is so bad I gotta take pills to sleep, and I get so mad I feel like hitting somebody, and that’s not my nature. I’m not a fighting sort of man.”
Kate thought of Leslie. The pain of her mother’s death had made her
angry enough to say she wanted to kill the doctor she thought responsible. No doubt about it, pain could bring out depths of anger. The one lecture she’d attended in Edmonton had warned that patients needed explanations when something went awry.
“Would you like me to try and find out exactly what happened during the operation?”
“Yeah, I really would.” Walter nodded. “Just knowing would make a difference. Just thinking somebody cared what happened.”
Kate talked to him awhile longer. Walter told her that his wife worked as a waitress and they had two teenage sons still in school. He was terribly worried about being able to support his family.
She arranged to meet him again the following day, after she had more information. She told him she’d speak to Dr. Snider and see if he would talk to Walter about the operation.
“Thanks for taking the trouble to listen,” Walter said before he left. “Trouble with a hospital this size is nobody takes the time to listen.”
Touched by his words, Kate did her best to find out what had gone on in the operating room during Walter’s surgery. Dr. Snider didn’t return her message, so she made her way to his office just before lunch.
Snider was in his early fifties, distinguished, perfectly groomed and smartly dressed. He was obviously not pleased to have Kate asking questions. When she explained why she was there, he snapped, “Really, I think we’re making far too much of this incident.”
Kate wondered if Snider would think so if it was his arm that had been damaged, but of course she didn’t say that. Instead, she asked him to describe what had occurred during surgery.
In an impatient tone, he explained, “The patient had a small bleed into his arm following the initial procedure. The problem was recognized immediately and he was taken back into surgery.”
“And what exactly was the problem that caused the bleed?” Kate made certain she kept her tone and her questions nonjudgmental, even though she could see by the reddening of Snider’s face that he resented her queries. She’d used Walter’s name in an effort to force the doctor to see him as a person and not just as a patient.
The Family Doctor Page 15