Healing the Vet's Heart

by Annie Claydon

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  THE MORE THAT Drew did, the better he seemed. Caro had been reluctant to let him carry anything up the stone steps to Smugglers’ Top, but she knew that Drew was just beginning to grasp at the reality of being able to do the things he wanted to. It would hurt him more to take nothing than it would to take the lighter bag.

  All the same, he was limping a little when they got to the top. Caro unlaced her shoes, leaving them in the hallway, and made tea. Then she plumped herself firmly down on one of the sofas in the living area, propping her legs up on the cushions. Drew took the hint and did the same.

  Once he was there, she could insist that he stay put while she cooked. Or...pulled something from the freezer to heat. The smell of part-baked bread, browning in the oven, made thick, chunky soup seem like more of a meal. When he stood again, to follow her back to the kitchen with his empty bowl, he walked without a limp, leaving his stick behind by the sofa.

  ‘So what are you up to this afternoon? Working up some ideas?’

  Maybe. If Drew left, she’d have nothing but her ideas to keep her company. She wondered if he knew how much he was a part of these latest ones. The way he listened and understood. The way he injected a note of practicality, without rejecting the blue-sky thinking.

  ‘I’m just going to let them simmer for a while. Maybe I’ll take a break.’ Caro wondered if Drew could be persuaded to take a break with her.

  ‘I’ll leave you to it, then. I’d better make a move, the tide will be turning soon.’

  Crunch time. Time to make sense of the last two days, when she’d felt closer to Drew than anyone else in her life. Time to wonder whether it was possible to create a compartment, away from her work and everything else, where there would be a bit of space for each other.

  She watched as he fetched his shoes and sat down to lace them up. Then he picked up his stick... Maybe she should just let him go, but it seemed that he was taking all the air in the room with him. She was already feeling light-headed, and unable to think properly.

  ‘Wait!’ He’d pulled on his coat, and there was no time left to think. Just to act.

  ‘What is it?’

  Those blue eyes. The dark, slightly wayward curls that gave him an outdoors look even when he was indoors. The thought that someone like Drew couldn’t really want her, and then the memory of his kiss, which led her to the inescapable conclusion that he did.

  ‘I’m not very good at this.’ She walked towards him.

  ‘Don’t sell yourself short. You’re good at a lot of things.’

  Yeah. Seduction wasn’t one of them. Caro was a lot more comfortable when she said exactly what she meant, and meaningful glances weren’t really her forte. Although strangely she always seemed to know exactly what Drew’s meaningful glances meant.

  ‘I want you to stay.’

  His face softened. ‘Because...?’

  Drew wouldn’t let her down. Not with this anyway. If he left, then he left, but he’d find a reason for doing so that wouldn’t disappoint her. Something that probably wouldn’t even hurt all that much.

  ‘So that we can keep each other company tonight.’ Caro congratulated herself on finding the words that made her meaning clear, without having to tell him exactly what she’d been imagining them doing together.

  His eyes darkened suddenly. Pools of velvety black, with iridescent blue borders. So, so beautiful.

  ‘It would be my privilege to keep you company tonight, Caro.’

  Nice. That made her feel so good, and she wished she’d thought of saying something like that.

  ‘But...’ He twisted his mouth in an expression of regret.

  Okay. There was a but. Maybe it was time to tell him that everything was okay and let him leave. His gaze fell to the stick in his hand, and his knuckles whitened against the curved top.

  ‘My leg isn’t... They say that with time it’ll look a little better.’

  He thought that was a problem? Caro had never really considered that Drew couldn’t know how beautiful he was. With or without scars. She tapped the base of the walking stick with her foot, and it moved without any resistance. He wasn’t actually leaning on it, and when she kicked it, it clattered to the floor.

  ‘You’re the kind of girl who would kick a guy’s stick out from under him?’ Drew’s smile reflected her own hunger.

  ‘Yes. You don’t need it, Drew. And I couldn’t care less what your leg looks like.’

  Suddenly he reached for her, curling his arm around her waist and pulling her against him. When he kissed her, it was mind-blowing. Knee-shaking.

  ‘Do you trust me?’

  So he wanted trust. Any man would. Caro took a moment to think about her answer.

  ‘I don’t not trust you.’

  He shook his head. ‘That’s not the same.’

  ‘I trust you enough to go diving with you. And to want you to stay tonight.’

  ‘And what don’t you trust about me?’ He tipped her chin with one finger, kissing her lips lightly.

  ‘My work’s always...something separate. I have to go wherever it leads me.’

  He nodded, dropping kisses onto her neck. ‘I understand that. We’re very different people and I’m not sure that we’ll ever be able to reconcile our lifestyles.’

  That was a nice way of saying that she was a workaholic. Right now, none of their differences seemed to matter. Caro kissed him, and his response told her that it didn’t matter to him either.

  ‘I want to make love to you, Caro. For the rest of the afternoon and...then again this evening. And tonight...’

  ‘That’s enough, isn’t it?’ It would always have to be enough. Caro didn’t know how to trust that a lover might truly become a part of her life any more.

  ‘Right now, it feels more than enough.’

  When he kissed her again, the ache for him went into overdrive, blinding Caro to everything else. He was slowly picking her apart, owning everything. It was so much more than just blinding physical pleasure this time because she knew that they understood each other.

  ‘Can we go to the bedroom now?’ She wanted the luxury of stretching out on the large bed, knowing that Drew wouldn’t be struggling to balance.

  He nodded. ‘Then you can tell me exactly what’s on your mind. And I’ll tell you what’s on mine.’

  * * *

  Drew couldn’t believe this was happening. He’d wanted Caro from the first time he’d seen her. Had told himself that he couldn’t have her. Known for sure that he couldn’t have her, and then... She’d told him that she wanted him. And then they’d found a way to be together that didn’t compromise either of them.

  Her bedroom was all creams and neutral colours. The kind of room that took its only life from the people who were in it, and the colour of the sea and sky outside the large windows. The only piece of her was the stone he’d given her from the seabed, displayed proudly on the bedside table.

  She didn’t rush him. He was still a little uncomfortable about the scars on his leg, and she didn’t make a thing about him showing them before he was ready. She stripped off his coat and sweater, hurling them at a large wicker chair that stood in the corner. Then her own sweater, which missed the chair and landed on the floor. Caro took a little more time over his shirt, undoing one button at a time. They lay on the bed together, exploring all the subtly different ways that a woman could kiss a man and a man could kiss her back.

  ‘Would you like to take a shower?’ She ran her finger across his chest, and he felt a wake of sensation follow its path.

  ‘And wash off the sea...?’

  ‘No. I love the taste of salt on your skin. And your scent.’ She trailed her tongue along the path that her finger had just taken, and Drew felt his whole body begin to stiffen. ‘I’m giving a gentle hint that I want to see a little more of you. Maybe you want to see a littl
e more of me?’

  ‘I want to do more than just see a little more of you.’

  She laughed, wriggling away from him off the bed, and disappearing into the en suite bathroom. The sound of running water, and then she appeared in the doorway again. Naked.

  ‘Come here...’ He choked the words out.

  ‘No. You come here.’

  He was on his feet, pulling off his jeans and undershorts before he’d even thought about it. Her gaze dropped, but she clearly wasn’t interested in his leg. That was okay, he wasn’t embarrassed at showing her just how much he wanted her.

  She let him watch as she soaped her body. It felt as if he should be on his knees before her, but it was Caro who bent to wash his legs, her fingers skimming over the scars as if they were of no consequence to her. He towelled her dry, kissing her at every opportunity, before he followed her back into the bedroom.

  His knee twisted and he stumbled. Almost fell, before he grabbed at the footboard of the bed to steady himself. Suddenly he felt weak again, as if it had just been a fantasy that he could take back everything he’d once had.

  Caro didn’t make a move to help him. In fact, she moved back, swinging her legs up onto the bed and shifting to lean against the pillows.

  ‘Hurry up, Drew...’

  She didn’t see him as weak or in need of any pity. Forgetting all about his leg, Drew slid onto the bed, pulling her towards him.

  ‘You are so beautiful.’

  ‘You don’t need to say that.’ She smiled, saying the words as if they didn’t matter. She really didn’t know... The thought that no one had ever made her feel any different cut him to the heart.

  ‘I can’t help it. Maybe you’ll trust me enough to believe me before we’re done.’

  Her eyes widened in surprise. Soft and golden, and as gentle as a warm sea breeze. He kissed her, easing himself over her, his hand exploring the silk of her skin.

  She didn’t reply, but her gasp when his fingers found her nipple told him that he had her full attention. He wondered how long she could hold out against him and hoped it would be for just a little while.

  He told her all of the ways that she was beautiful, all of the things he loved about her. Teased her until she was drunk with the same heady passion that intoxicated him.

  ‘Drew. Please...’

  He didn’t want her to beg. He wanted her to receive him into her arms, knowing how much he adored her. Slowly he slid inside her, feeling the warm tension of her body.

  Something stirred, deep in her eyes. He wrapped his hand around her leg, pulling it up and around his hips. His next thrust was a little faster, a little harder and she groaned.

  Strength pulsed through him, unleashing a hurricane. There was no going back now. She was driving him beyond anything he’d ever experienced.

  In the sudden calm, before the storm reached its height, he stared down into her eyes, and saw acceptance and trust. It was then that he knew that this was more than just passion. Caro was giving a part of herself to him, and he was giving whatever was left of himself to her.

  * * *

  Who had the stamina to work their way through half a box of condoms in sixteen hours? And who on earth could make things perfect and then manage to improve on that? Warmer and wilder, heart-thumpingly passionate and mind-blowingly intense.

  And then make breakfast.

  She watched him as he carried the tray over to the bed, setting it down. Just jeans, slung low on his hips. The way he used those hips was just so satisfying.

  ‘There has to be something wrong with you, Drew.’

  He raised his eyebrows. ‘Why’s that?’

  ‘Because you’re too good to be true. You’re the most beautiful man I’ve ever seen.’ There was no denying that, she’d already told him. ‘And you’re gentle and very sweet, and I love it when you forget about both of those things...’ She’d told him that too. In rather plainer terms than she could use this morning without blushing.

  ‘Ah. You mean when you agreed with me that you were beautiful?’ He sat down on the bed, and the plates and cups slid gently to one side of the tray.

  ‘I think I said that was how you made me feel.’ Caro was a little hazy on the exact details. Just that he’d coaxed something out of her that she hadn’t know was there last night.

  ‘I’d like to make you feel that again. If you’ll let me.’

  They hadn’t talked about that. But it was impossible to deny that they both wanted it.

  ‘I’d like that too.’ She leaned forward to kiss him, and the contents of the tray tipped back the other way.

  ‘My place? This evening? I’ll go and pick Phoenix up from Mum’s after work today.’

  Caro had wondered whether his cottage might contain too many memories for Drew to make love with her there. It was also far less likely that an overnight visitor would escape notice in the village than it was here at Smugglers’ Top.

  ‘Don’t you mind? If you feel better about coming here, I’m accessible via land or sea.’

  He thought for a moment. ‘No. I’d like it if you came to my place.’

  Drew was moving on. She was glad for him, but something deep in Caro’s heart sounded a note of warning. She’d moved out, and then moved away, but moving on was a little more difficult. But Drew had shown her how to do so many things, and maybe he could show her how to move on too.

  ‘Okay. Your place tonight. I can come to the centre this afternoon to help out with the birds if you need me.’

  ‘We’re going to need all the help we can get. Thank you.’

  ‘I’ll see you around twelve, then. That’ll give me the morning to work out what I need to do this week on the prosthetics project.’

  He nodded, picking up the mugs from the tray and handing one to Caro, then taking a swig of coffee from the other. ‘Okay, I’ll leave you with the washing-up, then. I’d better get going.’

  She ate her toast while he found his clothes and put them on. Then he kissed her, and Caro heard the front door close behind him.

  Getting out of bed, she walked across to the bathroom, peering at her reflection in the mirror. All the things that Drew had said last night... She’d never really thought much about her looks, and Blake’s betrayal had made her feel worthless and ugly. But she valued Drew’s opinions much more than Blake’s.

  Her hair glinted in the overhead lights. Her eyes were marvels of evolutionary genius, but then so were everyone else’s. There was nothing extraordinary about her features or her figure, but if you liked fair skin she supposed both were passable. And, last night, Drew had given her new respect for all her body was capable of. Perhaps, after all, she might accept that he did find her beautiful...

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  ‘YOU’RE LOOKING VERY pleased with yourself.’ Ellie put the last of the birds that had been washed this morning in the drying pens. Drew had already perched himself on a stool, unable to stand any longer.

  ‘Am I?’

  ‘There you go again. Answering a question with a question never works, Drew.’

  ‘You asked a question?’

  Ellie puffed out an exasperated breath. ‘All right, then. Dad said he was driving along the coast road early this morning, and he saw your car parked off the road by Smugglers’ Top. He was concerned about you so he stopped to take a look, and he saw you walking across the beach.’

  ‘Right. Does he have photographic evidence, or is this just word of mouth?’

  ‘He said you were looking a bit furtive.’

  ‘I was not looking furtive.’

  ‘Ha! So you were there!’ Ellie clapped her hands together. ‘Can’t I be a bit pleased for you, Drew? It’s time you started dating again. And Caro’s really nice, even if she can be slightly kooky at times.’

  ‘Mostly that’s just because she’s thinking about something that’s
way over our heads.’ Drew leapt to Caro’s defence and Ellie shot him a knowing look.

  ‘That’s true. I really like her a lot, Drew. And she was an absolute star, coming out with us to help with the birds.’

  ‘Yes, well, she’ll be coming in this afternoon to help with cleaning them up. So don’t start with her, Ellie. She isn’t used to everyone knowing her every move, she has a normal person’s expectation of privacy.’

  ‘Of course I wouldn’t say anything to make her feel uncomfortable.’ Ellie wrinkled her nose at him. ‘And it’s good of her to come. You could do with a hand, the standing’s a little too much for you.’

  That and a couple of very gratifying positions last night. Ellie really didn’t need to know that.

  ‘Yeah, you’re right. I could use some help. But don’t start getting carried away, Caro and I are very different. Like my mum and dad were, and you know as well as I do what happened there. Caro has her work...’

  ‘And that doesn’t play out so well with you.’ Ellie gave him a knowing look.

  Drew sighed. ‘It’s not going to get that far, Ells. We’re not really dating, we just have...a thing.’

  Ellie nodded, suddenly leaning forward and planting a kiss on his cheek. ‘Well, I hope your thing makes you happy. You deserve it, Drew.’

  ‘Thank you. And if you want to get sloppy, go do it with your husband. Lucas signed up for it when he married you.’

  Ellie chuckled, poking her tongue out at him, the way she used to when they were kids and flouncing out of the room. Drew shook his head, Ellie wouldn’t like the term flouncing very much.

  Caro did make him happy. And she’d told him that he made her happy. They just had to be careful and remember that any commitment that they were tempted to make wouldn’t work.

  And maybe he should try to look a little less happy when he was at the clinic. Although with the prospect of Caro arriving in half an hour’s time, that wasn’t going to be easy.

  * * *

  It had been a long day. Actually, it hadn’t been all that long, but it felt like it. Drew’s leg was aching badly, and for the first time in a couple of weeks he’d taken the full dose of painkillers.