Prescription-One Bride

Jessie’s answering smile was unsure. She lifted her little wallaby and held him close. Niall stood smiling down at her and she felt shy-and infinitely vulnerable. ‘Well, thank…thank you for coming to tell me. I’ll…I’ll put Wilfred to bed now.’

‘I didn’t come to tell you anything,’ Niall said softly and the smile on his face changed. He put a hand out and touched the soft fur of the wallaby. ‘I came to see you. And Wilfred doesn’t want to go to bed.’

‘He does…’

‘I think it’s your duty as Wilfred’s treating veterinarian to introduce him to his new life,’ Niall smiled. ‘And as the island’s new medical superintendent it’s my duty to superintend you while you superintend Wilfred.’

‘I…I beg your pardon.’

‘We’re going for a walk,’ Niall told her. His hand dropped to take hers in a grip that brooked no argument. ‘You’re still dressed, I see. Wise girl.’ He smiled again and his smile made Jessie’s heart do strange things inside her. ‘Did you know I’d come back, then? Or hope…?’

‘I did no such thing,’ Jess managed with an attempt at dignity. ‘I…I had to feed my animals.’

‘For close on an hour?’ He shook his head and gently led her over to the outside door. ‘Sweet liar,’ he whispered and ushered her outside into the moonlight.

It was a night of magic.

The moon hung low over the horizon, glinting across the distant sea. Jess was wearing a soft sweater over her jeans but she hardly needed it. The warmth of the night was comfort enough.

The smell of the sea was in the air and the fragrant stands of Australian native frangipani were dropping a scattering of creamy yellow blooms in the breeze drifting from the ocean.

There were fuchsias growing in profusion by the verandah. Jess placed the tiny joey gently on the green grass and the joey took one look at the fuchsia bushes and started to munch. Heaven for a small wallaby…

He’d make it, Jess thought in satisfaction. This little one followed his instincts-and he was coming through his tough times.

He followed his instincts…

A dangerous path.

Jess glanced sideways at Niall Mountmarche’s dark figure and her heart misgave her.

Should she too be following her instincts?

Along what dangerous path were her instincts leading her?

She shouldn’t be out here. She should gather her little wallaby and run.

‘I know who looks like the wild creature here,’ Niall said conversationally. He stood with his hands in his pockets, surveying Jess and her joey with satisfaction. ‘You look like something’s about to eat you. If I had to guess which of you was more afraid…’

‘Wilfred hasn’t learned to be afraid yet,’ Jess whispered.

‘And you have?’

‘Y-yes.’

‘There’s no need.’ Niall moved then, once more swinging into that lithe, easy movement which reminded Jess of a big cat. Effortless…

Jess couldn’t move. She was like a small creature in his sights-powerless to resist.

And not sure that she wanted to.

‘Jess, don’t look like that…’

He gathered her hands, pulling her body into his in a swift, sure movement. ‘Jess, there’s no need for fear. There can’t be. I’ve spent my life looking for someone like you-and I’d started to think she didn’t exist.’

‘No…Please…’

‘There’s no “no” about it, my Jessie,’ he murmured. ‘Here you are, my lovely, lovely Jess, and I need you to say “yes” more than I need life itself. My Jess of wild creatures. You’ve come into my life and lifted my daughter from her cage of fear. You’ve pulled me from the shadows and bullied me into medicine again.

‘You…you take the whole world on your shoulders-and yet you fear it. There’s sanctuary for the healer as well, Jess, if only…if only you’ll let me into your heart.’

‘I can’t…I don’t…’ Jessie’s face was against the coarse cotton of his shirt. She could feel his heart beat-strong and sure.

‘You don’t what?’ He put her away from him, holding her at arm’s length and watching her face in the moonlight. ‘You trusted one man once-one man out of many-and that one man betrayed you. Are you going to impose John Talbot’s face on mine-see him wherever you see me? I’m here to tell you, Jess, that love has nothing to do with what was between you and John Talbot. Love has no fear.’ His grip tightened. ‘Except…except the fear of losing.’

‘Niall…’

‘I swear to you, Jess,’ he said softly. ‘I have no hidden agenda. There are no vicious surprises in my background. I want you for your own lovely self.’

‘You…’

‘I want you, Jess,’ he said, his voice low and husky with emotion. She was somehow pulled against him again, his lips moving in her hair. ‘I’ve never wanted anyone…’ He sighed.

‘That sounds false, doesn’t it? I’ve had women before, Jess. You know that. Paige is living proof. I thought…I thought I was in love with Paige’s mother-so much so that I asked her to marry me. Thank God Karen knew better than both of us that the love wouldn’t last. It wasn’t the real thing. What I felt for Karen is a pale shadow of what I’m feeling for one lovely vet with a heart bigger than any person I’ve ever met before.’

His hands moved to her waist, caressing her body against his.

‘I need you, Jess,’ he said humbly. ‘With a heart so big, my lovely Jess, can you find a place for me in there?’

The sureness had gone from his voice. There was a tremor of uncertainty-as if, for once in his life, Niall Mountmarche was unsure.

Desperately unsure.

It moved Jess as nothing else could have done. Not the feel of his hands on her body, the sound of his voice… the steady beating of his heart…

She looked up into his face and almost unconsciously her hands went up to touch…to hold…to draw his mouth down to her lips…

How could she resist? How could she refuse this man-this man who was becoming part of her being? It was as if she was melting into his soul.

‘Niall…’

And then there was nothing else, except the soft rustle of the breeze in the frangipani and the distant murmur of the sea.

Niall’s lips met hers and Jessie’s doubts drifted off on the night wind…

Somehow…sometime and who knew when?-certainly not the lovers-they drew apart. Wilfred had finished his munching and the joey was huddled uncertainly at Jessie’s feet

Jess gave a shaken gasp and leaned down to scoop her baby into her arms.

‘He should…He should be in his bed…’ she whispered.

‘What a good idea.’ Niall’s arms linked around her waist enfolding girl and baby wallaby to him in a protective clasp. ‘I’ll take you both to bed…’

‘Niall…’

‘Are you saying you don’t want me to take you to your bed, my Jessie?’ Niall kissed her lightly on the brow.

‘I don’t…We can’t…’ Jess fought frantically for some trace of common sense. ‘Niall, I’m not…I’m not protected…’

He smiled and his smile was tenderness itself. He kissed her softly on the nose-and then again on the lips. ‘There’s no use me acting as hospital pharmacist if I can’t find what we need in a crisis,’ he smiled. He kissed her again, more deeply, like a man becoming addicted to something exquisitely sweet. Infinitely precious. ‘And if this isn’t a crisis I don’t know what is.’

‘But…’ It was all too fast. Too sudden. And yet, to send him away was unthinkable.

‘I don’t…’ she whispered and her voice wouldn’t utter the words. Jessie was drifting in a haze of unreality. Her