‘All it takes is a loss of concentration for a split second.’ He ground his teeth together. The muscle tension in his jaw was painful. ‘People rely on you. Patients up at the hospital. My family. My daughter.’
‘You have a responsibility to this community.’ He sounded foolish but, even realising that, he was powerless to stop himself.
‘Luke, I-’
‘What if something happened to you?’
She gave him a long, searching look. Her expression melted into a look of profound compassion. ‘Oh, I’m so sorry. This is about Kevin, isn’t it? How insensitive of me. I know it was hard for you, the way he died, but you can’t hold onto that grief, Luke. For your sake and for Allie’s, it’s time to let it go.’
He swore a brief, earthy oath. ‘You think this is about Kevin?’
‘Well, yes.’ Her beautiful face was uncertain and he could see her trying to read his mood. ‘Isn’t it?’
‘No. God damn it. This is about
She took a step back, retreating from the fierceness he knew he was radiating.
‘I-I think you need to calm down and then maybe we can talk about this. Perhaps later.’ She pivoted and started to walk past him. ‘For now, I-’
Without thinking, he reached out, snagging her elbow. The force of her momentum spun her around and landed her hard on his chest, one hand braced at his waist. His fingers flexed around her upper arms where he’d reached out to steady her. Her well-worn leathers felt warm and soft, oddly intimate against his palms.
He gulped in a lungful of air, starting the move to set her back on her feet.
Then she lifted her head. Her lips trembled only inches from his and all his good intentions evaporated.
‘Terri.’ His voice, so ragged, sounded shockingly needy, desperate.
‘Luke.’ His name was little more than a whisper.
Dark, nearly black eyes held his for a long moment before slipping, heavy-lidded, to his mouth. Instead of freeing her, he pulled her closer, tilted his head, slanted his lips over the fullness of hers.
No awkwardness, no hesitation. The delight of unexpected familiarity mingled with the wonder and excitement of discovery. She made a small humming sound, almost a moan.
The hand at his waist relaxed, then tightened again before creeping around his back as she pressed into him. The pressure of each fingertip burned through the thin fabric of his shirt. He revelled in the touch, wanted more, wanted it on his skin.
All his anger with her carelessness, his fear for her safety, everything, drained away. Her lips parted in a sweet moist caress, so soft and mobile. Delicious.
A thrill streaked through him, blotting out coherent thought, reducing his world to the sensation of her body pressed to his. She made him want to give more-take more-than was sensible.
A single resonating crunch ripped through the moment. Terri’s head jerked back, her torso arching away from his. She stared up at him, eyes wide and stunned. As he watched, the dazed expression cleared from her eyes. Her hands, which had been clasped across his back, now flattened on his chest as she shoved herself away from him.
He swallowed. His system was revved, heart pumping, muscles ready to take on dragons.
The only thing he wasn’t ready for was Terri. She looked utterly shattered. Her breasts rose and fell shakily with each shallow, rapid breath.
The helmet, the source of the noise, rocked back and forth on the floor beside them.
Terri started to raise her hand to her face and he saw the tremor in her fingers. As though she suddenly realised what she was doing, her fingers closed in a fist that was pulled sharply back to her side.
‘What did you do that for?’
‘I’m sorry.’ His voice was hoarse, the words meaningless. He wasn’t sorry. Not at all. Given the option this moment, he’d take up where they’d left off.
‘You’re s-sorry?’ Her voice rose and she looked momentarily as shocked as he was by the note of hysteria. She glowered at him. Then her face slowly crumpled.
‘Oh, God. What have you done? I was okay when I though it was just m…’ she trailed off, her expression appalled.
‘Just you?’ His heart bumped. She felt the same way he did.
She stiffened, pulling herself together before his eyes. ‘Just…This thing…Us…We can’t…’ She touched her forehead with her fingers, rubbing hard at the skin. ‘Oh, what am I saying? There is no us. We’re colleagues. Nothing more. Do you hear me?’ She looked up at him then, the expression in her eyes desperate, daring him to disagree.
She was wrong. Though he couldn’t point that out. Not right now.
Not when he could see how devastated she was.
Not when his own system was shaking and shuddering in the aftermath of the kiss.
He didn’t understand what was behind her reaction but he needed to find a way to soothe her. He lifted a hand to reach out, make a tiny physical connection…
She nearly leapt away from him.
‘Terri-’
‘I have to go.’
He watched her long legs powering her away from him, agitation clear in every rapid step.
She didn’t want anything more than a professional relationship, that much was clear. But it didn’t alter the fact that she’d kissed him back.
Wildly.
Wantonly.
He felt like a teenager, giddy and stupid after the voluptuousness of his first kiss.
And it was a first…his first passionate kiss since his wife had died. He scrubbed his hands down his face. Why had he done it? He hadn’t felt as though he had a choice-once she had been in his arms, blind instinct had taken over. For both of them.
He didn’t want to think about replacing his wife. He wasn’t ready.
Was he?
He could almost feel his reality shifting around him. He swallowed. Maybe he was ready.
Kissing Terri didn’t feel like the betrayal he’d have predicted if there’d been time to consider before acting.
Quite simply, the kiss was the most important thing to have happened to him, as a man, for two and a half years.
It’d been electrifying. Physical, demanding, consuming.
Utterly sublime.
Twelve years ago her kiss had been sweetly innocent with a hint of the spice to come. Now her flavour was piquant, rich and complex.
Terri tasted
He wanted to kiss her again, explore the spark between them. To rejoice in being alive and savour the stirring of his masculinity.
But they had some issues to sort out first.
Luke huffed out the breath. He was sorry he’d upset her. The last thing he wanted was to hurt her. He needed to talk with her, find out what the problem was, help her deal with it.
He made up his mind. She had until tomorrow to calm down. Then he was going to apologise for ambushing her and get to the bottom of her reaction.
He walked out slowly to find Mick.
The next day, Luke spotted Terri at the bench in the emergency department kitchenette. He ran his eyes hungrily down then back up the green scrubs that draped her slender body. He smiled wryly. She had no business looking so damned desirable in the baggy work gear. Her hair was caught in a loose bun at the nape of her neck and he itched to tug out the tortoiseshell comb holding it in place, sink his fingers through the long silky strands.
He took a deep breath and dredged up some self-control. He was here to apologise, smooth over any awkwardness. Not create new problems. He needed to talk to her, pave the way for them to discuss what had
