City Surgeon, Small Town Miracle

She turned and walked up to the path through the trees. A small part of her wanted to know what he’d been going to say in the kitchenette. Most of her was just plain afraid. She wasn’t sure what scared her the most-that the kiss meant something to him or that it didn’t. How contrary.

As she approached the cottage, a figure rose from one of her verandah chairs. She stopped.

Luke.

Her heart stuttered then raced into an erratic uncomfortable riff. Damn, damn, damn. She longed to turn and run, but that was ridiculous…especially as he’d seen her.

Forcing her feet to move, she squared her shoulders and climbed the steps.

‘I guess you get to see me after all.’ She was proud of the drawl she managed. Her internal tremble was scarcely noticeable. A miracle, considering the way her traitorous heart was still pounding at her larynx.

‘I won’t stay long,’ he said softly, his expression sombre. ‘I wanted to make sure you were okay. You were upset today.’

She shrugged, hoping for nonchalance. ‘You caught me by surprise after…’

‘After yesterday,’ he finished for her. ‘I owe you an apology for the way I treated you at the track.’

An unexpected dart of pain lanced through her chest. That was one question answered. Her first kiss since her husband’s death and the man who’d given it to her was falling over himself to apologise. While he wished it hadn’t happened, she’d been shattered by the terrifying beauty and power of it. She couldn’t let him see how much.

‘Oh, that,’ she managed, praying she didn’t sound as brittle as she felt. ‘Let’s consider it forgotten, shall we?’

‘I’m not apologising for the kiss, Terri.’

She stared at him, trying to make sense of his words.

‘You scared the daylights out of me with the way you were riding that motorbike.’ He held up his hand when she would have spoken. ‘I know. You’re a good rider. Better than good-you’re outstanding.’

‘Thank you,’ she said faintly. ‘I guess.’

‘Don’t thank me. I wasn’t watching you and admiring your technically brilliant performance.’ He smiled thinly. ‘The way you threw that bike into the corners made me angry.’

‘Angry?’

‘I don’t want to lose you.’

She swallowed, looking away uncomfortably.

‘We don’t want to lose you. Allie and me. We’ve lost too much already. You’re her new best friend and confidante. She needs you, I need…I don’t want to see her hurt.’

‘Of course you don’t.’ Her heart melted. He was such a good father. ‘Neither do I.’

‘I know.’ There was a small silence then he smiled at her. A slow delicious smile that curled her toes. Her heart skipped a beat and then tripped over itself trying to catch up. She should excuse herself, send him home now he’d said his piece.

‘Do…do you want to come in for a drink?’ She heard the words leaving her mouth with a sense of astonishment. ‘Er, don’t feel you have to…I just…I’ll understand if you’re busy.’

‘Nothing pressing,’ he said firmly. ‘Thanks, I would like a drink.’

‘Right.’ She stood indecisively for a moment then turned away to open the door. ‘Coffee? Or a cool drink? Maybe a beer.’

‘A beer would be great.’ He followed her inside. Even with her back to him, she felt as though she was aware of every sound and movement he made as he followed her through to the kitchen.

‘I’ve only got light beer.’ She opened the fridge. ‘Stubbie? Or would you prefer it in a glass?’

‘Stubbie will be fine. Thanks.’

She handed him the bottle. His fingers brushed hers and a ripple of sensation ran up her arm. ‘It’s, um, a nice evening, let’s sit on the chairs out the back.’

‘Sure.’ He held the door open and ushered her out.

As she settled into the wicker chair, she suddenly realised how romantic the setting was with the rapidly dimming pink wash of sunset. The golden glow from the kitchen light behind them did nothing to dispel the illusion of cosy intimacy. The glare of a harsh fluorescent tube would have helped-but to get that, she’d have to get up and walk past the source of her angst to the switch.

Luke twisted the top off his bottle as he subsided into the chair beside her.

‘Cheers.’ He leaned forward. There was a small musical clink as he lightly tapped his bottle to hers.

‘Yes, cheers.’ She watched as he lifted the bottle to his mouth, his lips settling on the rim. Looking away hastily, she took a swig from her own bottle. The liquid fizzed in her throat as she searched for something to talk about.

Something other than the thing that suddenly filled her mind.

His mouth, his lips.

His kiss.

Seconds crawled by as she sat in tongue-tied discomfort, her mind utterly stuck on the interlude in the garage. She glanced sideways at him, only to find him watching her intently, his face thoughtful.

She could almost see him gathering words for a discussion she didn’t want to have. Not the kiss. She really didn’t want to discuss that.

‘Terri-’

She had to forestall him. ‘Do you think you’ll ever get back on a motorbike?’

As soon as the words left her lips, she felt ill.

He grimaced. ‘I’m not quite ready for that yet.’

‘Oh, God. Luke.’ Her voice shook with her distress. ‘I’m so sorry. I don’t know where that came from.’

‘Don’t worry.’ He lifted one shoulder. ‘The thought did cross my mind at the track. That was before I saw you, of course. Then all I could think of was talking some sense into you.’ He gave her a lopsided smile. ‘And look what a good job I did of that.’

She wet her lips. Oh, dear. He was back to the kiss, she knew it. Talking about it meant acknowledging it out loud, holding it up to the light for examination, making it even more compelling. She wanted it to fade away. As it would surely do given enough time and no discussion with the man who’d made her feel so raw and conflicted.

When she didn’t say anything, he said, ‘Refusing to discuss it isn’t going to make it go away, Terri.’

She raised her eyebrow and sent him a sidelong look. ‘How can you be sure?’

He laughed softly. ‘I know some of how you’re feeling. It’s a shock, isn’t it?’

‘A shock. Yes, that’s one way of putting it,’ she said with a sigh of resignation.

‘It’s two and a half years since I lost Sue-Ellen. I loved my wife. You’re the first woman I’ve kissed since my wife died, and you knocked me sideways. I never expected to feel this way again. Ever.’

Terri contemplated the bottle she held loosely in her hand. Luke and Sue-Ellen had obviously had a very happy, loving relationship. Terri was surprised by the shaft of grief she felt. By the time the landmine explosion had killed Peter, she and her husband had had no marriage left to betray. Her stomach cramped at the memory. She was a fraud, letting Luke assume she was in the same predicament as he was.

He was right about one thing, though. Her equilibrium hadn’t been this upset by a kiss since she’d been…

Eighteen, and it had been his kiss then, too. Heat swept through her.

‘What I really want to do is kiss you again,’ he said. ‘Soon. I would do it right now, in a heartbeat, if I thought you would let me. But I’m guessing that’s not going to happen…is it?’

‘No. Oh.’ Her pulse bumped hard. He wanted to kiss her again. ‘You shouldn’t. We mustn’t.’

But it was what she wanted too-regardless of all her good sense telling her otherwise.

‘I figure I’ll give you a bit of time to get used to the idea.’

Her breath caught. ‘G-get used to the idea?’ she managed.

‘Before I do it again.’ His eyes tracked down to her mouth and lingered there for a moment.

‘I’m only human, Terri, and I’m attracted as hell to you. I’ve tried to ignore it but that isn’t working for me.’ He tilted his head, giving her a self-deprecating smile when she remained silent. ‘Am I mistaken in thinking you feel the same way?’

‘We can’t do anything about it. We mustn’t.’