City Surgeon, Small Town Miracle

her, holding the sugar bowl. His mother followed a few steps behind with the mugs.

Conversation meandered through various topics for another half an hour and then Terri stood.

‘I should make tracks,’ she said, turning to his mother. ‘Thank you for a wonderful evening, Vivienne.’

‘You know you are always welcome, Terri. Don’t be a stranger.’

Luke rose, too. ‘I’ll walk you home.’

‘Oh, no need.’ Terri tucked a curl behind her ear. ‘I can practically see my place from here.’

‘That’s a good idea, Luke,’ said his mother. Luke blessed her and her fondness for observing the niceties. Never mind that Terri wandered backwards and forwards between the hospital and the cottage at all hours of the night when she was on call.

Good manners would be observed. And in this case, it definitely worked to his advantage.

He smiled at Terri, who made a small grimace at him.

‘I’ll be back shortly, Allie,’ he said.

‘No worries, Dad.’ Allie beamed at him. ‘Don’t hurry. I’ll go up to bed.’ She gave a theatrical yawn. ‘You can kiss me goodnight when you come back.’

‘Er, right.’ He stared at her as she kissed her grandparents.

Confident of her welcome, Allie walked over and put her arms around Terri’s waist for a quick hug. ‘Thanks for coming shopping with us today.’

‘Thank you for asking me, Allie. I enjoyed it.’ Terri smiled, her face soft with affection as she looked at his daughter.

‘Goodnight.’ With one last fierce look at him, Allie set off towards the house.

As he crossed the grounds with Terri, Luke was aware of everything about her. The way her slim arms swung slightly at her sides, the way her hair slipped forward when she bent her head.

‘This is so silly, you walking me home.’ Her voice was light and quick.

He detected the tiniest tell-tale catch. Wicked anticipation curled through his gut. ‘It’s what a well-mannered boy does at the end of a date.’

She rolled her eyes at him. ‘This wasn’t a date. It was an invitation from your mother, I seem to recall.’

‘Ah, good point. That makes it even more significant than any ordinary date.’ He nodded sagely. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw her misstep and reached out to steady her.

‘Sorry?’

‘You’ve had your feet under my parents’ dining table.’ He left his fingers curled around her arm as he expanded on his theory. ‘In dating traditions, that’s an important milestone.’

There was a small silence and then she teased, ‘Does it count when it’s outdoor furniture? Surely it’s much too casual.’

‘A table is a table. Tradition isn’t fussy.’

‘It certainly isn’t when you’re making up the rules.’ She laughed as they approached the narrow line of trees that separated the house from the lower yard.

‘Tsk. I’m starting to wonder if you’re going to renege on that other time-honoured end-of-date tradition.’ Her cottage was just ahead. Too close.

‘It depends which tradition you’re thinking of,’ she said, not backing down an inch. ‘Some traditions might earn you a slap for your trouble.’

Heat sizzled along his nerve endings as his imagination conjured a scenario that would definitely earn him a slap. He swallowed the groan that crept up his throat. Being with her like this made him want to throw caution to the winds and find out.

‘That’s not what you said the other night.’ He followed her up the front steps.

‘That was then. This is now. Besides, a gentleman wouldn’t remind a lady of her moment of weakness.’ At the door, she turned to face him.

He braced his hand on the frame and looked down at her. Her light fragrance teased his senses. He resisted the urge to lean forward and breathe deeper. ‘I’m not feeling much like a gentleman tonight.’

‘Aren’t you?’

‘Nope. Invite me in.’

‘And find out? I don’t think so.’ She flicked her hair back in a quick nervous gesture that made his pulse leap. ‘You’re in a peculiar mood.’

‘Yeah, I am,’ he murmured, reaching out to run his fingers along her jaw. ‘So how are my chances for a kiss goodnight, then?’

‘If we’re taking things slow and sensible, they should be zero.’ Her voice was ragged as he curved his fingers around the back of her neck and tilted her chin up with his thumb.

‘Should be?’ He bent and brushed his mouth across hers. Once, twice. She resisted him. On the third brush, her mouth softened, moved. Heaven. Sensitive nerve endings in his lips revelled in the warmth and sweetness. His muscles quivered as he ruthlessly suppressed the need to take more, take it deeper.

Take it all.

He caught her lower lip between his and sucked gently before moving his mouth across her cheek to the column of her throat just below her ear. When she arched her neck slightly to give him better access, he nibbled his way down to the nape.

‘Oh. You are too good at this,’ she moaned as a shudder ran through her. ‘W-we should s-stop now. Please.’

He took a deep breath, inhaling her scent as he reached for control. He closed his eyes and rested his forehead in the curve of her shoulder. Her skin felt warm and alive beneath his brow.

‘This is a bad idea.’

‘Right this minute, it feels pretty good to me.’

‘Yes,’ she breathed. ‘Me, too.’

He pressed his lips to her throat, felt the frenzied beat of her carotid pulse, felt her muscles move in a swallow. His heart leapt with the confirmation that she was as affected as he was.

‘But that’s in this moment.’ Her voice was more determined. She shifted, inching away.

He let her. She was going to make him go. He moved back, his hand still braced on the doorjamb. His eyes moved over her face, taking in each fine feature. ‘You don’t think we should seize the moment, explore the possibilities.’

‘It’s not necessarily a bad thing. To leave possibilities unexplored.’

‘Only if we’re faint-hearted. Are we going to be faint-hearted, Terri?’

‘Tonight? I…Yes. Yes, I believe we are. Goodnight, Luke.’ She groped behind her back and the door swung open. He saw a gleam of white as she smiled then backed inside. ‘Thank you for the escort home. See you on Monday.’

He smiled back. ‘Monday.’

The door closed gently. He lifted his hand, spread his fingers on the wood and after a moment said softly, ‘Lock your door, Terri.’

‘I will.’ Her voice came from just the other side of the door.

The latch clicked into place. In spite of his frustration there was some small comfort in the thought that she’d loitered there. Was she as torn as he was? He’d like to think so.

Terri pressed her hand to her sternum, feeling her wild thump of her heartbeat begin to settle as she listened to Luke’s footsteps.

She felt so much, wanted so much when she was near him.

He made her wonder just how truly deep and beautiful a relationship between a man and a woman could be. Made her wonder what it could be like between them.

How foolish she’d been to think they could agree on slow and sensible and keep things under control. Her hunger was unnerving and she sensed Luke’s matched it. They were both too eager to take the next step.

It had taken all her willpower to resist inviting him inside.

Regardless of how tempting it was to throw caution to the winds, there was too much at stake for both of them. Professionally, personally and emotionally.