The Lone Wolf′s Craving
The Lone Wolf's Craving
Tina Beckett
After a tour of duty in Afghanistan, ex-soldier Dr Luke Blackman hides his lingering physical and emotional scars. He keeps everyone at a distance – until emotions explode in his ER and he loses himself with the beguiling Kate Bradley in the dark of a hospital supply closet!Kate is soon an addiction this lone wolf just can’t break…
Dear Reader
Changes in life. We all go through them. Some of those changes make us stronger … and some of them have the power to bring us to our knees. The hero and heroine in THE LONE WOLF’S CRAVING, part two of the Men of Honour duet, are both going through such a change. They each struggle with the realisation that their lives will be forever altered as a result. They must make a choice: accept what the future holds and move forward, or rail against fate and remain trapped in a vicious cycle of anger and bitterness.
Thank you for joining Luke and Kate as they face the heartbreak that comes with change and search for the courage to overcome. Best of all—they find love along the way. I hope you enjoy reading about their journey as much as I enjoyed writing about it!
Much love
Tina Beckett
Born to a family that was always on the move, TINA BECKETT learned to pack a suitcase almost before she knew how to tie her shoes. Fortunately she met a man who also loved to travel, and she snapped him right up. Married for over twenty years, Tina has three wonderful children and has lived in gorgeous places such as Portugal and Brazil.
Living where English reading material is difficult to find has its drawbacks, however. Tina had to come up with creative ways to satisfy her love for romance novels, so she picked up her pen and tried writing one. After her tenth book she realised she was hooked. She was officially a writer.
A three-times Golden Heart finalist, and fluent in Portuguese, Tina now divides her time between the United States and Brazil. She loves to use exotic locales as the backdrop for many of her stories. When she’s not writing you can find her either on horseback or soldering stained-glass panels for her home.
Tina loves to hear from readers. You can contact her through her website or ‘friend’ her on Facebook.
The Lone Wolf’s Craving
Tina Beckett
www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)
Dedication:
To those who have faced life-altering events. May you always find the strength to face the future.
Contents
CHAPTER ONE (#u6bfa1bb5-a75f-53b0-9904-2b5afbc0ff07)
CHAPTER TWO (#u1a60bc02-10ad-5235-82af-a8dda115cd57)
CHAPTER THREE (#u88efd143-0a29-516c-b8d3-ebcb402dea12)
CHAPTER FOUR (#ucda5521d-fbc1-59a9-a36d-a1e41014b501)
CHAPTER FIVE (#u9274224c-9753-5b9c-a022-559f69b2c507)
CHAPTER SIX (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER SEVEN (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER EIGHT (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER NINE (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER TEN (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER ELEVEN (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER TWELVE (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER THIRTEEN (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER FOURTEEN (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER FIFTEEN (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER SIXTEEN (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER NINETEEN (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER TWENTY (#litres_trial_promo)
EPILOGUE (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER ONE
HAD SHE FIGURED out who he was before or after she’d had sex with him?
Because Dr. Lucas Blackman sure as hell hadn’t known the petite blonde American wandering around his emergency room was his wartime hero’s long-lost daughter. Not when he’d pressed her against the wall in the supply closet and buried himself inside her. Not after it was over. In fact, she’d disappeared as quickly as she’d come.
He groaned at the unintended pun. And then again as memories of his actions yesterday washed over him: the snick of the lock; the fumbling with clothing; along with every second of pounding urgency that had happened afterward. Damn it if he wouldn’t do it all over again, even knowing what he did now. That she’d probably used him to get what she’d wanted.
Not that he’d been the slightest bit hesitant at the time.
And that memory made his already sucky day even suckier. Walking to the physical therapy center to see how his friend was doing, and seeing the woman he’d had the best sex with—well, in a long damn time—standing beside him sent shock waves rolling through him that rooted him to the spot. Nick introducing her to one of the therapists as his daughter just made it that much worse.
He decided to back away while he still could.
Then her eyes met his and flitted away, making a painless getaway impossible. He could swear he saw a trace of guilt in the deep blue depths. At what? Their naughty rendezvous? At having coffee with him for the last two mornings, all the while being coy and secretive about her reasons for visiting the hospital?
Nick spied him, calling him over just as the therapist disappeared back into the rehabilitation center. His friend winced slightly as he rotated his upper body, his surgery site evidently still tender. “Come and meet Kate—er, Katherine.” His friend glanced at her in question. “My daughter.”
“Kate,” she answered in the same low Southern drawl that had drawn him like a moth to a flame. First in the hospital cafeteria. Then in the tiny supply closet. He could still her soft moans as he’d taken her. Who knew a drawl during sex could be so damned hot. She’d reminded him of warm lazy summers by the lake, of county fairs and high school football games.
All things American.
He’d been homesick yesterday and devastated after losing a patient in the E.R., and there she’d been. As if sent just to ease his pain. And she had. She’d sent him right over the edge.
And she was his hero’s daughter. The man who’d once saved his life. His daughter!
Hell, today had officially taken a nosedive.
He moved closer and held out his hand, forcing her to do the polite thing and take it. When she tried for a quick grip and release, he curled his fingers around hers and held on, his thumb gliding over her soft skin.
Where do you think you’re going, Miss Kate? No running away for you. Not this time.
She’d taken off out of that supply closet like a bat out of hell. Before he’d even finished catching his breath. Just like Cinderella. Only she hadn’t left a shoe behind. Just a pair of lacy panties, which he’d shoved into the pocket of his slacks before heading out the door. By then she had been long gone.
“Yes, Kate and I have already been...” he let his deliberate pause and raised brows get his message across, before completing the phrase “...thoroughly introduced.”
Her soft gasp said his inference had hit its mark.
Nick glanced from one to the other. “You have? When?”
“Yesterday,” she said, stretching the truth. Luke released her hand, watching as she took one step back, and then another. “I was looking for your room and he...helped me.”
Helped her.
Oh, he’d helped her all right. Right up onto the scrub sink in the corner of the tiny closet. After he’d hiked her skirt up around her waist. He swallowed. What had happened after that was a blur.
One he’d never forget for as long as he lived.
A muscle in his jaw clenched as he stared at her and said, “I didn’t know who you were at the time.”
“I—I know. And I’m sorry. I should have said something.”
So she had known he was Nick’s doctor, and probably that they were friends, as well. A wave of disappointment washed over him. He should be used to it by now. The “being used” part, that was. His mother hadn’t thought twice about using him to collect her monthly welfare checks, all the while earning a small fortune on the side by sleeping with other men. His father hadn’t hesitated before sending him into a store to pick up a thing or two—without paying for it, of course.
And now Kate.
As cynical as Luke thought he was, he hadn’t managed to see past those baby blues to the person beneath her melt-in-your-mouth sweetness.
And, damn, had she ever melted. The second his lips had met hers.
He hardened everything that wasn’t already hard. “Yes. You should have.”
She hadn’t been in the cafeteria this morning, like she had the past couple of mornings, so he’d assumed he’d never see her again. Yet here she was. All twitchy and apologetic. And the only thing he wanted to do was yank her out of the room and find that closet all over again.
Not going to happen.
Nick stretched his back. “Well, I should probably head in to my physical therapy session.”
That was his cue to leave. “And I have some patients to see so, if you’ll excuse me, I’ll head back.”
“Wait! I want to...”
When he turned his head to look at her, Kate’s teeth were digging into that delectable lower lip, as if trying to keep the rest of her sentence from coming out in a rush.
She glanced at Nick. “I’ll come back when you’re finished with therapy, if that’s okay.”
“Of course.” The other man touched her arm. “It was good to finally meet you in person.”
Well, Luke wasn’t the only sucker, it would appear. She’d had his savior fooled, as well.
By the time he realized she meant to follow him down the hallway, it was too late to stop her. So as soon as they were a safe distance away, he turned to face her, propping one shoulder against the long narrow wall in the hallway to take some of the pressure off his now aching leg.
Pale silky hair, with just the slightest hint of a wave, fell over her shoulders, caressing her collarbone with every turn of her head. He remembered licking along that very spot.
He forced his gaze back to her eyes. “Yes?”
“I...I wanted explain.” Her words tumbled over themselves. “I don’t normally... I don’t ever...” The flourish of a hand finished her thought.
She didn’t normally sneak off and “do” her father’s doctors?
“And you think I should know this because...?”
“I don’t want you to think badly of me.” Her hands caught each other, fingers twisting together.
She was nervous. Embarrassed by what they’d done. He stood upright before the realization could affect him. “I don’t really even know you, so why does it matter?”
She flinched. “I guess it doesn’t. But you’re Ni—my father’s doctor. I’d rather you didn’t say anything to him about yesterday.”
“I’m not.”
“You’re not going to tell him?”
“I’m not Nick’s doctor. Not anymore.”
Her breath hissed out. “So you are going to tell him...about us?”
And risk being shipped home to the States on the first available flight out of London? Not likely. He’d fought too hard to get this position. “No, I’m not going to tell him.”
“Thank you.” Her whole body went slack with relief. “I appreciate it. How’s he doing, by the way? Was the surgery a success?”
That same feeling of unease washed over him. Surely she didn’t think their time together had been a game-changer? “I’m afraid I can’t give out that kind of information.”
“But I’m his daughter.”
“You’re not listed as his next of kin.”
“Because I’ve only just met the man.”
And Luke had just barely met her. That hadn’t stopped her from wrapping her legs around his waist. And it certainly wasn’t keeping him from wanting to relive that moment...a whole lot slower this time. Definitely not something he wanted her to know.
“That’s not my problem.”
“Okay, I get it. You can’t give me any details. But his life isn’t in danger anymore, right?”
Luke made a tsk noise low in his throat, trying to keep his irritation from showing. The feeling of being used grew at her persistence. “Get him to add you to his list of relatives, and then we’ll talk.”
“You can’t be serious.”
“Oh, but I am.” Despite his annoyance, his fingers itched to brush across that smooth, pale cheek and watch it come to life beneath his touch. Except he knew her skin wasn’t the only thing that would come to life. Something else he didn’t want her to realize.
“So, if he’ll admit to being my father—in writing—you can tell me what’s going on?”
He inclined his head. “It’s a start. As long as he’s okay with it.” He held up a hand. “Which also has to be in writing.”
Her lips thinned. “And if he refuses?”
“Then I can’t tell you a blessed thing. Now, if you’ll excuse me...”
She hesitated, her mouth opening as if ready to argue further, then she snapped it shut again, hitching her purse higher on her shoulder. “If that’s the way you want it.”
“I don’t make the rules.”
But he sure didn’t mind breaking them. Hadn’t he already proved that in the supply closet?
“Of course you don’t.”
He couldn’t prevent the twitch of his lips at her waspish tone. She might be all peaches and cream on the surface, but underneath she had all the fire of a good Indian curry. You didn’t notice it until the first three or four bites, but your tongue remembered the flavor long after you’d finished your meal.
Just like he’d remember the flavor of Kate’s lips.
She blinked then swung away from him, preparing to walk back toward the physical therapy center.
For some reason he couldn’t let her slip away without making her squirm one last time. “Oh, Kate, I almost forgot.”
She turned back toward him. “Yes?”
He gave her a slow, wolfish smile. “I still have your panties.”
* * *
He had her panties.
What had he expected her to do about it? Hold out her hand and demand he give them back to her right there at the hospital?
Kate ran her wrists under the cool stream of water in her hotel room, hoping to soothe her burning skin. It did no good.
God. What had she been thinking? Men like Dr. Luke Blackman were so far out of her league.
What did she do now? Call and make an appointment to pick up her errant piece of clothing? Or did he plan to keep them as a trophy?
And just where did he have them? At home? In his desk drawer? Above the deep sink with the words Kate was nailed here penned beneath them?
She held her wet hands to her cheeks and stared into the mirror, remembering the feel of his fingers on her skin as he’d yanked those very panties down her thighs...his eyes never leaving hers. Then he’d tossed them aside and reached for her hips...lifted her onto the sink.
A wave of heat rushed over her body. Kate had never in her life experienced anything so frighteningly sensual in her life. It had all been over in a matter of minutes. But she knew instinctively she’d never experience anything like that ever again.
She stared into the eyes reflected back at her.
She didn’t look any different on the outside. Not a single scorch mark lingered on her skin, although she could still feel each and every place his lips had lingered.
Little had she known all those months ago that the picture and accompanying letter she’d found in a shoebox in her mother’s closet—along with letters from scores of other men—would lead her to discover that the father she’d grown up with wasn’t her biological father. Or that all her pent-up anger and frustration over the lies by those closest to her would build to the point that it had sought release—no matter what the source.
Luke had been the only person handy at the time.
She’d exploded all right. In a most delicious way.
And now she had to live with the consequences. At least, the emotional ones. Luke had taken care of the physical ones, muttering about the need for birth control, even though her mind hadn’t exactly been up to the subject of unwanted pregnancies.
But thank heavens he’d taken precautions. Luke wouldn’t need to disappear from his kid’s life without a trace, like Nick had. And Kate wouldn’t have to lie to her own child about his or her origins—about who its father was. Her eyes moistened. She wouldn’t have to die—like her mother had—in order for her child to know the truth.
And most important of all, the only person in the entire world who’d have to live with the consequences of what she’d done in that supply closet...was herself.
CHAPTER TWO
“SHE HATES ME.”
Perched on one of the chairs that lined the glass wall of the therapy center, Nick’s bald statement took him by surprise. Luke didn’t have to ask who his friend was referring to.
“No, she doesn’t. When she was here yesterday, she seemed...worried.” That was as good a word as any.
His friend’s jaw tightened. “I wish I could believe that. That’s not the vibe she was giving off when I met her.”
“It’s a shock, I’m sure. You said she only learned about your existence a month ago, after she found a picture?”
“That’s what she said.” Nick scrubbed a hand over his head, making his hair stick up at odd angles. “I had a fling with a tourist just before I shipped out with my unit. She’d taken some pictures of us with her camera over the course of the evening. Large quantities of alcohol were involved, so I’m a bit fuzzy on all the details. Anyway, I left her a note the next day before I headed out. I had no idea the woman had got pregnant that night until much later.”
“You’ve had contact with the woman?”
“Not since that day. Kate says she died six months ago.” Something flashed through his eyes. Regret?
“And she’s just now decided to find you?”
He gave a hard laugh. “She found the picture and my note stuffed in a shoebox. She got the bloke who raised her to admit he wasn’t her real father.” One shoulder went up. “She came looking for me at the house while I was in the hospital. Nearly ruined things for me and Tiggy in the process.”
“Ouch.” Kate did seem to have the ability to stir up trouble wherever she went. He hadn’t slept much for the past two nights. “Things are okay between you and your wife now, though?”
Nick nodded, a smile curving his lips. “She’s pregnant. I never thought I’d want kids, and now I find I have a grown daughter as well as a baby on the way.”
“Congratulations!”
“I guess.”
“Come on, Nick. What more could you ask for?”
“I could ask for my daughter to give me a chance.”
“I’m sure she’ll come round. She asked how you were doing. I couldn’t tell her anything because of patient confidentiality.” He paused. “Maybe I could talk to her. Tell her you’re a regular hero.”
Whoa, why the hell had he offered to do that? Being around Kate was not good for his equilibrium, especially now.
“I’m not a hero. Especially not in her eyes.”
“She just doesn’t know you yet. Maybe you should tell her what you did in the service. For men like me.” Luke hated remembering his injury, how he’d had to fight his way back from the depths of despair when he’d realized his leg would never be right again. He knew he should be grateful it was still there. But on the days when it ached like nobody’s business, he wished he’d just had it lopped off and been done with it.
“I was doing my job.” His friend studied him for a moment. “If she asked you how I was doing, she must care. At least a little.”
“Of course she does.”
“What did you tell her?”
“That you had to sign off on her being your daughter first, giving the hospital permission before I could share any information.”
“That could work...”
He frowned. “I’m not sure I follow.”
“If I sign the papers, maybe you could be the one to talk to her for me, like you said. And the medical discussion could turn personal. You could feel her out.”
Well, he’d already done that. It wasn’t something he should do again if he wanted to maintain his sanity. And definitely not something he wanted to admit to Nick. The man who’d saved his leg could very well rip it back off with his bare hands if he found out what he’d done to his newfound daughter.
“You know,” Luke said slowly, “I think it might be better coming from you.”
“Didn’t you just offer to talk to her for me a few minutes ago?”
Yes, and he’d already decided that was not a good idea. “I’m thinking a father-daughter discussion might be more direct. Just tell her that you shipped out right after you were with her mother and over your years of service you saved a lot of men’s lives.”
“It would be stronger coming from a friend.” Nick cocked his head. “One of those very people I saved.”
Wow. He’d never expected Nick to play the you-owe-me card. And, in all honesty, he probably wouldn’t have now if he hadn’t offered to talk to Kate, like a damned fool. His fingers went to his leg, a familiar ache reminding him of what could have been had Nick not been there.
“Not fair.”
“I know.” His friend’s voice was low. “But I’m feeling desperate. She’s due to leave for the States in a week or two, and I want to make sure things are okay between us before she goes.”
“What do you expect me to do? Drop my pants and show her firsthand what a great job you did on my leg?”
He hadn’t even done that in the supply closet. He’d simply unzipped and...
Oh, hell. This was not a good idea.
“No pants-dropping allowed. I may have just found out she’s my daughter, but that doesn’t mean I want you coming on to her. I’ve heard about your reputation from a couple of the nurses.” His voice sharpened a bit. “You’re still a hotshot, just like you were ten years ago.”
Nick might be surprised. He wasn’t guilty of half the stuff floating around the hospital grapevine. And his physical hotshot days were long gone. He might still have the use of his leg, but he’d never be a marathon runner. Or climb the Alps. Or even carry a woman across the threshold. He’d surprised himself by actually getting Kate up onto that sink—although he could lift things just fine, it was walking and lifting together that did him in.
Luckily, he wouldn’t have to fess up to what had happened between him and Kate, because that was obviously not something Nick would be thrilled to hear. And Kate didn’t want Nick knowing either, judging by her quiet plea in the hallway. “So you don’t want me to charm her.”
“I want you to talk to her.” Nick’s voice softened. “Tell her I’m not a bad-boy-love-’em-and-leave-’em type. Just an honest working man who made a mistake. One he regrets.”
“So you want someone who you think is a Lothario to tell your daughter you’re nothing like that.”
Nick grinned. “Exactly.”
Just then an attractive redhead dressed in scrubs came into the center and dropped a kiss on his friend’s cheek. “I thought I’d check up on you. How are you feeling?”
“Better.” He nodded at Luke. “Tiggy, you remember Dr. Blackman...Luke.”
“Of course. He’s the one who called and told me you were in the hospital.” She smiled, her eyes crinkling at the corners. “Hello again. I don’t know if I’ve ever thanked you properly for what you did. I’m very grateful.”
“I’m glad Nick still had you listed as his next of kin.”
“So am I.” She laid her hand on her husband’s shoulder. “Nick’s told me a little about how you met.”
Luke tensed, but forced himself to return her smile. “Nothing bad, I hope.”
“No, just that you came across each other while in the service. I didn’t even know that we did joint missions with the Americans.” She took her husband’s hand in hers.
So that’s what Nick had told her.
No hint that she knew about Nick yanking him from the jaws of death. Or that he’d refused to saw his leg off on the spot, like one of the other medics had wanted to do.
Luke relaxed. He may have told his friend to come clean with Kate about what he’d done in the field, but Luke himself told very few people about that day. Some of his buddies from his service days knew, but only because they’d been there when it had happened. Luke preferred it that way. Anyone who saw his scars and was brave enough to ask about them got a very watered-down version of what had actually gone down.
Hell. Nick was right. He owed the man a debt he could never repay.
Backing out of talking to Kate seemed pretty selfish in the face of it all. He made a quick decision. “About that favor you asked for. I can’t promise anything, but I’ll give it a shot. I’ll need you to sign the paperwork, so I have an excuse to approach her.”
His friend’s eyes closed for a second and he took a deep breath before looking back at him. “Thank you. I owe you.”
No. He didn’t. And that was exactly the point.
* * *
Kate frowned as she took the envelope from the man at the front desk. It couldn’t be from her father back in Memphis, he’d have simply emailed her if he couldn’t reach her. And she didn’t know anyone in London except Nick.
Oh, and one very enigmatic doctor.
And she didn’t even know him. Just that he made her pulse explode...along with other things. Things she was trying very hard to forget.
Walking toward the twin elevators, she slid a thumb beneath the seal of the envelope and popped open the tab. A single sheet of paper was inside.
Could you call me when you get in? I’m at
20-5555-6731
Thanks, Dr. Lucas Blackman
A wave of panic went through her before she realized it probably wasn’t anything related to Nick’s health. If it were, he wouldn’t have left a note. Then she gulped as she remembered his parting shot from yesterday. This couldn’t be about her panties, could it? She’d prefer he just burn them and be done with it. It was just too humiliating to talk about over the phone. Or in person, for that matter.
But if she didn’t call, she’d always wonder.
She wasn’t sure what kept her from booking a flight out of London. She’d done what she’d come to do: looked her father in the eye and drawn her own conclusions. She’d expected that to be fairly quick and easy, but nothing had gone the way she’d planned.
Nick wasn’t the type of person she’d braced herself to find. He hadn’t denied being her father—which surprised her—but then again it was kind of hard to deny the obvious. But there was something in his face that made her want to take a step back and rethink her position. Especially in the face of all those other letters she’d found in the shoebox. Did the man who’d raised her even know about those other men?
She hardened her heart. If those closest to her hadn’t thought twice about lying to her, why not the man who’d contributed nothing to her life other than his DNA?
Her mom had been trying to spare her feelings, she was sure. But surely with all her grandparents’ money, her mother would have been able to track Nick down and tell him about the pregnancy. Or about the baby, once she’d been born. So why hadn’t she?
Her mother wasn’t here to answer any of those questions. Maybe she would have told her someday, but had never gotten the chance.
Or maybe she knew something about Nick that was so terrible she hadn’t wanted her daughter to have any contact with him. Maybe Nick had...forced her, or something.
She stepped off the elevator. No, she had found the note Nick had left the next morning. He wouldn’t have done that if something bad had happened between him and her mother. And her mother certainly wouldn’t have saved a picture of them together had that been the case.
Unlocking her door, she went into her room and dropped her purse on the bed. Her suitcase was still packed, sitting on the mahogany luggage rack. She could just shut the lid and leave with everything she’d come with.
Except answers. And, of course, one pair of panties.
Ugh. She smoothed out the note and traced her finger over the bold strokes of handwriting, smiling at the typical doctorlike scribbles. Luckily she’d had to decipher many notes like these during her physical therapy training, and later, with actual patients, to understand what their doctors wanted.
There was nothing for it but to call and find out what he wanted.
She punched the number that would allow her to reach an outside line and then dialed the rest of the digits listed on the note.
“Blackman here.”
His voice sounded sharp, hurried. “Oh, I’m sorry. You left me a—”
“Kate?” His tone immediately changed. Softened. “I didn’t expect you to call so soon.”
She blinked and glanced at the note again. No time stamp. Was it possible he’d left it only a short time ago? “Oh, I...I just got in.”
“Listen, I’m swamped right now. But basically your father’s listed you as next of kin and has given me permission to fill you in, if you’ve got some free time.”
“I can be there in a half hour.”
There was a pause. “Can we do it somewhere else? I have something of yours I need to return, and I’d rather it not be at the hospital.”
If only he’d been that conscientious a couple of days ago.
And meeting him in her hotel room was out of the question. Not because she didn’t trust him but because she didn’t trust herself. If she’d have sex with him in a public hospital, what would stop her from peeling his clothes off in a private room?
“How about a restaurant?” No, not a restaurant, dummy. “I mean a coffee shop.”
“A restaurant sounds great.” He said something to someone with him then came back to her. “I’ve really got to go. I’ll pick you up when I get off. Say around six this evening.”
“Oh, um...”
“Say yes, Kate.” His voice had gone all soft and gravelly, and she shivered. It was almost identical to the tone he’d used in the supply room. Do you want this, Kate?
She had. She’d said the word that had unleashed them both. And damn if she wasn’t about to say it all over again.
“Yes.”
CHAPTER THREE
LUKE TURNED HIS car into the hotel, giving a soft whistle as he did. He’d heard of The Claymont—knew it was exclusive and pricey—but had never had any reason to visit before now.
Towering white columns framed an ornate cobblestone driveway, the swirling pattern in the black-and-white marble chips echoing the curve of the entryway. An intricate coat of arms placed in the middle reminded him of the X on a celebrity red carpet, giving vehicles a definite stopping point. The place oozed opulence—from the lion’s-head fountain on a side wall, which splashed water into a rustic concrete trough, to the red-coated doorman who emerged from the interior of the hotel to greet him.
Kate had money. Lots of it.
Which might explain their encounter the other day. Maybe she was one of those cute socialites who got their kicks out of toying with danger.
And their time in that supply closet had definitely been dangerous. It had pushed the boundaries, even for him.
But he also remembered her hesitancy that first day at the entrance of the hospital. She hadn’t acted like a spoiled little rich girl.
Maybe her mom had married into money. Nick said Kate’s father knew she wasn’t his biological daughter, so her mother hadn’t used an unwanted pregnancy to trick anyone into marrying her.
She hadn’t lied about it.
Except to Kate, evidently. It had to be rough having your world suddenly turned on its head.
He handed the keys of his little MGB to the valet.
“I won’t be long,” he said.
“Very good, sir.”
The front entrance welcomed him, the double doors swishing open with a quiet hiss. What the hell would he do if she invited him up to her room?
It was a question he’d never thought he’d have to ask himself. But Nick was her father, so there would be no more supply closets...and definitely no hotel rooms in his future. He could keep his hands off her, really he could.
“May I help you, sir?”
The guy at the front desk was just as smooth and refined as he’d expected. “I’m here to see Kate Bradley.”
“One moment.” He tapped some buttons on his computer keyboard, but just as he was picking up the handset to dial her room, the elevator doors pinged and Kate herself emerged.
The air left his lungs, just as it had the first time he’d seen her. It wasn’t so much the way she was dressed as the way she carried herself—although the dark jeans clung in all the right places and the dark green halter-top left her pale shoulders exposed, revealing a smattering of freckles.
“Sorry, I wasn’t sure where we were going,” she said when she reached him.
That soft drawl slid over his body like warm silk. Again.
He noticed the guy behind the desk just stood there, the phone still gripped in his hand. So Luke wasn’t the only one who thought the whole damn package was irresistible. When he turned his eyes toward the other man and lifted his brows, the guy put the phone down with a quick click, his face turning red. “Can I get you anything, Ms. Bradley?”
How about a fire extinguisher, so she can put you out?
As if he himself was any better at containing that particular fire.
One side of his mouth quirked. Was Nick absolutely sure this was his kid? Because he just wasn’t seeing the resemblance.
Kate smiled at the desk clerk, hiking the shiny metal links of her purse onto her shoulder. “I think I’m good. Thank you, though.”
No thinking needed. She was good.
Giving himself an internal eye roll, he motioned toward the door. “Are you ready? I know a place a couple of miles from here.”
Once in his little car and heading down the road, he noticed Kate flinching periodically as they passed other cars.
“It still seems so strange to be driving on the left. I keep thinking someone is going to honk at us. Or worse.”
“You get used to it.” Not that she was going to be here long enough for that. So exactly how was he supposed to shine up Nick’s halo while avoiding tarnishing his own any further? By returning that little article of clothing she’d left behind a few days ago? “There’s a paper bag in the glove box. You might want to take it with you.”
She tugged on her seat belt as if needing a bit more breathing space and stared at the latch in front of her. “I think I’ll wait until we get back to the hotel, if that’s okay. My purse is pretty small.”
She knew exactly what was in there. He’d had half a mind to take the easy way out and toss the panties into the garbage, but he hadn’t. Luke had never been one to shy away from things that were uncomfortable, even when it had come to his folks’ poverty...his dad’s drunken anger. He’d just stood there and faced it down unblinking. “Don’t forget them. I’d hate the wrong person to go digging through that glove box.”
“Like your next conquest?”
Maybe she’d gotten wind of his reputation, as well. He really was going to have to appear a whole lot more boring at work. “I was thinking more along the lines of Nick—your father.”
Kate’s face drained of all color and she turned to stare at him. “You promised you wouldn’t say anything about that.”
Hell, the woman really didn’t think much of him, did she? Luke rarely gave his word, but when he did, he moved hell and high water to keep it. He’d learned the hard way that most promises were quick on the tongue and easily broken. Not by him, though.
And yet he’d made two pretty big promises in the last couple of days. One to Nick and one to his daughter. “I already told you I’m not going to tell him.”
He stopped for a red light, shifting down to first gear and glancing over at her. “What happened at the hospital stays between the two of us—no one’s going to hear it from me.”
Her eyes closed for a second, and she nodded. “Thank you. I couldn’t bear it if anyone thought I was...”
“If anyone thought what?”
“It’s not important.”
If that soft sigh was anything to go by, it was important. At least, to her. But if she wanted to tell him, she would have. It was probably best to stick to neutral topics anyway, since the purpose of this outing was to discuss Nick’s treatment, extol his virtues and then each go their merry way.
The light turned green, and Luke eased back into traffic. “Nick’s going to make a full recovery, by the way. He had some shrapnel—leftover from an old wound—that shifted. It got a little too close to his spinal cord for comfort. He’s just finishing up his course of physical therapy and then he’ll be free to go about his business.”
Kate twisted in her seat and stared at him. “That’s wonderful. So he won’t have any permanent damage?”
“No.” Unlike himself, who carried a permanent reminder of his time in Afghanistan. “His physical therapy is taking a little longer than expected because of some nerve damage, but after that he should be good to go.”
“Maybe I can help. I’m a physical therapist.”
She was? Luke frowned. He’d been thinking along the lines of socialite, so the fact that she was a PT came as a complete surprise. “I don’t know...”
“I’m licensed, specializing in LSVT.”
Luke’s head was still spinning at the revelation as he turned another corner. He’d known plenty of physical therapists, but Kate looked nothing like the professionals who’d hauled his ass out of bed after the injury that had nearly claimed his leg. Who’d propped him upright and goaded him into taking his first shaky steps.
Although remembering the lean muscles beneath his hands as he’d lifted Kate onto that sink, he shouldn’t be that surprised. And imagining those hands working on his body...
Good God.
He swallowed. Nick would not be happy to know the thoughts racing through his mind right now. For the life of him, he couldn’t think of anything to say, so he asked the obvious question. “LSVT?”
“It’s a specialized voice therapy for Parkinson’s patients.”
Ah, so she wasn’t the brute-strength type of therapist after all. “Nick will need occupational therapy, not speech.”
“Part of LSVT deals with the physical aspects of Parkinson’s.” Her chin tilted stubbornly.
He tried again. “Your father doesn’t have Parkinson’s.”
“Yes, he does, he’s in the early...” She let out a soft sigh. “Oh. That’s right. It’s still hard for me to think of Nick as my father. I’m sure I could help him, though. I’ve already checked online, there are several hospitals here in England using LSVT. It could be useful, even though he doesn’t have Parkinson’s.”
What had made her check on that? Was she thinking about staying in London? “I’m sure he’s getting everything he needs at the hospital’s PT center.”
“But what about when he’s not there? I could help him with some extra exercises...help his wife out with him. Maybe it would give me a chance to get to know him better.”
Luke wasn’t sure Tiggy would welcome the reminder that Nick had fathered another child. Especially not in her condition. But it wasn’t up to him. That was a decision the couple would have to make on their own.
He pulled into the parking lot of the Indian Palace Restaurant and set the handbrake. “Nick and Tiggy are under a lot of stress right now—with the surgery and everything. Now might not be a good time.” Unhooking his seat belt, he waited for her to follow suit. “Listen, we’ll eat, and I’ll fill you in on his surgery and prognosis, and then you’ll have a better grasp of his situation, okay?”
“Good. That’ll give me more time to convince you.”
Not good. He might not be the one she needed to convince, but all he could think was that it might be fun to let her try, anyway.
* * *
Kate took a quick gulp of water and then another, her mouth on fire. The smoldering sensation of swallowing hot coals continued as she sucked air in and out through pursed lips in a desperate effort to get some relief. “Oh, my God...” Huff, huff. “That’s so good.”
The man across from her gave her a quick grin. “Your face is pink. And your accent is really coming through.”
“Because I’m on f-i-ire.”
She put every Southern bone she had into that last word. The food was just-this-side-of-pain spicy. And she loved it. It was hard to get good Indian food in the States, but Luke had assured her that Londoners loved it. And they were evidently not afraid of a little spice. Or a lot, in this case.
“Well, when you decide to go hot, you go all the way, don’t you?”
Kate looked at him sharply, wondering if the amusement in his voice was in regard to the food or if he was talking about something else. She tossed her hair over her shoulder and reached for her napkin, using it to dab the still-burning corners of her mouth. The words had stung, but only because she’d let them.
Her mom had been a wonderful, loving mother, but she’d also been impulsive, throwing her whole being into whatever caught her interest. That had tended to change weekly—even daily. When she’d found Nick’s note in that shoebox, it hadn’t been the only “call me later” letter. There’d been others. Many of them. If not for the fact that her baby picture had been stapled onto a corner of one of the envelopes, which contained a picture of her mother with a much younger Nick, along with his note, she might never have wondered if the man she’d known as her father was actually her biological father.
Her mom’s impulsiveness hadn’t been restricted to hobbies and charities, it would seem. It had spilled into other areas. And she’d left a trail of broken hearts along the way. Her dad never seemed to indicate she’d strayed during their marriage. Or maybe he didn’t know. Kate had never doubted his deep love for her mother, though. He’d been devoted to her. Her death had devastated them both. She was thankful she’d found that box and not her dad. She’d hidden everything except Nick’s letter and her photo, which had been when her father had broken down and admitted he’d adopted her after he’d married her mother. She’d been two years old at the time.
All those men. Several of them had clearly not understood why her mother hadn’t returned their calls. And she’d kept those letters. Why? As reminders?
God. The last thing she wanted to do was hurt anyone like that.
She glanced at Luke. He seemed well able to take care of himself. Their little fling in the storage closet probably hadn’t left the slightest scratch.
Unlike she herself, who was still reeling from her actions. They’d been totally out of character for her.
Or were they? She didn’t know anymore.
Dropping her napkin back in her lap, she feigned a sweet smile. “I always say if you’re going to do something, you might as well make it worth your while.”
He nodded at her plate. “Even if it stings.”
“Maybe that’s the goal.”
His smile faded. “To do something that hurts you?”
“Better than hurting others, don’t you think?”
He leaned back in his chair and regarded her for a few seconds, his expression grim. “Absolutely.”
What was he thinking about? It didn’t matter. The sooner she got this question-and-answer session over with, the better. The man had the ability to get under her skin, and she didn’t like it. She’d never had casual sex before, and the last thing she wanted to do was look her mistake in the face repeatedly—no matter how handsome that face might be.
“So, you said Nick put me down on his list of relatives. What made him decide to do that?”
“That’s something you’ll have to ask him. But I assume it’s because you’re his daughter, and he’s happy to have finally met you.”
Something pricked at the back of her mind, raising her suspicions. “At the hospital, you said you weren’t Nick’s doctor anymore, so why are you the one filling me in on his condition? Why not his current doctor?”
“Because he asked me to.”
“Why would he do that?” Her brain worked through the possibilities and came up with the most obvious choice. “You know him, don’t you? Outside the hospital, I mean.” It seemed like Nick knew everyone, except her.
“Yes.”
She picked up her fork but didn’t use it. She just stared at the gold-rimmed plate for a moment or two. “Did he know about me at all? Or did my mom never contact him again after their...time together?”
Did she want to know the answer to that? Not really, but she couldn’t crawl back inside her shell and act like the past six months hadn’t happened. Just like the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, what was known couldn’t be unknown ever again.
A warm hand reached over and covered hers. “I don’t know,” he said. “But I do know that Nick’s a good man.”
Really? She’d thought her mother had been a saint, too, until a couple of months ago.
“So you know everything about him, do you?” Nick hadn’t seemed all that thrilled to find out he’d fathered a child after a one-night stand. And he’d never mentioned whether or not he’d been married to someone else at the time he’d slept with her mother. Please let it be no. She didn’t want that hanging over her mother’s memory, as well.
Everything inside her was so jumbled right now. She didn’t know what to do or think. Her world had ceased making sense the moment she’d peeked inside that shoebox.
What was the big deal, anyway?
Nick had just had a one-night stand. Okay, well, she’d had a one-day stand. So who was she to judge anyone?
Luke’s eyes hardened, and he let go of her hand. “No, I don’t know everything about him, but I can tell you he once saved a self-destructive dumbass from himself.”
She tried to work through what he meant. Who...
Before she could finish her thought he dragged a hand through his hair and blew out a rough breath. “This dumbass owes him one. Big time.”
Oh...oh!
She caught his hand, the same way he’d caught hers a few minutes earlier. “You’re talking about yourself.”
He wrapped his fingers around hers, holding her in place and sending crazy tingles skittering up her arm. And that slow, sexy smile was back full force. “Which word gave me away, Kate? Self-destructive? Or dumbass?”
“Neither.” She was about to lay herself bare before him, and she had no idea why. “It was the talk about owing him. You’re not the only one who does. I owe him, too. For my very life.”
CHAPTER FOUR
WHY THE HELL had he said anything?
Driving back to the hotel after their meal, he cursed himself for revealing so much. She’d already been warming up to the sparkly image of Nick he’d tried to paint, without needing any additional props. So why had he admitted to owing him?
The second he’d seen the confusion in her eyes, heard the raw vulnerability in her voice, he’d been lost. He’d kept up his crusty, uncaring shell through the rest of the meal, but his insides had turned into a gloppy, gooey mess. Like a marshmallow held a little too close to the fire.
Kate didn’t owe Nick. Not the way he did. Yeah, his friend may have donated a few thousand sperm to the making of her, but that had been a rash, spur-of-the-moment act. What the man had done for him had been far different. Luke had been awake long enough after his injury to hear brief snatches of a heated argument between Nick—who’d been an army medic at the time—and someone else, their accents placing them as English.
“He’ll die, if we don’t clamp those vessels right now...”
“...give me a few more minutes here.”
“...lose the leg, but save his life...”
“...get your bloody hands off my patient, and give me some room!”
“...Americans would rather have him back alive than in a body bag.”
The second Luke’s eyes had opened again, and he’d spied the familiar walls of a field hospital, his hands had gone straight to his leg. The sense of relief that had swept through him when his fingers had met thick wads of bandages—instead of empty air—had been enormous. Until he’d seen the actual damage and heard the grim prognosis.
He hadn’t been out of the woods, and his leg, even if it could be saved in the long run, would never be the same.
Well, the appendage was still with him, but he wondered sometimes if the trade-off had been worth it.
Even as he thought it, his hand came off the stick shift of his car to massage the twisted muscles, but he stopped short. Kate didn’t know exactly how Nick had saved his life. For all she knew, he’d simply kept him from doing anything stupid. No reason for her to know the literal truth.
She hadn’t said much as she’d finished her meal and he’d paid the bill. They’d simply talked about Nick’s original injury, about why it had flared up after all these years, and what had needed to happen during surgery to give him a shot at a normal life.
He turned a corner, heading toward her hotel. This was it. It was probably the last time he’d ever see her, if he was smart. He’d done what Nick had asked, there was no reason to prolong the inevitable. He glanced over at her and frowned. Her head was against the headrest, eyes closed.
Was she sleeping? He looked at the road, and then back at her. Her throat worked a couple times.
No, she wasn’t asleep.
Oh, hell. Surely she wasn’t fighting back tears. The sooner he got her back to...
A car from one of the lanes of oncoming traffic suddenly shifted for no apparent reason, its trajectory forming a weird serpentine shape as it drifted farther into their lane. It was coming right toward them!
“Hold on.” Luke jerked the steering wheel hard to the left to avoid hitting it head on, the tires of his little car striking the curb hard and bumping up onto it. He braked, glancing into the rearview mirror just as the other vehicle passed them, creeping into the wrong lane yet again. If the idiot didn’t gain control, he was going to...
The squeal of tires and the awful crunching sound that followed said the worst had indeed happened.
Luke swore and pushed a button to turn on his hazard lights. “Are you okay?”
“Fine, but... Oh, no!” Kate’s eyes were now wide open, her head craning to look behind them.
Grabbing his cell phone from the clip on his belt, he dropped it in her lap. “Dial 999. Tell them we need an ambulance and that there’s a doctor at the scene.”
Not waiting for her reply, he leaped from the car and half skipped, half sprinted toward the accident scene, trying to override his pain threshold with gritted teeth. Damn it!
He tried to mentally separate the rubberneckers from those involved in the crash. Hell. Not good.
Three cars. No, four.
And there was smoke pouring from one of the vehicles, preventing him from getting a good look at its occupants. He headed toward that one first, seeing someone stagger from the driver’s side and collapse onto the road a few feet away. If the smoke was obstructing the view of cars still coming toward them, the already bad accident could turn catastrophic.
He yelled to one of the bystanders, “Can you try signaling a warning to cars that are headed this way?”
He reached the victim who’d fallen, a young male, and crouched down, his leg screaming as the muscles contracted too quickly. He ignored the pain, noting the trickle of blood from the man’s mouth was due to a busted lip and not from internal injuries.
Sour fumes hit his nostrils, drifting up his sinus passages.
Alcohol. Shit! This was the idiot who’d swerved into their lane. He wasn’t hurt, just drunk.
“How can I help?” A man’s voice came from over his shoulder. He glanced back beyond the man who had spoken and saw Kate running toward him, as well. He motioned her back, not needing a million bodies wandering around on a smoky roadway.
“Think you can drag him to the curb, in case his car goes up?” He hated that he had to ask for help, that he couldn’t do it himself, but there were people in other cars who might be worse off.
But the man got beneath the drunk’s arms and dutifully hauled him away from the smoking vehicle. Luke called out, “Don’t let him go anywhere. The police will want to have a word or two with him.”
Kate got to him just as he reached the second car. “I called it in. Help is on the way.”
He glanced at her, before taking in the occupants of the next car, whose small red hood was now a crumpled mess. “I thought I told you to stay back.”
“I know, but I’m strong. I can help.”
The inference was plain. She’d seen him hobble down the road. Seen him pass off the first victim to someone else. No time to worry about that now.
He nodded at the backseat of the vehicle, the sudden sound of sirens bearing down on them a welcome relief.
“There’s a car seat. Check it for me, will you? But if there’s a child, don’t move it.”
Not waiting for an answer, he went around the front and yanked the driver’s-side door open. The unconscious woman inside gasped, her mouth wide open as she sucked down air, the harsh unevenness of the sound sending an ominous chill through him. The edge of the steering wheel—despite the presence of an airbag—pressed against the right side of the woman’s chest, which meant the force generated by the impact had traveled through the steering column and into her body.
He gulped, his heart rate spiking off the charts when he noted that with each inspiration the left side of the patient’s chest rose in a normal fashion, but a significant portion of her right side collapsed inward instead of expanding—a clear sign that multiple ribs had broken free, preventing her diaphragm from doing its job.
Flail chest. Game-changer.
He needed to get her out of that car. Now.
A uniform appeared at his right, the man ducking his head to take a look. “You the doctor?”
“Yes. I have a critical patient here. Do we have an ETA on the ambulance?”
“One’s about a minute out, another’s on the way.”
“She’s first.” He nodded at his patient, two fingers automatically going to her carotid artery to take her pulse, his gaze straying to the hand of his watch as he calculated the beats per minute.
“I’ll see what I can do.” The cop moved away.
“Tell them I need a backboard,” he yelled after he’d gotten the count.
Rapid and thready, as he’d expected.
“Kate?” he called, remembering he’d asked her to check out the car seat. “What have you got back there? Anything?”
“Yes, there’s a baby. I—I don’t know how old she is. She’s wrapped in a blanket, and she’s breathing. I can’t see blood anywhere, but she’s unconscious.”
“Okay, just stay with her for a few minutes and tell me if there are any changes.”
He heard the telltale slam of a truck door nearby. Thank God. His mind followed the sound indicators.
Swish. Click. Wheels of a gurney being lowered and snapped into place.
Rattle, rattle, rattle. The stretcher being wheeled across the roadway toward him.
Another head appeared. “What have you got?”
“Probable rib fractures resulting in a flail chest. Pulse one-twenty and thready.” He paused for a second before forcing the words out. “I’ll need some help getting her out of here, though.”
The paramedic blinked, his glance skipping over Luke’s face for a second before nodding. “Right.”
Luke limped back a pace or two to let the EMTs by, his hand going to his thigh and digging his fingers into the flesh to take his mind off the growing pain. It was nothing in comparison to the life-and-death battle going on inside that car. And she had a child. “There’s a baby in the back,” he said to the paramedics.
“My partner just had a look. Her vitals are strong. We’ll tend to the baby next and bring her with us in the ambulance. Injuries in the other cars appear to be minimal.”
“Good.” At least he’d made the right call in staying with this particular patient. “Careful with her back and with the ribs on her right side. The steering wheel is still making contact there.”
As soon as they’d secured the patient, he turned to Kate. “Do you have your international driver’s permit?”
“Yes, why?”
“I need to ride with her in the ambulance, if possible. We’re about a block away from the hotel. Just turn right at the next corner. And for heaven’s sake, keep to the left. Think you can get there without killing yourself or anyone else?”
“Yes, but what about your car?”
“I’ll pick it up later. I don’t want to leave it here, and I need to go. Now.”
Her glance went to his leg, where his fingers were still working to relieve the cramping. “Are you going to be all right?”
So she had noticed. Perfect.
He made his hand go slack, digging into his pocket for his car keys, instead. “I’ll be fine.”
One of the EMTs called over, “Ready to transport.”
Kate reached over and plucked the keys from him. “Go. I’ll take care of your car. Call me when you’re done, okay?”
CHAPTER FIVE
WHAT WAS WRONG with Luke’s leg?
She’d been shocked by the way he’d hurried over to the scene of the accident. He’d had a kind of uneven, hobbling run that had done the job but certainly hadn’t looked very comfortable. She’d never noticed him limp before. Had he twisted his ankle in his hurry to get over there?
Hmm...no, his hand had massaged his upper thigh, like he’d been working out a kink. A cramp? Maybe.
But the way he’d lowered his arm the second he’d seen her looking at it didn’t fit that scenario, either. Kate put the keys to his car on the table in her hotel room and paced, the thick beige carpet beneath her feet deadening the sound. Glancing at her watch, she saw that it was just after eight. Already dark outside. Who knew how long he’d be at the hospital? He’d seemed to indicate he’d call, although he hadn’t actually said the words.
Well, she did have his car. So he’d have to get in touch with her eventually.
Even as she thought it, the phone rang. Wow, that was fast.
She picked up the receiver. “I was wondering how long you’d be.”
“Sorry?” The soft, clipped tones bore no resemblance to the low, intense murmur that had sent shivers over her in the supply closet. “Is this Kate, then?”
“Um...yes.”
There was a pause. “You sound like her, you know.”
Kate realized in a flash who it was and sat on the edge of the bed. “Nick?”
There was another pause, longer this time. “Yes.”
She thought there might be a slight edge of hurt to his tone, but surely he didn’t expect her to call him Dad. Only one man had earned that right. But the fact that Nick thought she sounded like her mother made a fresh wave of grief wash over her.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t recognize your voice.”
“That’s to be expected, I suppose.” He cleared his throat. “I’m actually calling on my wife’s behalf. She wondered if you might like to have dinner at our house some time next week. I realize we haven’t had much time together, and...well, she thought it was the right thing to do.”
Surprise washed over her. “That’s very kind. I’m sure none of this has been easy on her. Maybe it would have been better if I hadn’t come to London.”
“No. Absolutely not. I’m glad you did. I just wish I’d known that...well, that’s neither here nor there. Could you come, do you think?”
“If she’s sure.”
“She is. She’s had a rough go of it recently, but she’d like to get to know you. As would I.” Another voice sounded in the background, and Nick answered before coming back on the line. “I’d invite Luke as well, of course.”
Of course. She almost smiled. Maybe he and Tiggy thought they’d need Luke’s help sorting out her Southern accent. Funny how she never thought of herself as having one. But then again, no one ever thought they did. “Will you be well enough to have company? I mean, with your surgery.”
“I’m a bit sore still, but, well...I don’t know how long you’ll be here or when you’ll be back.”
Kate didn’t know if she’d ever be back. It all depended on how everything went. And she had told Luke she wanted to get to know Nick better, and possibly help with his therapy in some way. “If you’re sure.”
“We are.”
She couldn’t help but smile at the emphasis he’d place on the word we. He sounded...happy.
* * *
He didn’t want to pick up his car.
Oh, some perverse part of him did, but the realist in him wanted to just call her up and say, “Keep it.” His flail chest patient, despite everyone’s best efforts, hadn’t made it. If that wasn’t bad enough, she’d evidently been a single mom, and no one knew who the baby’s father was.
So the child—a little girl—was now at the mercy of the system. At least until they could find someone to give them some answers about her relatives. A social worker had already come to the hospital and carried the baby away, saying she’d get her into foster care.
And his leg hurt like the devil. The stress of running—something he normally avoided—had done a number on it. And standing for another three hours as they’d feverishly fought to stabilize the patient hadn’t helped, although he’d barely noticed the throbbing pain while they’d been in the thick of battle.
The thick of battle.
There’s a term he hadn’t used in a while. But it was true. Emergency medicine never knew what it might face on any given day. Some days were good. And some days were horrific. Like the day he’d taken Kate by storm after losing another patient.
A day very much like today. He leaned against the hallway wall just outside the break room to take the weight off his leg.
Only he couldn’t afford to let his guard down like that again. There was that little promise he’d made to Nick to consider, but it was also ridiculous to think Kate would simply fall into bed with him whenever he lost a patient—for as long as she was here, anyway.
Not only that, but he had a feeling that she was going to ask questions as soon as he saw her. She’d already looked at him oddly at the accident site, and it was doubtful he’d be able to hide the limp that went along with overdoing it. The last thing he wanted to do was trudge through old, familiar territory.
Okay, so he could take a cab over to the hotel, meet her beside his car, jump in and take off. She’d be none the wiser, right?
Unless she asked him to come up.
He didn’t see that happening.
But just in case... He straightened, exhaustion taking hold as he made his way to the nurses’ station. Luckily, there was a familiar face behind the desk, her dyed hair just a shade shy of blue beneath the cool light of the tube fluorescents. Mimi Copeland. His favorite nurse.
He rested a hand on the desk and waited for her to glance up at him. When she did, she gave him a compassionate smile, deep wrinkles in her cheeks coming to life. “Well, hello, Dr. Blackman. Heard you had quite a night.”
“You could say that. I have to pick my car up from a visiting...friend. Could you do me a favor and call and let her know I’m on my way?”
“You mean could I ring her?”
He chuckled at her good-natured ribbing, trying to ignore the speculative gleam in her eyes. Great. He turned a pad of paper toward himself and scribbled down the number of the hotel. “If you could ask the front desk to give Kate Bradley a message, saying I’m on my way over and could she please meet me downstairs.” There. He’d emphasized the word. Maybe that would keep the gossip to a minimum. He doubted it, but it was the best he could do on short notice.
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Tina Beckett
After a tour of duty in Afghanistan, ex-soldier Dr Luke Blackman hides his lingering physical and emotional scars. He keeps everyone at a distance – until emotions explode in his ER and he loses himself with the beguiling Kate Bradley in the dark of a hospital supply closet!Kate is soon an addiction this lone wolf just can’t break…
Dear Reader
Changes in life. We all go through them. Some of those changes make us stronger … and some of them have the power to bring us to our knees. The hero and heroine in THE LONE WOLF’S CRAVING, part two of the Men of Honour duet, are both going through such a change. They each struggle with the realisation that their lives will be forever altered as a result. They must make a choice: accept what the future holds and move forward, or rail against fate and remain trapped in a vicious cycle of anger and bitterness.
Thank you for joining Luke and Kate as they face the heartbreak that comes with change and search for the courage to overcome. Best of all—they find love along the way. I hope you enjoy reading about their journey as much as I enjoyed writing about it!
Much love
Tina Beckett
Born to a family that was always on the move, TINA BECKETT learned to pack a suitcase almost before she knew how to tie her shoes. Fortunately she met a man who also loved to travel, and she snapped him right up. Married for over twenty years, Tina has three wonderful children and has lived in gorgeous places such as Portugal and Brazil.
Living where English reading material is difficult to find has its drawbacks, however. Tina had to come up with creative ways to satisfy her love for romance novels, so she picked up her pen and tried writing one. After her tenth book she realised she was hooked. She was officially a writer.
A three-times Golden Heart finalist, and fluent in Portuguese, Tina now divides her time between the United States and Brazil. She loves to use exotic locales as the backdrop for many of her stories. When she’s not writing you can find her either on horseback or soldering stained-glass panels for her home.
Tina loves to hear from readers. You can contact her through her website or ‘friend’ her on Facebook.
The Lone Wolf’s Craving
Tina Beckett
www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)
Dedication:
To those who have faced life-altering events. May you always find the strength to face the future.
Contents
CHAPTER ONE (#u6bfa1bb5-a75f-53b0-9904-2b5afbc0ff07)
CHAPTER TWO (#u1a60bc02-10ad-5235-82af-a8dda115cd57)
CHAPTER THREE (#u88efd143-0a29-516c-b8d3-ebcb402dea12)
CHAPTER FOUR (#ucda5521d-fbc1-59a9-a36d-a1e41014b501)
CHAPTER FIVE (#u9274224c-9753-5b9c-a022-559f69b2c507)
CHAPTER SIX (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER SEVEN (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER EIGHT (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER NINE (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER TEN (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER ELEVEN (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER TWELVE (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER THIRTEEN (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER FOURTEEN (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER FIFTEEN (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER SIXTEEN (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER NINETEEN (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER TWENTY (#litres_trial_promo)
EPILOGUE (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER ONE
HAD SHE FIGURED out who he was before or after she’d had sex with him?
Because Dr. Lucas Blackman sure as hell hadn’t known the petite blonde American wandering around his emergency room was his wartime hero’s long-lost daughter. Not when he’d pressed her against the wall in the supply closet and buried himself inside her. Not after it was over. In fact, she’d disappeared as quickly as she’d come.
He groaned at the unintended pun. And then again as memories of his actions yesterday washed over him: the snick of the lock; the fumbling with clothing; along with every second of pounding urgency that had happened afterward. Damn it if he wouldn’t do it all over again, even knowing what he did now. That she’d probably used him to get what she’d wanted.
Not that he’d been the slightest bit hesitant at the time.
And that memory made his already sucky day even suckier. Walking to the physical therapy center to see how his friend was doing, and seeing the woman he’d had the best sex with—well, in a long damn time—standing beside him sent shock waves rolling through him that rooted him to the spot. Nick introducing her to one of the therapists as his daughter just made it that much worse.
He decided to back away while he still could.
Then her eyes met his and flitted away, making a painless getaway impossible. He could swear he saw a trace of guilt in the deep blue depths. At what? Their naughty rendezvous? At having coffee with him for the last two mornings, all the while being coy and secretive about her reasons for visiting the hospital?
Nick spied him, calling him over just as the therapist disappeared back into the rehabilitation center. His friend winced slightly as he rotated his upper body, his surgery site evidently still tender. “Come and meet Kate—er, Katherine.” His friend glanced at her in question. “My daughter.”
“Kate,” she answered in the same low Southern drawl that had drawn him like a moth to a flame. First in the hospital cafeteria. Then in the tiny supply closet. He could still her soft moans as he’d taken her. Who knew a drawl during sex could be so damned hot. She’d reminded him of warm lazy summers by the lake, of county fairs and high school football games.
All things American.
He’d been homesick yesterday and devastated after losing a patient in the E.R., and there she’d been. As if sent just to ease his pain. And she had. She’d sent him right over the edge.
And she was his hero’s daughter. The man who’d once saved his life. His daughter!
Hell, today had officially taken a nosedive.
He moved closer and held out his hand, forcing her to do the polite thing and take it. When she tried for a quick grip and release, he curled his fingers around hers and held on, his thumb gliding over her soft skin.
Where do you think you’re going, Miss Kate? No running away for you. Not this time.
She’d taken off out of that supply closet like a bat out of hell. Before he’d even finished catching his breath. Just like Cinderella. Only she hadn’t left a shoe behind. Just a pair of lacy panties, which he’d shoved into the pocket of his slacks before heading out the door. By then she had been long gone.
“Yes, Kate and I have already been...” he let his deliberate pause and raised brows get his message across, before completing the phrase “...thoroughly introduced.”
Her soft gasp said his inference had hit its mark.
Nick glanced from one to the other. “You have? When?”
“Yesterday,” she said, stretching the truth. Luke released her hand, watching as she took one step back, and then another. “I was looking for your room and he...helped me.”
Helped her.
Oh, he’d helped her all right. Right up onto the scrub sink in the corner of the tiny closet. After he’d hiked her skirt up around her waist. He swallowed. What had happened after that was a blur.
One he’d never forget for as long as he lived.
A muscle in his jaw clenched as he stared at her and said, “I didn’t know who you were at the time.”
“I—I know. And I’m sorry. I should have said something.”
So she had known he was Nick’s doctor, and probably that they were friends, as well. A wave of disappointment washed over him. He should be used to it by now. The “being used” part, that was. His mother hadn’t thought twice about using him to collect her monthly welfare checks, all the while earning a small fortune on the side by sleeping with other men. His father hadn’t hesitated before sending him into a store to pick up a thing or two—without paying for it, of course.
And now Kate.
As cynical as Luke thought he was, he hadn’t managed to see past those baby blues to the person beneath her melt-in-your-mouth sweetness.
And, damn, had she ever melted. The second his lips had met hers.
He hardened everything that wasn’t already hard. “Yes. You should have.”
She hadn’t been in the cafeteria this morning, like she had the past couple of mornings, so he’d assumed he’d never see her again. Yet here she was. All twitchy and apologetic. And the only thing he wanted to do was yank her out of the room and find that closet all over again.
Not going to happen.
Nick stretched his back. “Well, I should probably head in to my physical therapy session.”
That was his cue to leave. “And I have some patients to see so, if you’ll excuse me, I’ll head back.”
“Wait! I want to...”
When he turned his head to look at her, Kate’s teeth were digging into that delectable lower lip, as if trying to keep the rest of her sentence from coming out in a rush.
She glanced at Nick. “I’ll come back when you’re finished with therapy, if that’s okay.”
“Of course.” The other man touched her arm. “It was good to finally meet you in person.”
Well, Luke wasn’t the only sucker, it would appear. She’d had his savior fooled, as well.
By the time he realized she meant to follow him down the hallway, it was too late to stop her. So as soon as they were a safe distance away, he turned to face her, propping one shoulder against the long narrow wall in the hallway to take some of the pressure off his now aching leg.
Pale silky hair, with just the slightest hint of a wave, fell over her shoulders, caressing her collarbone with every turn of her head. He remembered licking along that very spot.
He forced his gaze back to her eyes. “Yes?”
“I...I wanted explain.” Her words tumbled over themselves. “I don’t normally... I don’t ever...” The flourish of a hand finished her thought.
She didn’t normally sneak off and “do” her father’s doctors?
“And you think I should know this because...?”
“I don’t want you to think badly of me.” Her hands caught each other, fingers twisting together.
She was nervous. Embarrassed by what they’d done. He stood upright before the realization could affect him. “I don’t really even know you, so why does it matter?”
She flinched. “I guess it doesn’t. But you’re Ni—my father’s doctor. I’d rather you didn’t say anything to him about yesterday.”
“I’m not.”
“You’re not going to tell him?”
“I’m not Nick’s doctor. Not anymore.”
Her breath hissed out. “So you are going to tell him...about us?”
And risk being shipped home to the States on the first available flight out of London? Not likely. He’d fought too hard to get this position. “No, I’m not going to tell him.”
“Thank you.” Her whole body went slack with relief. “I appreciate it. How’s he doing, by the way? Was the surgery a success?”
That same feeling of unease washed over him. Surely she didn’t think their time together had been a game-changer? “I’m afraid I can’t give out that kind of information.”
“But I’m his daughter.”
“You’re not listed as his next of kin.”
“Because I’ve only just met the man.”
And Luke had just barely met her. That hadn’t stopped her from wrapping her legs around his waist. And it certainly wasn’t keeping him from wanting to relive that moment...a whole lot slower this time. Definitely not something he wanted her to know.
“That’s not my problem.”
“Okay, I get it. You can’t give me any details. But his life isn’t in danger anymore, right?”
Luke made a tsk noise low in his throat, trying to keep his irritation from showing. The feeling of being used grew at her persistence. “Get him to add you to his list of relatives, and then we’ll talk.”
“You can’t be serious.”
“Oh, but I am.” Despite his annoyance, his fingers itched to brush across that smooth, pale cheek and watch it come to life beneath his touch. Except he knew her skin wasn’t the only thing that would come to life. Something else he didn’t want her to realize.
“So, if he’ll admit to being my father—in writing—you can tell me what’s going on?”
He inclined his head. “It’s a start. As long as he’s okay with it.” He held up a hand. “Which also has to be in writing.”
Her lips thinned. “And if he refuses?”
“Then I can’t tell you a blessed thing. Now, if you’ll excuse me...”
She hesitated, her mouth opening as if ready to argue further, then she snapped it shut again, hitching her purse higher on her shoulder. “If that’s the way you want it.”
“I don’t make the rules.”
But he sure didn’t mind breaking them. Hadn’t he already proved that in the supply closet?
“Of course you don’t.”
He couldn’t prevent the twitch of his lips at her waspish tone. She might be all peaches and cream on the surface, but underneath she had all the fire of a good Indian curry. You didn’t notice it until the first three or four bites, but your tongue remembered the flavor long after you’d finished your meal.
Just like he’d remember the flavor of Kate’s lips.
She blinked then swung away from him, preparing to walk back toward the physical therapy center.
For some reason he couldn’t let her slip away without making her squirm one last time. “Oh, Kate, I almost forgot.”
She turned back toward him. “Yes?”
He gave her a slow, wolfish smile. “I still have your panties.”
* * *
He had her panties.
What had he expected her to do about it? Hold out her hand and demand he give them back to her right there at the hospital?
Kate ran her wrists under the cool stream of water in her hotel room, hoping to soothe her burning skin. It did no good.
God. What had she been thinking? Men like Dr. Luke Blackman were so far out of her league.
What did she do now? Call and make an appointment to pick up her errant piece of clothing? Or did he plan to keep them as a trophy?
And just where did he have them? At home? In his desk drawer? Above the deep sink with the words Kate was nailed here penned beneath them?
She held her wet hands to her cheeks and stared into the mirror, remembering the feel of his fingers on her skin as he’d yanked those very panties down her thighs...his eyes never leaving hers. Then he’d tossed them aside and reached for her hips...lifted her onto the sink.
A wave of heat rushed over her body. Kate had never in her life experienced anything so frighteningly sensual in her life. It had all been over in a matter of minutes. But she knew instinctively she’d never experience anything like that ever again.
She stared into the eyes reflected back at her.
She didn’t look any different on the outside. Not a single scorch mark lingered on her skin, although she could still feel each and every place his lips had lingered.
Little had she known all those months ago that the picture and accompanying letter she’d found in a shoebox in her mother’s closet—along with letters from scores of other men—would lead her to discover that the father she’d grown up with wasn’t her biological father. Or that all her pent-up anger and frustration over the lies by those closest to her would build to the point that it had sought release—no matter what the source.
Luke had been the only person handy at the time.
She’d exploded all right. In a most delicious way.
And now she had to live with the consequences. At least, the emotional ones. Luke had taken care of the physical ones, muttering about the need for birth control, even though her mind hadn’t exactly been up to the subject of unwanted pregnancies.
But thank heavens he’d taken precautions. Luke wouldn’t need to disappear from his kid’s life without a trace, like Nick had. And Kate wouldn’t have to lie to her own child about his or her origins—about who its father was. Her eyes moistened. She wouldn’t have to die—like her mother had—in order for her child to know the truth.
And most important of all, the only person in the entire world who’d have to live with the consequences of what she’d done in that supply closet...was herself.
CHAPTER TWO
“SHE HATES ME.”
Perched on one of the chairs that lined the glass wall of the therapy center, Nick’s bald statement took him by surprise. Luke didn’t have to ask who his friend was referring to.
“No, she doesn’t. When she was here yesterday, she seemed...worried.” That was as good a word as any.
His friend’s jaw tightened. “I wish I could believe that. That’s not the vibe she was giving off when I met her.”
“It’s a shock, I’m sure. You said she only learned about your existence a month ago, after she found a picture?”
“That’s what she said.” Nick scrubbed a hand over his head, making his hair stick up at odd angles. “I had a fling with a tourist just before I shipped out with my unit. She’d taken some pictures of us with her camera over the course of the evening. Large quantities of alcohol were involved, so I’m a bit fuzzy on all the details. Anyway, I left her a note the next day before I headed out. I had no idea the woman had got pregnant that night until much later.”
“You’ve had contact with the woman?”
“Not since that day. Kate says she died six months ago.” Something flashed through his eyes. Regret?
“And she’s just now decided to find you?”
He gave a hard laugh. “She found the picture and my note stuffed in a shoebox. She got the bloke who raised her to admit he wasn’t her real father.” One shoulder went up. “She came looking for me at the house while I was in the hospital. Nearly ruined things for me and Tiggy in the process.”
“Ouch.” Kate did seem to have the ability to stir up trouble wherever she went. He hadn’t slept much for the past two nights. “Things are okay between you and your wife now, though?”
Nick nodded, a smile curving his lips. “She’s pregnant. I never thought I’d want kids, and now I find I have a grown daughter as well as a baby on the way.”
“Congratulations!”
“I guess.”
“Come on, Nick. What more could you ask for?”
“I could ask for my daughter to give me a chance.”
“I’m sure she’ll come round. She asked how you were doing. I couldn’t tell her anything because of patient confidentiality.” He paused. “Maybe I could talk to her. Tell her you’re a regular hero.”
Whoa, why the hell had he offered to do that? Being around Kate was not good for his equilibrium, especially now.
“I’m not a hero. Especially not in her eyes.”
“She just doesn’t know you yet. Maybe you should tell her what you did in the service. For men like me.” Luke hated remembering his injury, how he’d had to fight his way back from the depths of despair when he’d realized his leg would never be right again. He knew he should be grateful it was still there. But on the days when it ached like nobody’s business, he wished he’d just had it lopped off and been done with it.
“I was doing my job.” His friend studied him for a moment. “If she asked you how I was doing, she must care. At least a little.”
“Of course she does.”
“What did you tell her?”
“That you had to sign off on her being your daughter first, giving the hospital permission before I could share any information.”
“That could work...”
He frowned. “I’m not sure I follow.”
“If I sign the papers, maybe you could be the one to talk to her for me, like you said. And the medical discussion could turn personal. You could feel her out.”
Well, he’d already done that. It wasn’t something he should do again if he wanted to maintain his sanity. And definitely not something he wanted to admit to Nick. The man who’d saved his leg could very well rip it back off with his bare hands if he found out what he’d done to his newfound daughter.
“You know,” Luke said slowly, “I think it might be better coming from you.”
“Didn’t you just offer to talk to her for me a few minutes ago?”
Yes, and he’d already decided that was not a good idea. “I’m thinking a father-daughter discussion might be more direct. Just tell her that you shipped out right after you were with her mother and over your years of service you saved a lot of men’s lives.”
“It would be stronger coming from a friend.” Nick cocked his head. “One of those very people I saved.”
Wow. He’d never expected Nick to play the you-owe-me card. And, in all honesty, he probably wouldn’t have now if he hadn’t offered to talk to Kate, like a damned fool. His fingers went to his leg, a familiar ache reminding him of what could have been had Nick not been there.
“Not fair.”
“I know.” His friend’s voice was low. “But I’m feeling desperate. She’s due to leave for the States in a week or two, and I want to make sure things are okay between us before she goes.”
“What do you expect me to do? Drop my pants and show her firsthand what a great job you did on my leg?”
He hadn’t even done that in the supply closet. He’d simply unzipped and...
Oh, hell. This was not a good idea.
“No pants-dropping allowed. I may have just found out she’s my daughter, but that doesn’t mean I want you coming on to her. I’ve heard about your reputation from a couple of the nurses.” His voice sharpened a bit. “You’re still a hotshot, just like you were ten years ago.”
Nick might be surprised. He wasn’t guilty of half the stuff floating around the hospital grapevine. And his physical hotshot days were long gone. He might still have the use of his leg, but he’d never be a marathon runner. Or climb the Alps. Or even carry a woman across the threshold. He’d surprised himself by actually getting Kate up onto that sink—although he could lift things just fine, it was walking and lifting together that did him in.
Luckily, he wouldn’t have to fess up to what had happened between him and Kate, because that was obviously not something Nick would be thrilled to hear. And Kate didn’t want Nick knowing either, judging by her quiet plea in the hallway. “So you don’t want me to charm her.”
“I want you to talk to her.” Nick’s voice softened. “Tell her I’m not a bad-boy-love-’em-and-leave-’em type. Just an honest working man who made a mistake. One he regrets.”
“So you want someone who you think is a Lothario to tell your daughter you’re nothing like that.”
Nick grinned. “Exactly.”
Just then an attractive redhead dressed in scrubs came into the center and dropped a kiss on his friend’s cheek. “I thought I’d check up on you. How are you feeling?”
“Better.” He nodded at Luke. “Tiggy, you remember Dr. Blackman...Luke.”
“Of course. He’s the one who called and told me you were in the hospital.” She smiled, her eyes crinkling at the corners. “Hello again. I don’t know if I’ve ever thanked you properly for what you did. I’m very grateful.”
“I’m glad Nick still had you listed as his next of kin.”
“So am I.” She laid her hand on her husband’s shoulder. “Nick’s told me a little about how you met.”
Luke tensed, but forced himself to return her smile. “Nothing bad, I hope.”
“No, just that you came across each other while in the service. I didn’t even know that we did joint missions with the Americans.” She took her husband’s hand in hers.
So that’s what Nick had told her.
No hint that she knew about Nick yanking him from the jaws of death. Or that he’d refused to saw his leg off on the spot, like one of the other medics had wanted to do.
Luke relaxed. He may have told his friend to come clean with Kate about what he’d done in the field, but Luke himself told very few people about that day. Some of his buddies from his service days knew, but only because they’d been there when it had happened. Luke preferred it that way. Anyone who saw his scars and was brave enough to ask about them got a very watered-down version of what had actually gone down.
Hell. Nick was right. He owed the man a debt he could never repay.
Backing out of talking to Kate seemed pretty selfish in the face of it all. He made a quick decision. “About that favor you asked for. I can’t promise anything, but I’ll give it a shot. I’ll need you to sign the paperwork, so I have an excuse to approach her.”
His friend’s eyes closed for a second and he took a deep breath before looking back at him. “Thank you. I owe you.”
No. He didn’t. And that was exactly the point.
* * *
Kate frowned as she took the envelope from the man at the front desk. It couldn’t be from her father back in Memphis, he’d have simply emailed her if he couldn’t reach her. And she didn’t know anyone in London except Nick.
Oh, and one very enigmatic doctor.
And she didn’t even know him. Just that he made her pulse explode...along with other things. Things she was trying very hard to forget.
Walking toward the twin elevators, she slid a thumb beneath the seal of the envelope and popped open the tab. A single sheet of paper was inside.
Could you call me when you get in? I’m at
20-5555-6731
Thanks, Dr. Lucas Blackman
A wave of panic went through her before she realized it probably wasn’t anything related to Nick’s health. If it were, he wouldn’t have left a note. Then she gulped as she remembered his parting shot from yesterday. This couldn’t be about her panties, could it? She’d prefer he just burn them and be done with it. It was just too humiliating to talk about over the phone. Or in person, for that matter.
But if she didn’t call, she’d always wonder.
She wasn’t sure what kept her from booking a flight out of London. She’d done what she’d come to do: looked her father in the eye and drawn her own conclusions. She’d expected that to be fairly quick and easy, but nothing had gone the way she’d planned.
Nick wasn’t the type of person she’d braced herself to find. He hadn’t denied being her father—which surprised her—but then again it was kind of hard to deny the obvious. But there was something in his face that made her want to take a step back and rethink her position. Especially in the face of all those other letters she’d found in the shoebox. Did the man who’d raised her even know about those other men?
She hardened her heart. If those closest to her hadn’t thought twice about lying to her, why not the man who’d contributed nothing to her life other than his DNA?
Her mom had been trying to spare her feelings, she was sure. But surely with all her grandparents’ money, her mother would have been able to track Nick down and tell him about the pregnancy. Or about the baby, once she’d been born. So why hadn’t she?
Her mother wasn’t here to answer any of those questions. Maybe she would have told her someday, but had never gotten the chance.
Or maybe she knew something about Nick that was so terrible she hadn’t wanted her daughter to have any contact with him. Maybe Nick had...forced her, or something.
She stepped off the elevator. No, she had found the note Nick had left the next morning. He wouldn’t have done that if something bad had happened between him and her mother. And her mother certainly wouldn’t have saved a picture of them together had that been the case.
Unlocking her door, she went into her room and dropped her purse on the bed. Her suitcase was still packed, sitting on the mahogany luggage rack. She could just shut the lid and leave with everything she’d come with.
Except answers. And, of course, one pair of panties.
Ugh. She smoothed out the note and traced her finger over the bold strokes of handwriting, smiling at the typical doctorlike scribbles. Luckily she’d had to decipher many notes like these during her physical therapy training, and later, with actual patients, to understand what their doctors wanted.
There was nothing for it but to call and find out what he wanted.
She punched the number that would allow her to reach an outside line and then dialed the rest of the digits listed on the note.
“Blackman here.”
His voice sounded sharp, hurried. “Oh, I’m sorry. You left me a—”
“Kate?” His tone immediately changed. Softened. “I didn’t expect you to call so soon.”
She blinked and glanced at the note again. No time stamp. Was it possible he’d left it only a short time ago? “Oh, I...I just got in.”
“Listen, I’m swamped right now. But basically your father’s listed you as next of kin and has given me permission to fill you in, if you’ve got some free time.”
“I can be there in a half hour.”
There was a pause. “Can we do it somewhere else? I have something of yours I need to return, and I’d rather it not be at the hospital.”
If only he’d been that conscientious a couple of days ago.
And meeting him in her hotel room was out of the question. Not because she didn’t trust him but because she didn’t trust herself. If she’d have sex with him in a public hospital, what would stop her from peeling his clothes off in a private room?
“How about a restaurant?” No, not a restaurant, dummy. “I mean a coffee shop.”
“A restaurant sounds great.” He said something to someone with him then came back to her. “I’ve really got to go. I’ll pick you up when I get off. Say around six this evening.”
“Oh, um...”
“Say yes, Kate.” His voice had gone all soft and gravelly, and she shivered. It was almost identical to the tone he’d used in the supply room. Do you want this, Kate?
She had. She’d said the word that had unleashed them both. And damn if she wasn’t about to say it all over again.
“Yes.”
CHAPTER THREE
LUKE TURNED HIS car into the hotel, giving a soft whistle as he did. He’d heard of The Claymont—knew it was exclusive and pricey—but had never had any reason to visit before now.
Towering white columns framed an ornate cobblestone driveway, the swirling pattern in the black-and-white marble chips echoing the curve of the entryway. An intricate coat of arms placed in the middle reminded him of the X on a celebrity red carpet, giving vehicles a definite stopping point. The place oozed opulence—from the lion’s-head fountain on a side wall, which splashed water into a rustic concrete trough, to the red-coated doorman who emerged from the interior of the hotel to greet him.
Kate had money. Lots of it.
Which might explain their encounter the other day. Maybe she was one of those cute socialites who got their kicks out of toying with danger.
And their time in that supply closet had definitely been dangerous. It had pushed the boundaries, even for him.
But he also remembered her hesitancy that first day at the entrance of the hospital. She hadn’t acted like a spoiled little rich girl.
Maybe her mom had married into money. Nick said Kate’s father knew she wasn’t his biological daughter, so her mother hadn’t used an unwanted pregnancy to trick anyone into marrying her.
She hadn’t lied about it.
Except to Kate, evidently. It had to be rough having your world suddenly turned on its head.
He handed the keys of his little MGB to the valet.
“I won’t be long,” he said.
“Very good, sir.”
The front entrance welcomed him, the double doors swishing open with a quiet hiss. What the hell would he do if she invited him up to her room?
It was a question he’d never thought he’d have to ask himself. But Nick was her father, so there would be no more supply closets...and definitely no hotel rooms in his future. He could keep his hands off her, really he could.
“May I help you, sir?”
The guy at the front desk was just as smooth and refined as he’d expected. “I’m here to see Kate Bradley.”
“One moment.” He tapped some buttons on his computer keyboard, but just as he was picking up the handset to dial her room, the elevator doors pinged and Kate herself emerged.
The air left his lungs, just as it had the first time he’d seen her. It wasn’t so much the way she was dressed as the way she carried herself—although the dark jeans clung in all the right places and the dark green halter-top left her pale shoulders exposed, revealing a smattering of freckles.
“Sorry, I wasn’t sure where we were going,” she said when she reached him.
That soft drawl slid over his body like warm silk. Again.
He noticed the guy behind the desk just stood there, the phone still gripped in his hand. So Luke wasn’t the only one who thought the whole damn package was irresistible. When he turned his eyes toward the other man and lifted his brows, the guy put the phone down with a quick click, his face turning red. “Can I get you anything, Ms. Bradley?”
How about a fire extinguisher, so she can put you out?
As if he himself was any better at containing that particular fire.
One side of his mouth quirked. Was Nick absolutely sure this was his kid? Because he just wasn’t seeing the resemblance.
Kate smiled at the desk clerk, hiking the shiny metal links of her purse onto her shoulder. “I think I’m good. Thank you, though.”
No thinking needed. She was good.
Giving himself an internal eye roll, he motioned toward the door. “Are you ready? I know a place a couple of miles from here.”
Once in his little car and heading down the road, he noticed Kate flinching periodically as they passed other cars.
“It still seems so strange to be driving on the left. I keep thinking someone is going to honk at us. Or worse.”
“You get used to it.” Not that she was going to be here long enough for that. So exactly how was he supposed to shine up Nick’s halo while avoiding tarnishing his own any further? By returning that little article of clothing she’d left behind a few days ago? “There’s a paper bag in the glove box. You might want to take it with you.”
She tugged on her seat belt as if needing a bit more breathing space and stared at the latch in front of her. “I think I’ll wait until we get back to the hotel, if that’s okay. My purse is pretty small.”
She knew exactly what was in there. He’d had half a mind to take the easy way out and toss the panties into the garbage, but he hadn’t. Luke had never been one to shy away from things that were uncomfortable, even when it had come to his folks’ poverty...his dad’s drunken anger. He’d just stood there and faced it down unblinking. “Don’t forget them. I’d hate the wrong person to go digging through that glove box.”
“Like your next conquest?”
Maybe she’d gotten wind of his reputation, as well. He really was going to have to appear a whole lot more boring at work. “I was thinking more along the lines of Nick—your father.”
Kate’s face drained of all color and she turned to stare at him. “You promised you wouldn’t say anything about that.”
Hell, the woman really didn’t think much of him, did she? Luke rarely gave his word, but when he did, he moved hell and high water to keep it. He’d learned the hard way that most promises were quick on the tongue and easily broken. Not by him, though.
And yet he’d made two pretty big promises in the last couple of days. One to Nick and one to his daughter. “I already told you I’m not going to tell him.”
He stopped for a red light, shifting down to first gear and glancing over at her. “What happened at the hospital stays between the two of us—no one’s going to hear it from me.”
Her eyes closed for a second, and she nodded. “Thank you. I couldn’t bear it if anyone thought I was...”
“If anyone thought what?”
“It’s not important.”
If that soft sigh was anything to go by, it was important. At least, to her. But if she wanted to tell him, she would have. It was probably best to stick to neutral topics anyway, since the purpose of this outing was to discuss Nick’s treatment, extol his virtues and then each go their merry way.
The light turned green, and Luke eased back into traffic. “Nick’s going to make a full recovery, by the way. He had some shrapnel—leftover from an old wound—that shifted. It got a little too close to his spinal cord for comfort. He’s just finishing up his course of physical therapy and then he’ll be free to go about his business.”
Kate twisted in her seat and stared at him. “That’s wonderful. So he won’t have any permanent damage?”
“No.” Unlike himself, who carried a permanent reminder of his time in Afghanistan. “His physical therapy is taking a little longer than expected because of some nerve damage, but after that he should be good to go.”
“Maybe I can help. I’m a physical therapist.”
She was? Luke frowned. He’d been thinking along the lines of socialite, so the fact that she was a PT came as a complete surprise. “I don’t know...”
“I’m licensed, specializing in LSVT.”
Luke’s head was still spinning at the revelation as he turned another corner. He’d known plenty of physical therapists, but Kate looked nothing like the professionals who’d hauled his ass out of bed after the injury that had nearly claimed his leg. Who’d propped him upright and goaded him into taking his first shaky steps.
Although remembering the lean muscles beneath his hands as he’d lifted Kate onto that sink, he shouldn’t be that surprised. And imagining those hands working on his body...
Good God.
He swallowed. Nick would not be happy to know the thoughts racing through his mind right now. For the life of him, he couldn’t think of anything to say, so he asked the obvious question. “LSVT?”
“It’s a specialized voice therapy for Parkinson’s patients.”
Ah, so she wasn’t the brute-strength type of therapist after all. “Nick will need occupational therapy, not speech.”
“Part of LSVT deals with the physical aspects of Parkinson’s.” Her chin tilted stubbornly.
He tried again. “Your father doesn’t have Parkinson’s.”
“Yes, he does, he’s in the early...” She let out a soft sigh. “Oh. That’s right. It’s still hard for me to think of Nick as my father. I’m sure I could help him, though. I’ve already checked online, there are several hospitals here in England using LSVT. It could be useful, even though he doesn’t have Parkinson’s.”
What had made her check on that? Was she thinking about staying in London? “I’m sure he’s getting everything he needs at the hospital’s PT center.”
“But what about when he’s not there? I could help him with some extra exercises...help his wife out with him. Maybe it would give me a chance to get to know him better.”
Luke wasn’t sure Tiggy would welcome the reminder that Nick had fathered another child. Especially not in her condition. But it wasn’t up to him. That was a decision the couple would have to make on their own.
He pulled into the parking lot of the Indian Palace Restaurant and set the handbrake. “Nick and Tiggy are under a lot of stress right now—with the surgery and everything. Now might not be a good time.” Unhooking his seat belt, he waited for her to follow suit. “Listen, we’ll eat, and I’ll fill you in on his surgery and prognosis, and then you’ll have a better grasp of his situation, okay?”
“Good. That’ll give me more time to convince you.”
Not good. He might not be the one she needed to convince, but all he could think was that it might be fun to let her try, anyway.
* * *
Kate took a quick gulp of water and then another, her mouth on fire. The smoldering sensation of swallowing hot coals continued as she sucked air in and out through pursed lips in a desperate effort to get some relief. “Oh, my God...” Huff, huff. “That’s so good.”
The man across from her gave her a quick grin. “Your face is pink. And your accent is really coming through.”
“Because I’m on f-i-ire.”
She put every Southern bone she had into that last word. The food was just-this-side-of-pain spicy. And she loved it. It was hard to get good Indian food in the States, but Luke had assured her that Londoners loved it. And they were evidently not afraid of a little spice. Or a lot, in this case.
“Well, when you decide to go hot, you go all the way, don’t you?”
Kate looked at him sharply, wondering if the amusement in his voice was in regard to the food or if he was talking about something else. She tossed her hair over her shoulder and reached for her napkin, using it to dab the still-burning corners of her mouth. The words had stung, but only because she’d let them.
Her mom had been a wonderful, loving mother, but she’d also been impulsive, throwing her whole being into whatever caught her interest. That had tended to change weekly—even daily. When she’d found Nick’s note in that shoebox, it hadn’t been the only “call me later” letter. There’d been others. Many of them. If not for the fact that her baby picture had been stapled onto a corner of one of the envelopes, which contained a picture of her mother with a much younger Nick, along with his note, she might never have wondered if the man she’d known as her father was actually her biological father.
Her mom’s impulsiveness hadn’t been restricted to hobbies and charities, it would seem. It had spilled into other areas. And she’d left a trail of broken hearts along the way. Her dad never seemed to indicate she’d strayed during their marriage. Or maybe he didn’t know. Kate had never doubted his deep love for her mother, though. He’d been devoted to her. Her death had devastated them both. She was thankful she’d found that box and not her dad. She’d hidden everything except Nick’s letter and her photo, which had been when her father had broken down and admitted he’d adopted her after he’d married her mother. She’d been two years old at the time.
All those men. Several of them had clearly not understood why her mother hadn’t returned their calls. And she’d kept those letters. Why? As reminders?
God. The last thing she wanted to do was hurt anyone like that.
She glanced at Luke. He seemed well able to take care of himself. Their little fling in the storage closet probably hadn’t left the slightest scratch.
Unlike she herself, who was still reeling from her actions. They’d been totally out of character for her.
Or were they? She didn’t know anymore.
Dropping her napkin back in her lap, she feigned a sweet smile. “I always say if you’re going to do something, you might as well make it worth your while.”
He nodded at her plate. “Even if it stings.”
“Maybe that’s the goal.”
His smile faded. “To do something that hurts you?”
“Better than hurting others, don’t you think?”
He leaned back in his chair and regarded her for a few seconds, his expression grim. “Absolutely.”
What was he thinking about? It didn’t matter. The sooner she got this question-and-answer session over with, the better. The man had the ability to get under her skin, and she didn’t like it. She’d never had casual sex before, and the last thing she wanted to do was look her mistake in the face repeatedly—no matter how handsome that face might be.
“So, you said Nick put me down on his list of relatives. What made him decide to do that?”
“That’s something you’ll have to ask him. But I assume it’s because you’re his daughter, and he’s happy to have finally met you.”
Something pricked at the back of her mind, raising her suspicions. “At the hospital, you said you weren’t Nick’s doctor anymore, so why are you the one filling me in on his condition? Why not his current doctor?”
“Because he asked me to.”
“Why would he do that?” Her brain worked through the possibilities and came up with the most obvious choice. “You know him, don’t you? Outside the hospital, I mean.” It seemed like Nick knew everyone, except her.
“Yes.”
She picked up her fork but didn’t use it. She just stared at the gold-rimmed plate for a moment or two. “Did he know about me at all? Or did my mom never contact him again after their...time together?”
Did she want to know the answer to that? Not really, but she couldn’t crawl back inside her shell and act like the past six months hadn’t happened. Just like the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, what was known couldn’t be unknown ever again.
A warm hand reached over and covered hers. “I don’t know,” he said. “But I do know that Nick’s a good man.”
Really? She’d thought her mother had been a saint, too, until a couple of months ago.
“So you know everything about him, do you?” Nick hadn’t seemed all that thrilled to find out he’d fathered a child after a one-night stand. And he’d never mentioned whether or not he’d been married to someone else at the time he’d slept with her mother. Please let it be no. She didn’t want that hanging over her mother’s memory, as well.
Everything inside her was so jumbled right now. She didn’t know what to do or think. Her world had ceased making sense the moment she’d peeked inside that shoebox.
What was the big deal, anyway?
Nick had just had a one-night stand. Okay, well, she’d had a one-day stand. So who was she to judge anyone?
Luke’s eyes hardened, and he let go of her hand. “No, I don’t know everything about him, but I can tell you he once saved a self-destructive dumbass from himself.”
She tried to work through what he meant. Who...
Before she could finish her thought he dragged a hand through his hair and blew out a rough breath. “This dumbass owes him one. Big time.”
Oh...oh!
She caught his hand, the same way he’d caught hers a few minutes earlier. “You’re talking about yourself.”
He wrapped his fingers around hers, holding her in place and sending crazy tingles skittering up her arm. And that slow, sexy smile was back full force. “Which word gave me away, Kate? Self-destructive? Or dumbass?”
“Neither.” She was about to lay herself bare before him, and she had no idea why. “It was the talk about owing him. You’re not the only one who does. I owe him, too. For my very life.”
CHAPTER FOUR
WHY THE HELL had he said anything?
Driving back to the hotel after their meal, he cursed himself for revealing so much. She’d already been warming up to the sparkly image of Nick he’d tried to paint, without needing any additional props. So why had he admitted to owing him?
The second he’d seen the confusion in her eyes, heard the raw vulnerability in her voice, he’d been lost. He’d kept up his crusty, uncaring shell through the rest of the meal, but his insides had turned into a gloppy, gooey mess. Like a marshmallow held a little too close to the fire.
Kate didn’t owe Nick. Not the way he did. Yeah, his friend may have donated a few thousand sperm to the making of her, but that had been a rash, spur-of-the-moment act. What the man had done for him had been far different. Luke had been awake long enough after his injury to hear brief snatches of a heated argument between Nick—who’d been an army medic at the time—and someone else, their accents placing them as English.
“He’ll die, if we don’t clamp those vessels right now...”
“...give me a few more minutes here.”
“...lose the leg, but save his life...”
“...get your bloody hands off my patient, and give me some room!”
“...Americans would rather have him back alive than in a body bag.”
The second Luke’s eyes had opened again, and he’d spied the familiar walls of a field hospital, his hands had gone straight to his leg. The sense of relief that had swept through him when his fingers had met thick wads of bandages—instead of empty air—had been enormous. Until he’d seen the actual damage and heard the grim prognosis.
He hadn’t been out of the woods, and his leg, even if it could be saved in the long run, would never be the same.
Well, the appendage was still with him, but he wondered sometimes if the trade-off had been worth it.
Even as he thought it, his hand came off the stick shift of his car to massage the twisted muscles, but he stopped short. Kate didn’t know exactly how Nick had saved his life. For all she knew, he’d simply kept him from doing anything stupid. No reason for her to know the literal truth.
She hadn’t said much as she’d finished her meal and he’d paid the bill. They’d simply talked about Nick’s original injury, about why it had flared up after all these years, and what had needed to happen during surgery to give him a shot at a normal life.
He turned a corner, heading toward her hotel. This was it. It was probably the last time he’d ever see her, if he was smart. He’d done what Nick had asked, there was no reason to prolong the inevitable. He glanced over at her and frowned. Her head was against the headrest, eyes closed.
Was she sleeping? He looked at the road, and then back at her. Her throat worked a couple times.
No, she wasn’t asleep.
Oh, hell. Surely she wasn’t fighting back tears. The sooner he got her back to...
A car from one of the lanes of oncoming traffic suddenly shifted for no apparent reason, its trajectory forming a weird serpentine shape as it drifted farther into their lane. It was coming right toward them!
“Hold on.” Luke jerked the steering wheel hard to the left to avoid hitting it head on, the tires of his little car striking the curb hard and bumping up onto it. He braked, glancing into the rearview mirror just as the other vehicle passed them, creeping into the wrong lane yet again. If the idiot didn’t gain control, he was going to...
The squeal of tires and the awful crunching sound that followed said the worst had indeed happened.
Luke swore and pushed a button to turn on his hazard lights. “Are you okay?”
“Fine, but... Oh, no!” Kate’s eyes were now wide open, her head craning to look behind them.
Grabbing his cell phone from the clip on his belt, he dropped it in her lap. “Dial 999. Tell them we need an ambulance and that there’s a doctor at the scene.”
Not waiting for her reply, he leaped from the car and half skipped, half sprinted toward the accident scene, trying to override his pain threshold with gritted teeth. Damn it!
He tried to mentally separate the rubberneckers from those involved in the crash. Hell. Not good.
Three cars. No, four.
And there was smoke pouring from one of the vehicles, preventing him from getting a good look at its occupants. He headed toward that one first, seeing someone stagger from the driver’s side and collapse onto the road a few feet away. If the smoke was obstructing the view of cars still coming toward them, the already bad accident could turn catastrophic.
He yelled to one of the bystanders, “Can you try signaling a warning to cars that are headed this way?”
He reached the victim who’d fallen, a young male, and crouched down, his leg screaming as the muscles contracted too quickly. He ignored the pain, noting the trickle of blood from the man’s mouth was due to a busted lip and not from internal injuries.
Sour fumes hit his nostrils, drifting up his sinus passages.
Alcohol. Shit! This was the idiot who’d swerved into their lane. He wasn’t hurt, just drunk.
“How can I help?” A man’s voice came from over his shoulder. He glanced back beyond the man who had spoken and saw Kate running toward him, as well. He motioned her back, not needing a million bodies wandering around on a smoky roadway.
“Think you can drag him to the curb, in case his car goes up?” He hated that he had to ask for help, that he couldn’t do it himself, but there were people in other cars who might be worse off.
But the man got beneath the drunk’s arms and dutifully hauled him away from the smoking vehicle. Luke called out, “Don’t let him go anywhere. The police will want to have a word or two with him.”
Kate got to him just as he reached the second car. “I called it in. Help is on the way.”
He glanced at her, before taking in the occupants of the next car, whose small red hood was now a crumpled mess. “I thought I told you to stay back.”
“I know, but I’m strong. I can help.”
The inference was plain. She’d seen him hobble down the road. Seen him pass off the first victim to someone else. No time to worry about that now.
He nodded at the backseat of the vehicle, the sudden sound of sirens bearing down on them a welcome relief.
“There’s a car seat. Check it for me, will you? But if there’s a child, don’t move it.”
Not waiting for an answer, he went around the front and yanked the driver’s-side door open. The unconscious woman inside gasped, her mouth wide open as she sucked down air, the harsh unevenness of the sound sending an ominous chill through him. The edge of the steering wheel—despite the presence of an airbag—pressed against the right side of the woman’s chest, which meant the force generated by the impact had traveled through the steering column and into her body.
He gulped, his heart rate spiking off the charts when he noted that with each inspiration the left side of the patient’s chest rose in a normal fashion, but a significant portion of her right side collapsed inward instead of expanding—a clear sign that multiple ribs had broken free, preventing her diaphragm from doing its job.
Flail chest. Game-changer.
He needed to get her out of that car. Now.
A uniform appeared at his right, the man ducking his head to take a look. “You the doctor?”
“Yes. I have a critical patient here. Do we have an ETA on the ambulance?”
“One’s about a minute out, another’s on the way.”
“She’s first.” He nodded at his patient, two fingers automatically going to her carotid artery to take her pulse, his gaze straying to the hand of his watch as he calculated the beats per minute.
“I’ll see what I can do.” The cop moved away.
“Tell them I need a backboard,” he yelled after he’d gotten the count.
Rapid and thready, as he’d expected.
“Kate?” he called, remembering he’d asked her to check out the car seat. “What have you got back there? Anything?”
“Yes, there’s a baby. I—I don’t know how old she is. She’s wrapped in a blanket, and she’s breathing. I can’t see blood anywhere, but she’s unconscious.”
“Okay, just stay with her for a few minutes and tell me if there are any changes.”
He heard the telltale slam of a truck door nearby. Thank God. His mind followed the sound indicators.
Swish. Click. Wheels of a gurney being lowered and snapped into place.
Rattle, rattle, rattle. The stretcher being wheeled across the roadway toward him.
Another head appeared. “What have you got?”
“Probable rib fractures resulting in a flail chest. Pulse one-twenty and thready.” He paused for a second before forcing the words out. “I’ll need some help getting her out of here, though.”
The paramedic blinked, his glance skipping over Luke’s face for a second before nodding. “Right.”
Luke limped back a pace or two to let the EMTs by, his hand going to his thigh and digging his fingers into the flesh to take his mind off the growing pain. It was nothing in comparison to the life-and-death battle going on inside that car. And she had a child. “There’s a baby in the back,” he said to the paramedics.
“My partner just had a look. Her vitals are strong. We’ll tend to the baby next and bring her with us in the ambulance. Injuries in the other cars appear to be minimal.”
“Good.” At least he’d made the right call in staying with this particular patient. “Careful with her back and with the ribs on her right side. The steering wheel is still making contact there.”
As soon as they’d secured the patient, he turned to Kate. “Do you have your international driver’s permit?”
“Yes, why?”
“I need to ride with her in the ambulance, if possible. We’re about a block away from the hotel. Just turn right at the next corner. And for heaven’s sake, keep to the left. Think you can get there without killing yourself or anyone else?”
“Yes, but what about your car?”
“I’ll pick it up later. I don’t want to leave it here, and I need to go. Now.”
Her glance went to his leg, where his fingers were still working to relieve the cramping. “Are you going to be all right?”
So she had noticed. Perfect.
He made his hand go slack, digging into his pocket for his car keys, instead. “I’ll be fine.”
One of the EMTs called over, “Ready to transport.”
Kate reached over and plucked the keys from him. “Go. I’ll take care of your car. Call me when you’re done, okay?”
CHAPTER FIVE
WHAT WAS WRONG with Luke’s leg?
She’d been shocked by the way he’d hurried over to the scene of the accident. He’d had a kind of uneven, hobbling run that had done the job but certainly hadn’t looked very comfortable. She’d never noticed him limp before. Had he twisted his ankle in his hurry to get over there?
Hmm...no, his hand had massaged his upper thigh, like he’d been working out a kink. A cramp? Maybe.
But the way he’d lowered his arm the second he’d seen her looking at it didn’t fit that scenario, either. Kate put the keys to his car on the table in her hotel room and paced, the thick beige carpet beneath her feet deadening the sound. Glancing at her watch, she saw that it was just after eight. Already dark outside. Who knew how long he’d be at the hospital? He’d seemed to indicate he’d call, although he hadn’t actually said the words.
Well, she did have his car. So he’d have to get in touch with her eventually.
Even as she thought it, the phone rang. Wow, that was fast.
She picked up the receiver. “I was wondering how long you’d be.”
“Sorry?” The soft, clipped tones bore no resemblance to the low, intense murmur that had sent shivers over her in the supply closet. “Is this Kate, then?”
“Um...yes.”
There was a pause. “You sound like her, you know.”
Kate realized in a flash who it was and sat on the edge of the bed. “Nick?”
There was another pause, longer this time. “Yes.”
She thought there might be a slight edge of hurt to his tone, but surely he didn’t expect her to call him Dad. Only one man had earned that right. But the fact that Nick thought she sounded like her mother made a fresh wave of grief wash over her.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t recognize your voice.”
“That’s to be expected, I suppose.” He cleared his throat. “I’m actually calling on my wife’s behalf. She wondered if you might like to have dinner at our house some time next week. I realize we haven’t had much time together, and...well, she thought it was the right thing to do.”
Surprise washed over her. “That’s very kind. I’m sure none of this has been easy on her. Maybe it would have been better if I hadn’t come to London.”
“No. Absolutely not. I’m glad you did. I just wish I’d known that...well, that’s neither here nor there. Could you come, do you think?”
“If she’s sure.”
“She is. She’s had a rough go of it recently, but she’d like to get to know you. As would I.” Another voice sounded in the background, and Nick answered before coming back on the line. “I’d invite Luke as well, of course.”
Of course. She almost smiled. Maybe he and Tiggy thought they’d need Luke’s help sorting out her Southern accent. Funny how she never thought of herself as having one. But then again, no one ever thought they did. “Will you be well enough to have company? I mean, with your surgery.”
“I’m a bit sore still, but, well...I don’t know how long you’ll be here or when you’ll be back.”
Kate didn’t know if she’d ever be back. It all depended on how everything went. And she had told Luke she wanted to get to know Nick better, and possibly help with his therapy in some way. “If you’re sure.”
“We are.”
She couldn’t help but smile at the emphasis he’d place on the word we. He sounded...happy.
* * *
He didn’t want to pick up his car.
Oh, some perverse part of him did, but the realist in him wanted to just call her up and say, “Keep it.” His flail chest patient, despite everyone’s best efforts, hadn’t made it. If that wasn’t bad enough, she’d evidently been a single mom, and no one knew who the baby’s father was.
So the child—a little girl—was now at the mercy of the system. At least until they could find someone to give them some answers about her relatives. A social worker had already come to the hospital and carried the baby away, saying she’d get her into foster care.
And his leg hurt like the devil. The stress of running—something he normally avoided—had done a number on it. And standing for another three hours as they’d feverishly fought to stabilize the patient hadn’t helped, although he’d barely noticed the throbbing pain while they’d been in the thick of battle.
The thick of battle.
There’s a term he hadn’t used in a while. But it was true. Emergency medicine never knew what it might face on any given day. Some days were good. And some days were horrific. Like the day he’d taken Kate by storm after losing another patient.
A day very much like today. He leaned against the hallway wall just outside the break room to take the weight off his leg.
Only he couldn’t afford to let his guard down like that again. There was that little promise he’d made to Nick to consider, but it was also ridiculous to think Kate would simply fall into bed with him whenever he lost a patient—for as long as she was here, anyway.
Not only that, but he had a feeling that she was going to ask questions as soon as he saw her. She’d already looked at him oddly at the accident site, and it was doubtful he’d be able to hide the limp that went along with overdoing it. The last thing he wanted to do was trudge through old, familiar territory.
Okay, so he could take a cab over to the hotel, meet her beside his car, jump in and take off. She’d be none the wiser, right?
Unless she asked him to come up.
He didn’t see that happening.
But just in case... He straightened, exhaustion taking hold as he made his way to the nurses’ station. Luckily, there was a familiar face behind the desk, her dyed hair just a shade shy of blue beneath the cool light of the tube fluorescents. Mimi Copeland. His favorite nurse.
He rested a hand on the desk and waited for her to glance up at him. When she did, she gave him a compassionate smile, deep wrinkles in her cheeks coming to life. “Well, hello, Dr. Blackman. Heard you had quite a night.”
“You could say that. I have to pick my car up from a visiting...friend. Could you do me a favor and call and let her know I’m on my way?”
“You mean could I ring her?”
He chuckled at her good-natured ribbing, trying to ignore the speculative gleam in her eyes. Great. He turned a pad of paper toward himself and scribbled down the number of the hotel. “If you could ask the front desk to give Kate Bradley a message, saying I’m on my way over and could she please meet me downstairs.” There. He’d emphasized the word. Maybe that would keep the gossip to a minimum. He doubted it, but it was the best he could do on short notice.
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Tina Beckett
Тип: электронная книга
Жанр: Современные любовные романы
Язык: на английском языке
Издательство: HarperCollins
Дата публикации: 16.04.2024
Отзывы: Пока нет Добавить отзыв
О книге: After a tour of duty in Afghanistan, ex-soldier Dr Luke Blackman hides his lingering physical and emotional scars. He keeps everyone at a distance – until emotions explode in his ER and he loses himself with the beguiling Kate Bradley in the dark of a hospital supply closet!Kate is soon an addiction this lone wolf just can’t break…