Picking up the Pieces. Caroline Anderson

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       CHAPTER TWO

      NICK was stunned.

      OK, it had been a long time — nearly a year, in fact, the longest he had been without a woman since he had gone to college.

      Even so …

      He dropped on to the bed and lay there, staring at the ceiling and rerunning the last few hours.

      It had all started in Theatre, of course, with the subtle warmth of her body soft against his side, the slight shift of her hip, the delicate fragrance of her hair — or had it? Had it started when she had crashed into him, her soft breasts pressed against his chest, that same delicate fragrance invading his nostrils and tangling in his senses?

      He could smell her still, a faint trace of the scent lingering on his jumper — and small wonder. He had got close enough to her, for God’s sake!

      And yet not close enough. His body ached, the heavy fullness taunting him. He closed his eyes and groaned, shifting his jeans to ease the pressure.

      Who was he trying to kid? Only one thing would ease it, and, even at his worst, he would have balked at falling so easily into bed with a woman he had just barely met.

      He was too old for this, for the raging hormones of adolescence, the uncontrollable reaction of his body, the shattering, all-consuming need for sex. What he needed was a relationship, a full, balanced, mature relationship based on considerably more than just lust.

      He rolled on to his front and groaned.

      Ok, his mind knew all that. Try telling his body!

      He did — for the next two hours. Then he went up to the ward and checked on his patients, to find a pale but unchastened Trevor slumped in the sister’s office swilling black coffee. He glared at Nick balefully.

      ‘I gather you did a magnificent job.’

      Nick snorted. ‘Well, one of us had to, and you were clearly in no condition to be let loose near a patient.’

      ‘Yes, well, I should keep that to yourself, old chap. Family contacts and so on — wouldn’t look good for the new boy to cast aspersions…’

      He levered himself up and groaned involuntarily, then forced a smile. ‘I’ll return the favour one day.’

      Nick stepped back out of his way. ‘That won’t be necessary — I like to remain sober when I’m on duty.’

      Trevor stopped. ‘I don’t think you’ve been listening tome.’

      ‘Oh, I have — and I didn’t like what I heard. I won’t be intimidated, I don’t care who the hell you’re related to. If you foul up again, I’ll report you.’

      Trevor gave a short, contemptuous laugh. ‘I’m terrified. Excuse me.’

      Nick watched him go, disgust and anger warring within him. There was nothing he hated more than people using their contacts — unless it was being threatened by those people.

      He went back out into the ward and found the staff nurse on duty at the work station. After discussing last night’s patients with her, he went back to his room, picked up a coat and walked the deserted streets around the hospital until the light faded.

      Then he returned to his room, exhausted, and threw himself down on to the bed.

      Perhaps now he could sleep, he thought, but the faintest trace of Cassie’s fragrance drifted off his clothes still and he groaned, still tormented by the memory of her sweet softness cradled against him.

      Was there no peace?

      There was only one thing for it. He was going to have to get to know her — fast!

      Cassie had given up all attempts at sleep and was making a cup of tea when the knock came on the door late that afternoon.

      She opened it, and stepped back in surprise.

      ‘Nick!’

      He grinned, a little sheepishly, and thrust a bunch of flowers at her. ‘For you.’

      She took them, flustered, and then found she was holding a handful of wet stems.

      She met his laughing eyes suspiciously. СКАЧАТЬ