heart began to thump against her rib cage and her mouth went dry.
Together, they watched the ambulance move away, and as the crowd dwindled and people returned down the path to the beach Matt drew her to him, putting his free arm around her.
‘You were brilliant,’ he said. ‘I thought about coming over to you to help, but I could see you had everything under control, the whole time. You were amazing. How did it feel?’
‘Feel?’ She stared at him blankly for a moment, not understanding what he was saying, and then realisation came to her in a rush. Without any conscious thought she’d acted like a true A and E doctor.
‘I didn’t think about what I was doing,’ she said, her eyes widening. ‘All I know is I was terrified it might be you who was injured, and I was desperate to make sure you were all right. I couldn’t think beyond that. The adrenaline must have taken over.’
‘That’s my girl.’ He hugged her close and kissed her swiftly on the mouth.
His girl? Her heart leapt and she returned his kiss with equal passion, a fever beginning to burn inside her. How did he manage to do this to her every time, to make her want him more than anything, more than any other man?
Where had that thought come from? She didn’t re- member any other man in her life before this. There must have been, surely? But somehow she was certain that Matt was the one man above all who could stir her senses and turn her blood to flame.
Ben started tugging at Matt’s wetsuit. ‘Can we go down to the beach? I want to make another sandcastle.’
Matt gave a soft groan and reluctantly broke off the kiss. ‘Perhaps I should never have started that,’ he said raggedly. ‘Wrong place, wrong time.’ He frowned. ‘It’s always going to be like that, isn’t it?’ he added with a sigh. ‘I have to keep telling myself I must stay away, but when I’m with you it’s so hard to resist.’
And she should never have responded with such eagerness, Saffi reflected wryly. She knew what she was getting into, and going on his record so far it could only end in sorrow, so why couldn’t she keep her emotions firmly under lock and key?
CHAPTER SIX
‘H AVE YOU THOUGHT any more about going back to work in A and E?’ Matt asked. he’d popped home from the hospital to pick up his laptop, and Saffi was glad to see him, and even more pleased that he’d stopped to chat for a while. she missed him when he wasn’t around.
It was lunchtime and she was hosing down the chicken run, a chore she did once a week to make sure the birds’ living quarters were scrupulously clean. The hens were out on the grass, exploring the pellets of food she’d scattered about.
Matt seemed keen to know what she planned to do workwise, and she guessed it was because he cared enough to want her to be completely well again. Being able to do the job she’d trained for was a big part of that recovery process.
‘I think it would do you good to go back to working in a hospital,’ Matt said. ‘It could help to bring back some memories.’
She nodded. ‘I’ve been thinking the same thing. I’m just not sure I’d cope with the responsibility—what if I’ve forgotten some of the techniques I knew before?’
‘I know it would be a huge step for you after you’ve spent the last few months getting yourself back on track, but you did so well looking after Josh—I think you proved yourself then.’
‘Maybe.’ She was hesitant. Was she really ready for it? He seemed to have a lot of faith in her.
‘How is Josh?’ she asked, switching off the hose and laying it on the ground. ‘His foot was in a pretty bad state, wasn’t it?’
‘Yes, but he went up to Theatre and Andrew Simmons pinned it with plates and screws, and did a bone graft. It’ll take a while to heal, and he’ll need physiotherapy, but I think he’ll be all right eventually.’ He gave her a look of new respect. ‘You saved his foot, Saffi. If you hadn’t restored the circulation he
Together, they watched the ambulance move away, and as the crowd dwindled and people returned down the path to the beach Matt drew her to him, putting his free arm around her.
‘You were brilliant,’ he said. ‘I thought about coming over to you to help, but I could see you had everything under control, the whole time. You were amazing. How did it feel?’
‘Feel?’ She stared at him blankly for a moment, not understanding what he was saying, and then realisation came to her in a rush. Without any conscious thought she’d acted like a true A and E doctor.
‘I didn’t think about what I was doing,’ she said, her eyes widening. ‘All I know is I was terrified it might be you who was injured, and I was desperate to make sure you were all right. I couldn’t think beyond that. The adrenaline must have taken over.’
‘That’s my girl.’ He hugged her close and kissed her swiftly on the mouth.
His girl? Her heart leapt and she returned his kiss with equal passion, a fever beginning to burn inside her. How did he manage to do this to her every time, to make her want him more than anything, more than any other man?
Where had that thought come from? She didn’t re- member any other man in her life before this. There must have been, surely? But somehow she was certain that Matt was the one man above all who could stir her senses and turn her blood to flame.
Ben started tugging at Matt’s wetsuit. ‘Can we go down to the beach? I want to make another sandcastle.’
Matt gave a soft groan and reluctantly broke off the kiss. ‘Perhaps I should never have started that,’ he said raggedly. ‘Wrong place, wrong time.’ He frowned. ‘It’s always going to be like that, isn’t it?’ he added with a sigh. ‘I have to keep telling myself I must stay away, but when I’m with you it’s so hard to resist.’
And she should never have responded with such eagerness, Saffi reflected wryly. She knew what she was getting into, and going on his record so far it could only end in sorrow, so why couldn’t she keep her emotions firmly under lock and key?
CHAPTER SIX
‘H AVE YOU THOUGHT any more about going back to work in A and E?’ Matt asked. he’d popped home from the hospital to pick up his laptop, and Saffi was glad to see him, and even more pleased that he’d stopped to chat for a while. she missed him when he wasn’t around.
It was lunchtime and she was hosing down the chicken run, a chore she did once a week to make sure the birds’ living quarters were scrupulously clean. The hens were out on the grass, exploring the pellets of food she’d scattered about.
Matt seemed keen to know what she planned to do workwise, and she guessed it was because he cared enough to want her to be completely well again. Being able to do the job she’d trained for was a big part of that recovery process.
‘I think it would do you good to go back to working in a hospital,’ Matt said. ‘It could help to bring back some memories.’
She nodded. ‘I’ve been thinking the same thing. I’m just not sure I’d cope with the responsibility—what if I’ve forgotten some of the techniques I knew before?’
‘I know it would be a huge step for you after you’ve spent the last few months getting yourself back on track, but you did so well looking after Josh—I think you proved yourself then.’
‘Maybe.’ She was hesitant. Was she really ready for it? He seemed to have a lot of faith in her.
‘How is Josh?’ she asked, switching off the hose and laying it on the ground. ‘His foot was in a pretty bad state, wasn’t it?’
‘Yes, but he went up to Theatre and Andrew Simmons pinned it with plates and screws, and did a bone graft. It’ll take a while to heal, and he’ll need physiotherapy, but I think he’ll be all right eventually.’ He gave her a look of new respect. ‘You saved his foot, Saffi. If you hadn’t restored the circulation he
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