New Surgeon at Ashvale A&E by Joanna Neil Page A

start.’
    ‘Now you’ve cut me to the quick.’ She gave him what should have been an indignant frown, but she struggled to keep it up for very long. ‘I’m hurt that you think I could be so devious.’
    ‘I wouldn’t want you to be hurt in any way,’ he murmured, moving closer. ‘I already feel bad that I took the job you wanted. Perhaps I should try to kiss you better,’ he added softly, leaning towards her and allowing his lips to brush hers as though testing for a reaction.
    She was too stunned by his actions to have time to put up any kind of resistance, and perhaps he read her lack of response as acquiescence because in the next moment he moved in on her, drawing her close and wrapping his arms around her. Then he kissed her firmly on her mouth.
    It was a warm and vibrant experience, one that unexpectedly thrilled her to the core. She felt the aftershock of that kiss tingle along her nerve endings, sending small spirals of sweet sensation as far as her extremities, so that her pulses throbbed and her toes curled in delicious expectation.
    It was a wonderful feeling being gathered up into his arms and soundly kissed, even as it was totally astonishing, and her whole body responded by going into complete meltdown. His kiss simply took her breath away.
    Slowly, reluctantly, he dragged his mouth from hers, and she stared up at him in bemused wonder, her head reeling with a myriad of questions.
    ‘Is something wrong?’ he asked, looking down into her eyes and seeing her dazed expression.
    ‘I…uh…I’m not exactly sure,’ she murmured. ‘What was that all about?’
    His mouth made a rueful twist. ‘It seemed like a good idea at the time,’ he said. ‘Have I blown my chances?’
    ‘Chances of what?’ she asked.
    ‘That you’ll come back to A&E.’
    ‘Ah,’ she said on a wavering sigh. ‘A&E, of course.’ Actually, she reflected, that was probably the best place for her right now because somehow her rational mind seemed to have detached itself from the rest of her body and was off floating somewhere in the ether. Was it going to be possible to put her back together again? ‘I’ll have to get back to you on that one.’
    He frowned, shooting her a quizzical glance.
    For her part, she decided it was just as well that he had let go of her because only then with some small space between them was she able to start functioning properly again. And her senses were telling her that they were no longer alone.
    She glanced towards the farmhouse and saw that Craig, the vet, was coming into view, calling her name as he stepped onto the terrace at the back of the house.
    ‘Over here,’ she said, lifting a hand in acknowledgement. ‘I’m over by the pond.’
    Craig started towards her. Long and lanky, with dark hair and grey eyes, he had been a friend for as long as she could remember.
    She sent Sam an oblique glance. ‘I need to explain to him what’s going on with the animals.’
    Sam nodded. ‘I’ll leave you to it, then. Will you think about what I said?’
    ‘I will.’
    ‘Good. I’ll be in touch in the next day or so if that’s okay?’
    ‘Okay.’ By now Craig had reached them, but before she had time to make the introductions, the young vet had gathered her up in his arms and was hugging her fiercely. She was vaguely aware of Sam looking on with a frown.
    ‘It’s good to meet up with you again, Ruby,’ Craig said. ‘We don’t get to see enough of you these days.’ He drew back a little and looked into her eyes. ‘I know how busy you are. Sophie’s always telling me how hard you work.’ Then he frowned. ‘It’s a real worry that she’s disappeared, isn’t it? You must let me help you in any way I can. Anything I can do, you know I’m here for you.’ He draped an arm around her shoulders and turned to look expectantly at Sam.
    For some reason, Sam’s frown had deepened as he looked Craig over, and Ruby hastened to introduce the two men. ‘Sam’s taken over the A&E