could have struck any closer to her heart.
âWhere are we headed?â Mimi tried to switch back into professional mode.
âOne of the farms, out by the A375. Three-month-old baby.â
If Mimi had been alone, she would have screamed and buried her head in her hands. What was this? Did fate have some sort of grudge against her? If the sight of Tommy in Rafeâs arms had pushed all her buttons, then a baby was going to be even worse.
âA baby?â She tried to keep her tone level. Maybe Rafe would decide that it wasnât medically necessary to pick the child up.
âYep. Probably just colic, but weâll make sure.â
âYes. Good to make sure.â He was going to pick it up, she just knew it. Maybe a baby throwing up all over him wouldnât be so mind-bendingly difficult to watch. Mimi wasnât at all sure that would be the case.
CHAPTER NINE
T HE TRACK WHICH led to the farmhouse was submerged and the house itself surrounded by almost a foot of muddy water. Rafe parked on the road and got out of the car.
âLooks as if weâre getting our feet wet.â Mimi surveyed the muddy, rippling water in front of them. Her wellingtons were in her car, which was still parked back at the hospital.
Rafe opened the back of the SUV and leaned in, pushing bags and boxes to one side and pulling out a pair of heavy-duty wellington boots. At least heâd be keeping dry. Perhaps she could roll her trouser legs up far enough to avoid the water.
âWant a lift?â Rafe was grinning broadly.
No. The idea of being carried around like a rag doll didnât much appeal to her. The idea of being carried around by Rafe... Mimi swallowed hard.
âCome on.â Heâd obviously had second thoughts about teasing her, and was now trying to keep his face straight. Somehow that was worse. âWeâve got more to do today, remember? Thereâs no time to go home and change.â
And if she got wet, that was only going to get in the way of the job. It was a first principle. Stay safe, stay dry, because your ability to help others was compromised otherwise.
âAll right. Thanks.â She kept her eyes fixed on the ground, feeling her muscles tense in stiff, silent protest. He tried to pick her up, but had to set her back down again.
âHey. Loosen up, will you. Youâre going to need to bend your legs.â
âYeah. Sorry.â
âOne medical professional assisting another to the scene...â He muttered the words under his breath and Mimi wondered if he believed that any more than she did.
She laced her fingers together behind his neck and he picked her up. It was actually more like taking her in his arms, holding her close. Mimi hung on tight, squeezing her eyes shut and burying her face in his shoulder.
âThatâs better.â He started to walk, the sloshing sound of water accompanying his slow strides.
Mimi clung to him, trying to think of anything else. The shopping list for Charlie. The forms she had to fill in for her new job. That was just making things worse. Every time she went to the supermarket now, the stronger image was going to take hold and she was going to have to deal with remembering this moment.
He was walking carefully, testing each step, but a sudden eddy of water made him pause, instinctively holding her tighter. Mimi felt herself move against him, her cheek brushing his neck.
No, no, no... She felt her face redden in anguish. She hadnât done that, had she?
She had. Without thinking, and entirely by instinct, her lips had formed the shape of a kiss when sheâd jolted against him. When heâd started walking again the kiss had been planted on his neck.
He hadnât felt it. He couldnât have. One quiet murmur of approbation told her that he had.
By the time they got to the farmhouse her cheeks were flaming. He leaned over the row of sandbags, protecting the small flower garden in front of the house,
âWhere are we headed?â Mimi tried to switch back into professional mode.
âOne of the farms, out by the A375. Three-month-old baby.â
If Mimi had been alone, she would have screamed and buried her head in her hands. What was this? Did fate have some sort of grudge against her? If the sight of Tommy in Rafeâs arms had pushed all her buttons, then a baby was going to be even worse.
âA baby?â She tried to keep her tone level. Maybe Rafe would decide that it wasnât medically necessary to pick the child up.
âYep. Probably just colic, but weâll make sure.â
âYes. Good to make sure.â He was going to pick it up, she just knew it. Maybe a baby throwing up all over him wouldnât be so mind-bendingly difficult to watch. Mimi wasnât at all sure that would be the case.
CHAPTER NINE
T HE TRACK WHICH led to the farmhouse was submerged and the house itself surrounded by almost a foot of muddy water. Rafe parked on the road and got out of the car.
âLooks as if weâre getting our feet wet.â Mimi surveyed the muddy, rippling water in front of them. Her wellingtons were in her car, which was still parked back at the hospital.
Rafe opened the back of the SUV and leaned in, pushing bags and boxes to one side and pulling out a pair of heavy-duty wellington boots. At least heâd be keeping dry. Perhaps she could roll her trouser legs up far enough to avoid the water.
âWant a lift?â Rafe was grinning broadly.
No. The idea of being carried around like a rag doll didnât much appeal to her. The idea of being carried around by Rafe... Mimi swallowed hard.
âCome on.â Heâd obviously had second thoughts about teasing her, and was now trying to keep his face straight. Somehow that was worse. âWeâve got more to do today, remember? Thereâs no time to go home and change.â
And if she got wet, that was only going to get in the way of the job. It was a first principle. Stay safe, stay dry, because your ability to help others was compromised otherwise.
âAll right. Thanks.â She kept her eyes fixed on the ground, feeling her muscles tense in stiff, silent protest. He tried to pick her up, but had to set her back down again.
âHey. Loosen up, will you. Youâre going to need to bend your legs.â
âYeah. Sorry.â
âOne medical professional assisting another to the scene...â He muttered the words under his breath and Mimi wondered if he believed that any more than she did.
She laced her fingers together behind his neck and he picked her up. It was actually more like taking her in his arms, holding her close. Mimi hung on tight, squeezing her eyes shut and burying her face in his shoulder.
âThatâs better.â He started to walk, the sloshing sound of water accompanying his slow strides.
Mimi clung to him, trying to think of anything else. The shopping list for Charlie. The forms she had to fill in for her new job. That was just making things worse. Every time she went to the supermarket now, the stronger image was going to take hold and she was going to have to deal with remembering this moment.
He was walking carefully, testing each step, but a sudden eddy of water made him pause, instinctively holding her tighter. Mimi felt herself move against him, her cheek brushing his neck.
No, no, no... She felt her face redden in anguish. She hadnât done that, had she?
She had. Without thinking, and entirely by instinct, her lips had formed the shape of a kiss when sheâd jolted against him. When heâd started walking again the kiss had been planted on his neck.
He hadnât felt it. He couldnât have. One quiet murmur of approbation told her that he had.
By the time they got to the farmhouse her cheeks were flaming. He leaned over the row of sandbags, protecting the small flower garden in front of the house,
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