Summer Seaside Wedding by Abigail Gordon Page A

between his still oily hands, he kissed her, gently at first, then, as she became aroused, more demandingly, until she was limp in his arms.
    It took another motorist pulling up noisily in the lay-by to bring them back to reality. With cheeks bright red and the rest of her weak with longing Amelie moved out of his arms and as they faced each other he said huskily, ‘Now do you understand?’
    ‘No!’ she told him weakly. ‘I don’t. How can I?’
    Opening the car door, she eased herself into the driver’s seat and drove off into the summer afternoon, leaving him standing motionless, as if the last few moments had turned him into stone.

CHAPTER SIX
    T HE next morning, with all three doctors closeted with their patients in the first surgery of the day, Amelie considered that for anyone else those stolen moments in the lay-by would have been the beginning of a tender, breathtaking romance, but not when she was the woman involved.
    Leo had asked her if she understood after setting her senses on fire but there was no way she could have said she did.
    It was as if what had just taken place between them had been an ending rather than a beginning. She was bewildered by what was happening to them. Yet one thing had been made clear. Now she knew that given the chance she could love Leo with heart, mind and body, if he ever gave her the opportunity.
    He was passionate, mind-blowingly attractive and kind. But there was no way she was going to let those things sweep her into a situation where she was going to be hurt again. Leo had got it right about that. A man with fewer scruples would have led her on, but not him.
    It might work for someone else, a tougher woman, less vulnerable than she was, but not for her. If she was on her own for the rest of her life, it would be better than making a mistake now, so she was going to do as Leo had asked and stay away from him in every way except at the practice, where she would try to avoid him as much as possible.
    Right now she had to focus on her patients, and she was surprised to see that her next one was Beverly McBride, her gall-bladder patient.
    She had given her a supply of antibiotics to clear the infection and now she was back to say that the inflammation was disappearing, but during the night a clear water-like substance had started to come from the wound and it hadn’t been just a dribble.
    Needless to say, it was causing concern and when she’d examined the source of it and taken note of the much-improved state of the infected area, Amelie asked. ‘Did it smell at all?’
    The answer was no and she explained that it would be some sort of aftermath of the operation. That sometimes air and fluids are pumped into the area where that kind of surgery was to take place.
    ‘It doesn’t always happen,’ Amelie told her, ‘but I’ve seen it a few times. It is drainage, which is a good omen rather than a bad one. But on the other hand, if it occurs again I suggest that you ring the hospital just to be sure.’
    ‘They told me not to get in touch with them if I had any problems,’ Beverly reminded her.
    ‘Yes, maybe they did, but one thing they didn’t tellyou was that this might happen, so I feel you are entitled to put the ball in their court if they refuse to see you.’
    When she’d gone, only partly reassured with instructions to ring the hospital, preferably, or otherwise the surgery if it happened again, Maria, the young practice nurse, came in with coffee. She paused for a second to say, ‘My dad thinks you are a fantastic swimmer. He’s looking forward to you giving him some help in the evenings down on the beach.’
    Amelie smiled across at her from behind the desk and told her, ‘I’m looking forward to it as well, Maria.’ She added wistfully, ‘From what he has told me, it sounds as if you are part of a very happy family.’
    ‘Er, yes, I suppose I am,’ she agreed, surprised at the comment but having no cause to disagree. ‘Mum and Dad are fantastic.