Emma so that Tom was occupied transferring the sleepy toddler. She needed a moment to take a deep breath, pull herself together without his too-perceptive eyes on her.
‘Come and get it!’ one of the men near the barbecue called out as he transported a laden platter towards the food table.
‘Oh, yes, do. Go,’ Rosie said, making ushering movements towards the table. ‘Food disappears quickly around here.’
‘Come on.’ Tom captured her hand and tugged her forward. He handed her a plate and a serviette-wrapped set of utensils.
‘Kebabs?’ Two appeared on her plate. ‘Chops? Rissoles? Salad?’
Tom moved with her around the table, efficiently loading up her plate. He did it so naturally she found herself unable to object. ‘Let’s grab a seat.’
He steadied her while she stepped over the bench then put his plate on the table to save his spot. ‘Can I get you something to drink?’
‘A small red wine would be lovely.’ She watched him walk away. Being cared for the way Tom was looking after her as his date was a new experience. It was both wonderful and unsettling.
‘Be right back.’ He left his jacket on the seat.
A moment later, a girl bounced onto Tom’s jacket and said, ‘Hello. Ry said you’re the doctor who fixed his arm?’
‘That’s right. I’m Kayla.’ She turned her attention to the feminine version of Ryan. ‘Are you Hannah?’
‘Yep.’ Hannah grinned showing a neat set of orthodontic braces. ‘Ry let me sign the plaster already. I was the first.’
‘Lucky you,’ Tom said, returning with a couple of glasses. He leaned over Hannah to put them on the table.
‘Yep, he’s pretty good. For a boy.’ Hannah grinned at her uncle then turned her ingenuous blue eyes back in Kayla’s direction. ‘He said it hurt a lot when he fell off but that he didn’t cry.’
‘Your brother was very brave,’ Kayla said.
‘Hannah, come and get your dinner, please,’ Charlotte called from the food table. She waved to Kayla and said, ‘Hi, Kayla, glad you could join us. Hannah, any time today would be good, please.’
Kayla waved back, watching a reluctant Hannah do her mother’s bidding. ‘She’s going to be a heartbreaker when she gets older.’
‘I think Charlie’s hoping that contempt for boys stays with her for another ten years.’ Tom climbed over the seat. As he settled beside her, his thigh brushed hers, sending a crazy fizz of sensation over her skin. ‘You protected Ryan. I half expected you to give Hannah the line about tears being nothing to be ashamed of.’
Kayla cleared her throat. ‘For a start, it’s not a line. And, secondly, I figure it falls under the heading of patient confidentiality.’
‘I’m glad.’ He twisted towards her and smiled, his eyes warmly approving. Heat came off his body in waves that enveloped her. She stared at him helplessly as he spoke. ‘Han’s a sweetheart deep down but she’s hiding it under a thick layer of holy terror at the moment.’
Someone called his name and he turned away. Kayla blew out a small breath of relief. Being the focus of Tom’s attention was not getting any easier. The man had some serious chemistry.
Other friends and family members joined them at the long table and the conversation became general. His family were fun, lively, affectionate and friendly. As she chatted, Kayla tried to convince herself that she’d imagined her response to Tom. But almost as though he understood what was going on in her mind, Tom turned to touch her. His hand lingered on her shoulder while he asked her to pass the salt, then stroked down to the small of her back as she leaned forward to get it.
‘Thanks.’ His fingers closed over hers briefly as she tried to place the container on the table in front of him.
Nothing objectionable, just enough to ensure all her senses were tuned to him.
Every time he spoke.
Every time he shifted on the bench seat.
Her very cells seemed to be anticipating the next time he might touch
‘Come and get it!’ one of the men near the barbecue called out as he transported a laden platter towards the food table.
‘Oh, yes, do. Go,’ Rosie said, making ushering movements towards the table. ‘Food disappears quickly around here.’
‘Come on.’ Tom captured her hand and tugged her forward. He handed her a plate and a serviette-wrapped set of utensils.
‘Kebabs?’ Two appeared on her plate. ‘Chops? Rissoles? Salad?’
Tom moved with her around the table, efficiently loading up her plate. He did it so naturally she found herself unable to object. ‘Let’s grab a seat.’
He steadied her while she stepped over the bench then put his plate on the table to save his spot. ‘Can I get you something to drink?’
‘A small red wine would be lovely.’ She watched him walk away. Being cared for the way Tom was looking after her as his date was a new experience. It was both wonderful and unsettling.
‘Be right back.’ He left his jacket on the seat.
A moment later, a girl bounced onto Tom’s jacket and said, ‘Hello. Ry said you’re the doctor who fixed his arm?’
‘That’s right. I’m Kayla.’ She turned her attention to the feminine version of Ryan. ‘Are you Hannah?’
‘Yep.’ Hannah grinned showing a neat set of orthodontic braces. ‘Ry let me sign the plaster already. I was the first.’
‘Lucky you,’ Tom said, returning with a couple of glasses. He leaned over Hannah to put them on the table.
‘Yep, he’s pretty good. For a boy.’ Hannah grinned at her uncle then turned her ingenuous blue eyes back in Kayla’s direction. ‘He said it hurt a lot when he fell off but that he didn’t cry.’
‘Your brother was very brave,’ Kayla said.
‘Hannah, come and get your dinner, please,’ Charlotte called from the food table. She waved to Kayla and said, ‘Hi, Kayla, glad you could join us. Hannah, any time today would be good, please.’
Kayla waved back, watching a reluctant Hannah do her mother’s bidding. ‘She’s going to be a heartbreaker when she gets older.’
‘I think Charlie’s hoping that contempt for boys stays with her for another ten years.’ Tom climbed over the seat. As he settled beside her, his thigh brushed hers, sending a crazy fizz of sensation over her skin. ‘You protected Ryan. I half expected you to give Hannah the line about tears being nothing to be ashamed of.’
Kayla cleared her throat. ‘For a start, it’s not a line. And, secondly, I figure it falls under the heading of patient confidentiality.’
‘I’m glad.’ He twisted towards her and smiled, his eyes warmly approving. Heat came off his body in waves that enveloped her. She stared at him helplessly as he spoke. ‘Han’s a sweetheart deep down but she’s hiding it under a thick layer of holy terror at the moment.’
Someone called his name and he turned away. Kayla blew out a small breath of relief. Being the focus of Tom’s attention was not getting any easier. The man had some serious chemistry.
Other friends and family members joined them at the long table and the conversation became general. His family were fun, lively, affectionate and friendly. As she chatted, Kayla tried to convince herself that she’d imagined her response to Tom. But almost as though he understood what was going on in her mind, Tom turned to touch her. His hand lingered on her shoulder while he asked her to pass the salt, then stroked down to the small of her back as she leaned forward to get it.
‘Thanks.’ His fingers closed over hers briefly as she tried to place the container on the table in front of him.
Nothing objectionable, just enough to ensure all her senses were tuned to him.
Every time he spoke.
Every time he shifted on the bench seat.
Her very cells seemed to be anticipating the next time he might touch
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