The man has demons, she thought. Ben pushed himself and pushed himself, and even now she didn’t fully understand his reckless drive. If he didn’t confront his fears soon then he was likely going to self-destruct.
And if he was here, working with her every day, wasn’t there a chance she would let herself
be dragged down with him?
She dropped her head into her hands. How was she supposed to work alongside the man?
‘Okay,’ Nic continued eventually, ‘tell me what Sir James said.’
Thea drew in a deep, steadying breath, trying to still her spinning head.
‘He said what you’ve just said—about Ben being a cutting-edge trauma surgeon, skilled in field techniques which will really benefit us on Civvy Street. He reminded me that the Air Ambulance is a charity, and that someone like Ben could really help to raise our profile and secure us extra funding. And he informed me that there are many other interested parties trying to court Ben in the event that he doesn’t return to active duty.’
‘So far, so Sir James,’ Nic muttered. ‘But surely the idea of Ben not returning to active duty appeals to you?’
Thea snorted. ‘Ben would never give up an opportunity to return to full Army life.’
‘He might. For you.’
She opened and closed her mouth a few times.
‘That’s lunacy. And anyway... I’d never ask him to do that.’
‘I didn’t say you would. So, let me guess. Sir James threatened your place here if you don’t talk to Ben.’
‘Not in so many words. But he implied that he would have to think twice about someone who didn’t have the best interests of the charity at the forefront of her mind,’ Thea agreed.
‘Why doesn’t that surprise me? Okay. Forget Sir James and his threats—look at it another way. If it was anyone other than Ben, would you be in favour of it?’
‘I... Well...’ Thea blinked at him, for the first time really stopping to think.
‘For what it’s worth...’ Nic spoke again ‘...I have to admit I wouldn’t mind learning from a trauma guy of Ben’s calibre. Imagine the potential to save lives we might otherwise lose.’
‘That’s what Sir James said. “Imagine if the Major’s knowledge could help you save just one additional life you might otherwise have lost.”’
‘The old guy’s devious, but he has a point,’ Nic conceded. ‘Even one precious life.’
Thea felt a shiver creep over her back. One precious life. She knew the value of that. She was a trauma doctor. But just for a moment she’d been ready to become a mother. What wouldn’t she give to have a happy four-year-old running around now?
Her heart flip-flopped. She had no choice. Somehow she was going to have to try and forge a friendship with Ben. Until she did they wouldn’t possibly be able to work in the tense atmosphere which surrounded them when they were together.
‘You’re right. I’ll speak to Ben tomorrow.’
CHAPTER SEVEN
IT WAS JUST after midday when Ben heard Thea moving in her room. She’d got in from her shift at six a.m. and had crashed out for the last few hours. He waited impatiently for her to shower and head downstairs. If they were going to make this arrangement work then it was time to re-establish some basic ground rules—especially since that unexpected moment between them in the kitchen yesterday morning.
However much he wanted to deny it, there was still some spark between them, and they needed to address that. They couldn’t afford for it to happen again.
Thea had moved on with her life without him there to complicate things and was now a successful trauma doctor. And in a few months he would be returning to his Army life, able to bury his feelings for Thea once again.
‘I want to apologise for all the drama since I came home,’ he announced, once she’d come down and they’d dispensed with the small-talk. ‘I can imagine it hasn’t been easy having me here, bursting back into your life and disrupting your routines. So I’d like us to try and start over.’
‘Start over? How?’
He could hear the caution in her tone and forced himself to smile brightly. ‘Try to forge some kind of a friendship. Like you suggested.’
She licked her lips and a fresh wave of lust coursed through him. Get a grip, he chastised himself, but the image of those long, slender legs of hers, and that perfect backside, popped into his head.