Caro winced as he demonstrated. ‘That looks...horrible.’
‘If it’s allowed to develop it can be. But I’ve given Laura an exercise and feeding programme for Rolf that will help stabilise these joints, and I’ll be checking on him regularly. That’ll mean he doesn’t develop all of the secondary wear and tear that will start to cause him pain.’
‘He’s not in pain now?’
‘No, he isn’t.’
A tear suddenly rolled down Caro’s cheek. For all her insistence on the science, she had a soft heart that was just as beautiful as her mind. Drew wanted to hug her but didn’t dare, telling himself that this wasn’t the right place. In truth, nowhere was ever going to be the right place, because he knew that hugging Caro would reach parts of his own heart that were forbidden.
Instead, he handed her the model of the joint. She nodded, trying the movements for herself, and then seemed to notice the tear, which was now travelling across her chin, and brushed it away impatiently. If hugging her was a step too far, then Drew supposed that kissing the tear away was a giant leap across the boundaries that he’d imposed on himself.
‘Thank you for looking after Peter. It was a great help, and he didn’t need to know that I was concerned. Laura will explain everything to him when they get home, and she’ll be able to tell him the same as I’ve told you, that Rolf will be all right.’
‘It was...nothing.’ Caro shrugged. ‘I couldn’t bear to think that he might be worried about his puppy.’
‘It was everything...’ A lump blocked Drew’s throat. He took the model from Caro’s hands, putting it back into the cabinet, and turned away. Whatever he did next, he had to keep his distance to avoid anything that had even the slightest chance of turning physical.
‘Would a wire-frame model help to isolate the differences in movement?’ Her mind was obviously starting to work, embracing all the possibilities. ‘I expect that’s already been done...’
‘There are a lot of studies on canine hip dysplasia, and since early diagnosis is so important many of them concentrate on how to diagnose accurately. I can get some of the literature for you if you’re interested.’ He lowered himself into a chair.
‘Yes, I’m interested. I probably wouldn’t be able to contribute anything, but you never know...’
Drew knew. Caro had a way of stripping a problem down and seeing it in many different ways, and if she set her mind to it he’d be surprised if she couldn’t add a little something to the sum total of knowledge on any subject.
‘You’re not going to get diverted from the prosthetics project, are you?’
She grinned suddenly, rubbing one hand in a circle over her stomach and using the other to tap her head in an impressive show of co-ordination. ‘I can do more than one thing at a time.’
‘Right, then.’ Drew ignored the hard spike of desire that shot through him. Finding out how many things Caro could do at one time, and then concentrating her mind on just one, over-arching sensation was an entirely inappropriate thought, and there wasn’t a situation that was going to change that. He seriously needed to get a grip.
‘So... Are you ready for our next visitor?’
* * *
‘I need to take a break.’
The words were surprisingly easy to say, even if they did prompt a grimace of disappointment from Caro. In the three hours since they’d started work, her manner had changed a little, her quiet wariness of their canine test subjects beginning to dissolve. She’d even stroked a particularly docile spaniel without glancing at Drew first for reassurance, and Drew had fought to hide a smile.
But now he was tired. His leg was beginning to ache, and he knew that he’d reach a point soon where he would have to sit down.
‘Lucas is still doing his morning surgery, and if you wanted to join him, I’m sure he wouldn’t mind. Perhaps he could send some of his patients your way for the study.’
She raised her eyebrows, as if he’d suggested something that was beyond outrageous. A little stir of gratification nudged at Drew’s heart.
‘No, that’s okay. I think I have what I need for this morning. Anyway, I’ve trained you up now.’
Drew chuckled. He was finding it more and more difficult to resist Caro’s forthright manner and the way that she reddened slightly when she realised that she’d said what was on her mind without applying the usual filters.
‘Glad to hear it. I’ll try and remember the drill for the next time.’
‘Good. Shall I go and get us some lunch from the cafeteria?’
He’d really like to stroll over there with her and get his own lunch. But something about Caro always made him feel stronger and more useful than he usually did these days, and it didn’t seem quite so galling to let go of the reins from time to time.
‘A ham and cheese toastie, if they have one, and some coffee. Put it all on my account.’
‘Okay. Lunch is on you, then, thank you.’ Caro made it sound as if he’d just asked her to dine at an exclusive restaurant. But in truth nothing was more luxurious than the chance to just watch her as she crossed the room, the overhead lights teasing the shine from her hair.