Rescuing Dr. MacAllister

'Ellie?' His voice was weary and she shrugged and settled herself on the sofa opposite him.

'I'm forty-three,' she said cheerfully, and then subsided as she caught the look in his eyes. 'Well, I will be in twenty years' time. You're wondering how I've aged so well?'

'I'm wondering how you've survived twenty-three years without someone trying to strangle you,' he drawled. 'Tell me, what methods do people usually use to stop you talking?'

'Well, you could kiss me,' she suggested cheekily. 'That's bound to work.' Her smile faded as she saw the look in his eyes. 'OK, maybe not.'

The mere thought of being kissed by him sent her pulse rate soaring and she cursed Lindsay and moved quickly to a safer topic.

'So how do you know Uncle Jack?'

'I thought you just promised not to talk?'

'I promise to keep the subject matter neutral.' She slipped off her shoes and curled her legs under her on the sofa. 'You don't mind me making myself comfortable, do you?'

'I'm getting used to it. Just as long as you don't start removing your clothes.'

For a breath-stealing moment their gazes collided and she felt unusually flustered.

Perhaps he noticed because he broke the contact and stretched his long legs out in front of him, his eyes returning to the lake. 'How do I know Jack? Everyone knows Jack. The climbing community is pretty small, as you know. He's running a fantastically successful outfit here.'

Ellie nodded and finished her coffee. 'Yes, he's expanded a lot.'

Ben glanced towards her. 'Who are his clients? Is it mostly corporate stuff? Team-building for companies?'

'Well, that's certainly where the money is,' Ellie observed, nestling deeper into the sofa, 'but he takes other groups as well. Schoolchildren, people with disabilities—and he coaches climbers, of course.'

'And you help out?'

She laughed softly. 'When I have the time, which isn't very often, I'm afraid. Between the MRT and working in A and E, I don't have time for much else.' She bent to give Max a pat. 'My entire life is emergency medicine and the mountains, and the two of them are usually combined.'

'Sean mentioned that you were with the Mountain Rescue Team.' He gave a wry smile. 'I suppose I should have guessed that you would be, knowing your predilection for risk and danger. I suppose you do extreme skiing as a hobby, or maybe white-water rafting?'

Ellie chuckled and wrapped her hands around the warm mug. 'It isn't that risky. If you're a climber, you should know that.' She took another sip of coffee. 'And, anyway, I have a clever dog with me. He keeps me out of mischief.'

'I should think it would take more than a dog to do that.' Ben looked at the dog. 'How old is he?'

'Four. I've had him since he was a puppy. His daddy is Sean's dog. They bred him and were given a puppy from the litter. Ally decided that they couldn't cope with another dog and three children, so they offered him to me. Jack helped me train him and he passed his first assessment as a search dog last year.'

They talked about Max's training and then Ben glanced around him. 'These cabins are fantastic.'

'Yes.' Ellie smiled. 'For most of the summer they're booked out, but in the winter there's often a spare one or two and Uncle Jack lends them to friends.'

'But you live here all year round?'

She nodded. "The cabin next door belongs to me. My dad set up this whole place with Jack.' She hesitated, the hand tickling the dog's ears suddenly still. 'My dad was a climber. He was killed climbing Everest.'

'I know who your dad was.' Ben's voice was soft, his dark gaze disturbingly intense. 'Sean told me.'

'You'd heard of him?'

'Are you serious?' Ben gave a wry smile. 'Phil Harrison was a legend in the climbing community.'

'I know that,' Ellie said proudly. 'He was the best.'

'Sean says you were with him when he climbed Everest.'

She nodded slowly. 'I trekked to Base Camp twice.'