The Seduction Challenge

Michael’s gaze was troubled. ‘But she didn’t—’

‘Yes, she did,’ Joel pointed out. ‘She came to see Lucy—who is, by the way, one hell of a great practice nurse.’

Michael nodded agreement. ‘Yes, well, we certainly agree on that. She’s a bright girl. And she did well, spotting Millie’s problem.’

‘It’s called teamwork, bro.’ Joel stood up and walked over to Michael, giving him a friendly punch on the shoulder. ‘You’re a great doctor. Don’t forget it. And you’re still my hero even if you are an interfering pain in the neck.’

‘That sounded more like an insult than a compliment,’ Michael drawled, a smile touching his mouth, and Joel put a hand on his chest and faked an injured expression.

‘Me? Insult my brother? Never.’

‘Of course, never.’ Michael gave a wry smile before stepping into the corridor and closing the door behind him.

Joel watched him go, his smile fading rapidly as he thought back over their conversation. He hadn’t admitted it to Michael, but it had taken all his will power to leave Lucy last night. What he’d really wanted to do was drag her down onto the floor and have his wicked way with her.

The chemistry between them was so powerful it took his breath away, and all Joel’s experience with women told him that she felt it, too. But he knew that it wouldn’t make any difference. She’d been terribly hurt, and although he’d never claimed to be an expert in the way women’s minds worked, you didn’t need a degree in female psychology to know that she wasn’t going to be interested in men.

Especially a man like him who didn’t seem to be able to settle down with one woman.

Which meant that he was going to have to learn to keep his feelings under control.

He gave a groan and ran a hand over his face. Judging from the way his body reacted even when he thought about her, it was going to be easier said than done.

Lucy checked her watch again and hoped for the hundredth time that morning that Sam was OK.

He’d certainly seemed all right when she’d dropped him at school. She’d checked his peak flow and had decided that he was well enough to go. But it didn’t stop her worrying. At least the class teacher had promised to call if she was worried.

She worked her way steadily through her hypertension clinic, checking blood pressures, giving dietary advice, and it was lunchtime when Joel walked into the room.

He stood aside to let her last patient out of the room and then closed the door so that they were alone.

‘How’s Sam?’

Lucy tossed an old bandage in the bin and gave him a shy smile. ‘He seems OK. I’m glad you popped in. I wanted to thank you again for last night.’

‘No thanks needed. How was he after I left? Did he wake up? Any bad dreams?’

She was touched by his concern. ‘Actually, he slept well. I was expecting problems but he was fine once we talked about it.’ She felt nothing but relief that after the initial shock Sam had seemed all right. ‘I suppose he’s grown up a lot in the last year. Children understand things at six that they don’t understand when they’re five.’

Joel gave a rueful smile. ‘I can’t honestly claim any great experience with children that age, but I’m sure you’re right. Look—we still haven’t talked about the asthma and immunisation clinics. I’m keen to hear what you think.’

Lucy glanced at her appointments on the computer. ‘My next patient has cancelled. We could have a quick chat now, if that suits you.’

He nodded, and Lucy quickly ran through the routine for the asthma clinic, stumbling over her words as she tried hard to concentrate and not notice how handsome he was.

She didn’t understand her reaction to him. It wasn’t as if she was looking for a relationship. Far from

it.

After Tim had left she’d never thought for a moment that one day she might be interested in a man again, but here she was thinking all sorts of shocking thoughts just because she’d met someone who was extremely good-looking.

But she was glad that she’d insisted they just be friends. She wasn’t ready to cope with anything more.

Joel was considering what she’d told him about the asthma clinic. ‘So you’re trained to do spirometry?’

Lucy nodded. ‘As you know, we have lots of elderly patients in the practice and there’s an increase in respiratory diseases. It’s important that we distinguish between asthma and chronic obstructive airways disease because the treatment is different, and spirometry is important for that.’

‘And the immunisation clinic?’