Tempted by Her Boss

The stifled sobs told him all he needed to know. His free hand stroked the top of her head. A waft of fruit came in his direction, she obviously used citrus-scented shampoo. ‘You did good, Grace. Real good. Tyler’s back.’

She shook her head against him. Her words were muffled, ‘But I panicked, Donovan. I panicked. No one responded to the call and I knew I couldn’t do everything with just one nurse. I didn’t mean to interrupt the conference. I know I should have checked about the other team. But I didn’t want you to think I was incapable.’ Her voice was even quieter, ‘I panicked.’

He walked her backwards towards the single bed against the wall, letting her sit down on it. He kneeled in front of her, taking his hands and putting them on her cheeks, tilting her head up.

He knew all about panic.

Her eyelashes were damp, her cheeks flushed. He could feel the slight perspiration at the base of her neck. ‘Grace, I don’t care about the promise of the other team. I don’t care about the interrupted press conference. All I care about is that Tyler Bates’s heart is beating again and he’s about to get transferred to an ICU.’

She was trying to draw a breath, but her whole body was shuddering. ‘I should have been able to handle an arrest on my own. I’m a doctor. I shouldn’t need any assistance. I should have managed.’ Her eyes were fixed on the floor.

He shook his head. ‘Grace, look at me. Look at me.’

Her eyes finally lifted again. ‘I don’t know how I would have managed a paediatric arrest on my own.’

Her lips tightened. ‘You’re just saying that. You’re just saying that to make me feel better.’

‘No. No, I’m not. I’m your team leader, Grace. I’m not here to make you feel better. I’m here to assess your work and make sure you’re a good fit for the team.’

She bit her lip. She was waiting. Waiting for him to say she should go. He couldn’t stand how upset she looked.

Grace Barclay really had no idea just how good she was.

He did something he probably shouldn’t. He stroked a finger down her cheek. The lightest, gentlest touch against her soft, silky skin. It was a much more intimate gesture than before. ‘Grace, I think you are very capable. You were in a situation that was unusual for you. You recognised that you hadn’t handled a paediatric arrest and asked for assistance. Some people might not have done that. One of the biggest faults a doctor can have is not to recognise their own shortcomings. But you did brilliantly in there, Grace. You have no reason to doubt your abilities.’

Her lips were still quivering. Tears were shimmering in her eyes.

He lowered his lips to her ear. ‘I don’t.’ It was a whisper. But he said it with the intensity he thought she was due.

He felt her suck in a breath and hold it. He straightened up and dropped a kiss on her head, pulling her close again. It felt natural. It felt like a completely natural response.

But they weren’t the actions of a team leader. And he knew that.

She relaxed against him for a few seconds, her hands reaching down and touching the sides of his waist.

Then he moved and did something he absolutely shouldn’t. He sat on the bed next to her and lay back, pulling her with him so she rested against his chest. His arms were encircling her warm body. He could still feel the shudders going through her. And he didn’t say a single word.

What was he doing?

He’d never had a relationship with anyone in his team before. He’d never got this close to anyone in his team before.

But Grace was different. From those first few moments in the shower he’d known things were different.

Keeping her at arm’s length was becoming more tricky. And he certainly didn’t have her at arm’s length right now. As soon as he’d realised how upset she was, he’d been unable to stop himself from putting his arms around her. He’d comforted lots of colleagues in the past by giving them a quick hug, but this was different.

Everything about Grace Barclay confused him. And part of him was hoping she was just as confused as he was.

The shuddering came to a peaceful end. He had one hand wrapped around her body and the other gently stroking her hair. It had seemed natural. He hadn’t even thought to stop. Their breathing had slowly synched and he could almost feel the gradual change in the air around them.

The time for comforting had passed. He really didn’t have an excuse to be lying on a bed with Grace Barclay now. But he didn’t really want to move.

And it seemed that neither did she.

He could sense the change in her breathing again. The awareness.

Electricity seemed to be forming in the air above them.

He squeezed his eyes closed. What was he thinking? They had young patients to prepare for transfer out there. Grace had notes to write up. And his mind was somewhere else entirely. He felt another sensation, a rush of blood and a stirring awareness elsewhere.

Enough.

He sat up rapidly, pushing Grace up along with him. For a second she looked a little flustered and he prayed she hadn’t noticed anything going on in his body.

He took a deep breath and tried to sound as professional as he could. ‘Better?’

He stood up and made a grab for Tyler’s notes, which he’d abandoned on a nearby chair.

She lifted her chin. She looked calmer now. More like herself. She licked her lips. ‘Better.’

Neither of them were going to acknowledge what had just happened.

He tried to keep it all business. ‘We need to write up Tyler’s notes to prepare him for the transfer.’

She nodded. He had no idea what was going on in her head right now.

She reached out her hand. ‘I’ll do it. You wait for the medevac team.’

It was back to business. She took the notes and pushed open the door. It let in a gust of fresh air tha

t cooled the body parts that had been reacting and he watched her walk down the corridor to the nurses’ station and start writing.

He smiled. She’d just given him an order.

And, team leader or not, he kind of liked it.

CHAPTER SIX

GRACE’S PHONE BEEPED as she turned on the shower in the slightly rundown motel room. The only saving grace of this place, with its old-fashioned décor and rough towels, was the fact it looked directly onto the beach.

She was trying to calculate in her head how long she’d been awake, but her brain was currently mush, so she’d reverted to using her fingers. She had been up since six-thirty yesterday morning, then a late-night flight, arrival in the Florida hospital after midnight, followed by a full eleven-hour shift. Callum Ferguson had arrived just under an hour ago and taken a full handover from every member of staff, then he had promptly sent them all to go and sleep.

Donovan hadn’t wanted to leave. He’d been hanging around Callum like a moth to a flame. It was only natural. It had only been two years ago that Callum had experienced a heart attack on a DPA mission. Everyone was naturally protective of the man they all admired. But Grace had noticed there was an extra doctor in Callum’s team. She could only guess he’d been placed there by the director to ensure Callum had enough support.

Eventually, Donovan had agreed to leave but only with a guarantee that if there was an influx of patients he be called back in.

She put her hand under the shower, shrieked and pulled it back. The water was icy cold. A bit like the water at the DPA when Donovan had turned the showers off.

She looked out of her window at the beach. Maybe there was an alternative? The sun wasn’t even close to setting and there were still lots of people in the water. She opened her mammoth case and pulled out the orange bikini. Her friends must have had a sixth sense. She could put this to some use.

The phone beeped again and she picked it up. A text message from Lara.