Resisting Her Army Doc Rival

‘As in the roof is on top of the tables, saving us from being flattened. The walls appear to have fallen inwards. I can’t find a way out. Not even a small opening for you to squeeze through.’

No, no, no. They couldn’t stay in here, waiting for someone to reach them. She sniffed the air, sneezed when she got a lungful of dust. But no smoke. One bit of luck anyway. A huge bit. ‘I’m going to check this out.’

‘I’m telling you we’re stuck.’ He tugged his phone from his pocket. ‘I’ll text someone on the base.’

Sam was right. She’d known he would be but, desperate for a way out, was driven to check. This was one time she’d love to prove him wrong.

Her hands shook as she felt her way around the edge of their cell. It took less than a minute to concede. Frustration and worry built up inside her, creating waves of nausea. Being confined in a small place would never have bothered her once. ‘We could be here for days. No one knows where we are,’ she cried.

‘They do now.’ Sam waved his phone in her direction.

‘You’re kidding. You got coverage in here?’

‘Yep. I’ve texted Jock and the commander. One of them will get guys here with gear to haul us out.’

She swallowed the fear in the back of her throat. Tried to, any rate. Focused on something else. ‘What about the barman? He went to the kitchen. Did you hear anything from him? He might be worse off.’ Her heart was in overdrive, beating like that of a wild bird. She couldn’t do this. She’d go mad thinking about the last time she’d been stuck, unable to move to save her grandfather.

There is no smoke. There is no smoke. You’re going to be all right. You’re with Sam. He won’t let anything bad happen to you.

Both hands were on her stomach, her fingers digging in, warding off any blows that might come her way.

Sam was texting and reaching for her hands at the same time. ‘Stop this, Maddy. You can do better than wind yourself up into a ball of nerves. You’re strong.’

Worry was only half of it. But, ‘You’re right. It’s just...’ Stop. Don’t tell him. He was going tomorrow, and whatever was going on between them would be over. ‘This isn’t the first time a roof has come down on me. Part of one, any rate.’

Sam stuffed his phone back in his pocket and reached for her other hand. ‘Tell me.’

She nibbled her bottom lip until it hurt. ‘There was a fire.’ Nibble, nibble. ‘My granddad lit a candle and set it by his bed.’ Her hands gripped Sam’s. ‘He had early dementia and I was there for the night to give Mum and Dad a much-needed break. The fire investigators believe Granddad knocked the candle over in his sleep.’

Then it became impossible to stop the torrent of words.

‘A crashing noise woke me. I rushed to get Granddad out, but there was smoke everywhere and I couldn’t find my way around the house I’d lived in most of my life. It freaked me out.’

Sam’s hands squeezed hers, his thumbs rubbing her skin softly, encouragingly.

‘His room was ablaze. And his bed. I managed to drag him out the door, along the hall to the lounge...’

Her voice trailed away so that her next words were a whisper. She’d never talked about this to anyone. People knew, but putting any of it into words had been beyond her—until today.

‘A ceiling beam dropped on us, and that’s where we were found not long afterwards.’

Strong arms wound around her. Sam lifted her onto his thighs and held her close, stroking her shoulder. ‘We’re safe in here, Maddy. There’s no smoke or the sound of approaching flames.’

‘I’ve been sniffing the air non-stop,’ she admitted against his chest.

‘I saw. Now I understand why you freaked out when you saw your first dust whirl.’

‘Yeah, that was a bit of a giveaway.’

‘But you’ve done well since. No flinching on patrol where there was dust and smoke for Africa.’

‘I work hard at hiding it.’ Had to if she wasn’t going to be treated with disdain—by this man and the troops.

‘Then there’s that stomach rub thing you do when you’re upset.’ His head might be above hers, but the increased tension in his body told Madison he was waiting for a strong reaction from her.

Damn him for being too observant. She quickly slid off those thighs, muttering, ‘Just an old habit,’ as she tried to make herself comfortable on the floor beside him, averting her face from his prying eyes in case she let slip some emotions best kept hidden.

‘Right.’ Sam’s disappointment fell between them.

She was damned if she was going to explain so he’d feel happier, because she sure wouldn’t.

A phone beeped, and Sam dug into his pocket.

Saved by the bell.

‘The men are on their way.’

Relief loosened her muscles. ‘They know where to come?’

‘Everyone knows this place.’ He tapped out a text and pushed ‘Send’. ‘Might as well make ourselves comfortable. They’ll be a while putting some gear together and we have no idea what it’s like outside our cocoon. They’ll have to take it carefully, working through to us. Don’t want any more timber coming down.’

‘As long as there are no more explosions I can handle that.’ As long as you’re with me. ‘Would’ve loved those koftas, though.’

‘I wonder.’ Sam tapped his finger against his chin. ‘Bix went out to the kitchen to heat up the oil for our order. Then everything blew up.’

‘You think the gas might’ve been leaking? Wouldn’t there be fire?’ Bang, bang. Her heart rate shot through the roof again.

‘No, Maddy. We’d know by now if there was a fire.’ Sam leaned back against what was their temporary wall and tugged her against him. ‘So, probably not the gas. Guess we’re going to

have to wait to find out what happened.’

It was warm in the small space, yet snuggling into Sam gave her a different kind of warmth, finally obliterating the chill she’d been fighting since finding herself face down on the floor. He gave her hope they’d be all right. Couldn’t ask more of him than that. ‘So, got any cards in your pocket?’

He laughed. ‘We could try finding a game app on the phone.’

‘You’d hate me winning.’

Another laugh. ‘Not at all.’ Then, ‘Okay, maybe a little bit.’

Madison glanced around. For a prison it was quite snug in here. Nothing wrong with the company she was keeping either. ‘When I thought we’d spend a day having fun together I never envisaged this.’ She’d wanted to make new memories to take into the future as she learned to live without the man she might be falling for, but she’d got more than she’d bargained for.

Seemed her future was going to be all about memories—good and bad. The best she could hope for was the good ones outweighing the bad.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

‘“WE’RE OUTSIDE THE PUB”.’ Sam read Jock’s text out loud. ‘“Give us a clue where you might be”.’

In the centre of the café, he tapped back.

‘Told you they wouldn’t waste any time getting here,’ he said to Maddy.

‘I’m glad.’ There was a quiver in her voice, belying her resolute face.

‘It’s nearly over, and you’ll be back on base before you know it. I’ll be able to take a look at that cut on your head then.’

‘What cut?’ Her fingers tripped around her skull until she found a sticky patch. ‘Ouch. Never felt a thing but now it’s throbbing.’

‘You’re relaxing at last.’ Stretching his legs out in front of him, Sam tipped his head back against the boards behind them, stared around their tight space. They were incredibly lucky that the roof had fallen onto chairs and tables, creating a safe haven. Three feet either way they’d have been hit and badly injured for sure. Or worse.

He suppressed a shudder, knowing the woman tucked into him would recognise it for the stab of horror it was, and probably freak out a lot more. Maddy had struggled to keep her terror at bay, but it had been there in her eyes, zipping across her face and twisting his gut. He hated that she was frightened, and yet admired her for not going screaming mad. Now that he knew about the fire he marvelled that she was holding it together at all.