“Manon!” Rafe Marshall leaped from the examining
table in time to catch her before she hit the floor. He cradled her against his
chest. “Didn’t mean to scare you,” he whispered. Why did she think he was dead?
He knew news of his accident had been kept quiet because the police believed
he’d been deliberately forced off the road. Who had told her? Had the informant
been the driver of the dark car his rescuer had seen speeding from the scene?
The citrus aroma of her shampoo brought memories of
years ago when he had buried his face in her sunlit hair before they made love.
His body responded to her presence and the sensual recollections. Thank heavens
the gown was cloth. The urgent rise of his cock would have punctured paper.
Carefully, he placed her on the table. He stroked her
face with his fingers and brushed his lips over hers. Any anger remaining from
the past vanished beneath the heat of desire.
Manon was beautiful and his. The knowledge rung true.
Even if she wouldn’t admit the strength of the bond, he knew. How could he
explain why he’d taken so long to find her? Would she believe that any trace of
her had vanished in Europe three years after
she’d begun touring with her father?
He stepped back from the table. He had many things to
tell her. Some of the revelations would cause anger, denial and pain. At this
moment, he didn’t know where to begin. She wasn’t the teenage girl who had
loved him. Had her love morphed into hate? He could handle that but not
indifference.
Why hadn’t she answered the letters he’d written
after the amnesia had cleared enough for him to remember her? Those notes had
been sent months after her eighteenth birthday. Had she received the messages?
That was one question he intended to ask. He needed to clear the past so he
could move forward.
He had to tell her about the accident, the multiple
injuries, the surgeries and the months of rehab. He wanted her to know though
he’d left on their prom night, he’d decided to come for her after her
eighteenth birthday.
Those days after the accident had been filled with
frustration, especially after he remembered who he was and why he’d left Fern Lake Europe .
He wondered how she had escaped her father’s plans for her life.
Manon opened her eyes. Blue-gray like the waters of
the lake on a cloudy day. As she sat up, a flush spread across her face
reminding him of a younger Manon.
Rafe watched her slid from the table. Her dark blue
skirt slid over her thighs. He held in a groan of regret. Shame to cover those incredible legs. A moment of memory of her
legs wrapped around his hips flared. He couldn’t repress a groan.
“Did you hurt yourself catching me?”
“I’m fine. That wasn’t the way I intended to greet
you. I should have had your nurse warn you.”
Manon shrugged. “She must have had reasons for
keeping quiet. She didn’t put your name on the intake sheet. A warning wouldn’t
have helped.”
Rafe stared at the way her chest moved when she took
a deep breath. Was she reacting to his presence the way he reacted to hers?
There was no way to learn. Her lab coat acted as a barrier.
“Told her not to mention my name.” He looked away.
“Maybe next time.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” She reached for the
chart. “She’ll hear from me.”
“Don’t blame her. Told her I was an old friend you
haven’t seen for years and wanted to surprise you.”
“You did that. Why are you here?”
He grinned. “After losing track of your existence, I
heard you were in town. I always though you’d found someone in Europe and married. You disappeared.” He met her gaze.
“Where’s your father?”
“He died in January.” She turned away. “I stayed on
the concert tour for three years. Those were the most miserable of my life.”
“How did you escape?”
“On my twenty-first birthday, I gained control of the
money my mother left me. I came back to the states and enrolled in college
using her maiden name.” She strode to the counter and opened the folder.
“Enough about me. I’d like the nurse practitioner at Employee’s Health to do
your physical and for you to find another physician. I’ll give you several
names.”
“Why?”
“How can you ask that?”
Thoughts of her hands on his body sent a rush of
blood to his groin. “Wouldn’t embarrass me. You’ve seen me in the raw.”
Her face flamed. Her shoulders straightened. “That
was in the past and will stay there.”
“We need to talk about that time. There are facts you
should know.”
She turned toward the door. “There’s nothing you can
tell me I don’t know.” She glared. “What job are you applying for? Maintenance?”
Rafe laughed. “I start tomorrow as CNO, better known
as director of nursing. Actually, I’ll be working with Gran Ruth, uh, Mrs.
Patton until September.”
“What?”
Her reaction startled him. “Men can be nurses just as
women can be doctors.”
“I know that. What made you decide to become a
nurse?”
“An accident. Happened the night I left.” Did she
believe he had remained that teenager more in tune with motorcycles than with
people? “Gran plans to retire and she recommended me. Since I was finishing my
doctorate and a consulting job, I had a Skype interview and was hired.”
Manon whirled. “Haven’t you heard?”
“About what?”
“This morning Mrs. Patton was admitted with angina.
We’re monitoring her condition and ordering tests.”
He slid from the table. “How is she? Is this an
emergency?”
“She’s stable.”
“Why wasn’t I notified? I’m her emergency contact.”
He had been since he’d come to live with her on the day his mother had left.
Manon frowned. “I was busy stabilizing her. I’m sure
one of the nurses made the call. Emma said all her attempts to reach you to
change your appointment went to voice mail.”
He reached for his jeans and extracted the phone.
“Damn. Forgot to charge. Are you sure she’s stable?”
Manon leaned against the door. “I wouldn’t be here if
she wasn’t. She’ll be undergoing a few tests so we can determine what’s going
on. Why don’t I give you the list of doctors and notify the nurse practitioner
you’ll be in tomorrow for the physical. Get dressed and I’ll handle matters.”
Though he wanted to see Gran Ruth, her illness
changed matters. Tomorrow he had to be ready to work. He returned to the table.
“I need to be cleared for tomorrow.”
“Check with the nurse practitioner. If anything
she’ll come back to do the exam.”
“Why bother her when I’m here? One thing I remember
is the physical must be completed before starting to work.”
Manon scowled. She closed the door and walked to the
counter. “I’ll do an EKG, the EENT exam, check your blood pressure and your
lungs. If I discover any problems I’ll have to refer you.”
“Whatever works.” Thoughts of having her near stirred
his cock. The flush on her face convinced him she had noticed. Though she acted
like an ice maiden, he believed with luck he could warm her.
Her gray-blue eyes flashed with anger. “Why did you
return?”
“For a job.”
“Is that the only reason or are you back to show
everyone you’ve become a responsible adult?”
“I’m here so Gran can retire and not worry about what
happens at the hospital.”
He had another goal. Until he and Manon discussed the
false reports of his death and his reasons for leaving so abruptly, he couldn’t
tell her why he’d returned. He wanted her in his life. He wanted to know why
she hadn’t answered his letters or if she had even received them. Though he
ached to kiss and pleasure her until she cried his name, he would wait.
Manon stepped toward the table. “I’ll make this quick
since I think you should head to the hospital. I’m sure Mrs. Patton is worried
about your non-appearance.”
“After the exam I’ll visit Gran and come back for
you.” He smiled. “We’ll ride to Fern
Lake
“In your dreams.”
Her scent flowed toward him. He tamped the urge to
kiss her, this time with desire. He would show her his need to possess her and
find the future they deserved. Before that happened, she needed to know why
he’d left. The story might cause anger and denial but he had to speak.
Manon approached. He braced not to react to the
sensations evoked by her scent of her hands on his skin.
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