Er Doc's Forever Gift

‘Mmm...umm...’

So she was out of it, unaware of where she was, and more importantly getting a break from the pain. Good. He tied the umbrella to the base of the tree so it sheltered her face before taking running checks again. Concussion seemed to be her most worrisome injury, and he could handle that. Relief that she hadn’t fractured any major bones or suffered serious internal injuries spread through him, though from her reaction when he’d touched her ribcage it was possible she’d cracked one or two ribs, or torn cartilage from the bones. But she’d be able to lift a glass of wine when he took that bottle next door. Because he was going to. Without a doubt. It might be tempting a snub, but he’d risk it. Thanks to this accident they were inextricably linked, and he’d use that to his advantage. He wanted time with her that much. And after today she couldn’t deny he existed.

On his haunches, hunched under the edge of the umbrella, Harrison studied the captivating face he’d first admired a week ago. Shock and pain had dimmed her raw beauty, but there was no denying the fine features and that classic facial structure sucking him in. ‘So we’re both doctors.’ Was that attraction stirring his groin? No. Too weird, that idea. This was purely because Doc Not-So-Frosty had a figure that demanded attention from all working parts of a man’s body, and a face to take the edge off anything she might say.

Again Sienna moved. Again he held her still. ‘Shh, easy does it.’ He kept his voice low and soft, sleep her best option for now. When she didn’t relax he sat next to her, stretching his legs the length of her body so they were touching side by side, and began soothing her hand, making light circles with his fingers. Slowly, slowly, the tension fell away from her muscles and she stopped moving her hands and feet. Had she been unconsciously checking again to see that she hadn’t damaged her spine? It had been her biggest fear when he’d arrived, and who could blame her? Cycling accidents were notorious for shoulder injuries, but spinal damage was up there too.

His radio barked into life. ‘Harry, are you receiving? This is Ginger.’

Their pilot. ‘Harry receiving loud and not so clear. What’s up?’

‘You’re stuck there for a while yet, I’d say. What’s the situation with your patient?’

‘GCS four.’ Not bad considering how rapid her descent must’ve been, and the bone-jarring—if not breaking—halt against the tree. But the score could change rapidly, dropping to a dangerous level if Sienna got too cold or there was internal bleeding going on he hadn’t discovered. But all indicators said she was lucky there. He turned his back on her, just in case she wasn’t as out of it as he believed. ‘Don’t let that fool you. I want her out of here ASAP. Her temperature has taken a dive since the hail came across.’

‘Roger. Understood. I’m talking to the weather gods every few minutes but so far they’re ignoring me.’

‘Keep at it.’

‘I’ll get back to you in thirty unless the all-clear comes through. Hang in there and keep her safe, man.’

As if he’d do anything else. Keeping safe came first, especially for his patients. Not so much for himself. He’d always been a bit of a risk-taker, snowboarding off mountain ranges and deep-water diving in shark-infested waters; though with that one there’d been a team of experts at his back. Not that his parents would’ve noticed if things went pear-shaped. His brothers understood his apparent recklessness, though they didn’t condone it, but to their credit they left him to his own decisions, something he appreciated almost more than anything. They weren’t meant to feel guilty for him copping all the blame their mother had dished out for disasters big and small when they were young—and not so young. He was the cause of her disappointment with how life had served her, so his brothers had been spared the vitriol. Because they’d been wanted, planned for. Unlike him.

Harry swallowed the familiar bile. These days, since his mother had taken over control of the multinational company his grandfather had created, the family was more divided than ever. He and his brothers were together in their need to get on and make lives for themselves, while their parents fought endless battles between themselves over who was in charge of the company. His siblings had found love with wonderful women and dived right into their own families, putting distance between themselves and the parents who might’ve wanted them but didn’t show much affection towards them. Finding a woman to love and have a family with was not something Harry planned on doing. His one and only serious relationship years ago had turned out to be as nasty as his parents’ one, and confirmed his belief he did not want that for the rest of his days. Just as he didn’t want to be told to try harder, become greater, aim higher. If someone couldn’t love him for who he was then he wouldn’t bother. He’d learned to be happy with his single status; he just wasn’t always so careful with himself.

He reached for Sienna’s wrist. What was her pulse now? Her wrist was slight and her skin satiny. If anyone around here had a high pulse rate it was him.

‘So you’re a doctor, and a cyclist. What else interests you?’ he asked into the wind-tossed space in an attempt to distract himself from the heat tripping up his arm from where his fingers still touched her skin. Lowering her arm, he pulled back. ‘I know loud music isn’t one of your favourites, Doc Frosty.’

He barked a harsh laugh. Doc Frosty and Dr Frost stuck together on a hillside.

Ever since the night she’d stormed up his drive he’d been aware of her. Or rather, of how often she wasn’t at home. It made sense now he knew her profession. Putting in long hours came with the territory. Which was one reason he loved his work. There was no time for anything else other than light, short relationships with women and easy-going friendships.

Those odd moments of longing for something he couldn’t explain that came in the middle of a night shift when there was nothing happening but waiting in the tedious dark for a call that he always hoped wouldn’t end badly for the victims were to be ignored. The unsettling need for something, someone, had to be banished. He was his own person and, once free of his mother’s blame game and his wife’s endless demands to be someone he wasn’t, he’d vowed he’d never let someone else dictate how he lived, or where, or why.

His brothers lived the lives of their choice, and encouraged him to do the same, though they weren’t always keen when he leapt off mountains with nothing more than a board strapped to his feet for safety. They and their families were his support system, the people he loved most. There wasn’t room for anyone else. He’d tried once. Never again.

His eyes tracked across Sienna’s exhausted face. Yes, she cranked up his libido something wicked. No, she wasn’t going to become important to him other than as a patient at this point in time. Yes, he wanted to learn more about what made her tick. No, he didn’t have any intention of spending time with her.

No longer than it took to share a bottle of wine, at any rate.

CHAPTER FOUR (#u097dfc34-06d5-5fea-80f0-e933de4426dd)

‘HOW LONG HAVE we been waiting for your lot to return?’ Sienna stared through the semi-dark at Harry. His rugged face was in shadow while the lantern he must’ve had in his pack gave an eerie glow to their surroundings. He was so close it wouldn’t take any effort to touch him. What would his skin feel like under her fingertips? Warm? Exciting?

Then he blinked and sat up straighter before reaching for her wrist, his finger instantly on her pulse. ‘A little over an hour. Not long, considering.’

Definitely warm...and exciting. ‘Hmmm...’

‘What does “hmmm” mean?’

That she liked the spiky sensations going on up her arm from where he held her. ‘Thank goodness you got here before the weather packed in or who knows what shape I’d be in by now? First thing I’m going to do once back on my feet is buy a lottery ticket. Who knows? My luck might still be running.’

His gaze cruised over her in a not-so-doctorish manner when she said ‘shape’. A manner she could get to enjoy very quickly. His chuckle was delicious: more warmth, as well as comforting, and as if he was with her. ‘I’ll drive you to the shop when we’re off the hill and the ED guys have tidied you up.’

Sienna shifted her numb butt and got stabbed with aches throughout her body for her effort. Her head pounded but thankfully her vision was clear. All the better to observe this annoyingly interesting man. Sticking her tongue firmly in her cheek, she asked, ‘You hanging around Auckland for a day or two more, then?’

‘Up until Christmas.’

‘Then where are you going?’

‘I’m starting to doubt you’ve got concussion. Your recall is superb. Remind me never to tell you anything important.’

A smile accompanied his words so she remained relaxed. ‘As we hardly ever speak that’s not likely to happen.’

Harrison grunted. ‘Here’s the thing. We seem to keep getting thrown together so I’m figuring we might as well get to know each other a little. Only as neighbours,’ he added quickly.

‘Sounds like a plan as soon as I’m mobile again.’ Fingers crossed that’d be tomorrow, not months down the track due to serious damage.

‘We can share a bottle of wine on the deck.’

So he was okay with the wine idea. She must’ve talked in her sleep. They couldn’t have been having similar thoughts about getting together for a drink. Could they? How soon could he visit?

Downplay this.

She hadn’t said anything in her sleep about how he made her blood sing, had she? Better concentrate on staying wide awake from now on.

He went quiet, and the haze in Sienna’s head began to rule despite her worry about what she might say next. But the fog didn’t take over as it had earlier. Had she run out of puff? Or was it that she was awake enough that images of her neighbour were rolling in? Leading her into temptation? As if. Stuck out here was so not the place for anything other than waiting to be lifted off.

Harrison sat beside her, his long legs stretched out, his hands relaxed on his thighs. Hard to ignore. He was more than attractive. There was something dependable about him that activated all her buttons when she stopped thinking how exasperating he could be. The pounding started up again in her skull. Not Harrison’s fault. Not even thoughts about him were to blame. She was falling asleep.

Falling. Over and over.

Sienna awoke with a jerk, and groaned.

‘Hey, easy.’ That hand she was getting inordinately fond of touched her good shoulder.

Something niggled from her dream. ‘What if no one had seen me go off the edge of the road?’

‘Let’s not go there. You were seen and here I am.’

She could have broken her back, been left for days till someone found her, or worse.

‘You need to relax, my girl. Spread your wings and fly.’

Sienna’s eyes flew open. Her father was right. She had been missing out on so much. What if she had broken her back? That would finish everything. This had been a wake-up call she needed to heed. ‘Bring that wine over the first time we’re both at home.’ Then she’d return the favour a few days later. If they got on well enough to repeat the date. Date? Not likely. Calling that a date only underlined how sad her life had become. Whether or not they had anything else to do with each other afterwards, spending an hour with Harrison meant she’d be making a start on getting out there to do things she’d only ever thought about. How was this for another? ‘I’m going to sign up for flying lessons.’ Plummeting down a hillside had a lot to answer for. But if that had gone horribly wrong there wouldn’t be any crazy ideas to put into action.

‘You want to become a private pilot?’ Bafflement darkened Harry’s voice. Then he reached for her wrist again. Did he think she was slipping into gaga land because of that knock on her head? He could be right, but she didn’t think so.