Authors: Angela Verdenius
That thought had Carly laughing
softly, and she stood up. Maybe if she had a shower to ease the kinks and went
for a walk to clear her mind, she’d be able to think sensibly.
Not long after, hair pulled back
in a high ponytail and dressed in light brown cotton pants, a yellow blouse
with tiny white flowers scattered over it, and her cheerful-coloured, red Mary
Janes, Carly stepped out into the early morning sunlight. One deep breath of
the Sunday morning air had her smiling. Birds flew amongst the trees, and the
combination of the old stone houses with their well-tended gardens, and the
trees lining the quiet street, had a feeling of peace stealing through her.
Walking down the footpath, she
stopped to admire some gardenias that filled the air with their scent and
chatted to the woman who was out early pruning her garden. The woman clipped a
gardenia off her bush and handed it to Carly, who, delighted, stuck it into her
hair. Continuing on her journey, she met an elderly man walking his golden
retriever, and she stopped to pat the dog and exchange a word about the breed
with the owner. A Frisbee flew through the air from one garden and she ducked
just in time. A boy and girl who looked to be twins came running up, full of
apologies, and with a laugh Carly flicked the Frisbee back over into the
garden, where they gave chase, laughing in delight.
An hour later she was on her way
home and noticed that the café she’d passed earlier was open. Feeling pretty
good about life after a relaxing walk and a lungful of fresh air, she decided
to stop and get a bite to eat.
Seated at a small table in the
corner, she ordered a cup of tea and a bowl of fruit salad. Settling back in
the chair, she watched as several customers came and went, some to simply get a
take-away coffee, some to stay for breakfast.
The waitress arrived with her
breakfast and Carly settled down to eat.
Glancing up when the door opened
again, her heart stuttered.
It was Sam. He looked tired, his
hair pulled neatly back at the nape, wearing his uniform of white shirt with RN
navy epaulettes on his broad shoulders, and navy pants that hugged his muscular
thighs. On his feet he wore black sneakers. A smear of blood was at the
bottom of his shirt at the back.
After giving his order, he turned
and glanced around the room. His gaze drifted to the few people sitting in
different places around the room and moved on, sliding over her and away.
Sam stiffened, alertness replacing
his weariness, his gaze snapping back unerringly to her. His eyes were now
sharp, assessing.
Blushing, Carly dropped her gaze
back to the bowl, fiddling with the spoon and pushing the pieces of fruit
around the bowl. Oh God, should she look at him? Nod? To look back up now
would seem silly, wouldn’t it? Should she just pretend she hadn’t seen him?
Should she-
Out of the corner of her eye she
saw a navy-clad thigh appear beside her.
“Carly.” It wasn’t a question,
the deep voice even, quietly confident.
Dilemma of what to do, solved. “Um…hi,
Sam.” She glanced up to find him already moving, walking past to turn and drop
into the chair opposite her. Frantically trying to find something to say to
ease the awkwardness, she said, “Did you work last night?”
Bloody stupid question for what
was pretty bloody obvious.
Cringe factor!
If Sam agreed, it didn’t show in
his voice. “I was supposed to be on days off, but Simon rang in sick so I
worked instead.”
“Sorry to hear it.” Cringe factor
again. Surely she could think of something else to say?
Surely she could look at more than
just that strong jaw of his? It was a mighty fine jaw, as strong as his
cheekbones, but there was more to his face than just that jaw, such as those
kissable lips, firm and masculine, yet silky soft, and…
stop it!
Cheeks
burning, Carly picked up the cup of tea and took a fortifying sip.
“Are you all right?” Sam asked
quietly.
Replacing the cup on the saucer, she
resumed fiddling with the spoon. “Fine.”
“Sure about that?”
“Absolutely.”
He sighed. “Your hand is
shaking.”
Immediately she dropped the spoon.
“No, it’s not.” Clearing her throat, she risked a glance at him.
Sam was watching her steadily.
There was no derision on his face, no condemnation. There was, however, gentle
concern. One long finger pushed his glasses back up his nose.
He’d taken off his glasses when
he’d made love to her. No, when they’d had sex, not made love. Making love
was being intimate with someone for whom one cared. He cared how she felt, but
it wasn’t
care
, not as in
caring
about someone for whom you had
feelings.
Ouch
.
Unwilling to wonder about that
instinctive reaction, she felt that she had to respond in kind. “What about
you?”
“I’m tired.” He grinned
crookedly.
Her heart melted. Right then,
with his glasses and laid-back humour, he looked like such a big boy. A big,
handsome, surfy-boy. With a big, gorgeous body.
Don’t go there
.
She took a deep breath. “Rough
night?”
“The ER on a Saturday night is
always rough.” His smile faded as he became serious. “About yesterday-”
“Forget it.” She picked up the
spoon.
“No.”
She knocked a piece of strawberry
around the inside of the bowl. “Sam-”
“Here’s your coffee, Sam,” a
bright voice said.
Carly saw the waitress, the
bright, bubbly waitress with the knock-out figure and the big, blue eyes, as
cute as a freakin’ button. She wanted to stomp on her, grind that pert little
body into the ground.
What the hell is wrong with me?
Appetite fleeing, she flicked at a piece of apple.
“Thanks, Melanie,” Sam replied.
“Rough night, sweetie?”
Sweetie. Ugh
. Spooning up
the apple, Carly popped it into her mouth and chewed.
“Nothing out of the ordinary,” he
replied.
“Well, you know the offer always
stands.”
“I know.”
With a giggle, Melanie left.
“And I won’t be taking it,” Sam muttered.
That had Carly snapping her
attention back to him.
Catching her startled expression, he
shrugged, though a slight red crept into his cheeks. Picking up the coffee
mug, he took a mouthful, closed his eyes, swallowed and sighed in pleasure.
The simple pleasures in life,
Carly thought. Sam liked the simple pleasures, so easily pleased. It was
there in his well-tended garden, the times she’d seen him kicked back relaxing
in it, a drink in one hand, a book in the other, SJ nearby. In the few weeks
since she’d shifted to the neighbourhood, she’d noticed that he didn’t have
many visitors, that he appeared to be a homebody.
A truly contented man.
Until he opened his eyes a little,
just a fraction, and looked right at her. From the glint between those thick
lashes, it was plain he wasn’t so content right now.
Because of her? Of course.
Swallowing the sudden lump in her
throat, Carly returned her attention to the bowl. The fruit, so appetizing
before, was now unappealing. Placing the spoon down, she picked up the cup of
tea and drained it in one go, replacing it on the table with the intention of getting
up and leaving.
“Melanie,” Sam called, “another
tea for Carly, please.”
“Sure, sweetie.”
Surprised, Carly stammered, “Oh
no, no, Sam, thanks but-”
“Just sit quietly, honey,” he
admonish gently. “Relax.”
Relax? Was he kidding? “I have
to go, I-”
“You were sitting here eating
quite happily until I walked in.” He traced a fingertip down the side of his
coffee mug. “If you’re leaving so abruptly, then it’s because you don’t want
my company.”
Geez, he had no idea. No idea
that she wanted to slip that tie from his hair and run her fingers through it,
to massage his scalp gently just to hear that blissful sound of pleasure as she
helped him unwind from his shift at the hospital. To smooth the tiredness from
his features by running her fingers soothingly across his face in a light
massage. Wanted to press her lips to his brow and kiss away the slight frown
that creased it. Wanted to make him smile and laugh, the happy Sam of normal. Not
this quiet, serious man who watched her so intently.
“I won’t lie,” he stated quietly.
“I don’t lie.”
“Ever?” She tried a weak smile but
couldn’t quite pull it off. Just like she couldn’t quite meet his gaze.
“Not about important things.”
“Ah.” She was almost glad when Melanie
arrived with the fresh cup of tea.
Thanking her, she dropped her
hands into her lap, silently fidgeting, unsure what to do or say.
As soon as Melanie left, Sam
nudged her with his foot. “Look at me, honey.”
Talk about the unbelievable hardness
of looking at such a handsome man. Probably because that meant meeting his
steady regard that seemed to see right through her, probing her thoughts.
With a sigh, she obeyed. Yep, he
was regarding her steadily, almost intently.
As intently as he’d watched her
while making love –
no, having sex
– with her? Yeah, he’d been intent
then, intense, single-minded in his pursuit of both their pleasure. Heat went
through her and she fought the dizzying memory away.
Striving to appear as though she
wasn’t having hedonistic thoughts, she kept her expression politely interested.
“I won’t lie,” Sam repeated.
“What happened yesterday was unexpected. I didn’t plan it.”
That made two of them. But still,
how humiliating. “We don’t need to discuss this. Really.”
“I value our friendship, Carly. I
don’t want what happened to spoil it.”
Ouch
. Shit, that was
blunt. She could actually feel her stomach fall, a dragging sensation in her
chest as though her heart was fast following. She half wondered if the fruit
she’d eaten was going to make a very abrupt and unwelcome return.
Sliding his glasses off, Sam
studied them for smudges before replacing them and looking at her, obviously
waiting.
“Okay,” she all but choked out.
“But I enjoyed it.”
What?
Carly blinked.
“More than enjoyed it,” he added
when she just stared at him. “I’m not going to pretend. Carly, I want more
than just friendship.”
Stunned, her mouth fell open.
Pushing the coffee mug aside, Sam
leaned forward, resting his forearms on the table. “What happened between us
is something I’ve never experienced before. You’re nothing I’ve ever
experienced before.”
Was that a good thing? And what,
exactly, did he mean by that? “Um…Sam…”
“There’s just something about you,
Carly.” His gaze warmed, softened. “When I’m with you, I can’t stop looking
at you.”
What the…? Was she hearing
correctly? Was she dreaming?
“I like quietness in my home, and
there’s something so peaceful about you, yet you make me laugh, you make my day
brighter.”
“You – you haven’t heard me yell
yet,” she stammered stupidly.
“I’ve seen you in a snit.” He
winked. “I still like you.”
Lifting her hand, she looked at
the Primapore on her palm, more for something to do rather than keep looking at
Sam with his all-seeing, steady eyes.
She heard him shift, then a big
hand closed gently around hers and he gave a little tug. “Look at me, honey.
Please.”
What could she do but obey? Heart
hammering, a tingle spilling down her arm from where his big hand held hers, Carly
looked at him.
Really looked at him.
Sitting there with his handsome,
surfy-boy face and body, that silky hair tied at the nape, the hint of
tiredness in his face, the kindness, she felt her insecurities come crashing
back.
Jerking her hand from his, she
slid it safely in her lap and lifted her chin. “What happened was amazing, but
it doesn’t mean you have to feel sorry for me and date me for awhile before
politely calling it quits.”
Sam looked like he’d been slapped.
His eyes widened and his jaw dropped in genuine shock.
It was probably the first time in
his life he’d ever been brushed off by a woman.
Carly stood up. “Bye, Sam”
Crossing to the counter, she paid her bill in silence before walking outside,
her heart breaking, her mind whirling, and the instinct to run and hide riding
her hard and mercilessly.
Starting down the footpath with a
lump in her throat and her cheeks burning, she hadn’t gotten far when a large
hand wrapped around her upper arm and pulled her to a halt. The heat from a
big body close behind seeped through her.
It didn’t necessitate a look over
her shoulder to know it was Sam, but it did reveal his expression.
He was furious. It actually made
her quake. His eyes glittered, his mouth was pulled into a grim line, and a muscle
ticked in his jaw.
Sam angry? That seemed almost impossible.
Before she could even voice a
query, he ordered quietly, “Get in the car.”
“What?”
“Get in the car.”
“No, I-”
“Now,” he growled. “Before I
forget that we’re in a public place and I carry you there.”
Now that was an impossibility.
The ludicrousness of his threat almost made her laugh. “Sam, really.”
“Get in the bloody car, Carly,” he
ground out from between clenched teeth. “
Now.
”
Unnerved by this side of Sam, she
glanced behind him to see Melanie standing curiously by the door of the café.
A customer pushed past her and reluctantly she followed him back inside, but
not before she cast them another enquiring glance.
One muscular arm slid around her
back and with a squeak, Carly jumped. “Sam!”