The Australian's Proposal (Mills & Boon By Request): The Doctor's Marriage Wish / The Playboy Doctor's Proposal / The Nurse He's Been Waiting For (25 page)

‘I could go and have a swim.’

‘What’s the weather like out there now?’

‘Horribly windy but still hot. It’s not raining.’

‘The pool’s nice and sheltered. You probably won’t be the only one there. Lots of people like to cool off before they go to bed. You sleep a lot better that way.’

Hannah wasn’t the only one in the pool.

Ryan was there.

‘I’ve done my potato-peeling bit,’ he told Hannah. He was watching her shed her outer clothing. ‘I really needed to cool off.’

Hannah slid into the water with a sigh of pleasure. The pool area was sheltered but it was still windy enough to make the water slightly choppy and the wind on wet skin pulled the heat out quickly enough to raise goose-bumps when Hannah stood up at the shallower end of the pool. She ducked down and swam breaststroke into deeper water. ‘This is gorgeous.’

‘Isn’t it?’ Ryan was swimming towards her. Only his head was showing but, thanks to Susie’s accident, Hannah was only too well aware of what the rest of Ryan looked like. She took a determined breath.

‘Susie’s been telling me things about Emily that might
be useful for your best man’s speech. Or have you finished writing it?’

Ryan grinned. ‘No. Haven’t started. Thought I might just wing it.’

‘Well, there’s a funny story about her spitting on Mike’s helicopter.’

‘Why did she do that?’

Hannah trod water, edging further away from Ryan. ‘She was terrified of flying in helicopters and there’s this Greek thing of spitting for luck. Only when the Greeks do it, it’s kind of a token spit.’ Hannah turned and swam a few strokes before shaking wet strands of hair from her eyes and taking another breath. ‘When Emily did it, Mike had to clean the helicopter and there’s a long-standing joke between them now about the paintwork getting corroded.’ Hannah trod water again and turned. She should be a safe distance away from Ryan now.

She wasn’t. He had kept pace with her.

‘Interesting,’ he said. ‘I did know that Em hated helicopters. The night Mike proposed to her, they’d been sent on a mission that got cancelled and he landed them on a secluded beach. She thought they were crashing so she was really angry but Mike said that emergency measures had been necessary because he really needed to talk to her.’

‘It all worked out, then.’

‘Mmm. They have a very good rapport.’ Ryan twisted his body in the water so that he was floating on his back. ‘How’s our rapport coming along, Dr Jackson?’

‘Pretty good, I think.’ Was it a feeling of insecurity that made it a relief to find her feet could touch the bottom of the pool here?

‘Could be better, though, couldn’t it?’ With a fishlike movement, Ryan turned again, moving sideways at the
same time so that he was within touching distance of Hannah. He caught her shoulders and Hannah seemed to simply float into his arms.

Not that she tried to swim away. She could have. Her feet were secure on the tiles at the bottom of the pool as she stood up and it would have been possible to get enough momentum to escape.

But she had no intention of escaping. This was it. She just had to get over the fear of doing something so out of character. Falling into what looked like a matching desire in Ryan’s dark eyes, it became possible to step over that boundary.

‘Yes,’ she managed to whisper.

And then he was kissing her again and it was totally different to that kiss on the veranda. This one had a licence to continue. This one rapidly deepened so that Hannah had to wind her arms around Ryan’s neck to keep her head above water. She could feel his hands on her bare skin, along with ripples from the disturbed water that seemed to magnify the sensation. His fingers trailed from her neck down her back, held her waist and then stroked their way up to cup her breasts.

At the same time, his lips and tongue were doing things that were arousing Hannah more than she would have believed possible. His face and lips were cool, thanks to the relentless wind, but the inside of his mouth was far from cool. It was hot enough to fuel an already burning desire. Hannah kissed him back, sucked headlong into that desire until she totally forgot herself. When he held her closer, Hannah found herself winding her legs around Ryan so that she couldn’t float away.

Ryan groaned. ‘God,’ he murmured, pulling her hips even closer with an urgent strength to his grip. ‘I want you, Hannah. You know that, don’t you?’

Hannah tried to swallow, but couldn’t. ‘I want you, too.’

‘Not here. Somewhere dry.’

Hannah had all the incentive she needed to throw caution to the winds for at least one night of her life. She even managed to sound as though she was quite used to being carried away by physical passion.

‘Your place or mine?’ she asked with a smile.

‘Mine’s closer. Just up those steps. It’s Mike’s old room. You can get in through a door on the veranda so nobody will see us.’ Ryan bent to kiss her again and then he took her hand in his to lead her from the pool. ‘You sure about this, Hannah?’

‘What’s not to be sure of? As you said, it’s important to establish a good rapport with the people you work with.’ She tightened her fingers around his, shivering as she climbed the steps of the pool and the wind caught at more of her exposed skin. Or was it the thought of where she was going and what she knew they would do that caused that shiver? Not that she had any intention of backing out. No way.

‘Lead on, Dr Fisher.’

I
T WAS
the curious howling sound that woke Ryan.

The first fingers of light were stretching under the roof of the wide veranda to enter his room and he could just make out the smooth hump of the feminine shoulder beside him.

Without thinking, Ryan touched the skin with his lips. A butterfly kiss that was as gentle as the way he traced the delicious curve of Hannah’s hip with his hand, loving that dip to her waist that was accentuated by her lying on her side.

Loving everything about this woman. This new version of Hannah Jackson.

Her intensity. Softness. Suppleness. The way she accepted everything he had to offer and had responded in kind.

Thank God he hadn’t stuck to that resolution to stay well away from her.

If he had, he would have missed out discovering just how good it was possible for sex to get. His experience last night had been the best he’d ever had in his life.

And Ryan knew what had made the difference. It was knowing he’d been right the moment he’d first laid eyes on Hannah. That there was a reason why the attraction had been so powerful. It was just possible he had found what he desperately needed in his life.

More of an anchor than a permanent job represented. The haven of a relationship that could be trusted. Could grow into something strong enough to last a lifetime. Could become a whole family even.

Something
good.
Love that wasn’t darkened by the grim side of life. He was so tired of being strong for the people he loved. Not that he’d ever stop, but he badly needed something that would let the sunshine back into his own soul.

Someone he could be totally honest with. Someone that he could actually allow to see that things ripped him apart sometimes. He was fed up with hiding. Being flippant because he couldn’t afford to share how he really felt. Making other people laugh because he’d discovered that was the best way to escape his own fear or misery.

Not that he’d ever made Hannah really laugh and, in a way, that was scary. Could she see through him? Despise him for being less than honest with himself and others? Had she been hurt in the past by a man who hadn’t been able to connect on an emotional level and was that why that prickly barrier had been between them since that first meeting? If so, he could understand. Forgive and forget any of the putdowns.

Ryan pressed another soft kiss to Hannah’s shoulder. Then he lifted her hair to kiss the side of her neck. She’d dropped that barrier last night, hadn’t she?

One night.

A perfect night.

Ryan let his breath out in a contented sigh. Never mind that dawn was breaking. Last night had been just the beginning. The connection had been established and it could be the foundation for something that was going to last for ever.

Right now, Ryan had no doubt that it was entirely possible he could spend the rest of his life loving Hannah—in bed and out of it.

The dream took on colours that were so beautiful they took Hannah’s breath away. She could actually
feel
them and the building excitement was something she remembered from childhood, waking up to a longed-for day that was going to bring something very special.

She was flying in her dream. Soaring over some incredible tropical landscape towards the place she most wanted to be. But she wasn’t going to reach her destination because the edges of reality were pushing the dream away. The sense of loss was only momentary, however, because the reality was the touch of Ryan’s lips. They were on the side of her neck, delivering a kiss so gentle it made her want to cry. Instinctively, she turned towards him, seeking the comfort of being held, only to find his lips tracing a line from her neck all the way to her breast. Stopping when they reached the apex and the cool flick of his tongue on her nipple took Hannah’s breath away for real.

There was still a dreamlike quality to this, though, and Hannah kept her eyes closed even as her hands moved to find and touch Ryan where she now knew he most liked to be touched. The whole night had been a dream—the stuff of erotic fantasy—so why not keep it going just a little longer?

Thank God she had given in to that urge to experience something new. To find out if Susie was right and she’d discover the best sex of her life. Even in her wildest dreams until now, she hadn’t had any idea what it could be like. Hannah could understand perfectly what had drawn her mother and her sister and probably countless other women into relationships that could only end in heartbreak.

Not that she was going to allow this to go that far. This was just a perfect ending to a perfect night. A one-night
stand that Hannah could treasure the memory of for the rest of her life.

With a small sound of absolute pleasure, she slid her arms completely around Ryan to draw him closer.

It was raining when they woke again. Rain driven sideways by a wind that hadn’t abated at all during the night. If anything, it was worse.

‘What’s the time?’

Ryan reached to collect the wristwatch he’d dropped by the side of the bed. ‘Nearly nine.’

‘Oh, my God, I can’t believe we’ve slept in!’ Hannah slid out from the tangled sheets, covering her bare breasts with her hands while she looked for her clothes. ‘I’ve got to get back to Susie’s place and get sorted. We’re supposed to be at Kylie’s salon by nine-thirty. It’s probably chaos out there by now.’

‘It would be chaos whatever time it is.’ Ryan put his arms behind his head, clearly intending to watch Hannah getting dressed. ‘Don’t worry about it.’

‘Where’s my phone?’ Hannah felt more in control now that she had her underwear on. ‘Susie’s probably been trying to text me. I put it on silent mode at the rehearsal yesterday and I completely forgot to reset it.’

‘You got distracted,’ Ryan said with satisfaction. ‘The wedding’s not till 4 p.m. Don’t stress.’

Hannah pulled on crumpled cargo pants. Impossible not to feel stressed with the sound of rapid footsteps on the wooden boards of the veranda behind the thin curtain and then the excited bark of a dog.

‘I need to get out of here without anyone seeing me.’

‘Why?’

‘It would be embarrassing if everyone knew I’d spent the night here.’

‘Why?’ Ryan repeated. ‘It’s nothing to be ashamed of. We’re both single, consenting adults, aren’t we?’

‘Yes …’ But there was an element of shame as far as Hannah was concerned. She’d never done anything like this in her life. This kind of selfish physical indulgence might be normal for Ryan and the women he chose, but it couldn’t be more out of character for her. She’d always made sure she was ready to commit to an exclusive relationship before going to bed with someone.

‘And it was fun, yes?’ Ryan wriggled his eyebrows suggestively. ‘I certainly enjoyed it.’

‘Mmm.’ Hannah tore her eyes away from the sight of Ryan getting out of bed. He obviously felt no need to cover himself. This was a man who was quite comfortable in his own skin. An enviable confidence that Hannah could only aspire to. She did her best. ‘Me, too,’ she added with a smile.

Ryan covered the floor space between them with an easy couple of strides. He drew Hannah into his arms and kissed her. ‘I
really
enjoyed it,’ he murmured. ‘You’re amazing.’

‘Mmm.’ The sound was a little strangled this time. Hannah wasn’t so sure about daylight kisses. Sexual fantasy needed the cover of dark. She drew away. ‘Could you keep an eye out and tell me when the coast is clear on the veranda? I can go down the other end, away from the kitchen, can’t I?’

‘Yeah.’ Ryan turned away and picked up his shorts. ‘I’ll come with you.’

‘No need. It’ll only take me a few minutes to walk and I could do with the fresh air.’

‘It’ll be fresh all right. Might feel quite cold after yesterday with this rain. Did you bring a jacket?’

‘No.’

‘Then why don’t you let me drive you home? I’ve got to take Mike’s Jeep back up to the Athina, anyway. I’d better check in and see what my best-man duties involve. I suspect I’ll have to stick with Mike for the rest of the day.’

And Hannah would need to be with Emily. She probably wouldn’t see Ryan again till later that afternoon. No more daylight kisses to contend with. The odd sensation in her stomach had to be relief, rather than disappointment, surely?

‘A ride would be good,’ she said. ‘That way I can get sorted faster.’

The veranda was deserted and no one interrupted their journey through the garden to the car park. As they scrambled from the end of the veranda, Ryan took hold of Hannah’s hand and it felt so natural it would have been rude to pull hers away. As they left the gardens behind them, Hannah glanced at the hospital buildings but there had been no message from Susie yet and she would be back here in no time. Would she tell her sister about last night?

Maybe not. Not yet, anyway. The experience was still too fresh. Private and … precious?

Would Ryan say anything?

Maybe not. The way his hand still held hers was comforting. As though he shared a reluctance to break the illusion of a bond they’d created last night. Hannah was even more confident he could be discreet when he dropped her hand at the sight of someone running towards them.

Wet curls of black hair were plastered around Mike’s face. ‘I was just coming to find you, mate. Hi, Hannah.’

‘What’s up?’ Ryan wasn’t smiling. Neither was Mike.

‘There’s been an accident up at Wygera. Harry called me to see if I can do a first response with the Jeep. I’ve got a good paramedic kit in the back.’ Mike was still moving and
both Ryan and Hannah followed. ‘I was on the way to the house to find a doc to come with me, but you’ll do just fine.’

‘Do you want me to come as well?’ Hannah queried.

‘Please.’ Mike caught the keys Ryan threw and unlocked the doors of the Jeep. ‘Sounds like there are at least three casualties. All teenagers.’ He opened the back of the vehicle and pulled out a light, which he stuck to his roof. A cord snaked in through his window and he plugged the end into the cigarette lighter. A bright orange light started flashing as he turned on the engine.

‘Where’s Wygera?’ Ryan pulled his safety belt on as Hannah climbed into the backseat.

‘It’s an aboriginal settlement about fifty miles from here. We’d normally get the chopper out for something like this but there’s no way anyone’s going to be flying today.’ Gears crunched and the Jeep jerked backwards as Mike turned with speed and they took off. Hannah clicked her safety belt into its catch.

‘What’s happened?’ she queried. ‘And don’t you have an ambulance available?’

‘They’re all busy on other calls right now and it’ll take time to get a vehicle on the road. There’s been trouble with the bloody bulls, by the sound of it—thanks to this weather.’

They were on the main road now, and Hannah could feel how difficult it was going to be, driving fast in the kind of wind gusts they were being subjected to. The windscreen wipers were on high speed but the rain appeared to be easing a little. Hannah shivered. She was damp and still hadn’t had the opportunity to get any warmer clothing. Wrapping her arms around herself for warmth, she listened as Mike continued filling them in.

‘There’s a guy up at Wygera by the name of Rob Wingererra. They’ve acquired a few rodeo bulls. Long
story, but they’re a project for the teenagers up there. Huge animals with wicked horns. Apparently the wind caused some damage last night and brought a fence down and damaged a shed. The kids went out to try and get the bulls rounded up and into shelter and they got out of hand. Some kid’s been cut by corrugated iron, one’s been gored by a bull and another sounds like he might have a crush injury of some kind after getting caught between a bull and a gate.’

‘How long will it take us to get there?’

‘It’s an hour’s drive on a good day but I’m hoping to get there sooner than that. Hang on tight back there, Hannah, but don’t worry. I know this road like the back of my hand. We’ll just need to watch out for slips or rubbish on the road.’

He certainly knew the road. Having gone over the bridge and through the township, Mike headed towards the foothills of the mountains that divided the coastal plain from the cattle country Hannah knew was further inland. At the speed they were going, they would arrive there as fast as any ambulance was capable of. As they rounded one corner, Ryan threw a glance over his shoulder.

‘You OK, Hannah?’

The tone was caring. How long had it been since a man had been this concerned for her well-being? It was dangerous to allow it to matter.

‘I’m fine,’ she said hurriedly.

‘No, you’re not—you’re freezing!’ Ryan twisted his body beneath the safety belt, pulling off the lightweight jacket he was wearing. ‘Here. Put this on. ’

‘Thanks.’ Hannah slid her arms into sleeves that were still warm from Ryan’s skin. ‘Are you sure you don’t need it?’

But Ryan wasn’t listening. ‘What information have you been given about these kids so far?’

‘There’s a health worker at the settlement, Millie, who’s
very good. Rob called her after he found the kids and they’ve got them inside at his place. She’s controlled the bleeding on the boy that got cut but it sounds like he might have lost quite a bit of blood. The one who got poked by a horn isn’t feeling too good. He’s been vomiting but Millie thinks that might have something to do with a heavy night on the turps. The other one has sore ribs, maybe a fracture, so he’s finding it painful to breathe.’

‘Sounds like a mess.’

‘I’m glad I’ve got you two along.’ Mike flashed a grin over his shoulder at Hannah. ‘Not the chief bridesmaid duties you were expecting this morning, eh? Sorry about that.’

Hannah smiled back. ‘Actually, this is probably more within my comfort zone.’

‘We’ll have back-up pretty fast. There’ll be an ambulance not far behind us and they’ll send another one as soon as they’re clear. We just need to do the initial triage and make sure they’re stable for transport. Couldn’t ask for more than two ED specialists on my team.’

‘Let’s hope it’s not as bad as it sounds,’ Ryan said. ‘At least the rain’s slowing down.’

‘I’ve put in a good word to try and get some sunshine for Em this afternoon.’