Dancing in the Moonlight - Harlequin.com
Dancing in the Moonlight - Harlequin.com Dancing in the Moonlight - Harlequin.com
RAEANNE THAYNE 93 Dale sent me after I returned stateside. They were so lovely. All the nurses at Walter Reed raved about them. I was very touched that you thought of me.” He had sent her flowers, too. Most likely she tossed them when she’d seen his name on the card. He caught the bitterness in his thoughts and chided himself. She could do what she wanted with his flowers. He hadn’t sent them to earn her undying appreciation. “Of course we thought of you,” Carol answered firmly. “This whole town prayed for you after you were hurt over there. We’re still praying for you, honey.” Maggie looked overwhelmed suddenly by Carol’s solicitude, fragile as antique glass, and he gave in to his fierce need to protect her. “Why don’t I give you a quick tour before the clinic opens again so you know your way around when the patients start showing up?” “Yes. All right.” It might have been his imagination but he thought for a moment, there, she actually looked grateful. She followed him through the security door to the inner hallway between exam rooms. He opened the first door and gestured for Maggie to go inside, then he closed the door to the exam room behind them so they were out of Carol’s earshot. He wanted to kiss her again. The need to touch her once more, to taste her, burned inside him. He forced himself to push it aside. She hadn’t been thrilled the first time he did it. If he tried it again, she’d probably stab him with the nearest surgical instrument. “Okay, what’s the story with the cruches?” he asked.
94 DANCING IN THE MOONLIGHT Her pretty mouth tightened. “In case it slipped your attention, I’m missing half my leg. Crutches are sometimes a necessary evil.” He ignored her sarcasm. “You’re having problems with the prosthesis, aren’t you?” “Nothing a good trash compactor couldn’t take care of for me.” “What’s going on?” He thought for a moment she wouldn’t answer, but after a moment she sighed. “I’m having a little continuing irritation. After a conference call between my prosthetist and one in Idaho Falls, I’ve been strongly encouraged to go back to wearing it without weight bearing for a while.” His sorrow for what she had to deal with was a physical ache in his chest. He wanted so much to take this struggle away from her, and he hated his helplessness. What was the point of twelve years of medical training if he couldn’t ease this burden for her? Some of his emotions must have shown in his expression because her eyes suddenly turned cool. She didn’t want anything from him, apparently, especially not sympathy. “Let’s get on with it. Since I’m being blackmailed to be here, you might as well give me the tour.” She was pushing him away, and he knew he could do nothing about that, either. “This is one of six exam rooms.” He opened the door and walked down the hall, measuring his steps so she could keep up with him on her crutches. “We have one trauma room that can double as an operating room for
- Page 44 and 45: RAEANNE THAYNE 43 the house to call
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- Page 98 and 99: Chapter Six Ten patients later Jake
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- Page 106 and 107: RAEANNE THAYNE 105 * * * He shouldn
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RAEANNE THAYNE<br />
93<br />
Dale sent me after I returned stateside. They were so<br />
lovely. All <strong>the</strong> nurses at Walter Reed raved about <strong>the</strong>m.<br />
I was very touched that you thought of me.”<br />
He had sent her flowers, too. Most likely she tossed<br />
<strong>the</strong>m when she’d seen his name on <strong>the</strong> card.<br />
He caught <strong>the</strong> bitterness <strong>in</strong> his thoughts and chided<br />
himself. She could do what she wanted with his flowers.<br />
He hadn’t sent <strong>the</strong>m to earn her undy<strong>in</strong>g appreciation.<br />
“Of course we thought of you,” Carol answered<br />
firmly. “This whole town prayed for you after you were<br />
hurt over <strong>the</strong>re. We’re still pray<strong>in</strong>g for you, honey.”<br />
Maggie looked overwhelmed suddenly by Carol’s<br />
solicitude, fragile as antique glass, and he gave <strong>in</strong> to his<br />
fierce need to protect her.<br />
“Why don’t I give you a quick tour before <strong>the</strong> cl<strong>in</strong>ic<br />
opens aga<strong>in</strong> so you know your way around when <strong>the</strong><br />
patients start show<strong>in</strong>g up?”<br />
“Yes. All right.” It might have been his imag<strong>in</strong>ation<br />
but he thought for a moment, <strong>the</strong>re, she actually<br />
looked grateful.<br />
She followed him through <strong>the</strong> security door to <strong>the</strong><br />
<strong>in</strong>ner hallway between exam rooms. He opened <strong>the</strong> first<br />
door and gestured for Maggie to go <strong>in</strong>side, <strong>the</strong>n he<br />
closed <strong>the</strong> door to <strong>the</strong> exam room beh<strong>in</strong>d <strong>the</strong>m so <strong>the</strong>y<br />
were out of Carol’s earshot.<br />
He wanted to kiss her aga<strong>in</strong>. The need to touch her<br />
once more, to taste her, burned <strong>in</strong>side him.<br />
He forced himself to push it aside. She hadn’t been<br />
thrilled <strong>the</strong> first time he did it. If he tried it aga<strong>in</strong>, she’d<br />
probably stab him with <strong>the</strong> nearest surgical <strong>in</strong>strument.<br />
“Okay, what’s <strong>the</strong> story with <strong>the</strong> cruches?” he asked.