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
- Page 46 and 47: Chapter Three He had always conside
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- Page 50 and 51: RAEANNE THAYNE 49 “Are you happy
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- Page 62 and 63: Chapter Four The sneaky, conniving
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- Page 66 and 67: RAEANNE THAYNE 65 “Yippee,” she
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- Page 82 and 83: RAEANNE THAYNE 81 “Is that what y
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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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- Page 128 and 129: RAEANNE THAYNE 127 my life. Bumpy s
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94 DANCING IN THE MOONLIGHT<br />
Her pretty mouth tightened. “In case it slipped your<br />
attention, I’m miss<strong>in</strong>g half my leg. Crutches are sometimes<br />
a necessary evil.”<br />
He ignored her sarcasm. “You’re hav<strong>in</strong>g problems<br />
with <strong>the</strong> pros<strong>the</strong>sis, aren’t you?”<br />
“Noth<strong>in</strong>g a good trash <strong>com</strong>pactor couldn’t take care<br />
of for me.”<br />
“What’s go<strong>in</strong>g on?”<br />
He thought for a moment she wouldn’t answer, but<br />
after a moment she sighed. “I’m hav<strong>in</strong>g a little cont<strong>in</strong>u<strong>in</strong>g<br />
irritation. After a conference call between my pros<strong>the</strong>tist<br />
and one <strong>in</strong> Idaho Falls, I’ve been strongly<br />
encouraged to go back to wear<strong>in</strong>g it without weight<br />
bear<strong>in</strong>g for a while.”<br />
His sorrow for what she had to deal with was a<br />
physical ache <strong>in</strong> his chest. He wanted so much to take<br />
this struggle away from her, and he hated his helplessness.<br />
What was <strong>the</strong> po<strong>in</strong>t of twelve years of medical<br />
tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g if he couldn’t ease this burden for her?<br />
Some of his emotions must have shown <strong>in</strong> his expression<br />
because her eyes suddenly turned cool. She<br />
didn’t want anyth<strong>in</strong>g from him, apparently, especially<br />
not sympathy.<br />
“Let’s get on with it. S<strong>in</strong>ce I’m be<strong>in</strong>g blackmailed to<br />
be here, you might as well give me <strong>the</strong> tour.”<br />
She was push<strong>in</strong>g him away, and he knew he could do<br />
noth<strong>in</strong>g about that, ei<strong>the</strong>r.<br />
“This is one of six exam rooms.” He opened <strong>the</strong> door<br />
and walked down <strong>the</strong> hall, measur<strong>in</strong>g his steps so she<br />
could keep up with him on her crutches. “We have one<br />
trauma room that can double as an operat<strong>in</strong>g room for
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