away and pulling her nearer still. Relief—that he’d managed to keep her from falling into the fire—mingled with the exhilaration of having her so near.
Looking deep into her eyes, Adam understood for the first time what the poets meant, for he felt as though he were drowning in a sea of bright green.
Long ago, he’d taught himself to mask his emotions, had made it a regular part of every doctor–patient relationship. Obviously, something in his carefully practiced routine had short-circuited. How else could Kasey have known how very much he wanted to kiss her? And he could see that she did know; she had closed her eyes, tilted her head, lifted her chin.
The logical side of his brain ranted, Stop it! You’re getting in over your head! But the emotional side prodded, She’d be good for you! Why not make hay while the sun shines for a change?
He all but laughed at the irony: sunshine, when it was nearly midnight, and during a raging thunderstorm, yet!
Kasey opened her eyes—her magnificent, glittering green eyes—at the exact moment that a rib-racking clap of thunder shook the cabin. Startled, she instinctively squeezed closer; involuntarily, he tightened his protective embrace.
And that’s all it took to melt the last of his resolve.
Adam leaned down as Kasey stood on tiptoe. You’re gonna be sorry, pealed a warning in his head. But it came too late….
The instant their lips touched, a soft sigh bubbled up from somewhere deep inside her and swept over him like a tepid ocean wave. One moment, he’d been an empty, castaway bottle, bobbing in the sudsy surf. The next, her warmth spilled into him, soaking into his soul and filling his hollow heart. How long before he’d sink completely?
The question caused reality to rear its ugly head, reminding him of the promise he’d made to himself, not an hour ago. You have no business doing this, he ranted inwardly, no business at all!
He was about to disconnect himself from the exquisite sensations of peace and contentment the simple human contact had awakened, when her hands slid up his chest, cameto rest on his shoulders. If her reaction to their kiss was any indicator, Kasey, too, had waited a lifetime for…for whatever this wonderful feeling was called.
He’d known her for a long, long time, in a distant, detached way. He realized now that by staying in the shadows of her life, he’d deprived himself of the pleasure of watching Kasey make that graceful change from bony, freckle-faced girl to curvaceous, charming woman. It was probably better that way, because if he had witnessed the transformation, even from the sidelines, living his life on the fringes of hers would have been impossible.
The documentary he’d been watching on TV when Kasey showed up popped into his head; suddenly, Adam felt great empathy for the scraggly gray wolf who, driven from the pack, died of grief and loneliness. Difficult as it would be, now that he’d crossed the invisible line he’d drawn between them, he intended to step back into the shadows, for his sake as well as hers.
Gently, Adam curled his fingers around Kasey’s upper arms, took a careful step back.
One hand still resting on his shoulder, she blinked, and the disappointment in her eyes made his heart ache. As she touched the fingertips of the free hand to her lips, she sighed. “Thanks, Adam.”
His lips were still tingling from their kisses, his mind a muddle from having had to force himself to come up for air long enough to do the right thing. He had no idea why she was thanking him.
Kasey tidied the collar of his shirt. “Earlier, you said you might come out here during the night, to turn me over and baste me.” She looked him full in the face. “Well, if it hadn’t been for your quick thinking just now, I would’ve been toast, not a roast!”
The smile not only curved her mouth up at the corners,but lit her eyes…and every dark place inside him, too. He’d seen TV movies where people fell
Looking deep into her eyes, Adam understood for the first time what the poets meant, for he felt as though he were drowning in a sea of bright green.
Long ago, he’d taught himself to mask his emotions, had made it a regular part of every doctor–patient relationship. Obviously, something in his carefully practiced routine had short-circuited. How else could Kasey have known how very much he wanted to kiss her? And he could see that she did know; she had closed her eyes, tilted her head, lifted her chin.
The logical side of his brain ranted, Stop it! You’re getting in over your head! But the emotional side prodded, She’d be good for you! Why not make hay while the sun shines for a change?
He all but laughed at the irony: sunshine, when it was nearly midnight, and during a raging thunderstorm, yet!
Kasey opened her eyes—her magnificent, glittering green eyes—at the exact moment that a rib-racking clap of thunder shook the cabin. Startled, she instinctively squeezed closer; involuntarily, he tightened his protective embrace.
And that’s all it took to melt the last of his resolve.
Adam leaned down as Kasey stood on tiptoe. You’re gonna be sorry, pealed a warning in his head. But it came too late….
The instant their lips touched, a soft sigh bubbled up from somewhere deep inside her and swept over him like a tepid ocean wave. One moment, he’d been an empty, castaway bottle, bobbing in the sudsy surf. The next, her warmth spilled into him, soaking into his soul and filling his hollow heart. How long before he’d sink completely?
The question caused reality to rear its ugly head, reminding him of the promise he’d made to himself, not an hour ago. You have no business doing this, he ranted inwardly, no business at all!
He was about to disconnect himself from the exquisite sensations of peace and contentment the simple human contact had awakened, when her hands slid up his chest, cameto rest on his shoulders. If her reaction to their kiss was any indicator, Kasey, too, had waited a lifetime for…for whatever this wonderful feeling was called.
He’d known her for a long, long time, in a distant, detached way. He realized now that by staying in the shadows of her life, he’d deprived himself of the pleasure of watching Kasey make that graceful change from bony, freckle-faced girl to curvaceous, charming woman. It was probably better that way, because if he had witnessed the transformation, even from the sidelines, living his life on the fringes of hers would have been impossible.
The documentary he’d been watching on TV when Kasey showed up popped into his head; suddenly, Adam felt great empathy for the scraggly gray wolf who, driven from the pack, died of grief and loneliness. Difficult as it would be, now that he’d crossed the invisible line he’d drawn between them, he intended to step back into the shadows, for his sake as well as hers.
Gently, Adam curled his fingers around Kasey’s upper arms, took a careful step back.
One hand still resting on his shoulder, she blinked, and the disappointment in her eyes made his heart ache. As she touched the fingertips of the free hand to her lips, she sighed. “Thanks, Adam.”
His lips were still tingling from their kisses, his mind a muddle from having had to force himself to come up for air long enough to do the right thing. He had no idea why she was thanking him.
Kasey tidied the collar of his shirt. “Earlier, you said you might come out here during the night, to turn me over and baste me.” She looked him full in the face. “Well, if it hadn’t been for your quick thinking just now, I would’ve been toast, not a roast!”
The smile not only curved her mouth up at the corners,but lit her eyes…and every dark place inside him, too. He’d seen TV movies where people fell
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