Amanda groaned. If only she had been watching where she was going, none of this would be happening to her. How embarrassing.
Quick as a shot, Sam was there, taking her gently by the shoulders and helping her to her feet. “Amanda,” he exclaimed breathlessly, concern evident in his voice. “Are you all right?”
Amanda gave him a dazed look. “I—I’m fine,” she stammered, trying to find her breath, her shoes and her sense of dignity, all at the same time.
“Hey, don’t be in so big a rush to get up. You hit that recliner pretty hard.”
“I know,” she replied, still trying to catch her breath. Her knees were trembling. “Maybe I should sit down for a moment.”
“Yeah,” he said. “Maybe you should.”
But instead of letting her just sit down on the recliner that was right there, he quickly scooped her up in his strong arms as if she were weightless—as he had Lucy—and carried her over to the sofa. “Lie here for a while,” he said, carefully placing her down on the soft cushions.
“I don’t need to lie down,” Amanda argued, attempting to rise. The fact was, she still felt the need to run. And yet, she was still so rattled from her clumsy fall that she probably couldn’t have made it two feet toward the door.
“Yes, you do,” Sam insisted, holding her shoulders steady until she stopped struggling against him. She gave him a maddening frown that said she was the doctor here—not him—hoping that in some way it would make him realize just how frustrated she was with him, and herself, too. But if he understood, he didn’t let on. Instead, he returned her frown, only in an amused sort of way.
“You’re making too much of this,” Amanda stated, after he finally let go of her shoulders. But she felt breathless—and scared silly that he might decide to touch her again. She was going to explode if he did.
“Maybe so,” he said, once again looking concerned. “But I’d rather be safe than sorry.”
“And I’d rather be on my way.”
“That’s obvious. But you’re not going anywhere, Doc, until I’m positive that you’re all right.”
“I’m telling you, I’m okay,” she said. Then she flung out her arms without really thinking of what she was implying for him to do. “See for yourself,” she added.
Her heart was pounding.
He sat down on the edge of the sofa and began examining her arm.
“What do you think you’re doing?” she asked, her eyes widening, her stomach tightening into knots.
“I’m taking you up on your offer. Let’s see,” he said, suddenly growing thoughtful. “Where exactly should I begin?”
“Begin what?”
“Begin to see if you’re hurt.”
“You are not a doctor,” she said. “You’re... you’re...”
He was the sexiest man she had ever met. But that didn’t give him the credentials to examine her.
Or did it?
Not hardly.
No way.
By now Amanda could barely breathe, much less talk. There was an enormous pressure building in her—not to mention a suffocating heat rising to the surface of her skin. Her body was on fire. No doubt, if Sam were to decide to put those big, wide hands of his on any part of her body within the next few moments, she was going to suffer a major meltdown.
“Maybe I should start here,” he said. He began to examine her shoulders and neckline, gently pressing his fingers into her skin. Eventually, his moves became a gentle massage. “Does this hurt?” he asked, pulling his eyebrows into a thoughtful frown.
“No,” she replied immediately, wanting him to know that she didn’t approve of his tactics. But nothing she ever said seemed to faze him from doing what he wanted. Besides, instead of sounding frustrated, she had sounded breathless.
Amanda glared at him. “If you were a real doctor and I were a real patient, this examination would get you into a lot of trouble,” she said as a warning.
He grinned. “We both know I’m not a real doctor.”
“And I’m not a real patient.”
“Yeah,” he said, amused. “So you’ve said.”
“I want to get up,” she stated, still glaring at him. She had to do something to keep herself from giving in to the wonderful sensations going through her body.
“In a minute, Amanda,” he drawled. “Don’t always be in so big a hurry.”
And then the tips of his fingers pressed deeper into her skin and Amanda lost all track of what she wanted to say. Every pulse point in her body began a countdown to the moment when she would surely lose control.
She was in big trouble now. She needed to put a stop to this, she told herself.
And she wanted to, no doubt about it. But she didn’t. Actually she couldn’t. She didn’t have the will in that moment to move a muscle, much less remove his hands from her body. She was mesmerized by the feel of his warm fingers on her skin.
She was hot, all right, and getting hotter by the second. And that, she knew, was no way for her to behave. Not if she wanted to keep her sanity.
“Sam...”
“Shh...” he said. “I’m almost done.” He massaged his way down her arms. “Does any of this hurt?”
“No,” she said softly.
“This?”
“No.”
Finally, he applied a mild pressure along her collar bone. “How about here?” he asked.
“Uh-uh,” she said, swallowing hard.
This examination was getting more and more difficult for her to handle. She felt flushed—hot.
She was definitely on overload. Something was bound to give at any moment.
Sam lifted his gaze and his eyes locked with hers. And within the next few moments she realized that something that should never happen between them was about to and she unconsciously moistened her lips. “Sam, I think this has gone far enough. Let me up before one of us does something we’ll later regret.”
As though he hadn’t heard a word she had said, Sam cupped the sides of her face with his hands. “I’m going to kiss you, Amanda,” he announced as he leaned into her face.
“No, you can’t do that,” she exclaimed. “This isn’t supposed to be happening.” But her voice was already so deep with desire that Amanda felt certain he could sense her need. As it was, his mouth was so close to hers that she could feel the warmth of his breath.
Pausing, he gazed into her eyes as though he were going to consume her at any moment. He began rubbing one of his thumbs back and forth across her bottom lip. Amanda heard her own intake of breath.
“I know you want me,” he said huskily. But before she could even answer him, he caught her bottom lip between his teeth and passed the tip of his tongue across it.
It was the last straw. Amanda had no more control left. She did want him—bad.
Shame on her.
It was too late to worry about shame. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she knew she had passed that point a long time ago.
Sam groaned when her arms went around his neck and a moment later, he consumed her mouth—her total being—in a sweet, but urgently passionate kiss.
Amanda had never been kissed so completely, so thoroughly in her life. She found herself filled with an intense hunger. She wanted him. She had to have him. There was no other way to get the satisfaction she was now craving.
But how could she even consider taking this moment a step further?
No doubt about it, it was cooldown time. For both of them.
Sam pulled away before she did and gazed deeply into her eyes. He was breathing hard. Amanda was, too.
“We can’t do this,” Amanda said.
“I know. The kids,” he replied.
“It’s not just the kids. It’s everything,” she said. “I don’t want to get involved with you—or anyone, for that matter.”
“Yeah,” he drawled a moment later. “I know what you mean. I feel the same way.”
Now that hurt, especially after the way he had just kissed her.
Aman
da sighed. “Please let me up. I need to go,” she said.
“I know you do,” he replied. “And I will—in a minute.” Then he took her lips again, more gently this time, and Amanda didn’t have the willpower to say no.
A sound coming from down the hall caught Amanda’s attention. Sam heard it, too, because he suddenly stopped moving. Then they heard the faint sound again. This time, they recognized it as Sara’s voice, calling for her father.
Sam stood up immediately. “I need to see about Sara. But I’ll be right back.”
“I’m leaving, Sam.”
“No, don’t,” he said. “Not ’til I get back.”
“I’m leaving now. It’s pointless for me to stay.”
Amanda saw when Sam clenched his teeth. He didn’t say a word, but then he didn’t have to for her to know he wasn’t very happy with her.
Well, she wasn’t all that happy with herself, either.
He turned and headed down the hall to check on Sara.
It took Amanda only a moment to rise from the sofa and gather up her things. She walked out, knowing that she was leaving a part of herself behind. But at least she had held herself together in front of him.
Because tonight had cost her plenty.
In fact, much more than she could have ever imagined.
It took Sam several minutes to assure Sara that there were no monsters under her bed where he had put her down for the night. He not only looked under it, but behind her curtains and inside her closet, as well. Then he sprayed those places with his antimonster solution—a homemade remedy of water and vanilla flavoring. It had worked for him when he was a kid, and now it worked for his girls. They usually slept like babies once he made their bedroom monster-free.
Once he finished, he walked back into the living room to find Amanda gone. Of course, she had said she wouldn’t be there and he had no reason to believe otherwise. He had just hoped.
The truth was, he didn’t know what he was doing. That was the effect she had on him. No other woman—not even his first wife—had made him this crazy.
“Dammit,” he muttered under his breath.
Frustrated with her—with himself—he walked to the front window and glanced out. What was the woman trying to do to him, anyway? Drive him insane?
He’d had enough of this, he thought. He didn’t need Amanda. He didn’t need any woman. He just needed a little fun in his life. He was only human, after all.
In fact, he had heard someone in town mention that there was an all-night honky-tonk somewhere nearby, and as soon as Mrs. Cunningham was able, he was going to have her baby-sit for him so he could find it and have himself one hell of a good time. By golly, he deserved it.
And after he had that night out on the town, Dr.
Amanda Lucas would be out of his system.
But until that night came, there was no use trying to fool himself. Sam knew he was going to think about her.
Often.
He damned sure was.
The following morning, Sam got up and cooked pancakes for his kids using the recipe Mrs. Cunningham had given him. They turned out okay. At least, the girls ate them. Afterward, he got them dressed for church. They arrived at the midmorning service just as it was starting.
When it was over, Caroline and Sara were in a hurry to get home to see about their puppy. But Sam needed to put gasoline in his truck and drove to the nearest service station. He felt as grouchy as a bear this morning, but he was doing his best not to let it show.
Not for one moment since he had awakened that morning had he been able to put Amanda from his mind.
He pulled up to a service pump and got out to fill his tank. Just then he saw Amanda coming out of the pay station. Looking around, he noticed her car was parked at the full-service island.
Suddenly, without any warning, he felt his temper rising.
“Amanda,” he called out as he reached the rear of his truck. He saw her feet falter momentarily, but then she quickly picked up her pace. “Amanda, wait,” he called out again, this time even louder than before.
Finally she halted and turned slowly around to face him. In five long strides he caught up with her.
“You’re really good at running away, aren’t you?” he said.
She widened her eyes. “I beg your pardon?”
“Come on, Amanda. We both know you ran away last night.”
Amanda gaped at him. “For your information, I did not run away from you last night. I told you the reason I was leaving. It was pointless for me to stay.”
“You could’ve waited the few minutes it took me with Sara.”
“Of course, I could’ve waited,” Amanda said, holding her head high. “But I didn’t want to.”
“Okay,” Sam said, shaking his head. “I’ll accept that. But I want to know one thing. What made you stay in the first place? I mean, I know the girls wanted you over for supper, but what made you decide to stay?”
“I like your children. A lot.”
“Yeah, well, they like you, too.” Sam stared at her for several long seconds. “Look,” he finally said, “my kids don’t need a bleeding heart. If that’s what you’re offering them, find someone else’s kids to feel sorry for.”
“I don’t feel sorry for them—well, in a way, I do. And why shouldn’t I? I know what they’re going through. I lost my mom at a young age, too.”
“I’m sorry, but you seem to think you have all the solutions where my girls are concerned.”
“Of course not,” Amanda replied.
“From now on, just stay away from my kids. They don’t need your charity. Is that clear?”
“Perfectly,” she replied, her voice cracking.
“Good,” he said, turning on his heels and marching back to his truck. He couldn’t recall ever being so fired up at someone other than the enemies he pursued as a navy SEABEE. Then again, he’d never had a woman get under his skin like Amanda Lucas.
“Women,” he said with a shake of his head. “Who needs ’em?”
The only answer he got was an immediate tightening in his chest.
When he got to his truck, he glanced back and saw that Amanda was still standing in the spot where he’d left her. It looked as though her eyes were glistening with tears. But he couldn’t be sure.
Climbing behind the wheel, he wondered if he’d done the right thing by telling Amanda to stay away from his girls. She clearly loved them, and he knew they were crazy about her.
Of course he’d been right, he told himself a moment later.
The problem was, could he stay away from her?
Chapter Seven
Amanda’s encounter with Sam at the service station had turned her world upside down, and she couldn’t wait to get home. After parking her car in the garage, she hurried inside and plopped her bag of groceries on the countertop.
He had accused her of running away from him.
How absurd. It was just like a man to put her down for something he didn’t understand.
And now he didn’t want her around his kids.
Never in a million years would she have done anything to hurt his kids. And, somehow, she knew he was aware of that fact. So, what was his real problem with her?
Undoubtedly, when she got into bed for the night, she was going to have herself a good cry.
Somehow she would find a way to prove herself to him. If for no other reason, than to satisfy herself.
Determined not to think of Sam for the time being, she took off her coat, hung it on a hook near the back door and then checked her answering machine. There weren’t any messages from the hospital, but there was one from Lucy Foreman. Frowning in concern, Amanda dialed the number to the Foreman house.
Lucy answered and immediately launched into a conversation that included inviting Amanda to a small dinner party a week from Friday night. “This is something I’ve been planning to do since I had my baby at your office,” Lucy said.
“That’s not necessary,” Amanda said.
&nbs
p; “I know. But Tom’s doing all the work. Say you’ll come,” Lucy said brightly.
“Well, I don’t know....”
“Oh, please come,” Lucy said.
Amanda frowned to herself. Now how, she wondered, could she refuse an invitation like that? Besides, Lucy was probably going to have the dinner party with or without her.
“I hope Mr. Arquette can attend,” Lucy said. “I haven’t called him yet.”
“I see,” Amanda replied.
“Is his coming a problem for you?” Lucy asked hesitantly.
“Problem? No, not at all,” Amanda replied quickly. Almost too quickly. She took a deep breath to steady her nerves.
“Good. Then Tom and I will expect to see you on Friday evening, eight o’clock.”
“Thank you, Lucy,” Amanda said. “I’m looking forward to it.” Frowning, she hung up the telephone and turned to head down the hall.
Suddenly, Amanda found herself thinking about the dinner party—about the fact that Sam might be in attendance—and she discovered that she was looking forward ever so slightly to the gathering. After all, in more ways than one, it might be the perfect opportunity to prove herself to Sam Arquette. In fact, she hadn’t felt such a challenge in years. Of course, first, she had to get herself ready. She had to buy a new dress. And a new pair of shoes. She needed a haircut and she might even consider having her hairdresser add a few highlights to her hair. Time was going to be her biggest problem. Her work schedule was always so busy. But, somehow, she would get everything she needed done before the dinner party. It was that important to her.
It turned out Amanda was right about her schedule. The next couple of days were exceptionally busy for her and left her very little time to think about anything but work. She delivered two babies on Monday and one early Tuesday morning. Needless to say, she didn’t have time for running personal errands.
Because it was later than usual when Amanda finally climbed into bed on Tuesday night, she immediately fell into a sound sleep.
At some point during the night—which turned out to be just past one o’clock in the morning—the telephone next to her bed rang at least five or six times before she stirred enough to reach for the receiver and bring it to her ear. “Hello,” she said in a groggy voice.
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