by Sarah Morgan
Oh, hell.
Anna huddled inside the towel. ‘I was just worried about running the practice single-handed,’ she muttered, and Polly smiled.
‘Of course you were. The funny thing about you two is that you disagree violently on everything that doesn’t matter, but when it comes to something important you don’t even have to communicate. You just anticipate the other’s needs. Just like that time in the surgery with little Lucy. Maybe when you see the footage, you’ll see what I mean.’
‘Something’s making me feel sick, Polly,’ Anna said, her teeth still chattering, ‘and it’s either the seawater I’ve swallowed or it could possibly be the rubbish you’re spouting.’
‘Deny it all you like,’ Polly said airily, ‘but the two of you work well together. And on camera you make magic. This programme is going to be a hit. And you’re going to be a hit, Anna. You’d better get yourself an agent.’
She turned away to say something to the sound man and Sam stepped forward with a wicked grin.
‘Any time you want to make magic with me, Riggs, just say the word.’
Anna glared at him and opened her mouth to say something sharp, but Polly turned her attention back to them before she could speak.
‘Can the two of you explain a little bit about what you were trying to do in that rescue? In relatively simple language, of course.’
Anna smiled helpfully. ‘Save someone from drowning?’
Polly ignored her and looked at Sam. ‘I thought the two of you could have a conversation about it—you know, something natural but informative.’
He nodded, instantly professional. ‘Sure, Polly. Let’s just ad lib and see what we get.’ He dropped the towel and turned to Anna, water still clinging to his lashes, like some sort of god who had just emerged from the sea. ‘Of course, there have been some extraordinary examples of survival after long periods of submersion in ice-cold water—’
‘We could experiment if you like.’ Anna tilted her head to one side and smiled at him, her wet hair sliding over her bare shoulders. ‘I could hold you under ice-cold water and we could see what happens.’
There was a snort of laughter from the sound man.
‘Cut!’ Polly shook her head and laughed. ‘That wasn’t exactly what I had in mind, Anna!’
Anna’s gaze was locked on Sam’s.
Something dangerous gleamed in his eyes. ‘On reflection, holding me under ice-cold water isn’t a bad idea,’ he muttered, taking a step towards her. ‘It might be the only solution if we carry on with your plan.’
Aware that the crew was listening, Anna felt her cheeks heat and backed away from him.
‘OK, let’s try this thoroughly staged and unnatural conversation you want,’ she said quickly, suddenly wanting to distract Sam from coming towards her. Had he forgotten that they were being filmed, for goodness’ sake? ‘Dr McKenna…’ She kept her voice brisk and professional. ‘It’s important to remember that cold can protect lives as well as endanger them.’
This time she played it straight, as they’d requested, talking with Sam about the management of near drowning, using terms that a layman would understand.
Finally Polly was satisfied. ‘Fantastic. You two are going to be our star turn. And, Anna, I love your swimming costume.’
Anna stared down at herself in amazement. ‘It’s just a costume.’
‘It looks great.’ The sound man scratched the side of his nose and gave her a cheeky grin. ‘I think we can guarantee a male audience for this particular series.’
Anna’s mouth fell open. ‘You’re saying that people are going to watch this because they like my swimming costume?’
‘No, although that helps. They’ll watch because you’re beautiful and full of guts,’ Polly said bluntly, ‘and because there’s enough spark between the two of you to start a forest fire.’
‘Oh, not that again,’ Anna snapped, scooping her damp hair over one shoulder and deciding that enough was enough. ‘If we’ve finished here, I’m off. I need to warm up after my impromptu dip.’
She sprinted back along the sand towards the house, trying to outrun her feelings. It didn’t work.
She slowed to a walk and gave a groan.
No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t stop thinking about Sam. And it was getting worse by the minute.
Damn.
She took the steps that led from the beach to the deck of the house and padded round to the hot tub.
She flicked the switch, slid into the bubbling water with a moan of pleasure and closed her eyes. This was one of her favourite places. She waited for the tension to seep out of her, but this time she couldn’t relax. Couldn’t get him out of her mind. And when she heard footsteps on the deck, she knew it was him.
Her eyes flew open and she moved in the water. ‘I was just getting out.’
‘You only just got in.’ He was still dressed in his surf shorts and nothing else. He had an amazing body, strong, powerfully built and immensely fit, and he stood there, legs planted firmly apart, totally unselfconscious.
She, on the other hand, was aware of every male inch of him.
Her throat dried. ‘I just wanted to warm up.’
‘And how warm are you?’ He sat down, swung his legs over the side and slid in next to her, his gaze meshing with hers as he moved in close. ‘How warm are you, Riggs?’
She swallowed, trapped by his gaze. ‘I’m warming up fast.’
His blue eyes flickered to her mouth. ‘Need any help?’
‘I think I might,’ she managed huskily before his mouth found hers and they both gave in to the greed that had been consuming them both for days.
‘Hell, Riggs.’ His mouth devoured hers hungrily. ‘I love your body.’
‘Same here.’ She felt their legs tangle, felt his arm haul her close and felt his other hand at her breast. ‘Oh, help, we shouldn’t do this.’
‘Stop saying that.’ He groaned the words into her neck. ‘We’re doing it and that’s final.’
‘No.’ She tilted her head and gasped for air. ‘I mean, we shouldn’t be doing this here, in public.’
‘It’s not public.’ His tongue tasted her skin. ‘This is a private deck. The only way anyone can see is if they’re up here with us.’
Her whole body was on fire, her heart leaping in her chest.
‘We agreed it was a mistake…’
‘We never agree on anything.’ His hand cupped her face and his mouth came down on hers again, stifling her cry.
He felt so good. Hard. Strong. Male.
And she wanted him.
She broke away, her breath coming in tiny pants, her fingers digging into his biceps. ‘We really ought to discuss this.’ She was trying to concentrate but all she could think about was the play of muscle under her fingers and how much she wanted him. ‘We shouldn’t do this on impulse.’ She gasped as his mouth found her throat again. ‘We should talk.’
‘Talking isn’t going to warm either of us up.’
Her eyes closed as she felt the erotic touch of his mouth on hers. She’d thought she’d been kissed before. Dozens of times. But maybe she was wrong because it had never felt like this. No one kissed like Sam McKenna.
She knew that what they were doing wasn’t sensible, but it felt too right to even contemplate stopping.
His arm curved around her waist and he pulled her onto his lap. ‘Body heat is an important source of warmth in these circumstances, Riggs,’ he murmured, his voice deep and unreasonably sexy. ‘Important to share what we have.’
Her whole body ached and throbbed and she twisted under the water, bringing herself into closer contact with him, hearing his groan, feeling his immediate response.
‘It’s time you lost the swimming costume.’ His hands skimmed her shoulders, sliding it down, and she gave a strangled moan as she felt his clever, seeking fingers graze her taut nipples.
‘McKenna. Sam!’
He tugged the costume lower still, his hands sliding over her belly
and downwards till she shifted her hips against him, desperate to ease the blinding, greedy ache.
Bringing his mouth back to hers, he kissed her savagely, stoking the fire that flared between them.
It took all her will-power to stop it from going all the way. ‘Sam…’ She groaned his name, her eyes closed. ‘We can’t do this. Not here. We should stop now…’
She felt the rise and fall of his chest as he struggled to breathe normally. ‘You’re probably right. Not here. Are you warmer now? Because that’s all I was doing, of course, warming you up.’
She looked at him, her breathing unsteady. ‘Just a little warmer. Thanks.’
‘My pleasure.’
She was still on his lap, still aware of every masculine inch of him. ‘Well… I, er, that was…interesting.’
He ran a hand over his face and made a visible effort to pull himself together. ‘It certainly proved a point.’
She could still feel the brush of his hard thigh against hers and her brain was refusing to function. ‘What point?’
‘That it was nothing to do with the dark, the champagne and the atmosphere.’
She slid her arms back into her costume and moved off his lap. ‘We don’t like each other, McKenna.’
His eyes followed her every movement. ‘We could work on that.’
‘We never agree on anything.’
‘I’m willing to say yes to you the minute you ask me the right question.’
She stood up, breathlessly aware of his gaze on her body. ‘We’re going to take a step backwards, McKenna, and try and get a grip on ourselves. We need to stop putting ourselves in the position where this happens. I still think this isn’t a good idea.’
It would complicate her life and she didn’t need complications.
‘Excuse me asking this.’ He spread his arms wide along the rim of the hot tub, the muscles in his shoulders bunching. ‘But exactly which bit doesn’t work for you?’
‘The you and I bit.’ She flicked her hair away from her face. ‘It’s just not— Well, it isn’t what we do.’
‘Why?’
She frowned, but met his gaze head on, never one to avoid an issue just because it was uncomfortable. ‘Well, for a start, because it would make things awkward between us.’
‘Awkward? What can be more awkward than walking round in a state of permanent arousal, which is what’s happening to me at the moment?’ The corner of his mouth shifted. ‘Riggs, I’m a grown man, not some emotionally stunted teenager. I can make love to you and still have a civilised working relationship, if that’s what’s bothering you.’
His words had a disturbing effect on her heart rate. ‘You’re only here for the summer.’
‘So?’ He shrugged. ‘We could have fun. Do you know your problem?’
‘I don’t have a problem.’
‘You plan too much. You need to go with the flow. Live a little. Do something on impulse.’
Impulse.
Anna stared at him. The impulse to dive back into the hot tub with him was almost overwhelming.
She sucked in a breath and pulled herself together. ‘It’s the ability to reason and think that distinguishes us from animals, McKenna,’ she said primly, but there was a definite tremor in her voice and he gave a slow grin that churned up her insides more than ever.
‘That must be why you bring out the beast in me.’
‘I need to do this my way.’
‘Fine. You do whatever you need to do to bring your brain and body in line with mine.’ His eyes glittered with serious intent. ‘But do it fast, Riggs, before we both burn up.’
* * *
Sam stood under a cold shower and wondered if anyone had ever conducted an experiment into the quantity of icy water required to kill a ravenous libido because his was decidedly out of control.
If Anna hadn’t stopped him, he would have made love to her in the hot tub and he wouldn’t have given a damn if the cameras had been running and the entire village had been watching.
He reached for the shampoo and wondered how long she was going to hold out.
Was she right?
Would it make things awkward between them?
He closed his eyes, let the water rinse the soap from his hair and then reached for a towel, a smile on his face as he contemplated the situation. Things had always been awkward between them. They’d never had a smooth, comfortable relationship. It had always been like walking over rocks in bare feet.
He dried himself, pulled on a pair of clean shorts and stared into the mirror.
Of course, part of him was telling him to run a mile. Anna would be no man’s idea of a gentle, compliant partner. She’d be snapping and fighting all the way. He had no doubt that even during sex she’d have an opinion. And she’d probably waste no time in expressing it.
The prospect heated his blood to a dangerous level. The need he felt was so powerful, so all-consuming that he knew it was just a matter of time. It was when, not whether. And he sensed it was the same for her. He doubted that either of them would hold out for long.
CHAPTER EIGHT
‘YOU’RE both famous.’ Glenda made them both a cup of tea the following morning when they appeared for surgery. ‘Your rescue has been shown on every news bulletin since last night. Amazing.’
Anna took the tea with a smile of thanks, carefully avoiding Sam’s eye. She’d seen the bulletin and winced at the footage of her and Sam. She’d never realised that her black costume was so revealing.
‘They’ll incorporate a longer version when the programme goes out,’ Sam told Glenda, handing her a pile of papers. ‘I ran these off the internet for you. Have a read and see what you think. How’s your mother doing today?’
‘She’s so much better.’ Glenda settled herself behind her desk and flicked on the computer. ‘I’ve labelled everything in the sitting-room and put the phone next to her, and I followed your idea of sticking my picture next to the speed dial so that she can remember which button to press if she wants me.’
Anna lifted her head. ‘You’re full of good ideas, Sam.’
‘I certainly am.’ His eyes locked with hers. ‘You ought to try some of them some time.’
She swallowed. Why was it that she was suddenly so aware of every single inch of him? There’d been a time, not that many days before, when all she’d wanted to do when she’d laid eyes on Sam had been to pick a fight. Now, suddenly, she just wanted to strip him naked.
Glenda reached for the keys. ‘I’ll unlock that front door if you’re ready.’
Sam’s eyes didn’t leave Anna’s. ‘I’m ready. How about you?’
She knew what he was asking and suddenly she couldn’t speak. Aware that Glenda was staring at her curiously, she licked her lips. ‘I think I’m probably ready, too.’
Sam’s mouth moved into a smile of raw, masculine satisfaction. ‘Glad to hear it, Riggs.’
Glenda frowned at them. ‘Is something going on that I don’t know about?’
‘Nothing.’ Anna’s voice sounded raspy and she cleared her throat and glanced at her watch. ‘We need to get going. We’ve got a busy day and the beach barbecue tonight.’
Glenda nodded, her eyes sparkling. ‘I’m certainly going. I’ve got a girl staying the night to keep an eye on Mum and I intend to enjoy myself.’
Anna grinned. ‘And who with, exactly? Would this be the same “friend” you saw the other night?’
Glenda’s colour deepened. ‘It might be. I presume you’re both going?’
Sam suppressed a yawn. ‘I’m supposed to be doing a piece to camera about holiday night-life. The perils of enjoying yourself. Too much alcohol and unprotected sex. That type of thing.’
Glenda giggled naughtily. ‘I know quite a few people in this village who could star in that.’
Anna gave a reluctant laugh. ‘You’re both terrible. And, Sam, you should concentrate on the teenagers. You wouldn’t believe how many I have in here after parties on the beach. For goodness’ sake, talk about saf
e sex. It’s definitely a subject to address in our new clinic.’
Glenda hurried off to open the doors and Sam turned to Anna.
‘And when I’ve finished my piece to camera,’ he said softly, ‘you and I have some business to sort out, Riggs. And this time we’re doing it my way.’
She stared at him, hypnotised by the look in his eyes. ‘Your way?’
‘Your way hasn’t worked and I haven’t had an undisturbed night’s sleep for weeks.’ His eyes dropped to her mouth. ‘And it’s only fair to warn you that if you’re planning to argue then you’re going to lose.’
‘I wasn’t planning to argue.’
‘No?’ His mouth curved into a sexy smile. ‘Now, that is a first.’
* * *
Anna spent the entire day in a state of heightened awareness. She went through her surgeries and her calls with only half her mind in action, the other half thinking about Sam and the forthcoming evening.
Why shouldn’t they further their relationship? she reasoned.
As he’d rightly pointed out, who were they going to hurt? They were both consenting adults and neither of them was involved with anyone else. They found each other attractive. It was a relatively simple situation.
Except that it didn’t feel simple.
It didn’t feel simple at all.
Neither did dressing for the beach barbecue. The problem with being a GP in a small, tight-knit community, Anna reflected as she stared at the dress that she’d laid out on her bed, was that you were always in the spotlight and your behaviour had to be above reproach. She could never risk getting drunk in public or making an exhibition of herself.
Did the outfit she’d chosen classify as making an exhibition of herself?
She fingered the fabric gingerly. She’d bought the dress as a joke. To provoke Sam. But things had moved on and now she had a feeling that she’d be provoking a reaction entirely different from the one she’d originally anticipated.
A womanly smile spread across her face and she lifted the dress.
Impulse.
