One Week to Win His Heart

by Lucy Clark

  He smiled at her. ‘And you have yours with just milk.’

  ‘I do.’ Melody quickly fixed them coffee and brought the cups over to the lounge where he was sitting. George took a sip of his coffee, then put the cup on the small table in front of them. He stretched his arms over his head and closed his eyes.

  ‘How long do you think Rudy will be in Radiology?’

  Melody knew that George had said something but for the life of her she had no idea what he’d said because her gaze had been drawn to the way his muscles flexed beneath his shirt when he stretched. It should be outlawed. His crisp, white shirt did nothing to hide what lay beneath and Melody’s heart rate accelerated.

  She quickly looked away, in case he intercepted her gaze. What was she doing, ogling him like that? He was a man in love with another woman. Or, more correctly, the memory of another woman. Memories were powerful things to compete with. She stopped her thoughts short. Wait. Compete? Did she want to compete for George’s attention?

  ‘Melody?’ There was concern in his voice when he spoke.

  ‘Sorry.’ She forced herself to meet his gaze but she didn’t hold it for long. She needed to be careful. She’d been burned too often in the past and perhaps it was necessary for her to remind herself every day that soon George would leave her life just as quickly as he’d entered it. Besides, did she really want to risk a quick fling with a man when she’d vowed to take the next relationship slowly—very slowly? She glanced his way again and found him watching her.

  ‘Something wrong?’

  ‘No. No. Nothing’s wrong.’ She shook her head for emphasis and then eyed him cautiously. ‘Why do you ask?’

  ‘No reason,’ he stated. ‘You just seemed miles away.’

  ‘Hmm.’ She tapped the side of her head. ‘There’s a lot going on up here but nothing I’ll burden you with.’ She chattered too fast, which indicated how his nearness was starting to affect her. She should stand, she should move, she should put more distance between them as right now the warmth and charm exuding from him was starting to become like an aphrodisiac to her. What was wrong with her? She was behaving like an adolescent with a crush.

  It certainly didn’t help matters when he shifted closer and leaned towards her. ‘This attraction between us…’ he murmured quietly, his gaze holding hers.

  ‘Hmm?’ Melody waited, holding her breath to see what he would say next.

  ‘I try to stop myself but then I get near you and…’ He paused. ‘Are you…seeing anyone at the moment?’ He wasn’t sure why he was asking. Perhaps it was because her earlier comment about relying on work to help her through after her break-ups had made him think. Although they both knew that nothing should happen between them, he still seemed to have a burning need to know all about her.

  ‘Uh…’ That wasn’t what she’d expected him to say but the fact that he’d asked her that particular question meant—what? What did it mean? That he was hoping something was going to happen between them? That he was checking—just in case? ‘Actually, no. I’m not involved with anyone. My…er…my last relationship didn’t end well.’

  ‘I’m sorry to hear that.’ And his words were genuine, which surprised her.

  ‘You are?’

  He shrugged one shoulder and shifted again, sliding one arm down the back of the lounge, his hand now resting near her back. ‘Everyone deserves to find happiness, Melody.’

  ‘True but I—’ She shrugged. ‘I guess happiness keeps eluding me.’

  ‘Was it serious?’

  ‘We were engaged.’

  She’d been engaged? The thought had never crossed his mind. It also drove home just how little he knew about her. ‘Does he work here?’

  ‘No. He did, though. Thankfully, he left and moved to Germany.’

  ‘That’s a big move.’

  ‘Well—given the doctor he impregnated while cheating on me lives in Germany, it was logical.’ Melody couldn’t hide the pain she felt at Emir’s betrayal.

  ‘What a fool.’

  ‘To move to Germany?’

  ‘No. To cheat on you.’

  ‘Oh.’

  ‘You deserve better than that.’

  ‘I do, don’t I?’ She met his gaze, her eyes flicking to encompass his very near, very kissable mouth. She closed her eyes, needing to control her increasing attraction to him. ‘But it’s made me very cautious, George.’ She opened her eyes and stared into his.

  Neither of them moved. Both were caught in the bubble of sensual awareness that only seemed to intensify every time they were alone.

  The tea-room door opened and a nurse poked her head around. George instantly stood and picked up his coffee cup, carrying it to the sink. ‘Rudy Carlew’s films are available for viewing,’ she stated, pointing to the computer in the corner of the room.

  ‘Thanks.’ As soon as the door closed, Melody sighed and looked at him. ‘Fast moves.’

  ‘I’m too old for this and—I don’t want anyone to think there’s anything going on between us.’

  ‘There isn’t.’

  ‘But the gossips make up their own stories based on little fact.’

  ‘You’re worried about the gossips?’ She stood and headed over to the computer, entering her code so they could view the X-rays.

  ‘I am.’ He shook his head. ‘It’s not fair to you.’

  Wow. Was he really that concerned about her? How incredibly sweet. She smiled warmly and beckoned him over. ‘The dislocation of the shoulder looks clean,’ she said as he joined her. He wasn’t as close as he’d just been and for that she was grateful. She needed to concentrate and she was finding it increasingly difficult to do so with George around. She clicked on the next image. ‘Ulna and radius, on the other hand, not so clean. It’ll require open reduction and internal fixation.’

  ‘You’ll need to reduce and relocate the Colles’ as well,’ George pointed out. ‘What do you think about bandaging and putting his arm in a splint?’

  ‘We just need to keep everything stable,’ she agreed with a nod.

  ‘If you insert a few K-wires here…’ George pointed up to the fracture site of Rudy Carlew’s right wrist ‘…that will hold the fracture in place.’

  ‘I’d need to restrict him in the length of time he is out of the splint and he’ll require a nurse to handle the bandaging.’

  ‘Absolutely.’

  ‘What do you think? An hour a day.’

  ‘At least for the first two weeks. Then once you get the check X-rays done, you may be able to extend that time frame or decrease it, depending on how things look.’

  Melody nodded. ‘Could be a workable solution. Let’s see how we go in Theatre. And speaking of which…’ She walked to the phone on the wall and called through to the emergency theatres to see if one could be booked immediately.

  ‘We’re in luck,’ she told him as she finished putting in the verbal request. Next she headed back to her patient, who was now in one of the isolated rooms at the end of the recovery cubicles.

  ‘It looks as though we may have a solution to your problem,’ Melody told Rudy. ‘But,’ she added at his brilliant smile, ‘you’ll be under strict instructions as to how much you can do and, please, no more stunts! Use the stuntman next time.’

  ‘Yes, Doctor,’ Rudy said with mock remorse.

  ‘I can’t make any promises,’ Melody reiterated. ‘It was Professor Wilmont’s idea so if it doesn’t work out, you can blame him for dashing your hopes.’

  George chuckled. Melody explained the operation to Rudy and once he’d signed the consent form, she headed to Theatre to get everything prepared. ‘It’s six-thirty now,’ Melody said to him. ‘Unfortunately, it doesn’t look as though you’ll have time to help me in Theatre.’

  ‘Why not?’

  ‘George, you have a dinner at eight o’clock. That’s only an hour and a half away.’

  ‘I do know how to tell the time,’ he said with an admonishing grin.

  ‘Stop teasing.’ Melody smiled, e
njoying their easy banter. Emir had never clicked with her like this. Perhaps that was why she found George so hard to resist! ‘Carmel will come looking for you and then you’ll have to leave in the middle of the operation. Actually, I’m surprised she’s allowed you a few free hours.’

  George chuckled. ‘It’ll be all right. The operation’s going to take—what? Forty-five minutes?’

  ‘More than likely, if we don’t run into complications.’

  ‘I seriously doubt it.’

  ‘You have responsibilities.’

  ‘I have an hour and a half. We’ll be fine.’

  The look he gave her said that she could trust him and for a split second Melody wondered whether he was only talking about the operation or—something more? She decided it was best not to pursue it so she showed him where the changing rooms were and escaped behind the door marked ‘Females’.

  ‘You’re a cool, calm and collected professional,’ she mumbled to herself as she changed. ‘You’ve been through a lot worse than this. It’s just an attraction. Nothing is ever going to come of it. He’s still carrying a torch for his wife and he’s leaving at the end of the week. He has a tour to complete and even after that’s done he’ll be living in a different state.’

  ‘Talking to yourself again, Melody?’ Evelyn asked as she walked in to the changing rooms.

  For a second she froze. How much of her mumbling had Evelyn heard? Melody adopted an air of nonchalance and continued to put her hair up.

  ‘So, another opportunity to work with the great Professor Wilmont,’ Evelyn squeaked excitedly. ‘And assist with an operation on Rudy Carlew. Is this the best job or what?’

  Melody couldn’t help but laugh. She didn’t need to tell Evelyn to make sure she kept herself the information about Rudy Carlew strictly confidential as the nurse had proved herself to Melody in the past to be a woman of integrity and discretion. If it hadn’t been for Evelyn’s compassion in telling Melody the truth about Emir, perhaps Melody’s heartbreak would have been even worse.

  ‘The only downside,’ Evelyn continued, ‘is that after tonight my contract with the hospital expires.’

  ‘I didn’t realise you were doing agency work. You’ve been here for at least the past twelve months.’

  ‘I’ve been filling in for a nurse on maternity leave. She’s back tomorrow, which means I won’t be around to visit Rudy.’ They walked out together. ‘How did you get Professor Wilmont to agree to operate?’

  Evelyn’s question made Melody want to throw caution to the wind and say something like it had been her natural charms that had led George away from his busy schedule in search of a more refined amusement but instead she cleared her throat. Not wanting to create hospital gossip, she said, ‘Firstly, he’s assisting me. Secondly…’ Melody shrugged ‘…he asked.’

  Melody checked on Rudy to make sure that everything was going according to plan before she headed for the scrub sink. There was no sign of George but she knew he’d arrive soon. The hairs on the back of her neck and along her arms rose the moment he entered the room and she was amazed at how aware she was of him but tried to hide it as best she could.

  As they stood at the scrub sink, he said, ‘Everything ready to go?’

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘I called Carmel,’ he told her. ‘So at least she knows where I am.’

  Melody glanced at him and almost gasped. The theatre greens brought out the golden flecks in his brown eyes—eyes that she could willingly drown in. She tried not to dwell on it and scrubbed her hands harder but the scent of his aftershave, the deep melodious sound of his voice, the warmth emanating from his body as he stood beside her made her completely forget what she was doing. She glanced at his large, capable hands as he continued to lather them and his arms. So strong. So masterful. So…sensual.

  This will not do! Melody returned her gaze to her own arms and hands, intent on focusing her thoughts on the upcoming operation. Thankfully, by the time the operation began she was back in control of her emotions. George was merely another surgeon assisting her.

  They worked well together, relocating the shoulder and performing open reduction and internal fixation on the fractured radius and ulna. The K-wires that needed to be inserted into the wrist were another matter yet together they worked it through with both of them quite satisfied with the result.

  ‘A job well done,’ George remarked as he pulled off his mask and theatre cap. Melody looked up at him and he smiled. It was that gorgeous thousand-watt smile that sent her body into meltdown. A flood of tingles swamped her, and her knees turned to jelly.

  She turned away from him, desperate to get herself under control. She had to find some way of saving her sanity, at least for the next few days, but the more time she spent with George, the more she was coming to care for him and that in itself was incredibly dangerous.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  ‘MELODY? ARE YOU feeling all right?’

  ‘Yes.’ She dared a quick glance up at him while she disposed of her theatre garb. ‘I’d better write up the notes,’ she mumbled, and quickly headed back to the tea room, thankful George wasn’t following her.

  She was glad of the momentary reprieve as it gave her a moment to get her racing heart rate under control. She wrote up the notes but discovered she’d made two mistakes. It irked her when her mind wandered into George-land. Why did it irk her so much? Was it the fact that she was attracted to George? Or the fact that she felt out of control whenever he was around? And what was wrong with feeling a little out of control once in a while?

  She knew there could never be anything between them so why shouldn’t she enjoy the way he made her pulse race? Or the way her stomach churned in excitement? It was definitely bolstering her bruised ego. George found her desirable. After what Emir had done to her, why shouldn’t she be delighted with George’s attentions? It could be something she could hold close to her heart, especially when she became all anxious about never finding anyone to truly love and accept her.

  ‘Thought I’d find you here.’ George’s voice washed over her and Melody momentarily closed her eyes, savouring the sound and the way it made her feel, before opening her eyes and turning to look at him. He was dressed in his suit again, looking more handsome than before, if that was possible. ‘I’d better get going.’ He stayed in the doorway, not venturing any further.

  Melody automatically looked at the clock, gasping as she saw the time. Ten minutes to eight. ‘I’d completely forgotten about the dinner.’

  He smiled. ‘I thought as much. You are still coming?’

  ‘Yes, but it appears I’m going to be a little late. As the dinner is at your hotel, it won’t take you anytime at all to change and get to the venue.’

  ‘Whereas you need to go home, shower and change and then drive to the hotel,’ he finished for her.

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘I’ll save you a seat.’

  Melody chuckled. ‘That’s pretty decent of you—especially as the seating has already been assigned.’

  He returned her smile and she melted. ‘See you there,’ he said, then walked away. Melody sighed, the silly smile still on her face. You’re not having much luck, she rationalised. Even though she knew George still carried a torch for his wife, she couldn’t blame him. To have loved and then lost would mean that Veronique would be in his heart for ever. The problem was that it only endeared him to her even more. He wasn’t about to let his past fade away but would carry those memories with him for ever. But was he looking to move forward? To try new relationships? He said it had been only eighteen months since his wife had died, so was he ready, and did it really have anything to do with her?

  ‘Work,’ she said, and stood, pushing thoughts of George Wilmont out of her mind. She headed for Recovery to check on Rudy and when she was satisfied with his condition, she left the nurses to drool over their movie-star patient.

  *

  At home, she took a leisurely shower and dressed with extra care. She’d seen the slightly v
eiled looks of desire in George’s eyes yesterday evening, and tonight she wanted to see it again. He made her feel feminine, delicate and sexy—all at the same time. They were sensations she’d never felt before and she’d discovered, much to her chagrin, that she liked it.

  Melody smoothed her hand down the long burgundy silk dress she’d bought two weeks ago specifically for this occasion. Tonight, instead of piling her curls on top of her head, she let them fall loose. Vanilla essence was next and she dabbed some on her wrists and behind her ears. Usually, she wore perfume but tonight she wanted to—what? Leave a lasting impression on George? Have him find her too good to resist?

  ‘Just enjoy it,’ she told her reflection. ‘Nothing is going to happen and at least you’ll have some nice memories to combat the awful ones.’ With a firm nod, she collected her bag and keys before heading out the door.

  *

  Melody arrived just over an hour later, but when George saw her he knew it had been worth the wait. The same reaction he’d experienced the night before hit him again. She was a vision of loveliness, dressed in a rich burgundy fabric that shimmered when she walked. Her hair was loose and he had the sudden urge to thread his fingers through her glorious mane that shone reddish-gold beneath the artificial lights. He was amazed at how strongly she affected him and although he’d done his best to fight it, he’d found he was losing the battle.

  ‘Hey. Here’s Melody,’ Andy announced, breaking into George’s intimate thoughts. George watched her look their way as Andy called her name and waved. She waved back and said something to the people who had waylaid her before heading in their direction. She walked with such grace and poise, holding her shoulders back. She was one elegant lady.

  George waited impatiently for their gazes to meet and when they did he found it hard to disguise the desire he felt. He smiled quickly, hoping she hadn’t seen, but he doubted it. Even though he’d only met her yesterday morning, George knew she was a very perceptive woman.

  He stood and held the back of the vacant chair next to him. ‘Here, have a seat. You must be exhausted.’

  ‘Thank you.’