by Sue MacKay
‘He’s given me a room in the barracks for the next couple of days, then I’m moving into town to work at the hospital until you’re sent home at the end of your tour.’
‘I still don’t get it. Why would you do that? You hated the desert and heat.’
Sam wanted to chuckle at the stunned expression on Maddy’s wonderful face, but he daren’t. There was too much at stake. If only she knew how hard it had been not to leap up and grab her to him the moment he’d seen her come into the medical unit. Maddy was not ready for that. She was not ready for him at all. But she was quickly getting over the shock of finding him here, was wrapping herself in confidence, pulling on the feisty armour she was so good at producing. All false, every last piece.
Softness extended through his heart. The woman he loved stood in front of him, holding him at bay with nothing but refusal in her eyes, not ready to trust him. He wanted her ready for everything he had to tell her. Hell, he wanted her. So much it debilitated him. That need had driven him to clear the obstacles so he could come to her a free man, but there was a way to go yet. ‘I’ve had a change of heart,’ he said, knowing she wouldn’t understand. Not until he told her everything and first he needed her to relax. ‘I admit to missing home, such as it is. Christchurch is where I grew up, where Ma and Pa Creighton are. Where you’ll return to at the end of your time in the army. I want to be there when you do.’ Maddy wasn’t usually slow on the uptake, but he wondered if she’d realise he’d wound her and home into the same package, that he needed both to become one for him to make her happy.
‘Sam.’ Her fingers were white as they dug deeper into her flesh. ‘It’s great to see you but I’ll have to catch up later. I’m needed elsewhere.’
‘If you’re referring to the message sent through comms, that was from me. I had them send it.’
‘You couldn’t just wait for me to get back?’
‘I hate thinking of you out on patrol, looking for snipers. It was my way of saying come back safe.’ It was true. From the moment he’d walked in here and learned Maddy was with a group hunting out a sniper, he’d been gripped with fear. So much so that when she’d walked in as though back from a stroll to the shops he’d alternately wanted to kiss her and shout at her.
‘It’s the job, Sam.’ The bite had gone from her voice.
‘Yeah.’ He glanced around, only now aware of everyone watching them. ‘Let’s go somewhere private.’
‘On an army base?’ Her eyebrow lifted in a cute fashion, sending ripples of longing through him. ‘You haven’t been gone that long to forget what it’s like.’
The office had been very private the afternoon they’d made love. ‘Want to walk the perimeter?’
‘I’m done with the sun for today.’ She whistled silently. ‘We could grab a water and find a corner no one else is interested in.’
At least she hadn’t kicked him into touch. ‘Let’s.’
‘Where will you live when you’re working in town?’ Maddy asked as they settled on outdoor chairs in a private spot behind the barracks block.
‘There’s a small hotel on the same street.’
The plastic bottle spun back and forth in her hands. Her eyes seemed to be focused on a lone blade of grass at her feet. Then her head came up and she said, ‘Okay, what’s this about?’
Should he leap in? Or lead up to the crux of his visit? He leapt. ‘You and me. I love you, Maddy. That week we worked here together pulled me up short, brought me to my knees.’
If he’d expected her to leap into his arms he was out of luck. Her widening eyes were the only indication that she’d heard him. ‘Yet you went away without telling me. What’s changed?’
‘Me.’
Maddy stared at him, her lips parted and her eyes wide. ‘Go on.’ She wasn’t making it easy for him but, then, she had a lot at stake. She wouldn’t be wanting to risk having her heart smashed again.
If she loved him. Cold fear slid over him. What if she didn’t? She wouldn’t have made love that day if she didn’t, surely? Not Maddy. Not with her insecurities.
‘I know I told you I’d never let you close, that my heart wasn’t available. I did that because I was afraid. I’ve fought becoming too close to anyone because I couldn’t face being left again.’ He’d told her that before, but needed to remind her before going on. ‘When William was killed in Afghanistan I blamed myself for talking him into going with me. I believed I didn’t deserve love and happiness.’
‘And now?’
‘We each are responsible for our choices in life. William could’ve stayed home and got married, as was planned.’
Maddy nodded abruptly. ‘Go on.’
She was tough. ‘That first day I saw you walking across the parade ground? That’s when I fell for you.’ Just hadn’t recognised the emotions rolling through him at the time.
She swallowed hard, but remained silent.
‘I’ve never stopped loving you from then on, Madison.’
She leapt to her feet, stormed over to the fence and stared out across the sand. Her hands were gripping her hips, her legs spread wide.
He waited, and waited. The next move was hers.
His water was gone by the time she turned and walked back to him. His heart rate was off the scale.
‘Is this when you head away again?’ she asked in a strangled tone. Then she began shaking, her hands, her legs and shoulders, her teeth chattering.
‘No. Never.’ Sam leapt up, pulled her into his arms. That soft body was home for his starved one, warming him where he’d been cold for years. Her scent his beacon. ‘I want to marry you, have you at my side for ever.’
She jerked and his arms were empty. ‘No,’ she cried.
‘Maddy.’ Another chill overrode the warmth. ‘Is that so bad?’
She spun away, spun back to stare at him. Tears poured down her cheeks. ‘You love me?’
‘With all my heart.’
She slumped, pain removing all the colour from her cheeks. Her hands gripped her midriff. ‘Have you thought this through?’ she gasped through those tears he desperately wanted to wipe away. ‘Considered everything? Like possibly never having a family?’
‘Maddy, it’s you I want, I love. If we have children I’ll love them, too, but if we find we can’t then I won’t stop loving you because of it.’
Longing warred with denial in her face. ‘You’re talking for ever here. Have you really thought what that means? I couldn’t cope if you changed your mind.’ Her breasts rose on a breath. ‘Go back to wherever you’ve decided is home, Sam.’ Her tears had become a torrent, and she stumbled as she started to run—away from him.
‘No way, Maddy. No damned way. You and I belong together.’ He caught her up in his arms, lifted her feet off the ground, held her against his body.
She writhed and wriggled, trying to get away from him. Her sniffs were muffled against his shirt.
‘I love you, Maddy. I love you. As in now. I always will. I love you, Maddy.’ Over and over the words spilled between them. ‘I love you.’ His hands soothed, his body sheltered her from herself, and slowly, oh, so slowly, she calmed. He eased his embrace enough to let her stand against him, but he did not drop his arms from his woman.
Finally a shudder rippled through her length and she pulled back to rub her arm across her swollen face. Then she looked up at him. Hope swam in those wet eyes. And something else.
Sam held his breath.
Finally she spoke so quietly he had to lower his head to hear her. ‘I love you, too, Sam.’
All the air in his lungs rushed across his lips. She loves me. That was all he needed. All he’d ever wanted. Pulling her back into his arms, Sam kissed those swollen lips.
When he stopped to draw breath she told him, ‘There must’ve been something in the air the day I arrived here.
Not only dust. I think I started to feel hope for the future when you didn’t laugh at my meltdown. I’m ready now, ready for whatever we might face. With you beside me I can cope with anything.’
Putting his finger on her lips, he managed, ‘Shh...’
As he leaned close to reclaim those lips his own tears splashed on her face. She tasted of love and hunger and the future. And of a home together, a life together.
She was his life.
EPILOGUE
Five months later...
MADISON TAPPED HER foot impatiently as the Christchurch immigration officer studied her arrivals card. All around her people seemed free to go, while she was stuck with this annoying man.
‘Whereabouts in the Middle East have you been?’
‘The Sinai Peninsula. With the army,’ she added for good measure, hoping that’d hurry him along.
‘I see you’re not with your contingent today.’
‘They’re coming next week. I’m getting married in seven days and was given an earlier flight.’ One with seats and food and cabin crew. Yahoo.
Tick, tick. He finally smiled. ‘There you go, Captain. Have a great wedding.’
‘Oh, I intend to.’ Her pack bounced on her back as she ran for the exit and charged out into the wide space. ‘Sam,’ she shrieked. ‘Sam.’
‘Over here.’ And there he was. That smile she’d been craving since he’d headed home to finalise details for their wedding and to pick up the deeds to the house they’d bought last month on the net after her family had checked it out for them.
‘Sam.’ She dropped the pack and leapt at him, wrapped her arms and legs around him tight. She was never going to let go of him again.
He staggered but didn’t drop her. ‘Maddy, babe, what took you so long? I’ve been waiting twenty minutes.’ That smile widened into a grin, and his hands splayed across her waist, firm, warm and demanding. ‘I’ve missed you every second of every day.’
‘I’ve missed you more,’ she teased, before plastering her lips back on his, and forgetting everything but the man holding her. Her fiancé, the man she’d fallen in love with as quickly as a lightning flash could cut through the sky. Finally she removed her mouth enough to whisper, ‘Take me home’. To the house they were going to have so much fun making into a home. Their home.
They weren’t having a decadent honeymoon on an island beach in the Pacific or at a swanky hotel in Australia. Nope, they were staying at home, buying furniture and linen and kitchen utensils, and all the things necessary and not so necessary to fill their home and make it comfortable. And finding rooms to set up their joint surgical practice in.
Sam held her away from him to lock those gorgeous blue eyes on her. ‘Hate to spoil the fun but we are not alone.’
‘Really? Who’s here?’ She stared over his shoulder and right into the amused gaze that she’d known all her life. ‘Dad.’ She leapt from Sam to her father, wrapping her arms around him. ‘I’ve missed you.’
‘And me you, sweetheart. Glad you’re back safe and sound.’
Then she was being swarmed by the rest of her family, and the tears streamed down her face. Who would’ve believed six months ago she’d be coming home to all this? ‘Sam?’
‘Right here, Maddy.’ He leaned close and whispered, ‘It’s all real, right down to that chocolate stain on little Midge’s brand-new shirt she wore specially for Auntie Madison.’
‘And how did she come by chocolate?’ Her sister wouldn’t have let Midge have it.
‘Seems there was a lot of it hanging around on the shelves in the book store over there and, well, we just couldn’t walk past without helping the shopkeeper out by buying some.’ Sam was grinning down at her nieces.
Maddy’s heart swelled. That grin had a lot to answer for. It had snagged her right from the get-go, and still made it hard for her to ignore Sam. But now it had changed. There was no hidden agenda behind Sam’s grin, no challenge, nothing to suggest anything other than he was happy.
Stretching onto her toes, Madison kissed her man. ‘I love you so much it’s scary.’
‘I know what you mean but let’s not be afraid. We’ve got too much good going on to be sidetracked by what might be out there waiting for us.’ With another kiss he set her on her feet again. ‘There are two people here who are busting to meet you.’
Of course. She should’ve gone to them immediately. ‘Ma and Pa Creighton. I am thrilled to finally meet you.’ It was easy to hug this woman who’d been so kind to Sam and his mother, easy to accept a return hug.
‘It’s us who are thrilled.’ Ma Creighton stepped back to swipe at her cheeks where small tears tracked a line through her make-up. ‘Sam’s so happy. We’ve never seen him like this. Thank you.’
‘Don’t thank me. We’re in love. That tends to make even grey days look sunny.’
‘What my wife isn’t saying is that you’ve brought Sam home to us. As in he drops by all the time, has meals with us, talks as though he’s got to make up for all the years we’ve known him.’
‘I’m glad. Really glad. He adores you both.’
‘Right.’ Sam started rounding everyone up. ‘Time we headed home.’ He was looking at Maddy and when he said ‘home’ his eyes lit up with excitement. ‘Maddy hasn’t seen her house yet and I can’t wait any longer to show her.’
There was a general groan from everyone. ‘Guess that means we should take our time getting there.’ Maggie laughed.
Definitely, thought Madison.
‘Definitely,’ muttered Sam. ‘Take about three days.’
Madison skidded to a halt in front of the terminal doors now sliding open. ‘We haven’t got a chance of being alone until this lot have had dinner.’
‘I figured.’
She grabbed his hand. ‘Come on. I need you to myself for five minutes.’
‘A quickie on the way home?’ Sam wiggled one eyebrow at her.
Her elbow jabbed him in the side. ‘I have a present for you.’
‘What is it?’
‘Patience, man. Where’s our car? What colour is it?’
‘Aren’t you supposed to ask what make it is first?’
She kissed the back of his hand that held hers. ‘How many seats has it got?’
‘Four.’ He dragged out his answer, confusion darkening his eyes.
‘Has it got a large boot?’
‘Ye-es. Maddy...?’
‘It’s just that we’re going to need all of that. There’s going to be a third member of this family arriving in seven months’ time.’
‘Maddy!’ Sam said as he dropped her bag and swung her up into his arms. ‘Seriously? We’re going to be parents?’
A tidal wave of happiness rolled through her and she clung to the man who had helped her get her life back on track. ‘I love you, Sam Lowe. Always will. And, yes, we’re going to have a baby!’
* * * * *
If you enjoyed this story, check out these other great reads from Sue MacKay
THE ARMY DOC’S BABY BOMBSHELL
DR. WHITE’S BABY WISH
BREAKING ALL THEIR RULES
A DECEMBER TO REMEMBER
All available now!
Keep reading for an excerpt from A MONTH TO MARRY THE MIDWIFE by Fiona McArthur.
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A Month to Marry the Midwife
by Fiona McArthur
PROLOGUE
THE WHITE SAND curved away in a crescent as Ellie Swift descended to Lighthouse Bay Beach and turned towards the bluff. When she stepped onto the beach the luscious crush of cool, fine sand under her toes made her suck in her breath with a grin and the ocean breeze tasted salty against her lips. Ellie set off at a brisk pace towards the edge of the waves to walk the bay to the headland and back before she needed to dress for work.
‘Ellie!’
She spun, startled, away from the creamy waves now washing her feet, and saw a man limping towards her. He waved again. Jeff, from the surf club. Ellie knew Jeff, the local prawn-trawler captain and chief lifesaver. She’d delivered his second son. Jeff had fainted and Ellie tried not to remind him of that every time she saw him.
She waved back but already suspected the call wasn’t social. She turned and sped up to meet him.
‘We’ve got an old guy down on the rocks under the lighthouse, a surfer, says he’s your doctor from the hospital. We think he’s busted his arm, and maybe a leg.’
Ellie turned her head to look towards the headland Jeff had come from.
