Tempting Dr. Templeton

by Judy Campbell

  She tried to pull her hand back. It would be too easy to fall back into that trap again and now, feeling sorry for Andy, her defences would be lower than ever. She longed to ask him more questions about himself and his son, but his mood had changed. She sensed that he had told her as much as he wanted for the time being, and now it was time to move on to other subjects.

  Rosie smiled at him. ‘Tell me about your life here. Have you always lived in this area?’

  ‘Cornish—born and bred!’ he said. ‘At the moment I live with my father and aunt—perhaps another thing we have in common! My stepmother died some years ago and my father is disabled, so my aunt looks after him. I’d like to take you back to the house some day. I think you’d be interested to see it—it’s an old converted coaching house with a few secret passages that hid some smugglers in days gone past.’

  ‘It sounds fantastic. Did you live there as a child?’

  ‘Oh, yes—and Keiron loves it just as much as I do. When we lived as a family here, he was always wanting to visit his grandfather and hear the tales he’d make up about the rogues who used to roam these parts. I’m hoping…There’s just a chance that I can bring Keiron back here for a few weeks in the summer holidays and let him explore the house again.’

  In the muted light of the restaurant his face seemed softer, less angular, and there was a boyish, more carefree look about him when he spoke of the house he lived in and Keiron’s delight in it.

  ‘It sounds very intriguing, Andy—like something out of a Daphne du Maurier novel.’

  His eyes sparkled at her. ‘Exactly! We’ve even got a little cove on the beach at the end of the garden—it’s wonderful!’ He poured some more wine into her glass and looked at her with an impish gaze. ‘Now, let’s get onto more important things—what about some treacle tart with whipped cream?’

  The adroit change of subject made Rosie laugh. ‘I couldn’t eat anything else. Just some coffee, I think, and then perhaps we’d better go. As I said, I promised Amy I’d look in on her when I got back.’

  ‘Then why don’t we skip coffee and you can make me some at the cottage?’

  Her heart gave a warning thump against her ribs. Did she want to ask him back to the intimacy of the little sitting room—the two of them alone together? She knew Lily would have gone to bed—of course Amy would be asleep—and yet it would seem churlish to say no after they’d had such a lovely evening.

  ‘Of course,’ she said weakly. ‘If you don’t mind instant!’

  Crossing the restaurant to leave, Rosie noticed a familiar face watching them. Arabelle Carter was sitting in a corner of the room with a distinguished-looking white-haired older man. She caught Rosie’s eye and gave a rather embarrassed wave. Rosie smiled back at her.

  ‘You know those people?’ enquired Andy, steering her down the stairs to the car park.

  ‘She was the patient I saw this evening—the one I told you about who mistakenly thought she was pregnant, but I’m sure she’s got fibroids.’

  ‘They live fairly near me,’ remarked Andy, opening the car door for her. ‘I see him quite often in the post office. Rather a dominating sort of chap—big booming voice, likes to make his opinion known.’

  ‘Poor Arabelle,’ sighed Rosie. ‘I don’t know if he’ll listen sympathetically to her longing to have a baby. I only hope she won’t have to have a hysterectomy.’

  The golden glow of a lamp in the little sitting room was all that lit the cottage when they returned, otherwise it was in darkness. Lily had almost certainly gone to bed, thought Rosie apprehensively, leaving her alone with Andy. She flicked on the switch in the hallway and he closed the front door gently behind him. The hall looked tiny and cramped with his tall broad frame taking up most of the room.

  ‘I’ll go and put the kettle on.’ Rosie moved swiftly to the kitchen. There was a definite ‘danger zone’ near Andy as far as she was concerned—anything nearer than three feet from him and that incredible physical attraction she’d felt for him when they’d first met seemed to come into play. Now, however, she knew something about his background and it was as if things had shifted to a more intimate footing—she felt the nervousness of someone on emotional quicksands.

  When she came back to the sitting room with mugs of coffee, he was sitting on the settee, his long legs sprawled in front of him, a double photograph in his hand—Tony in one frame and Amy in the other.

  ‘I do see a likeness between your husband and your daughter, although she’s remarkably like you,’ he said.He looked up at Rosie sympathetically. ‘He looks a good man. It’s tragic he never saw his little girl.’

  Rosie nodded, setting down the coffee on a little table. ‘He would have been a great father, but Amy’s never known what it’s like to have a dad. She’s going to grow up with a lot of female influence in her life, just Lily and me!’

  ‘I don’t think she’ll come to any harm.’ Andy stood up and put the photograph down, then looked quizzically at Rosie. ‘Perhaps I could help add a masculine slant. How about me taking you all for a picnic in one of the little coves I knew when I was a boy? I’m a great sandcastle-builder, and Amy could bring a little friend. You see, Rosie—’ He held her glance with those amazing clear blue eyes. ‘I really do want to get to know you better—as a friend. And that includes your family. I may not have my son near me, but I can enjoy my friends’ children.’

  Rosie bit her lip and picked up her coffee. She put her hands round the mug as if to warm herself as a warning chill swept through her. Of course she couldn’t object to having him as a friend. Heavens, she needed all the friends she could have in her position. But she was beginning to realise that on her side it could become much more than being good friends. Playing happy families on a beach could very soon turn to dependence and love on her part for a man she wasn’t sure wanted a permanent relationship. It would be too easy to fall for someone like Andy Templeton. She moved to the window and looked out into the inky darkness.

  ‘Perhaps,’ she said, forcing her voice to sound light, ‘when…when the sea warms up a little. I’m sure Amy would love that.’

  ‘I hope you would love it, too, Rosie.’ He had moved just behind her. She felt his hand on her shoulder and he turned her gently round, putting his hand under her chin and tilting her face towards his. ‘What’s the matter?’ he said softly. ‘I get the feeling you’re keeping me at a distance.’

  Rosie swallowed nervously. This was a delicate situation—she had to work with this man professionally, and yet all her senses were screaming at her to fling her arms round him and press her lips to his in a most unprofessional way! He was so close. It was hard to ignore the way her senses reacted to the clean, soapy, male smell of him, his powerful physical aura. She turned abruptly away and sat tensely on the edge of the little sofa.

  ‘Don’t be silly.’ Her voice was rather breathless. ‘As I said, it’s a lovely idea of yours and of course we’ll do it some time—look forward to it.’

  He nodded slowly, his eyes sweeping slowly over her face, then he sat down on the chair near her and leant forward, a serious look in his eyes.

  ‘You’re frightened of something, Rosie,’ he said gently. ‘It’s simple. We met, we liked each other, we had fun and then…then we had something more. We can’t let that disappear…’

  Rosie sprang up from her seat and moved to the fireplace. Too darn right she was afraid—afraid of her own passions. Why in heaven’s name had she been such a fool as to allow this man to make love to her the first night they’d met? They were two lonely people, but it was obvious that he only needed short-term comfort until he went to see his son again. She would never come first with Andy.

  ‘I don’t want to talk about it now,’ she said with a catch in her voice. ‘That was then, before I knew we were going to work together.’ She added rather defiantly, ‘You’ll think I’m a bundle of complexes, but it just happens to be the way I think…’

  Andy stood up and looked down at her, his eyes twinkling. ‘
That’s all right—I like complicated women! But if you don’t want to, we won’t talk about it now.’ He paused for a second then he gave a crooked little smile. ‘But I can’t believe, Rosie, that you don’t feel something of what I feel.’

  Rosie’s heartbeat accelerated uncomfortably. ‘I think we’re on dangerous ground here, Andy,’ she whispered. ‘Remember what I said…’

  His hand crept round her back and he pulled her towards him. ‘It’s your fault,’ he murmured. ‘You shouldn’t look so darned beautiful.’ His hands went behind her head and pulled out the combs holding her chignon, so that her thick hair sprang halo-like round her head. His fingers entwined themselves in the tendrils round her face and his face hovered above hers. ‘I don’t care if we do work together…’ he whispered. ‘Surely this can’t be wrong.’

  His lips descended on hers with soft butterfly kisses fluttering down her jawline to the hollow in her neck. Any second, thought Rosie hazily, he’ll reach the point of no return and then I’ll be lost! Her breasts felt heavy and full as a flash of unbelievable sexual response went through her, making her limbs lose their strength and her body melt against him.

  She thought dizzily through a cloud of desire that she couldn’t allow what had happened on their first meeting to happen again. How easy it would be to capitulate, to do what she really longed to do and blend her body with his, feel his hard, comforting warmth around her. She tried to concentrate on the little voice inside her head that insisted she was just a pleasant distraction from his troubles, and in the end she’d be the loser.

  For a second she allowed his lips to tease hers apart, to feel the luxury of his arms pressing her against his hard muscular body, then with a tremendous effort of will she turned her head and twisted firmly away from him.

  ‘Do you mind?’ She tried to keep her voice lightly chiding—she didn’t want to part on unfriendly terms with him. ‘I think I’ve made myself reasonably clear about this!’

  He stood back and laughed, his eyebrow raised in amusement. Rosie knew with a flash of embarrassment that he was just as aware of her eager response to his kisses as she had been. Then he pulled her gently but firmly to him again and tilted her head with his finger under her chin so that she was forced to look at him.

  ‘What’s the matter, Rosie? What’s so different now to that magical time we had together last week? Why is it wrong now if it wasn’t wrong then?’

  He seemed to treat it as a bit of a joke, she thought dryly. She tried to keep her voice even. ‘It wouldn’t work, Andy. I told you before, we’re colleagues now. Let’s leave it at that, shall we?’

  ‘Come on, now. Everyone needs to be desired, loved…’ He paused, then said softly, a coaxing note in his voice, ‘Perhaps we could be just…very good friends?’

  What did he mean by that? Was it possible to be ‘very good friends’ and stop oneself falling in love? Having a platonic friendship with someone like Andrew Templeton, who made her heart lurch every time she saw him, didn’t seem possible to Rosie.

  ‘I hope,’ she replied primly, but with an edge of sharpness in her voice, ‘that we can always be friendly colleagues…’

  She stepped away from him, but he caught her hands in his and held her eyes for a moment. ‘Then if that’s what you want, let’s try and start at that,’ he said gently. ‘I wouldn’t want to do anything you wouldn’t want me to…I’m sorry if I came on too strong.’

  Rosie bit her lip. That was just the trouble. She did want him—oh, so much!

  A sudden bumping sound against the door made them both jump apart. A little voice outside the room said plaintively, ‘Mummy! Drink—please, drink!’

  Rosie whipped round guiltily, then opened the door. Amy stood there, a plump little figure in pink pajamas with a large teddy bear in her arms. She smiled cheerfully at Rosie and Andy, her big brown eyes looking from one to the other.

  ‘Biscuits, too?’ she enquired hopefully.

  Rosie rushed over to her and enveloped her in a hug, sweeping her up in her arms. ‘Hello, darling,’ she whispered into the child’s neck, smelling the sweet baby smell of her. ‘You’ve come in the nick of time—am I glad to see you!’

  Andy watched mother and daughter cuddling each other with a rather wistful look on his face. It reminded him of when Keiron had been a baby, doing just the same thing and running to him for comfort in the night. What a wonderful feeling it had been to be needed and trusted. Seeing Amy with Rosie reinforced that feeling of isolation he had from his beloved little boy.

  His throat constricted and he turned away from the tender scene for a second. Perhaps, he thought gloomily, he had too much baggage from his past to make a long-term relationship with Rosie possible. Just because there was an incredible spark between them, it didn’t mean she wanted him in her life permanently. She’d probably be rightly wary of a man with one failed marriage behind him…

  The words an old nanny had used, when his natural impatience had overcome him as a boy, floated into his head: ‘Make haste slowly, young man!’

  Perhaps she was right, he reflected as his eyes followed Rosie carrying Amy out to the kitchen. She looked back at him as she went through the door.

  ‘Could you let yourself out? It’s getting late and it may take some time to get Amy back to sleep.’

  ‘Sure,’ he murmured. ‘Don’t worry, I’ll go now.’

  Amy gave him a little wave and a little cheeky grin over her mother’s shoulder and Andy laughed, feeling himself relax—he couldn’t give up on Rosie so easily. He’d take things more cautiously in future, learn to hold back—there was all the time in the world to build bridges.

  ‘Time for me to go,’ he murmured. He slipped out of the room and let himself quietly out.

  CHAPTER SIX

  TALK about a bad hair day! Everything that could go wrong seemed to have happened in the hour between getting up and having breakfast. Rosie looked ruefully at the washing machine and the large puddle of water that was spilling out of it onto the floor, getting larger every second. Why had it had to happen today when Lily had disappeared off to work early to try and organise some more models for her impending fashion show, and Amy was obviously sickening for a bad cold?

  ‘And as for you,’ she said crossly to Boggle, who was lying in his basket looking reflective, ‘I don’t know what Lily will say to you when she discovers you’ve chewed that lovely leather handbag of hers.’

  Rosie sighed and flicked the ‘off’ switch of the washing machine. It made a hideous moaning noise and shuddered to a halt in mid-spin. Trust it to pack up at the weekend, when it would be difficult to get a plumber. She put a hand to her forehead. With everything happening all at once, and the tension of organising a washing machine, a child and a dog before work, she felt exhausted, and the slightly nauseous feeling she’d had all week seemed worse.

  ‘I’m like a juggler,’ she informed Boggle mournfully, ‘trying to deal with hundreds of problems all by myself.’

  Boggle slapped his tail politely against his basket, and Rosie felt a wave of self-pity wash over her. It 105 helped to have the dear old dog to tell her troubles to, but he couldn’t really offer any practical solutions! She and Amy had probably both got a virus—but she had to get into work somehow, whatever she felt like.

  It was the Saturday morning emergency surgery: Ben was away for the weekend and there was no way she would ask Andy to fill in for her. It had been two weeks since their dinner date and Rosie had kept out of his way as much as she could. At the weekly practice meetings she’d sat at the end of the table with Ben between Andy and herself. Any discussions had been strictly medical—no personal observations at all. She shivered when she thought how close she’d been to making love with Andy again that last time they were together. He was just too darned attractive, and she wasn’t going to test her own will-power to fend him off next time! But it hadn’t stopped her thinking about him in free moments—like when she was driving the car, when she was eating, when she was sleeping…brea
thing…

  Angrily she shook her head. Any long-term relationship would be doomed, she scolded herself: Andy’s future was with his little boy in the States. She couldn’t allow herself the luxury of dreaming about the two of them together in the future. She would apply herself to the matter in hand, instead of mooning over the wretched man. She would phone Veronica and ask her to come to the house instead of taking poor snuffling Amy to her.

  Amy sat dolefully in her high chair, ignoring the little bowl of cereal that she usually loved, her normally bright eyes watery and puffy.

  ‘Poor little sweetheart,’ said Rosie, dropping a kiss on the top of her hair. ‘Mummy will give you something to make you feel better before Veronica comes.’

  Amy’s little mouth turned down and trembled ominously. ‘Stay with Mummy,’ she said in a croaky little voice. ’Not ‘Ronica.’

  Tears pricked at the back of Rosie’s eyes. This was the hateful part of working, having to leave your child with someone else when she needed you—and when you didn’t feel too hot yourself. I’m a real heel, she thought wretchedly. This was one of those times when she wished she were a kept woman and didn’t have to go out to work. However much she loved being a GP, it would be lovely to be a stay-at-home mum just for once!

  ‘I won’t be long, Amy. And I’ll bring you back a nice surprise—promise!’

  But Amy wasn’t in the mood to be bribed and burst into snuffly tears of distress.

  Rosie took the little girlwasn’t well until we got up. in her arms and cradled her. ‘You’ll be all right, darling,’ she crooned soothingly, longing for nothing more than to crawl back to bed with her little girl.

  The doorbell rang stridently and with a sigh Rosie put Amy back in her high chair and went to open it.

  ‘I’m coming!’ she yelled, hoping against hope it wasn’t her neighbour, who had a tendency to come round at awkward times for free medical advice. If only it was someone who could come to her rescue—either a childminder or a plumber!