Free PATIENT CARE (Medical Romance) (Doctor Series) by Bobby Hutchinson Page B

fish and chips from a certain vendor in Stanley Park, that morning was his favorite time of day, that he collected old medical journals and loved prowling through dusty bookshops.
    She heard herself confiding that she’d always wanted to learn to ride horses, she broke out in hives from shellfish and she liked watching Oprah. That confession brought a lump to her throat; Betsy had always taped the shows for her.
    On the afternoon of the tenth day of the physicians’ job action, Melissa was sitting through yet another meeting, when her pager sounded. Glancing at the number, she saw that it was Arlene. Melissa excused herself and hurried down the hallway to a phone.
    “It’s your mom,” Arlene said, and Melissa’s heart gave a lurch. “The nurses called down a few moments ago. She’s become very restless. She’s moving around and she seems agitated.”
    Heart racing, Melissa hurried up to her mother’s room. Two nurses were with her. Betsy was tossing and turning. She was also mumbling, although the sounds made no sense.
    “We’ve called Dr. Burke. He’ll be along any moment.” The nurse met Melissa’s troubled glance. Neither of them needed to verbalize that this change in Betsy’s condition could be one of two things: either she was improving, or she was exhibiting signs of brain damage.
    Melissa tried to be optimistic, but Betsy had now been in a coma for more than a week. Brain damage was the most probable diagnosis, and when James arrived, he reluctantly admitted that he, too, thought Betsy was exhibiting classic signs of trauma to the brain.
    He took Melissa into the same little office in which he’d spoken to her after her mother’s operation. The difference this time was that his words were gentle, his tone regretful, and when Melissa nodded and then felt her chin wobble, he reached out and drew her into his arms.
    “I’m sorry,” he murmured, holding her against his chest. “I hope this diagnosis is wrong.”
    She hoped so, too. Very much. Being in his arms was comforting, but it wasn’t soothing. Even through this new worry about her mother, she was aware of his warmth, of the now-familiar smell of his aftershave, of the strength of his lean body against her softness and the surge of desire it brought. She allowed herself extra seconds before she drew away. She liked his arms around her.
    He let her go, but she could feel his reluctance. Attraction, sexual attraction, was humming between them like white noise, but this wasn’t the time or the place to indulge it, and they were both aware of that. She had to get back to the meeting, and then she had two other urgent appointments this afternoon.
    “I wish I could just sit with her for a while.” She was torn between obligation and love.
    “I will. I’ll page you if anything significant occurs,” he promised.
    “Oh, James, thank you.” She felt overwhelmed.
    “My pleasure.” His grin was wry. “It’s not as if I have much else to do.”
    “Maybe this thing will end soon, and you can get back to the OR.”
    “I hope so. I’m at loose ends not working.” His dark eyes met hers. “Although I’ll miss our mornings together at Rudy’s.”
    “Me, too.” Melissa smiled at him, thinking how attractive he was. He’d become a good friend, and she was grateful for that. She was far too busy to get involved with anyone, and so was he. Ironically, when he went back to work, her own schedule would ease, which reinforced the fact that they were totally incompatible when it came to timing.
    They were totally incompatible when it came to romance.
    It was ridiculous to contemplate anything other than friendship.
    She certainly wasn’t responsible for the wild sex they shared in the dreams she’d been having about him nearly every night. She knew the difference between fantasy and reality, and she’d never allow one to influence the other. She prided herself on being a realist.
    She was in the midst of one of those dreams at four the following