Angel Kate by Anna Ramsay

careless at the wheel of a high-performance sports car?
    Why not? When you can be so attracted to an unknown woman that you almost kill yourself thinking about her? It was all coming back to him now, his close and silent observation of the mermaid creature padlocking her bicycle and walking—apparently—straight into his arms. Graceful and loose-limbed, the fantasy of her had lived on vividly in his imagination: immensely appealing after Diana's contrived and artificial glamour.
    Why, no doubt about it, Nurse Wisdom might have saved his life—but she'd damn near finished him off in the first place!
    'Those letters you wanted me to post. I forgot them. And here you are smoking when you know perfectly well—'
    In two strides Tom was across the small room, confronting her, the glowing point of his cigar mere inches from Kate's startled nose. She pressed back against the door, her throat dry, fingers spread helplessly against the solid barrier of wood.
    His voice was a throaty growl. 'You forget, young woman, that I am a doctor and fully in control of my faculties. This one solitary cigar has a positive contribution to make at this moment to my well-being.'
    Kate locked eyes with him and said accusingly, 'There are better ways of dealing with stress than filling your lungs with nicotine.'
    If he'd had two working arms, Tom would have grabbed the girl. Thrown her on the bed. Held her hostage while he worked through this mental jigsaw. He removed himself from temptation, leaving her there by the door while he leaned back against the windowsill, enjoying her consternation almost as much as he was enjoying feasting his eyes on her.
    Kate cast her eye round the room, hoping to grab the letters and make her getaway. Oh why did I come back? Why didn't I just go on home?
    Her forlorn expression at last began to get through to him. The huge wounded eyes gazing anxiously up at him while he sated himself with the sight of her. That sweet face framed by long glossy hair. Those endless legs. She wasn't plain. How could he ever have thought Kate was plain?
    Kate was grieving silently. Oh Tom! I'll never forget the way you were that night. So compellingly attractive, so perfect and unharmed. And now look at you …wounded and angry and uncertain what the future's going to hold for you.
    What she longed to do was so improper it would mean instant dismissal if they were caught. Hold him tightly in her  arms, feel the warm  reality of his body pressed hard against hers. And through sheer force of will move back time to the days before the accident when this gorgeous gifted man was his kind and gentle self, fighting fit and one hundred per cent well.
    A time, she thought sadly, when you didn't  know I existed.
    How her fingers ached to stroke his tousled black hair, still wet from the bath. The electric light  glinted on a sprinkling of silver which with a catch of breath Kate realised she hadn't noticed before. Was it the accident? Severe trauma could turn people's hair white. Had they all misunderstood the depths of his despair as he faced the prospect of never operating again?
    How could I have been so unkind as to reproach him over one miserable cigar, she accused herself.
    Tom coughed. His chest was hurting. The cigar was a mistake. Kate was right. And so were Frank and the rest of them. You fell asleep! You worked yourself to exhaustion. And you hadn't got the flat keys with you. What happened is your own damn fault! And it's thanks to Kate Wisdom you're alive. And this is how you treat the poor kid when like the dedicated nurse she is, she demonstrates care and concern for your well-being. Let her get on home, she's worked a long day …
    And don't you forget it from now on: Kate Wisdom is one and the same person. Yes, she's the woman you saw and in an idiotic moment thought you'd fallen dramatically in love with. And she's also Kate Wisdom RGN, the professional nurse who you have come so much to depend upon.
    Much more of this