Resisting Her Army Doc Rival. Sue MacKay

more than happy to oblige. But what sore had she scratched?

      ‘You caved too easily.’ He stepped away from the bed, rolling his shoulders, pulling up a grin that didn’t fit quite right.

      Aha. He definitely hid behind that mouth, those grins. ‘Lack of sleep catching up.’

      ‘That explains why you’ve also gone quiet,’ Sam gulped around another grin. ‘You sure you’re who I think you are?’

      ‘Probably not.’ She wasn’t recognising herself at the moment.

      He came around the bed to stand directly in front of her. His finger tilted her chin so she had to meet his gaze. The intimacy of the gesture shocked her, but she didn’t want to pull away. Waiting for him to say whatever was on his mind made her nervous. Her jaws locked, while her brain spilled words she struggled not to utter.

      His finger slid over her jaw before he removed his hand and stepped back. ‘I like having someone from my time at Christchurch High School turn up here. That was a good place in my life and you’ve brought back memories even if you weren’t involved.’

      Her head spun. ‘You haven’t kept in touch with guys from school?’

      ‘Not really. I couldn’t wait to get out of town at the time, not realising how lucky I was to live there.’

      ‘So visiting Christchurch doesn’t happen often?’

      Sam shook his head at her. ‘Unfortunately not. Life has a tendency to throw curve balls just when I think I’m ready to go back there and maybe look into setting up a practice.’ Those summer-blue eyes quickly darkened back to winter.

      ‘Well, well. I sure hit the nail on the head earlier.’ Jock stood beside them, looking from her to Sam and back.

      ‘Can it,’ Sam snapped. His shoulders were back to tight, and straighter than a ruler. His jaw pushed forward, and the winter in his gaze kicked up an ice storm.

      ‘If you’re done, let’s grab a coffee,’ Jock said as though nothing out of the ordinary had gone down.

      The glove Sam was removing tore as he tugged it. ‘Nah. You entertain our new medic. I’ve got things to do.’

      Contrition caught Madison. She didn’t know if she’d contributed to upsetting him, but she regretted it if she had. ‘Sam, I don’t understand what’s going on but, whatever it is, I am sorry.’

      ‘You haven’t put a foot wrong.’ He stared at her, a war going on in his face. ‘The thing is, Madison, I’m at the end of my tour of duty, you’re at the beginning.’ He swallowed hard. ‘So good luck. You’re going to need it.’ He turned and stormed out of the room.

      Madison stared after him, regret at his abrupt departure swamping her. ‘What just happened?’

      Jock shrugged. ‘Welcome to the Peninsula. It does strange things to the sanest of us at times. Sam will be his usual self by sun-up.’ But his gaze was worried as he stared after his friend.

      * * *

      Sam did three laps of the perimeter, walking hard and fast. His breathing was rapid, while his body dripped with sweat despite the cooler night air.

      ‘Damn it, Madison, get out of my head.’ He didn’t want her lurking in there, reminding him of the future he’d once longed for. The future that had held a wife and family, people to shower with love, to protect and give himself to. The future that was no longer his to have.

      He looked around, hoped no one had heard his outburst. Only went to show what a state Maddy’s arrival had got him into if he was talking to himself out loud. Might get locked up if the wrong person overheard him. A week in the cells would keep him clear of Madison. Now, that could be a plus.

      Why had the arrival of Maddy, someone he’d barely known so long ago, flipped up all the pain and anguish he kept hidden deep within himself?

      Stopping his mad charge, he leaned a shoulder against the fence, drawing in deep gulps of sticky air. None of this ranting was helping. This was when he missed his pal the most, missed venting about things that stirred him up.

      William had filled a gap in his life in a similar way to how Ma and Pa Creighton had filled in for his mother when she’d died. Sam’s skin tightened. The guilt he’d carried over his friend’s death stymied everything he thought he might do next with his life. Having fun when his friend was beyond it was not possible. Finding happiness with a woman was undeserved and to be avoided at all costs in case he ruined it for her.

      Sam shoved away from the fence, began jogging, his shoes slapping the hard soil and raising dust.

      Voices and laughter beckoned as he passed the open door of the officers’ canteen where the rest of the crew, including Madison, would be drinking tea and eating cookies to replace the nervous energy they’d expended in Theatre. Operating on victims of gunfire or a bombing made everyone uneasy, reminding them why the army was there. Reminding them all that any one of them could be the next on the operating table. He should be in there, relaxing, cracking jokes, putting the day to bed, not out here, winding himself into a knot of apprehension.

      He continued jogging.

      Until his heart lurched, forcing his legs to slow then stop. A harsh laugh escaped him. He’d been so busy thinking about Madison he hadn’t seen her in the shadows laid across the ground from the mess building. She shuffled across the parade ground, her arms hanging at her sides, her chin resting on her sternum. Close to lifeless.

      ‘Hey,’ he whispered softly, almost afraid she’d hear and straighten up, put strength back in her muscles and pretend she was fine. The picture before him was honest, and punched him in the gut. This was a new picture. One thing he did remember was that Maddy had always been energy personified. Not right at this moment, though. Neither had she been earlier when she’d come off that plane.

      Oh, Maddy, what has happened to you?

      A shaft of pain sliced into him. For her. He didn’t want her suffering, hurting, crying on the inside.

      Madison paused her slow progress, glanced around. Had she heard his footfalls on the dirt? Was she aware of him? She took a couple of steps. Guess not. Then she stopped again, leaned back and stared up at the sky where a myriad of stars sparkled. Her hands lifted to her hips as she gazed upwards. The outline of her breasts aiming skyward forced the air out of his lungs.

      Beautiful. Even in her overtired state she was the most alluring woman he’d come across, from that attractive short hair right down to the tips of her boots.