left at the airport.
Molly hesitated before getting in. “I should have rented a car. I don’t expect you to be my taxi service while I’m here.”
“The island’s not that big, so it’s no trouble. Once I drop you off at the hotel, though, I’ll need to head home and get some rest before the flight tomorrow. So if you’re looking to take in some of the night life, you’re on your own.”
At least his mouth had finally got with the program.
The last thing he wanted was to see another woman’s lip curl at what the island had to offer in that regard.
“I’m an early riser, actually, so I think I’ll turn in after dinner.” She tilted her head back to glance at him. “Besides, I want to make sure I don’t miss my flight. The pilot didn’t seem all that inclined to wait around.”
Several strands of hair slid across her cheek as she looked at him, exposing a delicate earlobe. It took more effort than he expected not to reach out and sift his fingers through the shiny locks to see if they were as soft and silky as they looked.
“I’ll be there.” The temptation to touch her washed through him again. But before he could, she opened the car door and got inside.
He climbed in as well, irritated by the repeated tugs of attraction. Being trapped inside the closed vehicle just made the situation worse. He’d been too busy during their flight to notice the delicate mixture of vanilla and clean sea spray that clung to her skin. Now the scent drifted toward him, making its way inside his head.
Damn. Erasing that fragrance from his memory was going to be impossible. The image of sliding his nose along the naked length of her neck and inhaling deeply rose unbidden, and he gritted his teeth.
The sooner he dropped her off the better.
This whole trip carried a surreal element he struggled to understand. Some of the nurses at the hospital had thrown him looks that held veiled invitations, but he’d never been tempted to return the flirtation or even ask for a phone number. He valued his hard-won freedom far too much to risk messing things up. And he had no intention of moving back to Anchorage to be with another woman.
But his reaction to Molly made him wonder if he was really as immune to the opposite sex as he liked to think. He started the car and tried to put the thought out of his mind. Unfortunately the very thing he’d decided not to think about ended up being the one subject he couldn’t banish.
Go home. Take a shower. Go to sleep.
If he could do those things, in that order, this whole crazy day would soon be behind him. Before he knew it, Molly McKinna would be out of his life forever. Unless she actually decided to stay on the island, in which case they were bound to run into each other on a regular basis. And there was the fact that he was one of the few medevac pilots who flew these islands. But that didn’t mean he and Molly had to be anything more than casual acquaintances or professional colleagues. She would still be tied to the hospital in Anchorage and would probably return there eventually.
He gave himself a mental thump.
Thick skull, meet harsh reality. You two are about to become really good friends.
* * *
Molly stood in the white-tiled waiting room of the clinic as Blake made the introductions. Sammi Trenton, the community health aide, tossed her thick dark braid over her shoulder. Tall and slender with high cheekbones that spoke of an island heritage, the young woman smiled in welcome. CHAs played a huge role in healthcare in Alaska, especially in the Aleutians, where population density was low and funding dollars were scarce. Learning about the medical problems the island faced on a regular basis would give Molly a head start for when she actually came to work in a few weeks. Besides, she could do with a few friends right about now.
“Glad to have you.” Sammi shook her hand. “We could sure use the help. Hope you plan on sticking around longer than…”
The woman’s eyes cut to Blake, a playful smirk on her face. “Oops. Sorry. Don’t know where that came from.”
“Still kicking me in the shins after all these years, I see.”
Sammi’s brows lifted. “I didn’t have a choice back then. That was the only thing I could reach.” She glanced at Molly. “I was the runt who always got picked on.”
“You were the runt who always did the picking on,” Blake returned, with an easy smile that carved out a deep groove in his cheek.
Molly’s heart rolled over for a second before righting itself.
Okay. No staring. She forced her gaze back to Sammi.
“How was the flight in?” Sammi tilted her head at Blake, her thumb rubbing at a tiny spot on her monkey-stamped smock.
Great. Here it came. The perfect opportunity for Blake to get in a shot at Molly’s expense. She tensed in preparation.
“We hit a stormy patch on the way in, but once we got through it, it was smooth sailing.”
A sardonic brow lifted in her direction made her wonder if he was referring to the actual weather or to the clash of tempers that had gone on between them. As for smooth sailing, that was yet to be seen.
“Well, now that you’re here, let me give you the grand tour. Besides, that’ll give us girls a chance to get to know each other better.”
Blake’s brow furrowed. “Be nice.”
“Moi? I’m always nice.” She motioned for Molly to follow her through the door that led to the back of the clinic, wiggling her fingers at Blake as a goodbye.
Although these two were obviously friends from way back, nothing seemed to suggest there was anything more between them than that. Even if there was, it was none of her business. She had to admit, though, they’d make a gorgeous couple, with Blake’s rugged good looks and Sammi’s dark hair and striking features. And the other woman was tall enough to almost look Blake in the eye, whereas Molly barely reached his chin. Talk about runts.
Sammi took her to one of the exam rooms which, along with the familiar scent of disinfectant, was clean, airy and well appointed. The soft green walls and creamy Formica countertops gave the space a cool, calm atmosphere, a definite plus when working with worried parents or frightened youngsters. “We have three exam areas, but there’s normally only one of us on duty at any given time. Having the Anchorage hospital sponsor you will make our jobs a lot easier.”
“You said, ‘our.’ What’s the staffing like?”
“We have two receptionists, a nurse and a PA, who can also write prescriptions. During medevacs, things get hectic because someone has to accompany the patient.” She gave an innocent blink. “That’s where you come in, right? You’ll be taking over that part of the job, unless we have more than one emergency.”
Molly was tempted to plead ignorance and say she was strictly part of the ground crew, but the hospital had specifically wanted one of their own doing the medical transports. So that line of reasoning wasn’t going to fly. “That’s what they tell me.”
“Blake’s great. You’ll like working with him.”
This was her chance. “You’ve known each other a long time?”
Sammi led her back out into the hallway and pushed open a door to the restroom, so Molly could see it. “We grew up together, so I guess you could say that.” She hesitated. “His ex put him through the wringer a couple of years back. He can be a bit touchy about the subject.”
“Understandable.” Molly was a little raw from her own experience with her ex, Gary, so she’d be happy to swing clear of that particular subject.
The door at the end of the hallway opened to a tiny break room, complete with refrigerator and microwave. There was also a cot along one wall. “You spend the night?”
“Every