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She stood up, letting the chair roll away behind her. ‘Well, I guess that’s all up to you, isn’t it? I have patients to see in the other ward. Good luck.’
She stalked off, picking up her blue coat and shoving her arms into it, all the while trying to figure out why she really just wanted to cry.
* * *
Riley stared at April’s retreating back. He wasn’t quite sure what he’d just done.
He was only being honest. What was so wrong with that?
But part of him was uncomfortable. He hadn’t meant to say anything that offended. But he was disappointed. He’d thought she’d be excited for him. Thought she might suggest talking over career plans with him. Maybe even suggest dinner. Instead she’d acted as if he’d just said he had the most infectious disease on the planet and made a run for it.
He shook his head. Since when had he got so bad at all the woman stuff?
Riley had never had problems getting dates. Never had problems with dating for a few months at a time. He might have had the odd few issues when he’d broken things off. But that had all been about his career. He didn’t want long-term when he knew he was going to be away for months at a time.
He hadn’t even got to the date stage with April.
Though there was no denying that was where he’d like to go.
In fact, he’d like to go a whole lot further.
He sighed, leaned back and put his hands behind his head.
What was he doing?
Was he crazy? She was gorgeous. She was fun when she wanted to be. She was sexy. She was sweet. She was great with Finn. But, most importantly, he’d found himself gravitating towards her more and more. He wasn’t imagining things. There was a definite tug between them. April Henderson had well and truly buried her way under his skin.
And up until a few seconds ago that had made him happy.
For too long he’d focused his life on his job. Training as a doctor had taken all his energy; serving in the army had helped him focus. Moving around every six months had meant he was constantly meeting new faces and always learning to adapt. The medical situations were frequently frantic. Setting up in emergency situations was exhausting, and the long hours were draining. But for a long time Riley had thrived in that environment. He’d frequently been praised for his clinical care and cool head in a storm.
Thinking about a new career path was daunting. But since finding out about Finn he was just so anxious to get things right.
April pushed the door open, letting an icy blast sweep past him as she vanished out into the snow, and his heart gave a little tug. He liked her. He more than liked her. And that was so different from being attracted to her. At least it was in his head. Because that was the way he’d lived his life for the last twelve years.
So many things were changing. Was he changing too?
Finn flashed into his head. His laugh, his smile, the way he said the word Dad. All his energy right now should be focused on the little boy who needed him most. He didn’t have room for anything else. But when he closed his eyes for a second Finn’s face was replaced by the hurt expression on April’s.
In an ideal world he would have liked it if she’d told him she loved the house and thought it was perfect. His stomach coiled. Perfect for whom?
‘Stuff it!’ he said out loud as he grabbed his jacket from the chair beside him.
The snow had picked up as he ran outside. The other ward was based on the other side of the courtyard, but right now he couldn’t even see that.
He stopped. April hadn’t made it to the other ward. She was standing in the middle of the courtyard, snow falling all around her. His footsteps slowed as he pulled on his jacket and walked over to her.
It was bitter cold. The snow was falling in thick flakes all around them. April had her hands at her throat, fingering her necklace, with hot, angry tears spilling down her face.
He cringed. No. He’d made her cry. And he didn’t even really understand why.
‘April? What’s wrong? What is it?’ He put his hands on her upper arms.
She tried to shake him off but he stayed firm. She shook her head. ‘Nothing. Everything. I don’t know!’
Her hair had loosened from her bobble and was straggling around her face. She looked so hurt. So desperate. This couldn’t just be about him.
He took in a deep breath of the icy air. ‘Talk to me, April. I’m right here. Just talk to me.’
She was shaking. She was actually shaking. He looked from side to side. ‘Let’s get inside. Let’s get somewhere warm.’
She shook her head again. ‘No. I don’t want to. I need air. I need fresh air. I need to think straight.’
‘What do you need to think about, April?’
This was killing him. He could see how upset she was, how much pain she was in. But he couldn’t understand it.
‘The house,’ she breathed.
‘You don’t like the house?’ He was confused.
Tears were still spilling down her cheeks. ‘I love it.’
Now it was Riley who shook his head. ‘April, you have to help me out here. I don’t understand what’s wrong. I don’t understand what you’re so upset about.’ His insides were churning.
His grip tightened on her arms. ‘Why won’t you talk to me? Why do you keep pushing me away?’
Her face crumpled and he couldn’t stop the stream of thoughts in his head. ‘Is it me? Is it Finn? Don’t you like being around kids?’
She shook her head.
Exasperation was building.
‘April, you’re gorgeous. And even though you try to pretend you’re not, you’re a people person. Why don’t you have a husband? Why isn’t there a boyfriend? I bet you could have a string of dates if you wanted.’ Now he’d started he couldn’t stop. ‘And don’t tell me you’re not interested.’ He moved over to her so he was only inches from her face. ‘I see it, April. I sense it. We don’t need electricity for Christmas lights. There’s enough between us to light up the whole house—a whole street. What’s happened to you, April? What’s happened that you won’t let anyone get close to you? What’s happened that you won’t let me get close to you?’
She shook her head. He could sense her frustration. It almost equalled his. But she just seemed so determined to keep him shut out. ‘Don’t ask. Just don’t. I don’t want to talk about it.’ The blue of her coat seemed to make her eyes even brighter. It didn’t matter how cold it was out here, or how cold she pretended her heart was, he wouldn’t move away from her. He couldn’t move away from her. He’d never felt so connected to—and yet so far away from—someone.
He couldn’t hide the wave of concern that swept over him, feeling instantly protective towards her. ‘Are you hurt? Has someone done something to you?’
He reached up and touched her cheek. ‘April? Tell me—I want to help you.’
She blinked. Several heavy snowflakes had landed on her eyelashes. Those blue eyes fixed on his. He’d never seen anyone look so beautiful. So vulnerable. So exquisite.
The urge that had been simmering beneath the surface since the first time he’d seen her, the one that had spent the last few weeks threatening to bubble over at any point, just couldn’t stay hidden any more. Riley had always been an action kind of guy.
She wouldn’t speak to him. She wouldn’t tell him what was wrong and that meant he didn’t know how to support her—what to say to make things better.
But sometimes actions spoke louder than words.
‘April,’ he whispered, ‘please tell me you don’t have a husband, fiancé or boyfriend hidden away somewhere.’
Her eyes widened. She shook her head. ‘No. Why?’
‘Because I have to do this again. I have to show you how I feel about you.’
He bent his head and kissed he
r. Her lips were cold. Her cheeks were cold. But it only took a few seconds to heat them up. April tasted exactly the way he remembered. Sweet. Pure. Exciting. Like a world of possibilities. And the perfect fit for him.
At first she didn’t move. Then her lips gradually opened, her head tilting to allow their mouths to meld against each other.
He couldn’t remember ever feeling a kiss like this. The tingles. The flip flops in his stomach. His hand slid from her soft cheek, tangling through her messy hair and anchoring at the back of her head. Her hands moved too. Sliding up around his neck. Her body moved closer to his.
It didn’t matter that they were both covered by thick jackets. He could still feel her curves against his, sense the tilt of her hips towards him as her light floral scent drifted up around them.
In a way, being out in the snow was the perfect place for this kiss. They both loved Christmas. And there was nothing more Christmassy than snow.
