LITMIR.BIZ

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Seth was feeling pretty good. He wasn’t back to performing surgery yet, but he had been helping his practice partner, Colin Neil, by doing hospital rounds checking on the progress of Colin’s pre-and post-surgical patients.

      No, the problem wasn’t physical…except in one particular and vulnerable part of his body. But, sexual frustration aside, his health was much better than when he had left Africa weeks ago.

      Truth to tell, Seth felt fine as long as he was inside the hospital. Talking to patients, checking charts, reading test results along with discussing individual patients with Colin kept him too busy to think or brood about other, personal matters.

      Actually, there was only one matter, and that matter’s name was Becca. The moment he stepped through the hospital doors at the end of the day, her name filled his mind and senses.

      Thinking about her, wondering about her—how she was feeling, what she was doing, who she might be meeting—was driving him nuts. And underneath the relentless, nagging thoughts was an emotion he refused to recognize.

      Seth had tried evasive action. He did something he had never done before. He had dated another doctor. Her name was Kristi and she was doing her internship. He had agreed to let her trail behind him, observe as he did his daily rounds.

      That had been a few days after Becca had left. Seth had hoped having an intern with him, answering her questions, explaining his and Colin’s procedure, might keep his mind centered.

      And it had worked, so well that he figured if it worked during the day, maybe…

      Anyway, Seth had asked Kristi out to dinner. She didn’t so much as hesitate—she said yes immediately.

      All well and good, Seth figured. They could share a nice dinner and possibly, very probably, some professional conversation. He fully expected her to pick his brain, and why not? He didn’t mind.

      Kristi was a very attractive woman. Any man would be proud to be seen with her. She was pretty, slender and petite, very feminine.

      She was also very bright, which was what appealed to Seth even more than her looks. In his opinion, she would make an excellent physician. In addition, she had a good sense of humor. All and all, Seth found her a wonderful dinner and conversational companion.

      On seeing her home, Seth had even kissed her, not a friendly peck but a real kiss.

      He felt nothing.

      Oh, it wasn’t horrible or even unpleasant. But it was bland, ho-hum, not at all the shockingly erotic physical and emotional impact he had experienced when he had kissed Becca.

      Dammit.

      It wasn’t her fault. Kristi simply wasn’t Becca. The most ridiculous part was he had actually felt as if he had cheated on Becca.

      Talk about being tired.

      He missed Becca and Seth was, in a word, miserable. Still, he soldiered on, making rounds, checking charts, answering Kristi’s questions.

      Seth lasted until near the end of the third week after Becca left. Then he caved to the urge gnawing inside him. He had to see her, be convinced she was taking care of herself, resting, eating, getting well.

      On Friday of that week, he told Colin he would be leaving town for an end-of-summer vacation, and that hopefully he would be ready to go back into active practice when he returned. His partner agreed it was an excellent idea, and that he’d hold down the fort…so to speak.

      Packing enough clothes to last about a week, Seth set out for West Virginia near dawn on Saturday morning.

      The trip was long and tedious, with a short break for breakfast. Finally, around lunchtime, he brought his car to a stop at the cabin. Some cabin, Seth thought, shaking his head in near disbelief at the beautiful structure. But then, it belonged to a billionaire, he should have suspected more than a mere cabin in the woods.

      Leaving the car, he mounted the steps to the wide porch and knocked at the solid oak door. The door opened to reveal a sober-faced, middle-aged woman.

      “Yes?” Her eyebrows rose.

      Seth smiled. “Hi, I’m Seth Andrews. I’m looking for Rebecca Jameson,” he said. “Is she here?”

      “You’re Dr. Andrews,” she said, smiling back. “Becca didn’t say she was expecting you.”

      A funny sensation trickled through him. “Has she mentioned me?”

      “Oh, yes.” She nodded. “Said you worked together in Africa.”

      “That’s right…and before Africa.” He frowned. “Isn’t she here?”

      “Oh…my goodness, where are my manners,” she said, sounding flustered. “My name is Sue, I’m the housekeeper. Come in, Doctor, come in.” She stepped back, swinging the door wide.

      Once inside the lovely room, Seth tried again. “Is Becca here?”

      “No, she isn’t,” Sue answered. “She’s working.”

      For an instant, everything stopped cold inside Seth. He arched his brows. “Working?” He had to work to keep his voice calm. “Where is she working?”

      “She’s helping out part-time with our doctor at the clinic in town.” She glanced at her watch. “Matter of fact, I was about ready to go pick her up.”

      “I’ll go,” Seth quickly offered. “If you can point me in the right direction?”

      “Oh, it’s easy to find,” Sue said, grinning. “Fact is, it’s hard to miss. You follow the road at the other side of the house down the hill to town, it’s called Forest Hills, the clinic is right along West Street, the main drag.”

      “Thank you, Sue.” He turned to leave. She brought him to a stop at the door.

      “Dr. Andrews, have you come to take Becca home?” Sue’s voice had a note of disappointment.

      He looked back to offer her a wry smile. “Only if she is ready to go, Sue. It’s up to her.” Without waiting for a possible response, he opened the door and walked out.

      Working. Working. Seth fumed and sped down the winding road as if there were no tomorrow. Dammit, had the woman completely lost her mind? He barely felt ready to go back to work, and she had been in a lot worse shape than him.

      Seth found the clinic easily, just as Sue said he would. He found a parking space along the curb, then walked to the nondescript building and stepped inside. The first thing he saw was the back of Becca.

      She was slightly bent over a woman who appeared to be weeping. He hesitated, waiting until she turned to walk to a door set in the far wall next to a reception desk, unattended at the moment.

      When she opened the door and stepped through, he followed her, sparing a concerned frown for the softly crying woman.

      Following Becca through the door, he saw her, shoulders slightly drooping, about to enter another door farther along a hallway. Even in profile, he could see the tension on her face, the tired, anxious look.

      Exasperation immediately turned to impatience. Searing anger spiraled through Seth’s entire being. Without thinking, he snapped at her.

      “What the hell are you doing?”

      Five

      For an instant, Becca froze in surprise and shock at the sharp sound of Seth’s voice. The sensation swiftly changed into a quick burst of joy inside at the reality of him being there. Then the present reality intruded.

      As mere moments passed, she kept her hand curled around the doorknob and turned to scowl at him.

      “I don’t have time for this, Doctor,” she said, anger rising to replace all other feelings. “There’s a young boy choking in here.”

      Turning the knob, she entered the room, fully aware Seth was right behind her. Dr. Carter stood next to the examining table,

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