LITMIR.BIZ

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Becca blurted out the first thought to zip through her mind. “I was dozing. You startled me.” She held her breath, wondering, hoping he bought her excuse.

      “That explains it then.” He shot another look at the screen. “Heart rate’s leveling.” With a flourish, he waved a newspaper in his left hand that she had failed to notice because of her focus on him. “You’ve made the headlines.”

      Becca blinked. The headlines? What…? She frowned “I don’t understand.”

      “You’re a celebrity,” he said, holding the paper up so she could see the article. “At least, you’re one below the fold.” He handed the folded paper to her, the bottom half displayed.

      There it was, under the heading of the article, her name and a picture of her being carried to the helicopter on the litter.

      Pennsylvania Nurse a Heroine in Africa

      Becca quickly scanned the article, then went back to reread it more carefully. The contents described in detail her experience, both in nursing before volunteering to go to that small village in Africa, and her service there until she was airlifted home, exhausted and ill. When she had finished reading it the second time, she looked up at Seth Andrews in bewilderment.

      “Where?” Shaking her head, she frowned. “How? Why? Who?” Becca’s voice shook with emotion. She didn’t consider herself any kind of heroine.

      “I don’t know who gave out the story,” he said, anger edging his voice. “I had asked Shakana to request the transport.” A small, cynical smile touched his tight lips. “I now realize she ratted me out, but I find it hard to believe she would have alerted the media, as they say, about you and your condition.”

      “No, she wouldn’t have,” Becca said with absolute conviction. “Shakana and I are friends.”

      “I am and was always well aware of that,” he said in a soothing tone, because it had to be obvious she was very upset. “No, it was either leaked here or at the jumping-off site in Israel.”

      “But the picture was obviously taken in Africa, as I was being lifted onto the helicopter.” Becca frowned. “Where did the photographers come from?”

      Seth shrugged. “Who knows? It seems these days they are everywhere.”

      Her frown deepening, Becca looked at the paper again. “I don’t like this. I’m not brave. I’m not a heroine.” Her voice rose as she slipped into a full rant. “They had no right…now I know how celebrities feel. It’s an invasion of privacy, my privacy—”

      “Becca…” His voice was low, soothing. It didn’t stop her flow of angry words.

      “I feel foolish. I’m a nurse, dammit! Nurses are supposed to care for people. If I’m a heroine, then every nurse in the world doing their job is a heroine. I…”

      “Becca,” he repeated, his voice stronger, almost commanding. She appeared not to hear him.

      “I want a retraction,” she railed on. “Or at the least, recognition of the good work being done by nurses everywhere.” She finally paused to draw breath. Seth struck before she could say another word.

      He shut her up very effectively by bending over the bed and covering her mouth with his own.

      Becca went stiff at the gentle touch of his lips on hers. Giving a half sigh, half groan, he deepened the kiss as his lips went firm, draining the stiffness from her body and infusing softening warmth.

      Becca’s body melted against his chest.

      Seth slid his arms beneath her to lift her, holding her closer to his hard body.

      Her head spinning with sensations, Becca raised her trembling hands to grasp his shoulders, clinging to him, lost in the wonder of the shiver-inducing heat of his mouth, the flicking touch of the tip of tongue. His mouth was demanding, his tongue tormenting.

      Within an instant she was hot, burning for him with all the secret passion locked inside her. Tightening her grasp on his arms, she arched in need of getting closer, closer to the heat radiating from him.

      A soft cry escaped her when he released her mouth and drew back.

      “I’m sorry,” Seth said, his voice harsh, his expression stern. Shaking his head, he stepped away from the bed. “That won’t happen again.” A wry smile eased his tight expression. “It was the only way I could think of to shut you up.”

      He had kissed her to shut her up? Appalled by his reasoning, Becca could do no more than stare at him.

      “You were getting too worked up over the newspaper article. It wasn’t good for you in your condition.”

      And being kissed like there was no tomorrow was good for her? Becca wondered. Blinking in confusion, she refused to recognize or let the tears stinging her eyes fall.

      “I’m tired.” It was all she could think of to say to him. “I’d like to rest now.” There was no way she would admit to him her utter devastation.

      For an instant, he looked as if he wanted to say something, then he shrugged and turned away. When he reached the doorway, he glanced back at her. “I’ll be back to check on you tomorrow morning.”

      Becca wanted to protest, call out to him not to stop by, but it was too late. He was gone. She could picture him, striding down the corridor, utterly unaware of the tentative smiles and longing glances sent his way.

      Calmer now that Seth was out of the room, Becca replayed in her mind those few magical moments he had held her in his arms, and taken command of her mouth.

      She sighed with the same kind of longing so many other women felt for him. And she had thought to call him back, tell him not to stop by the next morning? Ha! She couldn’t wait to see him again…fool that she was!

      The next moment, Becca frowned. She couldn’t believe he had actually explained away his kissing her as the only way he could think of to shut her up. That had to be the most overused, clichéd line in romance fiction. Either the man secretly read too many romance novels, which she seriously doubted, or he had never read any, which she felt certain was the case.

      Poor Seth. He didn’t even realize he was clichéd and outdated with his approach with women.

      Becca couldn’t control a small smile at the thought. The sizzling way he kissed, Seth didn’t have to worry about his statements being outdated. Hell, he really didn’t need to speak at all.

      Drowsily, Becca savored the lingering taste of Seth on her lips. His tongue had done a thorough job of teasing the inside of her mouth. The memory triggered a shivery sensation on every nerve ending in her overheated body.

      What would making love with him be like?

      She quivered at the very idea, before pulling herself together. Get a grip on your imagination, Rebecca, she chided herself in frustration.

      Seth Andrews is not interested in you in any personal way. She grimaced. Matter of fact, he very likely did kiss you to shut you up!

      Damn you. Standing in the corridor not far from Rebecca’s room, Seth berated himself for the third, or maybe the fourth time since walking out moments ago. He stared at her chart, as if studying her stats.

      What in the world had he been thinking, kissing her the way he had? Admitting to himself he had kissed her because he had wanted to for so long, Seth refused to excuse himself for acting so precipitously. He had had no right to simply grab her and kiss her.

      Oh, but she had tasted so good, even with the hint of coffee on her tongue. He had wanted to taste her ever since she had become a member of his surgical team.

      And now he had…and almost wished he hadn’t. Becca had tasted like heaven, and Seth wanted another taste. No, he wanted to own her mouth, have it for himself alone, have her for himself, all to himself.

      The

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