was determined and his hand rested gently against the small of her back as he walked her up the stairs to street level.
It was May and the sun was starting to sink in the west and the lights were glowing as twilight crept across the city.
There was a warm breeze, but it wasn’t hot; it was refreshing.
“It’s hot out here,” said George. “I don’t think I’ll get used to the heat.”
Samantha grinned. “Just like I don’t think many of us would get used to your cold.”
George smiled, but, as ever, it faded quickly. “Are you sure you don’t want to stick around for a bit longer?”
“No, thank you. I need to get home.”
“Why?”
“Adam will be home soon.”
Then she saw the expression that passed across most men’s face when she mentioned Adam’s name. He was trying to process it and there was a flare of jealousy mixed with disappointment before he caught the range of emotions and hid them.
Who was Adam? was his first thought and his second was, Why should he care?
It wasn’t any of his business. A woman as beautiful as Samantha would, of course, have a husband or boyfriend. Besides, she was off limits—a fact he needed to keep reminding himself of.
He wasn’t interested. He wasn’t going to get involved with anyone again, it was too risky. Still, the green-eyed monster couldn’t help but rear its ugly little head. Samantha was beautiful, intriguing and he wished she wasn’t his mentor. He wished she was single, in a bar and he was just meeting her. Trying to pick her up.
But who was he kidding? Cheryl had killed that side of him. He had vowed never to love again, to never put his heart at risk. He’d promised himself that in the hospital. He was trying to keep from flirting with Samantha, but he couldn’t help himself.
“It’s okay to date again, George. You need to move on. You have a right to.”
Only he shook his sister Mentlana’s words out of his head. No. He didn’t deserve love again. He didn’t want it again.
Get a grip on yourself.
Why was he letting himself think like this? It was dumb. Sure, he was attracted to Samantha but that didn’t mean anything had to happen.
Except she was the first woman he’d been really attracted to since Cheryl.
They walked down the street to the empty bus stop.
“You have a training session tomorrow morning at seven sharp, and I’ll see you in the afternoon,” Samantha said. “Try to get that through to the other paramedics too.”
George laughed. “I will.”
Samantha stopped and jammed her hands in her pockets. “You can head back to O’Shea’s.”
George shook his head. “No, I think I’ll just wait here with you.” He was treading on dangerous ground but he couldn’t resist it.
Pink bloomed in her cheeks.
He cleared his throat and looked at her. She was so beautiful. He needed to get away. Fast.
Only he couldn’t move. He stayed there, standing close to her. Close enough to touch.
Run.
Only he didn’t run. Instead, he imagined what it would be like to kiss her. Her lips looked soft, moist and he wondered if they tasted as sweet as he imagined.
“I should go. You’re right. I’m sure your boyfriend Adam will be glad to see you’re home safe.”
Samantha still didn’t say anything—she didn’t have a chance as the bus pulled up and opened its doors. She climbed up the first step.
You’re an idiot, Atavik.
George waited for a word from her.
Anything.
Even “Scram” would suffice.
Instead, she smiled, the pink in her cheeks still shining. “I’m not involved with anyone. Adam is my son.”
And with that the doors of the bus closed with a hiss and George watched as it took off down the street.
He grinned, relieved to hear Adam was her son, but it didn’t last long. If there was a child there was a father.
She’s off limits.
He would keep his distance. That wasn’t what he wanted to do but it would be the best thing. He was here to learn, not date, and not fall in love with someone. He’d tried love once and it had nearly broken him.
He wouldn’t make that mistake twice.
SAMANTHA HAD THOUGHT George was going to kiss her, but he hadn’t and she was both relieved and disappointed.
It had been a long time since she’d had a kiss. Though she didn’t know why she was allowing disappointment to gnaw at her. She’d only just met George and she was his mentor. Still, she couldn’t deny the spark he’d ignited inside her. A slow-burning ember making her feel giddy. It was a scary prospect indeed.
It had been the moment he’d come running down the highway, cradling that child, putting himself in danger to save that little girl.
That was it. It wasn’t attraction, it was a motherly instinct that played with her.
Nice try, Samantha.
When she’d married Cameron, she’d sworn to herself that he would be her first and her last. She just hadn’t expected their last kiss to come so soon.
She had been expecting fifty years or more.
Not the just the five they’d had.
It hadn’t been enough.
Then George had shown up, turning her world upside down, and she wished he’d kissed her. But that would not have been wise.
A year after Cameron had died his mother, Joyce, had told her that it was okay for her to move on. That she was too young to spend the rest of her life alone.
Samantha had been horrified by that prospect.
She hadn’t been able to even contemplate finding someone else or loving again.
Cameron had been gone ten years now. She thought about moving on, even though it was scary to let someone else in.
Samantha touched her lips,
