dares to interfere with nurses and their cleaning. That is our domain. Florence Nightingale mandated it.’
He shrugged. ‘Perhaps I’m feeling brave today.’ He put on a mock-serious tone. ‘As the medical officer in charge of this operation I’m invoking section 47 B, schedule 9 of the work charter. That means no cleaning today, Bec.’ A teasing grin danced on his lips.
Her legs suddenly wobbled. She locked her knees for support. ‘You’re making that up.’
‘Only the bit about schedule 9.’ His teasing grin faded, replaced by a serious expression. ‘Yesterday the health workers had a rest day. With no new cases of cholera it’s our turn to take a break. We’re no use to anyone if we fall over from fatigue.’ His intense gaze zeroed in on her. ‘Are we, Bec?’
She shifted uneasily, feeling like a rabbit caught in headlights. ‘I suppose.’ To her horror she sounded like a petulant four-year-old. Part of her knew he was right but the other part wanted to bury herself in the safety of work.
‘Excellent. Glad you agree with me.’ His brows rose wickedly.
Was he flirting with her? Ribbons of excitement spread through her, both delicious and terrifying. She immediately squashed the unwanted emotions. Men couldn’t be trusted. She would never fall for dark eyes and pretty words again.
She tossed her head. ‘As you’ve banned me from work I will go and …’ Her brain blanked. She struggled to think of something to do. She tossed her head. ‘Read my book.’
Tom folded his arms across his chest. ‘I get the feeling I can’t trust you not to scrub every surface of this clinic. I’m taking you to the Sunday market in a village about an hour’s drive away, up by the Chinese border.’ He smiled. ‘You need to see Vietnam’s diversity. Consider it part of your research.’
A day out alone with Tom. Fear collided with desire, tumbling over and over in the pit of her stomach. ‘That’s a kind offer but really you don’t have to. I promise I won’t come near the clinic and—’
‘You’re babbling and you’re coming with me.’
Something in his matter-of-fact tone propelled her to the door and outside. She was being childish and he was trying to be helpful and kind.
Where was the harm? She’d spend the day wandering around the market surrounded by crowds. She’d still be able to keep her safe distance both physically and emotionally. ‘Thanks. It sounds like fun.’ She started to walk toward the four-wheel-drive.
‘Bec.’
She spun around.
‘The road’s too narrow for the truck.’ Tom stood next to a motorbike, extending a helmet toward her.
Her blood rushed to her feet, making her sway. Panic trickled through her, intensifying as it spread. Spending a day alone with Tom at a market full of people was one thing. Sitting behind him on a motorbike, with millimetres between them, was another.
Her need for a safe distance intensified.
Any ideas of exactly how to achieve it diminished fast.
* * *
Tom brought the motorbike to a halt and turned the ignition off. Before the sound of the engine had died away, Bec quickly hopped off the bike, her actions almost frantic. She had to be the most tense passenger he’d ever transported. She’d sat, completely rigid, the entire trip.
She pulled off her helmet, and her hair fell down, framing her unusually pale face.
‘You OK?’ Concern for her ricocheted through him.
She took in a deep breath. ‘Those last few bends were pretty wild.’
‘Sorry. You fought the curves and got motion sickness. You need to be at one with them and at one with the bike. On the way home, lean into them.’
Lean into me and relax. The disquieting thought thundered through him.
Her eyes widened, darkening to an inky blue. A flicker of something vibrated in their depths and faded as quickly as it had appeared. ‘What’s in this box that was so important that I had to have it stick into me for the last hour?’ An unusual huskiness clung to her voice.
He released the elastic straps, which had held the box in place during the bumpy journey. ‘Condoms.’
‘You’ve come to a local market with four hundred condoms?’ She started to giggle. ‘I had no idea they were legal tender. Here I was thinking it was the dong.’
He laughed with her, appreciating her quick wit, enchanted by how her face changed when she completely relaxed. The stress lines around her eyes and mouth faded, her cheeks softened and her eyes danced. Lazy heat spread through him.
‘Cheeky.’ He lifted the box and started walking up the hill to a small cement building.
She quickly caught up with him despite her limp. ‘I thought you said it was a no-work day, that we needed a break.’ Her expression challenged him.
‘We do, but seeing as we’re in the area I’m just dropping off some gear at the clinic.’
She shook her head in disbelief. ‘Talk about the pot calling the kettle black. You’re as bad as I am for not turning off.’
He met her gaze and grinned. ‘No one is as bad as you for not turning off.’
‘Hey.’ She playfully elbowed him gently in the ribs, her face alive with fun.
The moment she’d done it she flinched, her body stiffening as if she’d received an electric shock. Her arm shot back to her side and regret tinged with fear scored her face. Immediately, she stepped away, putting a large space between them.
Again.
Her shocked expression surprised him. Hell, what did she think he would do to her? The idea that she thought he might hurt her, that he wouldn’t know her action was part of a joke, sliced through him like a razor, leaving a dull, throbbing ache in its wake.
She stepped slightly ahead of him.
He caught up in two long strides. ‘Seeing as we’re in the area, I’m just killing two birds with one stone.’
‘As will the condoms.’ She fanned herself with her hat as they reached the clinic and stepped into the shade.
Respect for her insight swirled through him. ‘That’s right. Condoms for family planning and to help stop the spread of HIV. It’s a problem all over the country but up here with the opium trade and the illegal trade of women back and forth across the border, it’s worse.’
‘So whenever you’re in the area you make sure the health workers are well supplied.’
He nodded as he turned his back to her, putting the box down next to a large poster about HIV. He ripped off the duct tape.
‘You’re a good man, Tom Bracken.’
He shouldn’t have heard the softly whispered words over the noise of
