pulled his hand away as if by doing so he could tug himself away from where his thoughts were wandering. It had been so long since he had felt a woman’s touch. He had locked his physical needs away the day Madeleine had died. For six long lonely years he had ignored the natural and instinctive stirrings of his body, distracting himself with work until there hadn’t been time or energy to think about what he was missing.
No one in all that time had made his skin lift and tighten simultaneously at the merest touch. No one’s eyes had met his and seen more than he’d wanted them to see. No one’s smile had melted or even chipped at the stone of sadness that weighed down his soul.
But Dr Kellie Thorne with her feather-light touch and brown eyes and beautiful smile certainly came close.
Perhaps a little too close.
CHAPTER EIGHT
ONCE the patient was transferred in Brisbane to the nearest trauma centre, Matt looked up at the flight information board and frowned. ‘I hate to be the one to tell you this but it looks like we’re going to have to cool our heels here for a while.’
Kellie looked up at the screen. ‘Why?’
Brian King, the pilot who had flown the patient down, came over to where they were standing. ‘There are electrical storms all over the region,’ he explained. ‘Most of the regional flights have been grounded overnight.’
‘Overnight?’ Kellie blinked a couple of times. ‘But I’ve got nothing with me. Look at me.’
Both men turned and looked at her.
Kellie felt her face go red when Matt’s dark blue gaze lingered the longest. ‘I’m covered in blood and dust,’ she said, and added mentally, And I’m wearing a pair of ripped high-cut running shorts and a vest top, and I haven’t had a shower and I’ve never felt so unfeminine and unattractive in my life. ‘Anyway, where would we stay?’ she asked.
‘There’s a hotel close to the airport we use at times like this,’ Brian said. ‘They do a cheap rate for medical personnel. I’d offer you a bed at my place but we’re in the middle of renovations.
There’s barely room for the wife and kids.’ He turned to Matt. ‘Will you stay at your … er … fiancée’s parents’?’
‘No,’ Matt said, his expression as blank as a bare wall. ‘They’ve got relatives staying with them this week. I’ll be fine at the hotel with Dr Thorne.’
‘I reckon the flights will be back to normal in the morning,’ Brian said. ‘Are you guys right to get a taxi? I’ve got to go through a couple of checks with the safety crew.’
‘Sure,’ Matt said. Giving Kellie a follow-me nod, he led the way outside to the taxi rank.
Kellie could feel every person’s eyes on her as she stood beside Matt in the queue. An older couple in front had even made a point of stepping away from her, their wrinkled brows frowning in disapproval as they’d taken in her dishevelled appearance.
She felt Matt’s broad shoulder brush against her. ‘Ignore them,’ he said in a low voice.
She looked up at him and asked in an undertone, ‘Do I smell?’
His expression contained a hint of wryness. ‘I’ve smelt worse.’
‘Thanks,’ she said, rolling her eyes. ‘That’s very reassuring.’
A flicker of a smile lit his gaze. ‘Believe me, you’ll feel like a million dollars after a shower and something to eat,’ he said, as he led her to the next available taxi.
It was a short trip to the hotel, where the receptionist at the front desk smiled apologetically at Matt’s request for two rooms. ‘I’m terribly sorry, sir, but we only have one room available.’
Matt frowned. ‘One room?’
‘I’m afraid so,’ she answered. ‘With so many regional flights being cancelled at short notice, we filled up very quickly.’
‘I don’t mind sharing a room,’ Kellie piped up helpfully.
Matt’s frown brought his brows almost together as he looked down at her for a moment.
‘It’s only for one night,’ she said, conscious of the receptionist’s speculative look.
‘It’s a queen-sized suite,’ the receptionist chipped in. ‘But if you would like a roll-out bed brought in I can organise Housekeeping to have one delivered to your room.’
‘Yes,’ Matt said. ‘That would be very much appreciated.’
‘We’re not a couple,’ Kellie explained.
‘Brother and sister?’ The receptionist took a wild guess.
‘No,’ Kellie said with a little laugh. ‘I’ve already got five brothers. The last thing I need is another one.’
The receptionist smiled as she handed Matt a form to sign. ‘It’s room four hundred and twenty-five,’ she said. ‘You’ll need your swipe card. I hope you enjoy your stay.’
When the doors of the first available lift opened Kellie stared in dismay at her reflection in the mirrored wall at the back. ‘Oh, my God!’ she wailed. ‘Why didn’t you tell me I looked like this?’
Matt reached past her to press the button for their floor. ‘You don’t look that bad,’ he said with what he hoped was an indifferent look.
She groaned as she rubbed at the smear of blood over her right cheek with the bottom of her top. ‘I look like an extra from a horror movie,’ she said. ‘The least you could have done is said something. No wonder people were staring.’
‘Yes, well, they probably weren’t staring at your face,’ Matt said dryly, doing his level best not to stare at the strip of tanned and toned abdomen she had exposed by lifting her top to clean her face.
She let the top fall back down. ‘What do you mean?’
He put an arm out to hold the lift doors open. ‘I think that rip in your shorts is getting bigger,’ he said. ‘I hope for the sake of your dignity there’s a complimentary sewing kit in the room.’
Kellie clutched at her behind and felt the lace of her knickers. ‘Oh, no!’
‘Don’t worry,’ he said, leading the way down the hall. ‘There’s no one about. This is our room right here.’
Our room.
Matt felt himself flinch as he said the words. Those words … How many times had he and Madeleine used them over the years? Our first date, our love, our engagement, our future …
He stared at the swipe key in his hand, wondering if he should have tried another hotel. Why hadn’t he thought of it earlier? It wasn’t as if the whole of Brisbane would have been booked out. There were numerous hotels all over the city and even if some of them were beyond the health department budget, he could have paid for a couple of rooms himself.
‘Hurry
