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Authors: Diana Palmer
Tags: Fiction, Romance, Contemporary, Man-Woman Relationships, Love Stories, Nurses, Christian fiction, Religious, Christian, Nurse and patient, Businessmen
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Ashton.
That thought disturbed her very much. She went walking on the beach at dusk, dragging her feet in the
70
Blind Promises
Diana Palmer
71
sand, her eyes troubled as they sought the horizon across the ocean. Her disorderly mind kept going back to that warm, slow kiss they’d shared the night before, and the strange new feelings it had kindled in her. She couldn’t remember ever wanting a kiss to begin again, not with any other man. But, of course, Gannon was an experienced man. She hugged her arms across her chest. She had to stop thinking about it nevertheless. She was his nurse, nothing more; she couldn’t afford the luxury of getting emotionally involved with him. He was just passing time, but Dana was far too moral a woman to yield to temptation. Besides that, she didn’t want him getting too close. It was a trap that would rob her of her peace of mind, that would make her vulnerable. She didn’t trust emotions anymore. Especially she didn’t trust her own. Her life, since her mother’s death, had dissolved. She felt totally alone, and a part of her liked that aloneness. It would protect her from any more wounds; it would protect her from being hurt again.
“Dana! Wait up!”
She whirled, the wind catching her loosened hair, to find Dirk running along the beach toward her. He was wearing jeans and a knit shirt, and he was barefoot.
“You’re fast, lady,” he chuckled, sticking his hands in his pockets as he fell into step beside her. “What are you doing out here all alone?”
“Enjoying the view,” she admitted. He was easy to talk to, and she smiled. “Isn’t it just great? Sea breeze, all that ocean out there, and peace and quiet along with it. People tire me sometimes. I like solitude.”
“Don’t mind your own company?” he teased lightly. “You’re a rarity. Most people can’t stand to be alone.”
“Your brother seems to like it well enough,” she
mused, glancing up at him. “Is it only since the blindness?”
“Exactly. Oh, he’s been a lone wolf most of his life in that he lives as he pleases.” He frowned. “But he’s never cared for solitude like this. There were always… friends with him,” he added, and she wondered if he meant to say women instead of friends.
“We’re all different,” Dana sighed. “It’s a good thing too. Imagine how dull it would be if we all thought alike?”
“There’d be fewer wars,” he reminded her.
“Yes, but creativity would go down the drain.”
“As you say.” He pursed his lips and looked down at her. “Is he making much progress?” he asked.
She let her shoulders rise and fall. The comfortable jeans and sweat shut she was wearing felt wonderful in the cool air. “I thought so until tonight. I really don’t think it’s a good idea that I go to Savannah with you-not if it’s going to upset him like that. It’s been a struggle just getting him out of the house.”
He nodded. “I can imagine. But you mustn’t let him make you into a puppet, Dana. He can do that, I’ve watched him.”
“I won’t. But he does pay my salary, and his track record with his nurses isn’t super, I’m told.” She lifted an eyebrow. “If he throws me out, who’ll be brave enough to take my place?”
He winced. “What a horrible thought. Mother told me she begged your supervisor not to tell you everything about Gannon. She was afraid you wouldn’t come.”
Dana laughed. “I might not have. But once I got here, I wouldn’t have left for the world. He challenged me, you see.”
72
Blind Promises
Diana Palmer
73
“If you want a real challenge,” he said dryly, “you ought to wander into his study right now. I barely escaped with my skin intact.”
“What did you do to irritate him?” she asked.
He chuckled, watching the ocean begin to darken as the sun set. “I breathed,” he murmured. “He’s thumping around the room, knocking over furniture and cursing
That thought disturbed her very much. She went walking on the beach at dusk, dragging her feet in the
70
Blind Promises
Diana Palmer
71
sand, her eyes troubled as they sought the horizon across the ocean. Her disorderly mind kept going back to that warm, slow kiss they’d shared the night before, and the strange new feelings it had kindled in her. She couldn’t remember ever wanting a kiss to begin again, not with any other man. But, of course, Gannon was an experienced man. She hugged her arms across her chest. She had to stop thinking about it nevertheless. She was his nurse, nothing more; she couldn’t afford the luxury of getting emotionally involved with him. He was just passing time, but Dana was far too moral a woman to yield to temptation. Besides that, she didn’t want him getting too close. It was a trap that would rob her of her peace of mind, that would make her vulnerable. She didn’t trust emotions anymore. Especially she didn’t trust her own. Her life, since her mother’s death, had dissolved. She felt totally alone, and a part of her liked that aloneness. It would protect her from any more wounds; it would protect her from being hurt again.
“Dana! Wait up!”
She whirled, the wind catching her loosened hair, to find Dirk running along the beach toward her. He was wearing jeans and a knit shirt, and he was barefoot.
“You’re fast, lady,” he chuckled, sticking his hands in his pockets as he fell into step beside her. “What are you doing out here all alone?”
“Enjoying the view,” she admitted. He was easy to talk to, and she smiled. “Isn’t it just great? Sea breeze, all that ocean out there, and peace and quiet along with it. People tire me sometimes. I like solitude.”
“Don’t mind your own company?” he teased lightly. “You’re a rarity. Most people can’t stand to be alone.”
“Your brother seems to like it well enough,” she
mused, glancing up at him. “Is it only since the blindness?”
“Exactly. Oh, he’s been a lone wolf most of his life in that he lives as he pleases.” He frowned. “But he’s never cared for solitude like this. There were always… friends with him,” he added, and she wondered if he meant to say women instead of friends.
“We’re all different,” Dana sighed. “It’s a good thing too. Imagine how dull it would be if we all thought alike?”
“There’d be fewer wars,” he reminded her.
“Yes, but creativity would go down the drain.”
“As you say.” He pursed his lips and looked down at her. “Is he making much progress?” he asked.
She let her shoulders rise and fall. The comfortable jeans and sweat shut she was wearing felt wonderful in the cool air. “I thought so until tonight. I really don’t think it’s a good idea that I go to Savannah with you-not if it’s going to upset him like that. It’s been a struggle just getting him out of the house.”
He nodded. “I can imagine. But you mustn’t let him make you into a puppet, Dana. He can do that, I’ve watched him.”
“I won’t. But he does pay my salary, and his track record with his nurses isn’t super, I’m told.” She lifted an eyebrow. “If he throws me out, who’ll be brave enough to take my place?”
He winced. “What a horrible thought. Mother told me she begged your supervisor not to tell you everything about Gannon. She was afraid you wouldn’t come.”
Dana laughed. “I might not have. But once I got here, I wouldn’t have left for the world. He challenged me, you see.”
72
Blind Promises
Diana Palmer
73
“If you want a real challenge,” he said dryly, “you ought to wander into his study right now. I barely escaped with my skin intact.”
“What did you do to irritate him?” she asked.
He chuckled, watching the ocean begin to darken as the sun set. “I breathed,” he murmured. “He’s thumping around the room, knocking over furniture and cursing
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