Read Online Love in Bloom by Karen Rose Smith - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Karen Rose Smith
Tags: United States, Fiction, General, Medical, History, State & Local, Women physicians, Middle Atlantic, maryland
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forward to get deeper into the water and to keep from ogling Clay. "Stay close when he's ready to get out. The exertion might make his leg feel weaker, and in the cold water he won't notice it."
"Will do. I--"
Paige stepped forward and the stony floor dipped unexpectedly. She lost her footing.
Clay's arm went around her to steady her. She looked up and was caught by his green gaze. His arm around her, her breasts pressing against his chest, created an excitement so powerful she couldn't speak; she could hardly breathe. Her nipples hardened; her pulse raced. Her head swirled, and she knew the sensation had nothing to do with the cold water and hot sun.
Clay's fingers languidly caressed the small of her back, sending spirals of tingling feelings through her body. As if it were the most natural thing in the world to do, Paige swayed gently forward.
"I forgot to warn you about falling..." Clay trailed off to a whisper as his eyes suddenly darkened to jade. Paige thought she would get lost in them as slowly, ever so slowly, his head bent closer and she lifted hers, ready for the touch of his lips.
CHAPTER FIVE
"Dr. Conrad, I'll race you to the post!" Ben called.
Clay and Paige sprang apart. Clay's hand lingered on her arm only long enough to make sure she was steady on her feet.
Finding her voice, Paige called back, "I'll be right there."
When she turned to Clay, his face was expressionless, his tone neutral. "I'm going to deeper water for a few minutes. I won't be long."
She felt as if she'd just stepped into very deep water. She nodded because she didn't know what to say. As Clay swam off, she waded toward Ben, still feeling too much heat in her cheeks, feeling as if she'd missed out on something important.
The teenager shaded his eyes against the sun. "Sorry about that. I called before I saw his arm around you."
She floated her hands through the water. "I almost fell into a hole. He caught me."
"Anything you say, Dr. Conrad." Ben's words belied his skeptical grin. Then he shrugged. "Ready to race?"
She needed to be immersed in the water to forget about Clay Reynolds, to work off the excess energy of the adrenaline still pumping through her. "Yes. One post length. You call it."
Ben steadied himself on his feet, glanced at her to see if she was ready, then said, "Ready. Set. Go."
Paige stroked through the water steadily, but didn't swim full tilt. She and Ben were swimming neck and neck. They emerged from the water at the same time.
Ben's face was strained so she asked, "Why don't we get out for a while? We can play another game of cards before we eat."
He nodded and waded with her to shallower water. Before she knew it, Clay had unobtrusively come up on Ben's other side. He must have been watching.
Ben was fine until they left the waist-high water. As he walked without the water's buoyancy, his left leg gave way. Clay caught him.
The teenager swore and Paige ran for his cane. She snatched it up and ran back. Clay was propping Ben up.
Ben glared at the cane with disgust. The group of girls he'd nodded to earlier were openly staring. "See what I mean, Dr. Conrad? They're looking at me as if I have two heads."
"They're just wondering..."
He yelled at the group. "This isn't a damn circus. Mind your own business."
The girls looked shocked.
"Not exactly the way to make friends, Ben," Clay said quietly.
The teenager grabbed the cane and turned on him. "And what the hell would you know? Sure, maybe you tore up your shoulder once upon a time, but it's fine now. You have two strong legs that'll let you do whatever you want. You've got nothing to complain about. I do. I can't even get from the lake to the blanket on my own power."
"I still have problems with my shoulder, Ben. But I lift weights. I never stop strengthening it."
"But it doesn't affect your life! You didn't have to quit
"Will do. I--"
Paige stepped forward and the stony floor dipped unexpectedly. She lost her footing.
Clay's arm went around her to steady her. She looked up and was caught by his green gaze. His arm around her, her breasts pressing against his chest, created an excitement so powerful she couldn't speak; she could hardly breathe. Her nipples hardened; her pulse raced. Her head swirled, and she knew the sensation had nothing to do with the cold water and hot sun.
Clay's fingers languidly caressed the small of her back, sending spirals of tingling feelings through her body. As if it were the most natural thing in the world to do, Paige swayed gently forward.
"I forgot to warn you about falling..." Clay trailed off to a whisper as his eyes suddenly darkened to jade. Paige thought she would get lost in them as slowly, ever so slowly, his head bent closer and she lifted hers, ready for the touch of his lips.
CHAPTER FIVE
"Dr. Conrad, I'll race you to the post!" Ben called.
Clay and Paige sprang apart. Clay's hand lingered on her arm only long enough to make sure she was steady on her feet.
Finding her voice, Paige called back, "I'll be right there."
When she turned to Clay, his face was expressionless, his tone neutral. "I'm going to deeper water for a few minutes. I won't be long."
She felt as if she'd just stepped into very deep water. She nodded because she didn't know what to say. As Clay swam off, she waded toward Ben, still feeling too much heat in her cheeks, feeling as if she'd missed out on something important.
The teenager shaded his eyes against the sun. "Sorry about that. I called before I saw his arm around you."
She floated her hands through the water. "I almost fell into a hole. He caught me."
"Anything you say, Dr. Conrad." Ben's words belied his skeptical grin. Then he shrugged. "Ready to race?"
She needed to be immersed in the water to forget about Clay Reynolds, to work off the excess energy of the adrenaline still pumping through her. "Yes. One post length. You call it."
Ben steadied himself on his feet, glanced at her to see if she was ready, then said, "Ready. Set. Go."
Paige stroked through the water steadily, but didn't swim full tilt. She and Ben were swimming neck and neck. They emerged from the water at the same time.
Ben's face was strained so she asked, "Why don't we get out for a while? We can play another game of cards before we eat."
He nodded and waded with her to shallower water. Before she knew it, Clay had unobtrusively come up on Ben's other side. He must have been watching.
Ben was fine until they left the waist-high water. As he walked without the water's buoyancy, his left leg gave way. Clay caught him.
The teenager swore and Paige ran for his cane. She snatched it up and ran back. Clay was propping Ben up.
Ben glared at the cane with disgust. The group of girls he'd nodded to earlier were openly staring. "See what I mean, Dr. Conrad? They're looking at me as if I have two heads."
"They're just wondering..."
He yelled at the group. "This isn't a damn circus. Mind your own business."
The girls looked shocked.
"Not exactly the way to make friends, Ben," Clay said quietly.
The teenager grabbed the cane and turned on him. "And what the hell would you know? Sure, maybe you tore up your shoulder once upon a time, but it's fine now. You have two strong legs that'll let you do whatever you want. You've got nothing to complain about. I do. I can't even get from the lake to the blanket on my own power."
"I still have problems with my shoulder, Ben. But I lift weights. I never stop strengthening it."
"But it doesn't affect your life! You didn't have to quit
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