Read Online Reawakened by the Surgeon's Touch by Jennifer Taylor - Free Book Online Page B

pills in my room. I’ll go and fetch them. The best thing for her now is a good night’s sleep—’
    â€˜I don’t want any pills. I don’t need them.’
    Jude glanced round when Claire spoke, relieved to see that she seemed far more alert. Although she was extremely pale still, her eyes were focused when they met his. ‘I apologise for making a scene,’ she continued huskily. ‘It won’t happen again, I assure you.’
    She went to get up but Jude stopped her. As his hand closed around her wrist, he found himself marvelling at how slender it was. He could, quite literally, encircle it with his little finger and thumb. Once again all his protective urges rushed to the fore and once again he felt shock hit him in the gut.
    He didn’t do this! He didn’t allow himself to feel this strongly any more. If he hadn’t cared so much then it would never have hit him so hard when Maddie had died. He had learned a valuable lesson then, learned how to detach himself and feel only on the surface, never deep down; yet it was different where Claire was concerned. He couldn’t seem to take that essential step back. What was going on here? Why had he, Mr Deliberately Indifferent, suddenly turned into Mr Overly Protective?
    Jude had no idea what the answer was but it scared him to know that he had undergone such a massive change in such a short space of time. He had been in Mwuranda for less than a day and already he was turning into a whole different person, so help him!
    * * *
    Claire could feel the coolness of Jude’s fingers on her hot flesh and shivered. Now that the memory of that dreadful night had started to fade, she felt better able to cope, although how she was going to explain her behaviour was another matter. Maybe it would be safer to settle for Lesley’s explanation, that she had been under pressure for so long and tonight it had caught up with her. Telling everyone what Andrew had done was out of the question. She only had to recall what he had said when she had warned him that she would go to the police in an attempt to stop him. He had laughed in her face as he had stated that it would be her word against his, and who was going to believe the word of an embittered woman who had been dumped by her boyfriend?
    â€˜You need to rest even if you won’t take a sleeping pill.’
    Jude’s voice cut through her thoughts and she shuddered. She mustn’t think about the past. She must focus on the present and that meant making sure nobody found out what had happened to her. Even if everyone believed her, did she really want to become an object of pity in their eyes? Someone who needed to be treated differently? A victim? Was that how she wanted Jude to view her?
    The thought was more than she could bear for some reason. It was an effort to concentrate as he continued. ‘I suggest you take a few days off and give yourself a breathing space. If you want me to have a word with whoever’s in charge then I’m more than happy to do so.’
    â€˜That won’t be necessary,’ Claire said quickly. ‘And as for taking time off, well, I’m afraid that’s out of the question. We’re working at full stretch as it is and if I take time off then it will put the rest of the team under even more pressure.’ Easing her wrist out of his grasp, she stood up before he could stop her. ‘I’m fine, Dr Slater. There’s no need to worry about me.’
    â€˜I disagree. It’s obvious that you’re far from fine.’ There was an edge to his voice now but why should he feel angry about her desire to forget what had happened tonight? Why should he care? Before Claire could work it out he continued in the same biting tone.
    â€˜I appreciate that you consider your work a vocation rather than a job but it would be foolish to risk your health. I shall speak to the Mother Superior and explain that you need to rest,