Read Online With a Little Help by Valerie Parv - Free Book Online

herbs and garlic excited Emma’s already heightened senses. Glasses were on the table and Angie placed a carafe of water with lemon slices next to them. She turned to the child. “Take your book back to your room and let Dr. Nate have his dinner.” To Nate, she added, “Let me know when you’re ready for coffee.”
    Emma caught the faintest hint of an accent. Swedish? She looked at the woman curiously as she shepherded the child away. “Angie is talented,”she said, casting a professional eye over the skilled presentation of their food.
    He nodded. “One of the best.”
    Emma wanted to ask why he hadn’t invited someone who was evidently a close friend to cater his party, but he anticipated the question. “Angie was a patient. She was pregnant with Natalie when she needed urgent heart surgery.”
    â€œYou managed to save both of them.” Emma was annoyed to feel relieved as his relationship with the other woman became clear. Another thought occurred to her. “Is Natalie…”
    â€œNamed for me,” he said, his voice gruff. “Angie wouldn’t be talked out of it. I tell her she works too hard, but she loves this place and she only opens the hours she can manage and still look after Natalie.”
    Was he this close to all his former patients? Emma wondered as she bit into one of the prawn skewers. A delicious blend of seafood and herbs filled her mouth. When she tried the soup, it turned out to be the white version of gazpacho called ajo blanco. Judging by the silky texture, Angie had soaked the blanched almonds in milk before processing them with bread, seedless green grapes and garlic, olive oil, vinegar and seasonings. Delicious.
    Emma hadn’t been aware of closing her eyes until she opened them to find Nate watching her, an amused expression on his face. “Good, isn’t it?”
    â€œBlissful. I’d love to get her recipe.”
    â€œYou’re in luck. I have some pull with the owner.”
    She fell silent, relishing the tastes and textures of the simple, well-prepared food. Sometimes she got annoyed when she couldn’t stop herself from deconstructing the taste of a particular dish. This time, so many of her senses were engaged that it was easy to let herself go and simply enjoy the experience. Being with Nate was like that, came the unbidden thought. He swamped her senses until she had trouble working out what was going on.
    The evening was warm but she shivered. Professional, she reminded herself. Businesslike. Amazing how hard she found it to force her thoughts into that mode. Swallowing the last creamy mouthful of ajo blanco, she rested the spoon in the bowl. “We should talk about your event, although I don’t know what I can tell you until you’ve gone over my suggestions.”
    Angie came over and took their coffee orders, flatly refusing to let him pay for the meal. Emma suspected it was a ritual played out whenever Nate came here, and envied the warmth between them as they sparred.
    When Angie left them alone, he leaned forward. “Never mind the details. I can read them when I get home. Talk me through how you see the night unfolding.”
    He meant the party night, she reminded herself, but visions of where they might go after dinner ran riot through her mind.
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    N ATE WATCHED HER, HIS THOUGHTS racing. Normally he did the bay walk with half his mind still back at the hospital. Tonight, his patients had barely entered his mind. It was true, his assistant was competent. Nate had trained Grace Lockwood himself. And she was backed by a team he’d also handpicked. Still, finding himself totally in the moment, as he’d been with Emma tonight, was unusual enough to make him wonder what was going on.
    â€œI did some research into your life,” she began.
    Instantly he felt his hackles rise. “My life story isn’t your concern.”
    â€œEverything about my client is my