Page 43 of Prognosis Irreconcilable Differences

And it wasn’t just medicine.

‘That’s wonderful news. So wonderful.’

She hugged him then, tight, her arms sliding beneath his jacket, her face pressed into his neck. She was desperate for his warmth, to inhale the very essence of him that made him the man she loved. He put his arms around her shoulders and hugged back, and she never wanted to leave this spot.

Never.

They broke apart slightly and it was inevitable that he kissed her. In fact, she wasn’t sure who kissed who. All she knew was that his mouth opened wide over hers and she accommodated him. It was deep and wet and sexy. Greedy, and getting faster and harder, more desperate. And when he groaned against her lips her belly clenched as if he’d stroked her.

It was the kind of kiss that melted clothes and inhibitions as if they were trifling details. She thrust her hands into his hair and pulled him closer, deeper. Wanting all of him, needing to feel him tremble, lose control a little as she was.

Damn,the man could kiss.

Nathan felt as if he was losing his mind. How could she kiss him like this and still want to leave? She tasted like wild raspberries. She smelled like woman. Her breasts were squashed against his chest and he could feel the rub of her body against his burgeoning erection.

He wanted to crush her against him, sheath himself inside her, never let her go.

Breaking away, he held on to the one slim thread of sanity that was left to search her turbulent gaze. She was beautiful tonight. The crazy retro gown that she’d bought from a local op shop had outshone all the designer labels at the restaurant. Her crazy corkscrew curls framed her face and her lips glistened with clear stuff that emphasised their fullness and tasted like forbidden fruit.

He placed his forehead against hers. His palms cradled her face. ‘Stay with me,’ he groaned, his breath ragged, his pulse echoing through his head. ‘I love you.’

Jacqui’s head spun as she clung to his lapels. Her limbs were heavy, laden with desire, her brain was fogged with lust. She was breathing hard, trying to compute what he’d said at the same time she wanted to reclaim his mouth.

He loved her?

What?Oh, God, this was madness. All they were doing was torturing each other.

It had to stop.

She took a couple of deep calming breaths and slid her hands from his lapels to grasp his wrists. ‘Nate.’

‘Jacq.’ He could hear the huskiness as his breathing took its own time to settle.

She pulled gently on his wrists, and was gratified when he dropped his hands and took a step back. She needed space.

They both did.

‘I think one revelation is enough for tonight, don’t you?’

Nathan placed his hands in his trouser pockets lest he reach for her again. Damn it! He’d known it was too early. But what the hell? It was out there now.

‘No.’

Despite herself, Jacqui felt her heartbeat trip at the utter arrogance of his statement. His unflinching green gaze looked at her with frank sexual hunger. She swallowed.

‘It’s been a day of highs. You’ve just made a big decision about the entire direction of your life, Nate. One sweeping change at a time, huh?’

The thought that he actually might love her wheedled its way past her sensibilities. She quashed it before it burgeoned out of control, before she took the two very tempting paces it would take to be back in his arms.

He was mistaking desire for love. Lust for something more.

He was high on the day’s successes and the night’s revelations and their crazy, mixed-up, tangled sexual chemistry was just confusing the issue.

After all, if he loved her as he claimed why had he said that medicine completed him? Surely if he loved her then she would have that honour? Be the other half of his whole?

He was certainly her half.

And she wouldn’t take anything less. She couldn’t get involved with him again knowing that his job — even the right job — meant more to him than her. She’d been down that road before.

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