SUSIE tried to swallow but found her throat completely dry. ‘Um…I…um, hope the, um…’ She trailed off as Jackson took a small step towards her. Her breathing increased and she parted her lips to allow the air to escape more easily, her gaze never leaving his.
Again he moved, slowly closing the distance between them. Susie took an involuntary step backwards, only to encounter the wall. He was like a lion, stalking his prey, slowly…cautiously. She couldn’t move, even if she’d wanted to. She was mesmerised by him.
With a few more steps he was standing before her. In her high-heeled shoes, their gazes were almost level. Her gaze flicked to his lips and saw them part.
‘Oh,’ she gasped, as he raised his hands and placed them on the wall on either side of her head. Her breathing was now so utterly out of control there was no hiding just how much this man affected her. She’d been attracted to other men in the past but never had it been this intense.
She looked up into his eyes, noting the mounting desire there as Jackson slowly leaned closer. His clean, fresh scent only heightened her awareness of him.
‘You were saying?’ His deep voice washed over her and Susie’s eyelids fluttered closed, savouring the moment. She opened them again and looked longingly at his lips.
‘Huh?’
‘Didn’t you want to…ask me something?’
Did she? She had no idea. Her brain failed her, her only conscious thought being that if Jackson didn’t kiss her, she’d go insane. The effect he had on her senses was sending them spiralling out of control. Her body was in tune with his as she silently urged him to come even closer.
How much longer was he going to torture them? If she could get her arms to move, she’d reach out and bring his lips to hers. She was paralysed, no, hypnotised, and there was nothing she could do about it, such was the effect Jackson had on her.
‘Captivating,’ he whispered. Never before had he felt like this. It had to be right—but even if it was wrong, there was no denying that the only thing he wanted to do right at this very second was to claim Susie’s luscious lips in a mind-shattering kiss. A kiss that would satisfy them both—of that he was absolutely sure.
Closer and closer he came until his breath was mixing with hers. Susie closed her eyes, unable to summon the strength to keep them open. She waited, waited impatiently for his mouth to touch hers while still enjoying the sensations he was evoking throughout her body.
The click of a door being opened, together with Kyle’s voice saying ‘I’ll check with Susie’, penetrated the sensual haze with a jolt.
Susie’s eyes snapped open, her limbs came to life and she quickly ducked under Jackson’s arm, trying to compose herself. Her legs were like jelly and as she took a step away she stumbled.
‘Hey, Susie,’ Kyle said as he spotted her and then quickly held out a steadying hand. ‘You all right?’
Not trusting herself to speak, she nodded.
‘Jackson?’ Kyle looked past her and Susie risked a glance over her shoulder. He was casually leaning against the wall, his hands in his jeans pockets.
‘Kyle.’
‘Are you staying on this floor?’
‘Yes, a few doors down.’ He kept his gaze away from Susie’s, although the way she’d looked a few seconds ago would now be burned in his memory for ever. Her face had been turned expectantly up towards his, her lips parted, her eyes closed, her skin tinged with a faint pink glow. Beautiful! ‘I hear Blade Fargo is one of my neighbours.’ He forced himself to ease away from the wall.
He was determined to ensure that Kyle didn’t pick up on the sexual tension that existed between Susie and himself. He needed to protect her as best he could, and if that mean not looking at her then he wouldn’t.
‘Yeah, and Susie and I are his doctors.’ Kyle said excitedly. ‘Come and say g’day,’ he urged, and knocked on the closed hotel door. It was opened by one of the bodyguards and Kyle headed in.
Susie hung back, anxious for a look, a word—something—from Jackson to reassure her. Instead, he gave her a wide berth and for the first time since she’d met him he went through the door before her.
She was hurt. Didn’t he realise she needed some reassurance? Had Kyle not interrupted them, Jackson would have kissed her and there was no way she would have resisted. She’d wanted it just as desperately as he had.
Feeling suddenly cold and bereft, Susie rubbed her arms as the first spark of anger ignited deep inside. She followed him into the room. How dared he pretend nothing had happened? Although, she realised, nothing had happened and perhaps that was why she was starting to feel so utterly frustrated.
How dared she allow him to have the ability to affect her in such a way? Her anger grew and it encompassed herself as well as Jackson. She’d promised herself not to allow men to affect her like this yet here she was, frustrated and cross because of Jackson.
Perhaps she should thank Kyle for interrupting them. Perhaps she should consider this a lucky escape. After all, if they had kissed, she would have had more physical sensations to fight. Perhaps she was better off.
‘Would that be right, Susie?’ Kyle was asking her, and she realised that everyone in the room was looking at her expectantly—except Jackson.
‘Uh…well…um…’ she spluttered, not at all sure what Kyle had asked her.
‘I think you’re spot on, Kyle,’ Jackson answered. ‘Good work.’
‘Ah…Absolutely,’ Susie responded, finally finding her voice. Her hostility towards Jackson diminished a bit as she acknowledged that he’d just rescued her. She needed to get out of there, to sort out her emotions before she made a fool of herself. ‘If that’s all you need…’ she glanced at Blade and then at Kyle, her gaze avoiding Jackson’s ‘…I think I’ll head home. It’s been a very hectic day and tomorrow promises to be no less. Call me if you need me,’ she told Kyle as she turned and headed to the door.
‘I’d better be going, too,’ Jackson announced to the room.
‘Aw, come on,’ Margo purred, and Susie watched as the other woman crossed to Jackson’s side and linked her arm with his. ‘Surely you don’t have to go just yet? Now that we’ve got Blade settled, we can all relax.’
Susie groaned inwardly and continued out of the door, which one of the bodyguards held open for her. ‘Stay and relax,’ she muttered as she stormed over to the lifts. ‘That man doesn’t know his own charm and probably has every woman he meets falling in love with him.’ She assaulted the down button, pressing it repeatedly.
‘Mumbling to yourself?’ Jackson asked. She didn’t turn around. Instead, she pressed the down button again.
‘I’ll walk you out.’
‘There’s no need,’ she replied between clenched teeth.
Jackson watched as she pressed the button again, muttering something about slow hotel lifts. He frowned, unsure why she was so angry. ‘It’s no trouble,’ he told her.
Susie met his gaze. ‘I don’t care if it’s an imposition to you or not, the fact is that I don’t want you to walk me out. I’m a big girl, Jackson, and I’m more than capable of getting into the lift, walking to the valet desk and waiting for my car.’ She pressed the button yet again. ‘That’s if this lift ever gets here.’
‘You’re angry with me,’ he stated in surprise. ‘Why?’
‘Oh, that’s right. As far as you’re concerned, you’ve not done anything wrong.’ Her temper was at boiling point. She was cross with him, cross with herself and cross with the lift. She glanced around for an exit sign and stormed over to the door marked STAIRS.
‘Susie!’ Jackson charged after her, completely baffled as to why she was upset. The concrete stairs were cold beneath his feet but that was the least of his worries. ‘Talk to me,’ he demanded, his voice echoing. The clip-clop of Susie’s shoes reverberated around the stairwell and he was pleased to note she was holding onto the railing. She’d already stumbled once tonight and, as he’d realised the previous evening, she wasn’t at all comfortable in heels higher than an inch.
‘There’s nothing to say.’ She rounded the bend and started on the next flight. She was grateful that Blade’s suite hadn’t been on the twentieth floor but, given the way she was feeling, she wouldn’t have cared how many flights of stairs she had to walk down. All she wanted was to get out of the hotel and away from Jackson.
‘Nothing to say? You’re being stubborn and irrational.’
Susie stopped and whirled around to look up at him. He stopped, too. ‘Stubborn? Irrational?’
‘Yes.’ There were only two steps between them and Jackson slowly moved down one, hoping she wouldn’t move. It didn’t work.
She whirled around again and started clopping her way down the noisy stairwell. ‘So what if I am being irrational? I’ve got good reason.’
‘Then tell me what it is,’ he said, starting to get a bit fed up with the situation himself. He took the stairs two at a time, passing her. He barred her way just before she reached the door that led to the lobby.
‘Look, if I’ve done something wrong, at least tell me about it so I can apologise.’
Susie gazed at him and felt her anger begin to dissipate. She sighed. ‘It’s the fact that you don’t know you’ve done anything wrong that’s made me angry.’ That and her own uncontrollable reaction to him. She had to become stronger. She had to fight the attraction between them with every ounce of strength she had.
‘Wanting to kiss you was wrong?’ If there was one thing he’d learnt from his marriage, it was that communication was paramount. Then again, Alison had always been willing to talk things through and eventually come to see things his way. Whereas Susie seemed to be as stubborn as a mule.
‘Oh, you know it was,’ she said, her anger returning. ‘I hardly know you, Jackson. You might have a girl in every…hospital,’ she spluttered. She saw his jaw clench and his eyes darken. ‘You’ve been travelling for so long, you’re bound to get…well…lonely and—’
‘So you just think I kiss any woman who shows an interest in me, eh?’
‘How do I know? You might.’ The last thing Susie wanted to think about now was Jackson kissing other women. Jealousy reared its ugly head.
‘Even though we’ve spent such a short time together, Susie, I thought the answer to that question might have been obvious. For all I know, you might be the type of woman who gives in to every guy who makes a pass at you.’
‘What? How dare you?’
‘Ah, so you don’t like it either. It’s all right for you to accuse me of bad behaviour but not vice versa.’
He had a point. Susie looked down at the stairs, trying to control her emotions and her thoughts. Finally, she raised her head to look into his eyes, eyes that had the ability to make her forget all rational thought. ‘Look, all I was saying is that you’re a very handsome man and I’m sure you’ve met plenty of women during the VOP who would have been more than willing to indulge in a brief affair while you were in town.’
‘And what if there were?’
Susie’s eyes widened in surprise. Was he admitting to it? Was he a womaniser? ‘Were there?’ she asked quietly, trying hard to control her disappointment.
‘Yes.’
She felt as though he’d hit her. Her mouth opened in disbelief. She’d been hoping against hope that he wasn’t that way and now he was admitting as much.
‘Yes, there have been women who’ve made passes at me during the VOP—but I didn’t take any of them up on their offers. Susie, I’ve been working through a lot of emotions during this tour and the last thing I needed was…entanglements.’ He held out his hand to her. ‘Until you.’ His tone was soft and endearing, urging her to trust him.
She looked at his hand but didn’t take it. He dropped it back to his side and nodded. ‘You’re the first woman I’ve wanted to kiss since Alison’s death. Is it so wrong that I’d follow through on that instinct?’
‘You shouldn’t have.’ Susie shook her head for emphasis, her determination returning.
‘Why not?’ His tone held a hint of impatience.
‘Because it just complicates things even more.’ She sidestepped him and stalked through the door, into the lobby.
‘As I recall,’ he said as he went after her, ‘you were quite willing for it to happen.’
Susie stopped and turned to face him glad that, except for the bare minimum of staff, the lobby was deserted. ‘I am not having this discussion with you here.’
‘Then come back up to my room and we’ll discuss it there.’
‘Ha. Come back to your room? That would be the last thing I do.’
‘Why?’
Susie opened her mouth to speak but couldn’t. She wanted to tell him that if she went up to his room there was no way she’d be able to resist him. He would kiss her and she would willingly let him. She knew it was because she wanted it, more than she wanted anything else right now, but she’d also given in to her wants before and it had ended in heartbreak.
‘I’ll tell you why,’ he continued. ‘You don’t want to come back to my room because you can’t trust yourself.’ He lowered his voice and took a step closer. As he did, he stubbed his toe on a nearby table and grunted in pain.
Susie reached out and steadied the vase of flowers on the table before glancing down at his foot. He’d flexed his ankle to hold the toes upwards and was hobbling towards a chair. She looked into his eyes and saw the pain there.
‘Let me look at it,’ she said, and reached for his foot.
‘No. It’s fine. I can take care of it.’
‘Stop being such a martyr and let me look at it.’ Susie grabbed his heel and lifted it up.
‘Is everything all right?’ one of the staff asked.
‘It’s fine.’ Jackson glared at Susie as she tweaked his sore toe.
‘Sorry.’ She grinned at him and continued checking the range of motion. ‘Not broken,’ she announced, and turned to face the staff member. ‘He’ll be fine,’ she said. ‘My prescription is two paracetamol and bed rest. Perhaps you might help Professor Myers back up to his room.’ Susie smiled sweetly, enjoying Jackson’s disadvantage.
‘I’m fine,’ he repeated, and stood to prove it.
‘Well, if that will be all, I’ll be on my way.’ Susie handed the staff member her valet ticket, and after a brief nod he left them. ‘No charge for the examination,’ she told Jackson.
‘How generous of you.’ He frowned and she realised that she’d better not try to push him any further as his mood had changed drastically. Previously he’d been willing to reason, to calmly discuss things. Now he wasn’t in such a good mood and she didn’t blame him—stubbed toes were painful.
Susie decided to take pity on him. ‘Go and rest. I’ll see you tomorrow,’ she said, and turned away from him. It was either that or throw herself into his arms. He looked so gorgeous, standing there in his faded denims, his blue eyes filled with exhaustion. It had been hard to resist but with every step she took away from him she grew more proud of her success.
‘Susie,’ he called softly, and she turned around, gazing at him expectantly.
‘Thanks.’
‘For what?’
‘For talking to me.’
Was he trying to make her feel guilty? Both Greg and Walter had used that tactic and she’d fallen for it every time. His next words, however, made her rethink his sentiments.
‘I know it wasn’t easy for you.’ His gaze bored into hers and she felt that familiar stirring sensation in her stomach. ‘Drive carefully.’ With that, he turned and hobbled over to the lift. Susie watched him, torn between amusement at the sight he made and the urge to assist him.
‘Your car is here, ma’am.’
Susie forced herself to look away and walked out of the hotel. Jackson pressed the button for the lift and watched her go. She was magnificent and she had become far too important to him far too quickly.
The lift bell chimed and Jackson hobbled in, recalling the way he’d felt as she’d cradled his foot in her hand. As she’d been angry with him, he’d half expected her to be rough with her examination but instead she’d been extremely gentle. Her skin had been soft against his, and although she’d touched him in a professional, medical way, he hadn’t been able to stop the stirring of excitement that had shot through him.
At the fourth floor, he walked to his door and reached into his back pocket for the key-card. Once inside, he opened the curtains and turned off the lights before settling back on the bed, propping his foot up on a few pillows.
He’d come so close to kissing her—so agonisingly close. Ever since they’d met, Jackson had wanted to sample her mouth, and the longer he waited, the more urgent the desire grew.
He knew the score. He knew she didn’t want to get hurt and he had no desire to hurt her. He raked an unsteady hand though his hair and groaned in confusion. What about Alison? Would she mind if he kissed another woman? The feelings of betrayal hit him forcefully but it still didn’t stop him from making a decision. He’d be leaving at the end of the week and, regardless of the war taking place inside him, he knew one thing for sure.
Despite everything, he needed to kiss Susie.
Susie didn’t sleep at all well that night and when she did manage to drift off sometime before dawn, she dreamt she was anxiously trying to glue a vase back together. The pieces were tiny and the tears she was crying kept blurring her vision. She stood and looked down at the mess and only then did she realise that the vase was heart-shaped.
The realisation only increased the urgency as she was expecting a new delivery of flowers at any minute. Working frantically, Susie managed to piece the heart-shaped vase back together. The doorbell rang and she hurried to answer it. There stood Jackson, holding a bunch of roses. Susie stared aghast at the vase. She couldn’t accept the flowers from Jackson because the vase was still drying.
She wanted the flowers but where was she going to put them? Anxiousness and fear gripped Susie’s heart as Jackson held the flowers out to her. What was she going to do? What was she going to do?
She woke suddenly, her heart pounding fiercely against her ribs. ‘Just a dream,’ she whispered to herself. She lay back and sighed, breathing deeply. She glanced at the clock and realised it was one minute before her alarm was due to go off. ‘So much for a good night’s sleep,’ she muttered, and clambered out of bed.
She glanced at herself in the mirror. She looked horrible. ‘Perhaps a little make-up might be in order today.’ Susie finished getting dressed, deciding that she wouldn’t chance breakfast as her stomach didn’t feel settled.
She arrived at the hospital and went straight to the ward. All through the round, she kept anxiously glancing at the door in case Jackson decided to join them again. He didn’t. Feeling a bit flat, she returned to her office, hoping to catch up on paperwork before her theatre list began in half an hour.
Sitting at her desk, it wasn’t long before further thoughts of Jackson intruded. Instead of fighting them, she gave in. She was exhausted from fighting her emotions, as well as from lack of sleep. She thought about her dream, reflecting on the symbolism of the heart-shaped vase. It was true that both Walter and Greg had broken her heart and she’d managed to mend it both times.
With Jackson, her feelings for him were so out of proportion to what she’d felt for her fiancés that it was scaring her. She acknowledged that Jackson had more power to hurt her than any other man and that was only after two days of his acquaintance. What would happen if he was around permanently?
‘Finished with that file yet?’ Todd asked as he walked into her office.
‘Huh? Oh, sorry.’ She looked down at the open file and realised that she hadn’t started. So much for getting through her paperwork. ‘Not yet.’
‘Everything all right?’ he asked.
‘Yes.’
‘Sure? You seem to be…preoccupied.’
She shrugged and looked down at her work, not wanting him to see the tell-tale blush she could feel creeping into her cheeks. ‘It’s been a busy two days,’ she rationalised.
‘It certainly has. Today, thankfully, isn’t going to be as hectic.’ Todd went over her schedule, which included her operating list that morning and time to work on her research proposal in the afternoon. ‘Then there’s a dinner this evening.’
Susie groaned. ‘I don’t think my feet will be able to handle it.’
Todd laughed. ‘You’ve been doing a great job walking in those ridiculously high heels.’
‘Hmm. Well, I think I might wear a trouser suit tonight so I can keep the heels low.’
‘You can’t do that!’
‘Why not?’ She narrowed her gaze, noticing the teasing twinkle in his eyes.
‘We’ve all been enjoying the transformation.’
‘What are you talking about?’ Had people noticed the chemistry between her and Jackson? Susie’s spine stiffened as panic started to grip her.
‘Well, it’s the first time people have seen you more formally dressed. Usually, it’s just one suit after another, but the other night you looked hot in that black dress.’
Susie sighed with relief and relaxed into her chair. Her clothes. Todd had been referring to her clothes. ‘Hot, eh? Actually, I was neither hot nor cold,’ she told him, her humour returning.
Todd laughed. ‘You know what I meant.’
The phone on her desk shrilled to life and she instantly hoped it was Jackson. In the next instant, she dreaded it being Jackson. Oh, would she ever get control of her wayward emotions again? She reached out for the receiver but Todd beat her to it. ‘Dr Monahan’s office.’
He stared at her, making her feel uneasy again. ‘I’ll put you through.’ He put the caller on hold and handed the receiver to Susie. ‘It’s A and E.’
‘Oh.’ Why did she feel so deflated? Surely it was a good thing that Jackson hadn’t been calling her, especially after what had transpired last night. She took the receiver from Todd. ‘Do you need me for anything else?’ she asked, and he shook his head.
As she took the call, Todd left her office, giving her some privacy. ‘Dr Monahan,’ she said, and listened to the triage sister.
‘Susie, I’ve been paging you for the last fifteen minutes.’
‘You have?’ Susie clipped her pager off her waistband and stared at it. ‘Uh—sorry. Battery is flat. Is there a problem?’
‘I know you’re not on call but a patient came in about half an hour ago with a mangled hand.’
‘Oh?’ Susie’s interest was immediate. The research proposal she was in the process of drawing up was a continuation of her previous research concerning microsurgery of the hand. ‘Can I come and take a look?’
‘That’s the reason I’m calling. She’s been seen by Mr Petunia but he asked me to call and let you know. He thought it might be good for your research.’
‘He’s right. I’ll come down now before Theatre and take a look.’
Susie quickly changed the battery in her pager before heading to A and E. She found Mr Petunia and together they discussed the patient.
‘Her name is Hilda Kazinski, a forty-seven-year-old factory worker. She got her hand caught in a conveyor belt.’
‘Ooh.’ Susie winced. ‘Has she had X-rays?’
‘She’s in Radiology now, but from what I can see the phalanges are a mess with bad metacarpal damage. I think it best if I give her over into your care and then you can request whatever other scans you need.’
‘Great. Thanks.’ Susie shook hands with her colleague and headed off to Radiology in search of her new patient. Hilda Kazinski was having the last X-ray taken when Susie arrived. She introduced herself and told Hilda about the transfer of care.
‘Why?’ Hilda asked, her words slurring a bit from the pain relief she’d been given.
‘Well, upper-limb injuries and in particular hand reconstruction are a speciality of mine.’
‘But I don’t have private health cover,’ her patient protested.
‘That’s fine. You’ll still be under the public system but I’ll be treating you.’
‘Because I have a bad hand injury.’
‘Yes. I’ve done extensive research in this field and am qualified to perform the surgery you’ll require.’
‘So you’re the best, eh?’
Susie smiled. ‘In a manner of speaking, yes. Listen, you just rest here while I go and check on the status of your X-rays.’ Susie headed off to find the radiologist, leaving Hilda in the care of the A and E nurses.
‘Do you require any other views, Susie?’ the radiologist asked as he continued to report on them.
‘No. These look fine. She’ll need an MRI and a CT scan, but for the moment these look great.’ Susie studied the illuminated images before her one more time before turning away. ‘I’ll get the other scans organised and then I’m due in Theatre.’
Susie managed to get everything done before she headed up to the elective theatres for her list. Everything progressed smoothly and she degowned just after one o’clock, pleased with what she could accomplish when she pushed thoughts of Jackson aside.
With determination in her step, she headed back to A and E to find out where Hilda was and to get things ready for surgery. Hilda was back from MRI and sleeping. Susie sat down in the tearoom to examine the films, quickly eating her lunch as she did so. She heard the door open and close again but didn’t look up as she was too engrossed in the scans.
‘Interesting case?’
A flood of excitement washed over her at the sound of Jackson’s voice. She looked up in surprise, right into his deep blue eyes. Eyes that had plagued her dreams, intruded during her day and were now gazing at her with repressed emotion. She breathed in and swallowed at the same time, choking on the last mouthful of her sandwich. She coughed violently and Jackson patted her on the back.
‘Take it easy,’ he said, before quickly fetching a glass of water.
‘I’m fine,’ she whispered, but then coughed again, proving herself wrong.
‘You seem to be forever choking,’ he jested.
‘Only when you’re around,’ she mumbled as she took a sip. She cleared her throat. ‘What brings you to the hospital?’ His spicy aftershave entwined itself about her and she fought hard to resist it.
‘Aren’t I allowed to call in without an invitation?’ He smiled as he leaned against the edge of the table. His firm thigh was so close to her arm that she could feel the heat radiating from him. Her breath caught in her throat and her mouth went dry.
Susie took another sip of the water. ‘No…it’s just that…I thought you were lecturing.’
‘I was.’ He picked up a scan and held it to the light. ‘Ouch.’ He frowned. ‘Horrible injury.’
‘She caught her hand in a conveyor belt. I want to get to Theatre soon so I can make a start on it.’ Why was she so aware of him? It simply wasn’t fair! She moved her arm to gather up the films and accidentally brushed against his leg in the process. An explosion similar to fireworks burst throughout her and her eyelids fluttered closed for a brief second. He was silent and she quickly looked up at him. He was gazing down at her with burning desire reflected in his eyes.
Jackson fought hard for control but it wasn’t easy. She set him on fire. With the mildest touch, with the merest flutter of her eyes, with the perfume which was driving him insane. She set him on fire and he was sick of dousing the flames.
He fought for something to say. ‘Er…how many reconstructions like this have you done before?’ He couldn’t help the huskiness that accompanied his words, and as Susie looked away from him, he feasted his eyes on the slender, smooth skin of her neck. Her hair was clipped back at her nape and he remembered how incredible it had looked flowing freely around her face last night.
‘Um…quite a few.’ Susie shifted her chair slightly, trying to put a bit of distance between them without appearing rude.
‘Are you operating in the theatre with the viewing gallery?’
‘No.’
‘Pity.’
‘Why?’
‘This type of operation should be videoed for future reference.’
‘There are already a few in the hospital’s library,’ she told him as she concentrated hard on putting the films in their packets, noticing that her hands weren’t quite steady.
‘Ones that you’ve done?’ He could see she was getting ready to take flight and he wanted to stop her. If he edged a little to the side and bent his head, he was positive he’d be able to capture her sweet lips with his. Lips he ached to feel.
‘Yes.’
‘I’m impressed.’
‘Really?’ She looked up at him from where she sat, warmed by his praise. Here was a man who had worked with some of the finest surgeons in the world and he was impressed because some of her operations had been recorded on video.
‘Yes.’ He gazed into her eyes and leaned closer. ‘I know only the most impressive surgery is recorded.’ Unable to resist touching her any longer, he reached out and tenderly ran his fingers down her cheek, bringing them to rest beneath her chin. ‘Susie.’ As he breathed her name, he lifted her chin slightly, angling her head towards his.
Susie gazed at him, her heart pounding wildly against her ribs. He was going to kiss her. This time, for sure, he was going to kiss her. She watched beneath her lashes as his head slowly drew closer. She shouldn’t be doing this. She had an operation to concentrate on.
‘Jackson…I—’ She didn’t manage to finish her sentence as his mouth finally made contact with hers.