Amy Ruttan - Dare She Date Again?

“I would’ve.” Samantha took another sip of her whiskey sour. “I’m sorry, you deserve the accolades and I’m sorry that I was so hard on you.”

George snorted and then frowned. “I don’t deserve the accolades. It’s part of the job. I’m no hero. Far from it.”

Samantha cocked an eyebrow and studied George. There was a change. He tensed. She could sense he was haunted, conflicted and she couldn’t help but wonder about the reason he was so dead set against flying. What was he hiding under that exterior?

Tread carefully, Samantha.

She didn’t have time to date or pursue anyone. Not only was she a single mother with a demanding job but she was about to leave town for good. She couldn’t let herself get interested in George. He was off limits and, besides, she didn’t want to risk her heart. Loving and losing was something she never wanted to experience again.

“How do you like London so far?” she asked, changing the subject.

“It’s big.”

Samantha smiled. “I guess compared to Iqaluit it would be.”

“Things are cheaper.”

“What a strange thing to say.”

George laughed; she liked the sound of it when he did. “So what’s cheaper?”

“Toilet paper,” he said. “That stuff is like gold when it’s shipped up to Iqaluit, but here you can walk into a store and it won’t cost you your firstborn.”

Samantha laughed. “Are you really having a conversation with me about toilet paper?”

The twinkle appeared back in his dark eyes. “I guess I am.”

Samantha smiled and fiddled with the swizzle stick in her drink. “I’ve never had a guy approach me in a bar to talk about the price of toilet paper.”

“There’s a first for everything.”

“I guess there is.” Her pulse quickened.

Don’t flirt. Don’t flirt.

What was it about guys like George that made her hot under the collar? Cameron had been a bit of a rogue too.

Guys like George threw her plan completely out of whack. It drove her crazy, but she also saw the challenge and that was exciting.

“So, should we talk about coupon-clipping next?” George waggled his eyebrows in a suggestive manner and she laughed uncontrollably.

A belly laugh that made her sides hurt. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d laughed like this.

George was dangerous. So very dangerous.

“You have a really nice smile when you genuinely smile,” George said, and then he cleared his throat, his smile fading. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to say that.”

The simple compliment made the butterflies in her stomach flutter and a bit of heat flare in her cheeks. “It’s okay and thanks.”

She was attracted to him.

This is going to end badly.

The last thing she needed to be doing was checking out a man. Especially when that particular man was off limits.

She was his mentor.

I don’t have time to date, she reminded herself again. She was leaving for Thunder Bay. Any relationship would be temporary and with a son she couldn’t have a temporary romance. She wouldn’t subject Adam to that.

And it wasn’t just Adam. She didn’t want a temporary romance. It was too risky for her heart.

She really needed to get out of there.

“Is something wrong?” George asked.

“No, why would you ask that?”

“The expression on your face.”

“Yeah, it was one heck of a day.”

George stopped smiling as he took a sip of his iced tea.

I’ve got to get out of here.

“Well, I’d better head home.” She downed the rest of her whiskey sour and stood up.

“How are you getting home?”

“Bus,” Samantha said. “I live in the south end.”

“Let me walk you out.”

“You don’t have to—”

“I want to,” he said, and he said it in a way that brooked no argument.

As they headed to the door someone called out, “You leaving already, Atavik?”

George turned. “No, just walking Doxtator out and then I’ll be back!”

Samantha groaned inwardly. Now they were the center of attention. She should just tell George to stay, but she doubted he would listen to her. Since he’d been assigned to her, he hadn’t listened to her.

He was determined and his hand rested gently against the small of her back as he walked her up the stairs to street level.

It was May and the sun was starting to sink in the west and the lights were glowing as twilight crept across the city.

There was a warm breeze, but it wasn’t hot; it was refreshing.

“It’s hot out here,” said George. “I don’t think I’ll get used to the heat.”

Samantha grinned. “Just like I don’t think many of us would get used to your cold.”

George smiled, but, as ever, it faded quickly. “Are you sure you don’t want to stick around for a bit longer?”

“No, thank you. I need to get home.”

“Why?”

“Adam will be home soon.”

Then she saw the expression that passed across most men’s face when she mentioned Adam’s name. He was trying to process it and there was a flare of jealousy mixed with disappointment before he caught the range of emotions and hid them.

Who was Adam? was his first thought and his second was, Why should he care?

It wasn’t any of his business. A woman as beautiful as Samantha would, of course, have a husband or boyfriend. Besides, she was off limits—a fact he needed to keep reminding himself of.

He wasn’t interested. He wasn’t going to get involved with anyone again, it was too risky. Still, the green-eyed monster couldn’t help but rear its ugly little head. Samantha was beautiful, intriguing and he wished she wasn’t his mentor. He wished she was single, in a bar and he was just meeting her. Trying to pick her up.

But who was he kidding? Cheryl had killed that side of him. He had vowed never to love again, to never put his heart at risk. He’d promised himself that in the hospital. He was trying to keep from flirting with Samantha, but he couldn’t help himself.

“It’s okay to date again, George. You need to move on. You have a right to.”

Only he shook his sister Mentlana’s words out of his head. No. He didn’t deserve love again. He didn’t want it again.

Get a grip on yourself.

Why was he letting himself think like this? It was dumb. Sure, he was attracted to Samantha but that didn’t mean anything had to happen.

Except she was the first woman he’d been really attracted to since Cheryl.

They walked down the street to the empty bus stop.

“You have a training session tomorrow morning at seven sharp, and I’ll see you in the afternoon,” Samantha said. “Try to get that through to the other paramedics too.”

George laughed. “I will.”

Samantha stopped and jammed her hands in her pockets. “You can head back to O’Shea’s.”

George shook his head. “No, I think I’ll just wait here with you.” He was treading on dangerous ground but he couldn’t resist it.

Pink bloomed in her cheeks.

He cleared his throat and looked at her. She was so beautiful. He needed to get away. Fast.

Only he couldn’t move. He stayed there, standing close to her. Close enough to touch.

Run.

Only he didn’t run. Instead, he imagined what it would be like to kiss her. Her lips looked soft, moist and he wondered if they tasted as sweet as he imagined.

“I should go. You’re right. I’m sure your boyfriend Adam will be glad to see you’re home safe.”

Samantha still didn’t say anything—she didn’t have a chance as the bus pulled up and opened its doors. She climbed up the first step.

You’re an idiot, Atavik.

George waited for a word from her.