Kate Hardy - His Honourable Surgeon

Drop in? More like he was giving them the once-over before he started, Vicky thought.

Which was just what she would have done, in his shoes.

She took his hand and shook it briefly. Firm grip, dry palm—good. But there was something else. Something odd. Even though he wasn’t touching her any more, she could still feel his skin against hers. And although it had been a businesslike handshake, it had felt somehow intimate. Almost caressing.

She shook herself. How ridiculous. She never, ever had fantasies like this. Particularly about co-workers.

As consultants went, Jake Lewis was a little…different. Cheap suit, cheap shoes. Most of the ones she’d met were keen to show off their tailor-made clothing and hand-made Italian shoes. Maybe Jake Lewis wasn’t interested in fashion; maybe, refreshingly, he was more interested in medicine.

Not that it should bother her either way. She’d already placed him neatly in his pigeonhole. The one marked ‘C’ for colleague. Not ‘L’. That pigeonhole was nailed up, and she intended it to stay that way. No distractions.

She summoned up her professionalism. ‘You’ve just missed a ward round. But I can round up the staff who are in if you’d like to meet them.’

‘No, I’ll leave it until tomorrow.’

Abrupt. Hmm. She just hoped his people skills were a bit better when it came to patients. Shame. If he smiled, he’d be very nice-looking. Tall enough to look her in the eye. Dark, soulful eyes. Dark hair that flopped over his forehead and was just a little too long at the back. And a mouth that made her want to reach out and touch…

Um, no. Apart from the fact that he was going to be her colleague in less than twenty-four hours’ time—a senior colleague, at that—she didn’t do this sort of thing. Work 1, Relationships 0. That was the score: the way it had always been and always would be, at least until she became a professor of neurology. Then she might reassess the situation. But absolutely not until then.

‘Is there anything else you’d like to see?’ Ugh. That sounded as if she was flirting with him. Which she wasn’t. Gritting her teeth, she added, ‘What I mean is, it might save time tomorrow if I show you where the staffroom is, the lockers and the kitchen.’

Anything else you’d like to see? Jake really was going to have to drag his mind out of the gutter. He just hoped he didn’t have a dopey look on his face. Mind you, Victoria Radley was probably used to men falling at her feet. Any man with red blood in his veins would have a bad case of lust within seconds of meeting her. ‘No, I’ll leave it.’ Basically because he couldn’t trust himself. If he followed her, he’d be assessing the way she walked. Watching the curve of her bottom. Wanting to touch. Wanting to spin her round and kiss her. ‘I just dropped by on impulse.’

The look on her face said she didn’t believe a word of it.

‘And I’m sure you’ve got things to do,’ he added.

The amusement vanished from her face, and he realised what he’d said. He’d meant it as ‘I don’t want to take up your time’, but she’d clearly taken it as ‘You’re slacking’. Hell.

Before he could explain, she said coolly, ‘You’re quite right. No doubt I’ll see you tomorrow, Mr Lewis.’

And she turned on her heel and walked away.

Jake swore to himself. If he left it, she’d be all ice towards him tomorrow—and she’d probably tell her colleagues that the new boy was going to throw his weight around. If he chased after her and explained himself, he’d end up sounding like a gibbering idiot. Either way, he lost.

Well, icy professional was marginally better than fool. They’d soon find that he thawed out. So he’d take the lesser of the two evils. And he’d sort it out with Victoria Radley tomorrow.

‘I WONDER if Jake’s single?’ Gemma, the ward sister, asked.

Vicky shrugged. ‘I’m more interested in whether he’s good at his job.’

Gemma gave Vicky a searching look, which Vicky ignored. Honestly. When would her colleagues understand? She wasn’t interested in having a relationship until she’d got where she wanted to be in her career. And she really wasn’t interested in Jake Lewis, their new consultant. She was still annoyed with him about yesterday—she’d tried to make him feel welcome, and he’d made her feel as if she were slacking.

He’d find out his mistake soon enough. Victoria Charlotte Radley was far from being a slacker. And although part of her wanted to see him eat humble pie, the sensible part of her knew it was best to just ignore it and get on with her job. Emotions of any sort—except where her brothers and new niece were concerned—just weren’t part of her life.

‘He seems nice. And you have to admit, he’s good-looking,’ Gemma continued. ‘Tall, dark and handsome to a T! And those eyes—they’re really come-to-bed. Like melted chocolate.’

Vicky sighed inwardly. Either Gemma hadn’t got the message or she didn’t want to. Before Vicky had a chance to explain—firmly but politely—that she really couldn’t care less if every other woman in the hospital thought Jake Lewis was sex on legs, because it really wasn’t relevant, her pager bleeped.

She glanced at the display. ‘I’m needed in ED. I’ll finish the ward round later and I’ll ring down when I know which theatre I’m in.’

‘OK. I’ll fill the board in for you,’ Gemma said.

‘Thank you.’ Vicky smiled at her and headed for the emergency department.

‘Dr Radley—you paged me,’ she said to the receptionist.

‘Yes—it’s one of Hugh’s patients. I’ll just get him for you.’ She returned with a doctor in tow.

‘Hugh Francis, SHO. Thanks for coming, Dr Radley,’ he said, smiling at her. ‘I’ve got a ten-year-old with a suspected subdural haematoma.’

‘Did he fall?’ Vicky asked.

‘Tripped up and hit his head on a skateboard ramp.’

Vicky frowned. ‘Wasn’t he wearing a helmet?’

‘I couldn’t get much out of him,’ Hugh admitted. ‘He was pretty scared. But he told Ruth—one of our staff nurses—that he’s been having some problems with bullies. A gang of them waylaid him in the park this morning on the way to school, kept on and on about how useless he was and how he couldn’t do some move or other on the skateboard ramp. They goaded him into trying it—but, of course, he didn’t have a helmet with him and they said he was a coward if he didn’t do it without.’