Ann McIntosh - The Nurse's Christmas Temptation / A Mistletoe Kiss For The Single Dad

“Hence the name Ada Tor?”

“Yes.”

He sat down on a handy rock, still gazing out. After a moment she joined him, and he shuffled over to give her more room. Her fresh, sweet scent wafted over him and stirred something deep inside.

In the distance a truck rumbled along the road, and she pointed to it briefly. “I can’t get used to seeing so many vehicles here all of a sudden. It’s surprising after hardly seeing any at all.”

“They’re probably delivering Christmas trees to Angus’s farm. He always gets his early because he has so much work to do. The rest will come later in the week.”

Harmony sighed quietly, and he somehow knew she was thinking of her family and all she’d miss this year.

“Will you tell me what you used to do with your gran and your mum for Christmas? I’m curious to know about some of your customs.”

She gave him a sideways glance, before staring out at where the truck had disappeared into a dip in the land.

“It wasn’t much different from other English families, I guess,” she said, but then proceeded to prove herself wrong.

It was as if a dam had broken, and Cam could only listen as she listed all the things she’d be missing this year. There were things he’d never heard of—what on earth was a gizzada, or jonkanoo?—but other things he completely understood. Lots of poinsettias, since they were such a popular tradition in the Caribbean. Watching favorite movies, listening to beloved songs. Decorating the tree together and inviting everyone they knew to come by to exchange gifts and have drinks.

It wasn’t so different from what happened here, he thought as she fell silent. Some different cultural traditions, of course, but the picture she painted of family and friends, of a community sharing laughter and joy, labor and company, was the same.

Without thought he looped his arm around her shoulders and gave her a quick squeeze. When she stiffened he almost let his arm drop, but then she turned her face to look at him and he froze, captivated and enticed by her solemn eyes, her soft lips.

The wind had died, and their faces were so close together her breath rushed warm across his mouth. Cam inhaled, wanting to take it into his lungs, hold on to it just for a moment.

Want spiked through his veins, so strong it wrapped around his chest, making it tight. It was there in her eyes too, he thought, the same anticipation and curiosity that was heating him through.

Then she blinked, color flooding her cheeks with a rose-toned blush, and Cam finally heeded the danger signs flashing in his head as they pulled away simultaneously.

The sensation of having her warm, soft body against his side lingered, though, reminding him of what was so close and yet should be ignored.

He cleared his throat, searching for a memory of what they’d been talking about so as to bring them back from the sensual ledge they’d stepped out on. “Christmas at your house sounds wonderful. I’m sorry you won’t have that this year.”

She turned her face away from his, but not before he saw that her eyes were misty.

“I just have to accept it’ll never be that way again,” she said quietly, a little quaver in her voice. Abruptly she rose and turned back toward where they’d climbed up. “Let’s get down now. I have work to do.”

He followed her lead without comment, but inside he was wondering what, if anything he could do to make the season ahead better for her.

Despite knowing it was ridiculous, his heart had ached on hearing her pour out her pain. And he certainly shouldn’t want to hold her, comfort her, kiss her the way he was drawn to do.

Yet that was exactly how he felt.

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