Amalie Berlin - His Surgeon Under The Southern Lights / Reunited In The Snow

With nothing to do at that moment, she found herself distracted by Zeke’s dark lashes fanning his cheeks as he concentrated on fastening the sling. At the focus in his brown eyes, interrupted with flashes of humor as he’d say something to Pete that made him laugh.

The man was too charming for his own good—or for hers—and eye candy, to boot. She didn’t want any distractions from her work or her diving device trial, and wasn’t about to get tempted by a guy who was not at all what she wanted for her future. Seductive brown eyes and a teasing, sexy smile didn’t change that reality.

“Pete, I want you to come back the day after tomorrow so we can talk about how you’re doing. Here’s more of that pain reliever, with my instructions.” She scribbled on a notepad, then handed it to him with the medication. “And sorry, but no snowmobile training, or anything else physical that uses your arm or shoulder, for at least two weeks. I suggest you rest for a while before you try to get back to work today.”

“Will do. Thanks.”

After another nod to Jordan and a shake of Zeke’s hand, Pete was gone, leaving Jordan alone with Zeke. Their eyes met again, and the sizzle between them was disturbingly obvious. To cover her awareness of it, and of him, she turned to strip the blue paper from the exam table and tossed it in the trash. Before she moved to put away the equipment, she paused and gave him a deliberately impassive look, hoping to squelch the electric zing she could swear she physically felt crackling in the air around them.

“You…you have an excellent bedside manner,” she managed to say, hoping to break the mesmerizing connection. “I’m impressed that you didn’t even flinch when he squeezed your hand so tight I thought he might cut off your circulation.”

“I’ve dealt with a lot of injuries in the field over the years. Offering a hand to someone in pain is the least I can do.”

“I assume you’ll be going back to the snowmobile practice?” she said.

“Nah. It’ll be almost over by now, and there are other people to help the newbies if they need it.”

He just stood there looking at her, his hands in his pockets, rocking back on his heels a little, and her silly heart sped up all over again at something in his expression she couldn’t quite define, leaving her feeling breathless.

“Well, if you’ll excuse me, I need to get to work. I have to organize all the things that are still a mess before more crew members get here, because as soon as they get settled in, I’ll be recruiting some of the scientists to try my parents’ earplug design for equalizing pressure during dives. Then schedule some dive time with them.”

His brows practically hit his hairline. “What? What do you mean?”

The shock on his face made her realize she should have told him about the earplugs before, since he’d be diving a lot for his work here. Why hadn’t she, when that was a big part of the reason she’d come to Antarctica? The obvious truth hit her. Feeling this constant push/pull of attraction every time he was near, and not wanting to feel that way, had knocked all thoughts of recruiting him straight from her brain.

“My parents have designed a device they hope will eliminate, or greatly reduce, problems with barotrauma. I’m an experienced diver and I’ll be testing it here, and asking for volunteers to be part of the trial.” She licked her lips and made herself ask the question she knew would result in them spending a lot more time together if he agreed. “Do you… Are you interested in being part of the trial, and diving with me sometimes?”

ZEKE STARED AT HER, stunned. If she’d told him she wasn’t really a surgeon at all he wouldn’t have been more surprised. “You’re a diver?”

“Yes. It’s my parents’ hobby. Their passion, really, after medicine. I told you that both worked as doctors in international hospitals, and I grew up diving with them all over the world. My dad studied biomedical engineering before deciding on med school, and he’s sort of an amateur inventor. My mother loves to do underwater photography, has even sold some photos to magazines. I tried to dabble in that, but don’t seem to have her artist’s eye for it.”

It took him a moment to respond, still astounded that in all their conversations about his work she hadn’t said a thing about being a diver herself. “What is this device they invented?”

“Earplugs that equalize underwater pressure on the ear canal, without the diver having to clear their ears manually. They’ve just begun testing it various places. When I got this chance to come work in Antarctica, we all thought it would be a great opportunity to see if there are any differences in the way they perform in extremely cold waters.”

“And you need volunteers to wear them. But why would you be diving, too?”

“Obviously, working in the clinic and hospital, I’d only be able to come along on dives occasionally. But I want to do that to record divers’ thoughts right away, take their vital signs when possible and…okay, I admit it.” A small smile played on her lips as her beautiful eyes met his. “I can’t wait to see what it’s like under the ice. Excited and scared, both, to be honest.”

“Scared? Why?”

“You know as well as anyone that it’s got to be different diving beneath ice than in the Caribbean. Isn’t it?”

“It is.” And he suddenly knew that, more than anything, he wanted to be the one diving with Jordan for her first time here, making sure she felt safe. “I’d be happy to be part of your trial. The rest of the marine biologists will be coming on the next boat. How about I talk with them about your trial as soon as they get here? And you and I can plan on a dive as soon as we can make it happen.”

“Sounds perfect. I should have known that you’d dive right in…ha-ha—” she sent him an adorable smile “—and take over to help make it happen. And you know what? I’m getting rid of that independent streak you’ve scolded me about to tell you I really appreciate it. Having you be part of the trial and talk with your colleagues about it is going to be hugely helpful.”

The smile on her face and the way she was looking at him seemed to show she felt sincerely pleased, and his chest felt like it was expanding as he thought about how good it would feel to help her. About how it would feel to spend more time with her and dive with her. Then he forced himself to remember that he couldn’t let himself get attached to Jordan, that he’d be there for her when it came to working and diving, but anything more was out of the question.

He couldn’t deny that the attraction he felt for her seemed to grow every time he saw her. But how he felt didn’t matter. She might not be interested in a relationship, anyway, but if she was, she deserved someone she could rely on in every way.

He definitely wasn’t that man.

Zeke doubled down to get everything ready for when the rest of the crew arrived so he and Jordan could get diving as soon as possible. He and some of the station crew spent the entire day out on the ice shelf, using chain saws, drills and heating equipment to cut two dive holes about twelve meters apart. Having them finished left him feeling satisfied and excited about getting down there to see what they’d find this trip, and to see how Jordan felt about diving under the ice.

His prediction? She’d love it, and he was counting the hours until the next ship would arrive with the other scientists, so he could get busy with his grant work and go underwater with her.

With the dive holes ready, he finished the aquarium setup and tested it to make sure it was operating properly. He checked the filter systems he’d had up and running for the past twenty-four hours, then the water quality. Pleased that all systems were go, he knew the other marine biologists would be glad he’d come early to get this done. Once they were diving, they’d bring back algae, zooplankton and other marine life samples to test, study and, in some cases, tag and return to the sea.