Sarah Morgan - Worth The Risk

Will nodded enthusiastically. ‘We’ll offer daytime cover for all minor emergencies, including weekends. People won’t have to travel so far—it makes for a much more comprehensive service. And you’re the perfect person.’

Sean’s eyes narrowed. ‘This is only temporary, Will…’

Will looked out of the window across the fells. ‘Of course it is.’

Sean’s mouth tightened for a moment and then he gave a short laugh. ‘You’re a manipulative old goat.’

Will smiled. ‘Absolutely. I’ll do anything to get what I want for my practice. And I want you, lad.’

‘I would have thought general practice would be a bit tame after trauma,’ Ally suggested, and Sean shrugged.

‘So did I until that rescue the other day. Now I think it might have distinct possibilities.’ He shot a warning glance at Will. ‘As a temporary measure.’

So he obviously wasn’t planning to stay for long. Thank goodness for that!

Ally sipped her coffee. ‘I phoned the hospital about Pete and he’s doing quite well.’

Sean helped himself to another sandwich. ‘More than he deserves, then, taking those sorts of risks.’

Ally thought of Pete and the problems he’d had to face in his young life, and her blood boiled. ‘Don’t judge until you know what you’re talking about,’ she said tartly. ‘People may have a good reason for taking risks.’

Like proving to themselves they could do it.

Sean shook his head, his tone cool and unemotional. ‘Those boys could have killed themselves out there.’

And, in fact, if it hadn’t been for Sean’s skill Pete would undoubtedly have died, but Ally still couldn’t bear him to make judgements about a person he didn’t know.

‘He was unlucky.’

‘He was a fool.’ Sean lobbed a crisp packet into the bin, his eyes hard. ‘He shouldn’t have been out in those conditions at all. And neither should you.’

‘I wasn’t taking risks, Dr Nicholson.’

‘No?’ His mouth tightened. ‘You’ve all the bulk of an elf and you’re roaming those hills in the middle of November on your own.’

‘It’s October,’ she said sweetly, wondering why Will looked so pleased with himself. They were arguing, for heaven’s sake! Shouldn’t he be looking worried? ‘And I don’t see how obesity would help me survive in the fells. It’s equipment and knowledge that count, not size. I know those hills and I don’t take risks. I was the one who told you the safest place to abseil, remember? Jack knew I was out walking and he had my route. I had the dog with me and I had basic survival gear.’

His jaw tightened. ‘If you were my woman I’d put a stop to it.’

Her heart tumbled in her chest and her breathing jerked.

‘Well, I’m not your woman, Dr Nicholson.’

She clamped her hands in her lap and hoped he wouldn’t see them shaking. What on earth was the matter with her? She didn’t want to be his woman. She didn’t want to be anybody’s woman. All the men she’d met in her life had just been bad news. Selfish and egotistical and, from what she’d seen, Sean was no different. Get a grip! she told herself firmly. Good-looking or not, he was still a man and that put him totally off limits. She’d had enough of men to last her a lifetime.

There was something in his eyes that she couldn’t interpret and it made her nervous. He turned to Will. ‘Did you know she wanders round the fells on her own?’

‘Ally?’ Will gave a philosophical shrug. ‘Well, yes. She’s lived here all her life and she knows these fells better than anyone.’

Sean frowned. ‘And you think that qualifies her to gallivant off on her own with no back-up or equipment?’

Will shrugged and spooned sugar into his coffee. ‘She’s sensible and she’s got Hero.’

Sean blinked. ‘Hero?’

‘Her German shepherd dog. She takes him everywhere.’

‘Hero?’ Suddenly Sean laughed out loud, his hard features softened by the smile. ‘You called the dog Hero?’

Ally bristled. ‘That’s what he is to me.’

Sean watched her for a moment and then gave a small shrug. ‘Well, dog or not, she shouldn’t be walking alone, Will.’

Will helped himself to another sandwich. ‘Try stopping her. Ally knows these mountains as well as anyone around here. She was in the mountain rescue team for years. I couldn’t stop her walking any more than I could stop you, Sean.’

‘Would you mind not talking about me as if I wasn’t present?’ Ally said indignantly, chewing a sandwich with limited enthusiasm. It tasted like sawdust. ‘How do you know each other? And while you’re at it, perhaps you’d better fill me in on how you know half the mountain rescue team as well.’

‘I grew up here,’ Sean said shortly, and she saw something slam shut in his eyes.

‘And?’

He placed his coffee-cup carefully down on the table, his eyes cool and discouraging, all traces of humour gone. ‘And what, Dr McGuire?’

‘Well, there must be more to it than that.’ She gave him a curious look, sensing the barriers he’d just erected. ‘Did you go to school with Jack? Did Will deliver you as a baby?’

The smile faded from Will’s face and he glanced warily at Sean.

‘I didn’t know you were so interested in me.’ His handsome face was taut, and she swallowed. Obviously Sean Nicholson did not want to talk about his past.

‘Just making polite conversation,’ she said quickly, wondering what had caused those shadows around his eyes. Whatever it was, Sean didn’t want to talk about it. There was no doubt about that.

‘Sean was working in Accident and Emergency last,’ Will said quickly, smoothing over the tense atmosphere in the cosy staffroom. ‘He’s pioneered certain aspects of immediate care—stimulated by your army experiences, I suppose?’

Sean nodded and his shoulders relaxed slightly. ‘That’s right. When you’re stuck in the field with an injured man you have to do the best you can with limited equipment.’

So that was why he’d handled the mountain rescue with such ease. And why Will had laughed when Sean had mentioned her abseiling tuition. ‘I suppose you abseiled a lot in the army?’

His lips twitched. ‘Just a bit.’

Will stretched his legs in front of him. ‘Have you fixed somewhere to stay?’

‘Not yet.’ Sean pulled a face and helped himself to a sandwich. ‘I plan to have a scout around this weekend. Unless you know of anywhere?’

Will concentrated on peeling an apple, not looking at Ally. ‘Ally is looking for a lodger.’

Ally gasped. ‘Will! I’m not! I—’

Will looked up, his expression unreadable. ‘You told me you needed to get a lodger now that Fiona has gone back to London.’

‘Well, I do, but not—I mean, that’s different.’ Ally licked her lips. She’d kill him! ‘Fiona was a midwife—’

Sean contemplated her with silent laughter. ‘I can deliver a baby if that’s one of the requirements.’

‘That’s not what I meant and you know it.’ Ally gritted her teeth. There was no way she was going to have this man lodging with her, even if she did need the money. He’d find out she’d misled him about her personal life for a start. The only person she was involved with was her daughter. And what would he do when he found that out? He needed to be kept at arm’s length.

‘What she means is she doesn’t want me,’ Sean murmured, his dark eyes challenging.

She shifted under his laughing gaze, hating the way he made her feel. As if she was a coward—which, of course, she was when it came to men.

‘Of course she wants you. It makes sense, Ally,’ Will said firmly. ‘That barn drains every penny you earn.’

‘Barn?’ Sean was looking at her curiously. ‘You live in a barn?’