Forbidden Read online

  Leah felt her heart drop. “It’s okay. I’m sorry I asked.”

  “No, it’s not that I don’t want to hug you,” Owen protested. “I thought you might be uncomfortable. I mean, just wearing a sheet,” he finished in a low voice, his tan cheeks turning a dull red.

  “Oh.” Leah bit her lip. “Well…does it bother you?”

  “It’s not that it bothers me. I just… Oh, to hell with it, we’re acting like a couple of idiots. Come here.” He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close.

  Leah gasped and then laughed at his sudden move. It reminded her of the way he used to pick her up when they were kids and swing her around until she was dizzy. She put her arms around him and hugged him tight, taking comfort in the feeling of his big, masculine body holding her so protectively and the warm scent of his skin.

  “What’s so funny?” he murmured against her neck. His breath tickled her, making her laugh again.

  “Nothing. I was thinking about the way you used to pick me up and swing me around when we were kids. Remember that?”

  “Of course. How could I forget it? I’ve never forgotten anything about that time.” His voice was wistful, filled with regret, and Leah wondered if he missed the close relationship they’d had in the past as much as she did.

  “I’ve never forgotten either,” she whispered. “Remember when you taught me to ride my first bike? And made me promise not to ride it down Dead Man’s Hill?”

  “And you did it anyway.” Owen pulled back and gave her a look of mocking reproof. “And fell off and skinned the hell out of both your knees and one of your elbows…”

  “And I came to you, crying my eyes out,” Leah continued. “I didn’t want to tell Mom or Dad, because I knew they would ground me and take away my bike for at least a month. Which is an eternity when you’re little.”

  “So we had to smuggle you into the bathroom to clean you up. And the whole time I had my hand over your mouth to keep you from howling.” Owen’s eyes were dancing now, and Leah found she was grinning at him. “And then—”

  “And then you healed me,” she finished for him softly. “Like you always did. Like you always do.”

  “Oh, Leah,” he murmured, looking into her eyes.

  Leah looked back, and for a moment she was filled with the same rightness she’d felt in the strange, golden dream. If I kissed him now, it wouldn’t be wrong. It would be perfectly right, perfectly natural… Then she realized what she was thinking. How could she even consider such a thing? Especially knowing how conflicted Owen was about their relationship? She could already tell from the look in his eyes he was upset. The fondness and affection had faded, to be replaced by guilt and then a cold detachment she knew only too well.

  “Well…” He took a deep breath and looked away. “I have to get going. I have a lot to do.” His voice was distant, as though he was already out of the house and at work—mentally at least—and no longer in the moment with her.

  Leah was disappointed that their reconciliation seemed to be over, but she supposed it was only to be expected. After all, Owen wasn’t going to get over his habit of pushing her away overnight—if he ever got over it at all. She couldn’t expect him to suddenly be ready to resume the relationship they’d had as kids just because she wanted him to.

  “Okay,” she said softly. “See you tonight, then, I guess.”

  “Maybe. If I don’t have to work late.” He still wouldn’t look at her. “I have an extra key. I’ll leave it on the dresser for you before I go. That way you can let yourself in and out if I’m not here, which I’m usually not.”

  Meaning I shouldn’t expect to see very much of you now that you’ve decided to make yourself scarce again. “Okay,” she said again. What else could she say?

  “Fine. Well, I really need to get going.” He was already getting off the bed and heading for the shower without so much as a backward glance.

  Leah sighed. He’s probably being sweet because he was so worried about me last night when I got sick. Now that he knows I’m okay, he’s decided it’s safer to keep me at an arm’s length again. Well, so much for old-home week. It was time she got going herself, especially if she expected to get her luggage and find her way to USF for her two o’clock with Professor Dobrev.

  But she couldn’t help wishing that the sweet moment between her and Owen had lasted just a little longer. Being held in his arms again had felt so right. And who knew when she would ever get that feeling again?

  Chapter Six

  The staff meeting was over, and Owen was getting ready for morning rounds when the new surgical resident from Atlanta came up to him.

  “Jael Hawkins,” he said, sticking out a hand. “Hope you don’t mind, but I’ve been assigned to shadow you a few days.”

  “Not at all.” Owen took the offered hand and pumped it firmly, assessing the other man. Jael was an inch or two taller than Owen’s six-two and looked like he hit the weights regularly. His skin was a rich mahogany color, but his eyes were a striking pale green that probably made the nurses in the OR weak in the knees.

  “Just until I get my bearings,” Jael said apologetically. “I promise I won’t cramp your style.”

  “Hey, it’s okay.” Owen gave him a friendly smile. “I was new once too, you know. So, Atlanta, right?” he asked, pointing at Jael.

  The other man nodded. “That’s right. Hotlanta all the way.”

  “So what made you decide to come down here? It can’t be the weather. Tampa’s even more hot and humid than Atlanta, and that’s saying something.”

  “Well, you know…” Jael shrugged, massive shoulders rolling beneath the blue scrub top he wore. “I got a good offer from TGH. That and…personal reasons.”

  “Running from something?” Owen wondered what had made him ask such a personal question. But the other man didn’t take offense. He just laughed ruefully.

  “More like someone.”

  “Ex-wife?”

  “Nah, it never got that far.” They were walking down one of the long corridors of the hospital, Owen leading the way. “She wanted it to, of course,” Jael continued. “But we were bad for each other. More like, I thought I was bad for her. So I had to go. You know how it is.”

  “Yeah, actually, I do.” For some reason the thought of Leah flashed through his mind. “You mind if we stop at my office? I need to get my jacket.”

  Jael spread his hands. “Hey, I’ve got nothing but time. Whatever, man.”

  “Great.” They went down the elevators and through a few more long color-coded hallways until Owen opened the door to the small office he kept at TGH. He was reaching for his white lab jacket hanging on the back of the door when he heard Jael give a long, low whistle.

  “Whoa. Your wife is a real looker.”

  “What?” Frowning, he saw the other man had picked up a framed picture and was looking at it appreciatively.

  “Oh, that?” Tucking his jacket under his arm, he came around the desk to take the silver-framed photo. “No, that’s not my wife. I’m not married. That’s Leah, my little sister.” It was a picture his mother had sent him a year or two ago, one in which Leah was smiling into the camera with the sun setting behind her, turning her long hair to molten gold. She had on a blue sweater a shade or two darker than her eyes, and her cheeks were flushed with laughter. Owen didn’t know why he kept it. To torture himself maybe? To remind him of what he could never have? But he did have to admit it was a gorgeous shot of Leah. She looked absolutely radiant. No wonder Jael had remarked on it.

  “Your sister, huh?” Jael raised one eyebrow. “All right. Maybe you can introduce me sometime.”

  “I don’t know.” Owen was surprised at the sudden stab of jealousy he felt. “I, uh, I think she might be seeing someone right now. Or else she just broke up with him.”

  “All right, then. I’m not into being the rebound guy.” Jael smiled. “She’s gorgeous, though. “You tell her I said so.”

  “Sure.” Owen nodded. “She’s stayi