His Summer Bride

Katie sipped the wine and tried to forget for the moment that Nick and his family were doing their level best to pull her father’s business out from under his feet. How could she be drawn to a man who would do that? He was the enemy and yet she was calmly sipping wine with him and enjoying the comfort of his home. She felt like a traitor.

She would simply have to be on her guard and watch out for Jack’s interests whenever possible, she decided. Maybe she would carry out her threat and get in touch with the law firm that dealt with his business affairs. The Garcias were in the phone book, and a straightforward call might do the trick. They could advise her what to do and monitor her father’s dealings at the same time.

‘Mmm.’ She nodded. ‘This is lovely.’ She raised her glass to him and then looked at the tray of wines. ‘I see you have at least a dozen bottles on the trolley,’ she said quietly. ‘At this rate I shall be tipsy before dinner.’

Nick smiled and answered under his breath, ‘I think I’d quite like to see that.’ Then he pulled a wry face. ‘I do have a secret stash of crackers and cheese hidden away, designed to soak up the alcohol, once we’ve had a taster. It’s a pity that we have to eat them,’ he added, his voice low and husky. ‘With your senses blurred, I might have been able to persuade you that I’m everything you ever wanted in a man.’ His expression was mournful, and Katie stifled a laugh.

‘Give it up,’ she murmured. ‘I wouldn’t want your hopes to be dashed.’

They tasted several more wines, including the Merlot, which her father seemed to favour most of all. It was another red wine, rich and fruity with notes of currant and cherry.

Katie was glad of the savoury biscuits and the cheese platter that Nick brought out a short time later. She had missed lunch and she was beginning to feel more than a little heady. Alongside the various cheeses, there were pizza slices and bruschetta— slices of toasted bread topped with prosciutto and tomato. He had provided a selection of nuts, too, served with slices of dried apricot.

‘This has been such a great experience,’ she told him. ‘I’ve never been to a wine tasting before, and to be here surrounded by greenery and row on row of vineyard slopes has been wonderful.’

‘I’m glad you’ve enjoyed it,’ he said, giving her an appreciative smile. ‘Perhaps we should go along and have a look at the processing complex, before the wine goes right to your head. You’re looking a trifle flushed, and it might help if you were to stretch your legs for a bit.’

‘Okay.’

He helped her to her feet, and they strolled slowly over to the stone-built production plant. Nick explained some of the processes involved—the pressing of the grapes, the addition of yeast and the many checks that were done to test each stage of the fermentation process. In each separate room there were photos and clear text descriptions on the walls to enable visitors to understand what went on there. There were photos, too, of Joseph Bellini, his son Sebastian, Nick’s grandfather, Thomas, and finally Robert and his two sons. Katie stared at them in wonder. They all had the same rugged good looks, the strong bone structure, and that dark, Italian machismo.

‘I had no idea such a lot of effort went into producing a bottle of wine,’ she told Nick a while later as they stood by the window in the scrupulously clean barn where the grapes were poured into a giant hopper. The building’s double doors were open to allow a cooling drift of air into the room. ‘It must be tremendously satisfying to overcome all the hazards of production and finally taste the result—and discover that it’s perfection.’

‘It is. Wine-making is in our blood. It has become a part of us, much as the hills and valleys all around have become our home. I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else than this small corner of the world.’ He gave a crooked smile. ‘My brother chose to travel, to go from place to place marketing our wines, but that wouldn’t do for me. My roots are here. I love this valley and my beach house. I’m very content.’

‘I imagine you are.’ She gazed out of the window at the surrounding hills and then looked back at him. ‘You must be very proud of your ancestors…all the dedication, strength of mind and sheer stamina that has gone into making the business what it is now. No wonder you’re such a fit-looking family—what I’ve seen of it so far. It must be in the genes.’

He leaned against a guard rail, turning to face her full on, his dark eyes glinting. ‘Fit is good, isn’t it?’ He slightly raised dark brows. ‘Does this mean you’re beginning to alter your opinion of me?’ He reached for her in a leisurely fashion, his hands at the base of her spine, drawing her to him and holding her lightly within the circle of his arms. ‘Perhaps there’s still hope I could persuade you that I’m the sort of man you could go for?’

She laughed softly. ‘There’s always hope, I sup pose.’ She looked at him from under her lashes. ‘But I wouldn’t get too carried away if I were you.’

‘A good thing you’re not me, then,’ he murmured huskily, ‘because I have entirely different ideas on that score. Carried away sounds just about right to me. Carried away is a chink in the armour, and definitely something I’d like to explore a little further.’

He came towards her, his arms tightening around her waist, and as his head lowered she finally began to realise his intention. He was going to kiss her, and even though, way down in the depths of her mind, she knew she really ought to be doing something to stop him, she did nothing at all. And as his lips brushed hers in a touch that was as light as the drift of silk over her skin, she discovered the last thing on earth she wanted was to pull away.

Just the opposite, in fact. Instead, she wanted to lean into him, to revel in his warm embrace, and delight in the strength of those muscular thighs that were pressuring her softly against the cool, steel wall of the hopper. And he must have known what she wanted because he drew her ever closer until her breasts were softly crushed against the wall of his chest and she could feel the heavy thud of his heartbeat marching in time with her own.

He kissed her, tenderly at first and then with rising passion, so that his breathing became ragged and his hands began to smooth over her curves.

Katie was lost in a haze of fevered pleasure. The sun was bright in an azure sky, and for a moment or two time seemed to stand still. There was only the sensual glide of his lips as they slowly explored the contours of her face, her throat and the creamy expanse of her shoulder, laid bare by the thin straps of the cotton top she wore. And with each lingering kiss her senses soared in response.

It was all so exhilarating, so perfect, and nothing like anything she had ever experienced before. What was it about him that made her feel this way? Did he have some kind of magical touch? If so, she wanted more, much more.

Only, as his lips began to slide lower, drifting into unsafe territory, alarm bells started to ring inside her. He gently nudged aside the delicate cotton strap and ventured even further into the danger zone, trailing soft kisses over the rounded swell of her breasts and leading her to a heady, disturbing place where feeling and emotion were all, and logical thought was banished.

Even so, a tiny sliver of common sense began to filter through the mist that spread, unbidden, through her brain. Perhaps it was the swish of sprinklers being started up on the lawns outside that alerted her, or maybe it was the soft flap of a bird’s wings that dragged her attention back to the reality of what was happening. What was she thinking? How could she have let this happen?

She struggled to get herself together. Wasn’t Nick the man who avoided commitment? Wasn’t he the one who was trying to persuade her father to sign away his land?

And here she was, betraying every instinct she possessed by falling into his arms at the first opportunity. She was a fool. She ought to have known better.

‘Are you all right?’ Nick lifted his head, depriving her of that heavenly, forbidden contact, and she tried to answer, but no words came. ‘Have I done something wrong?’ His voice was a soft murmur against her cheek.

‘No… I… Yes…’ She tried to ease herself away from him, her hands flattening against his chest as though she would put an end to his kisses. Why, then, did she feel the urge to stroke the velvet-covered wall of his rib cage and let her fingers explore the broad expanse of his shoulders? His muscles were firm and supple, inviting her to touch him and savour the moment.

Truly, she was a basket case—a woman at the mercy of her hormones and not to be trusted with the slightest task. ‘I don’t think I’m ready for this,’ she said huskily. ‘I shouldn’t have let things get this far.’

‘Are you quite sure about that?’ His hands caressed her, and his tone was soft and coaxing, inviting her to drift back into the shelter of his arms once more. ‘Life could be so much sweeter if only you’d allow yourself to taste it.’

She pulled in a shaky breath, willing herself to resist temptation. ‘I’m sure… absolutely sure.’ Even as she said it she wondered if she was trying to convince him or herself. She straightened and took a step away from him. ‘I don’t know how you manage to do this to me,’ she said huskily, her gaze troubled. ‘I need to feel good about myself, and none of this is helping. I’m very confused. I need time to think.’

‘Okay.’ He gave a soft, ragged sigh and moved to lay his forehead gently against hers. ‘But I can’t help thinking that you’d do better to throw caution to the wind. Life isn’t easy. It’s full of what-ifs and might-have-beens, and if you thought hard about all of them you might never experience the good side of things. I know you’ve been hurt, but sometimes you have to get back into the fray if you’re to have another chance of happiness. Sometimes you simply have to go with your instinct and trust in people.’

Slowly, he released her, and then stood with his hands to either side of him on the guard rail, so that she finally began to breathe a little easier.

He straightened. ‘I’ll walk you back to the courtyard.’ He gave a crooked smile. ‘You’ll be safe there.’

CHAPTER SIX

KATIE placed the consultant’s letter back in her tray and tried to steer her thoughts towards work. ‘Good news there, at least,’ she told Carla, the desk clerk, indicating the sheet of headed notepaper. ‘My young patient who was rushed to hospital from here a few weeks ago is back home and on the mend.’

‘The child with kidney problems? I remember his mother was so upset.’ Carla gave a relieved smile. ‘It’s good to know he’s pulled through all right. I’ve been worrying about him… about the poor boy with the head injury, too.’

Katie nodded. ‘Me, too. Last I heard, they were thinking about moving him from the intensive care unit. I was hoping I might find time to ring and check up on him some time today, but the time has simply rushed by.’ She frowned, straightening up and easing the slight ache in her back. Earlier today she had rung her father to find out how he was doing, but things weren’t good, and that was playing on her mind. His nurse, Steve, was worried about his condition.

She dragged her mind back to work. ‘Do I have any more patients to see this afternoon? There’s nothing on my list and the waiting room’s empty.’

Carla glanced at her screen once more. ‘No, but there was a message from Dr Bellini. He said Matthew Goren was coming in to hospital as an outpatient today. He thought you might like to be in on the consultation with him. His appointment’s scheduled for four o’clock—that gives you a quarter of an hour to get over there.’

‘Right… thanks, Carla. I’d better run.’

She hurried over to the emergency department. She wasn’t at all sure how she was going to cope with seeing Nick again—his scorching kisses had seared a memory into her brain that would last for all time. It made her feel hot and bothered even now, just thinking about it. And she had also been mulling over his words of advice… ‘Sometimes you have to go with your instinct and trust in people.’ Could she do that? Was she ready to put the past behind her and accept that she might be able to find happiness in his arms?

She went along the corridor in search of his room.

‘Katie, I’m glad you could make it.’ Nick’s voice was deep and warm, smooth like honey drizzled over caramelised pears. He gave her a quick smile and invited her into his office. ‘I thought you might like to be in on this one. The lab results are back, and this is the last appointment of the day so there will be time to break the news to the boy and his mother without having to rush things.’

‘Break the news—it’s what we thought, then?’

He nodded. ‘Gaucher’s disease. Fortunately, even though it’s rare, there are treatments for it, so it isn’t as bad as it might have been some years ago. And Matt has the mildest form of the disease, so that’s another point in his favour.’

He accessed the boy’s notes on his computer, and they both took time to sift through the various test results and read the letter from the consultant. When the clerk paged them a few minutes later, they were both ready to receive mother and son with smiles of greeting.

‘I know you’re anxious to hear the results of the tests,’ Nick told them after he had made some general enquiries about the boy’s state of health. ‘As you know, I was concerned because Matt’s spleen appeared to be enlarged and because he’s been having pain in his joints. We discovered there was also some slight enlargement of the liver.’

Mrs Goren nodded. ‘You took some blood for testing, and he had an MRI scan.’

‘That’s right.’ Nick brought up the film of the scan on his computer monitor and turned to Katie. ‘Do you want to explain the results?’ he asked.

Katie nodded, and looked at the boy. He was a thin child, slightly underweight, with cropped brown hair that gave him an elfin look. He was looking at her now with large eyes and a faintly worried expression.

‘What we discovered,’ she said, ‘was that you have a fatty substance in your liver and spleen. It shouldn’t be there, and so we needed to find out what was going on inside you that would have caused it.’

Matt nodded, but looked puzzled and, picking up on that Katie said quickly, ‘I want you to feel free to ask me questions at any time, Matt. If there’s anything you don’t understand, or anything you’d like to say, just go ahead.’

He frowned. ‘Have you found out what caused it? Is it something I’ve done? The boys at school tease me.’

Katie gave him a sympathetic smile. ‘No, it’s nothing that you’ve done, and I’m sorry that you’re being teased. Perhaps when you explain to the boys what’s wrong, they’ll understand a bit better and stop making fun of you.’

She glanced at his mother. ‘Matt has a condition called Gaucher’s disease. Basically, it means that he was born without an enzyme that breaks down a substance called glucocerebroside.’ She turned to Matt. ‘Because you don’t have this enzyme in your body, the fatty substance isn’t broken down and has to find somewhere to go. Unfortunately, when it finds a home in places like your liver, your spleen or even your bones, for example, it stops those parts of you from working properly. That’s why you’ve been having pain in your thigh, and it’s the reason for you being tired all the while.’

‘You’re saying he was born with it?’ His mother was frowning. ‘Does that mean it’s a hereditary disease?’

Mrs Goren’s gaze flew in alarm from Katie to Nick, and Nick answered quietly, ‘That’s right. You and your husband may not suffer from the disease, but it’s possible that either one or both of you may be a carrier. It can go back through generations, although there may not be anyone in the family that you know of directly who has the disease.’

All at once Mrs Goren looked close to tears and Katie hurried on to say, ‘The good news is that we do have treatment for it.’ She smiled at Matt. ‘There’s something called enzyme replacement therapy, which helps to break down this fatty substance and should soon start to improve things for you.’

Matt’s brow cleared, and his mother dabbed at her eyes with a tissue and did her best to pull herself together. She looked at Nick. ‘Can we start him on this treatment straight away?’

He responded cautiously. ‘I can arrange an appointment for him at the hospital. The answer isn’t as simple as taking a tablet, I’m afraid, but what happens is that Matt will be given an infusion—it takes about an hour to administer, and the treatment is given once a fortnight. He’ll need to stay with the treatment for life, until such time as science comes up with a better answer. It’s a rare disease. Of course, he’ll be carefully monitored on a regular basis, so that we can check how he’s responding.’

Katie was silent, watching as mother and son tried to absorb what he had just told them. Nick waited, too, before gently asking if they had any questions for him. He was unfailingly patient and kind, and her respect for him grew. In fact, every time she saw him at work, she marvelled at his caring, conscientious manner.

Mrs Goren and Matt both remained quiet for a moment or two longer. Perhaps they had all the information they could handle for the time being. It was a lot to take in, but the consolation was that from now on they would receive masses of help from the clinic at the hospital… along with ongoing input from Nick and herself, of course.

‘Will the treatment cause the swelling to go down?’ Mrs Goren asked, and Nick nodded.

‘You should see a great improvement.’ He looked at Matt. ‘And the pain will go away.’

After answering a few more questions, and doing what he could to put the mother’s mind at ease, he said, ‘Let me leave you with some reading material that I’ve printed out for you. I’m sure there will be things that you think of once you leave here, but I’m hoping that these papers will help answer any immediate queries… and, of course, you can always come and see me again if you want to talk.’

Katie glanced at Nick. That was a thoughtful touch—he had gone that one step further to give his patient everything he could, and she could see that Mrs Goren was pleased.

Nick gave his attention to Matt, and said, ‘The nurses and doctors at the clinic will look after you and explain anything you want to know. Next time you come to the hospital for an outpatient appointment, I’m sure you’ll be feeling a whole lot better. In the meantime, keep taking the painkillers if you have any more trouble with your thigh, and get plenty of rest. Once you get started on the treatment, I’m certain you’ll begin to feel much more energetic.’

Matt nodded. ‘Thanks,’ he said, and gave a shuddery sigh. ‘I thought I had some horrible illness that was going to make me die, but it’s not as bad as that, is it?’

‘No, it isn’t,’ Nick told him with a reassuring smile, and Katie’s heart went out to this child who had suffered in silence all this time. ‘And if you ever have worries of any kind,’ Nick added, ‘please speak up. Don’t keep it to yourself. Often things aren’t nearly as bad as you think, and we’re here to help you in any way we can.’

After they left, Nick invited Katie to stay awhile and made coffee for both of them. ‘I need to write up my notes while they’re fresh in my mind—but perhaps we can talk after that?’

‘Okay.’ She sipped her coffee and leaned back in her chair, thinking about the day’s events. From a medical standpoint at work, things had gone well, but she felt uneasy somehow. There was still that niggling worry over her father’s health.

She gave a faint sigh, and then stretched. What she needed right now was a complete change of scene, a trip to the beach, perhaps or maybe even a walk through the cobbled streets of the town. But that wasn’t likely to happen for a while… Perhaps she ought to go and see her father, see how he was bearing up. There might be something she could do for him.

‘Are you okay?’ Nick asked.

Caught off guard, Katie quickly tried to collect her thoughts. She hadn’t realised he’d been watching her. ‘I’m fine, thanks.’

His gaze flicked over her. ‘You seem… pensive. If there’s something wrong, perhaps I can help?’

She shook her head. ‘I was just thinking about my father—I feel that I should go over to his place to see if he’s all right. I rang this morning and he was having a bad day, according to the nurse, Steve. It’s a bit worrying—apparently he was talking but not making much sense.’

Nick winced. ‘That happens sometimes when the blood oxygen levels are low.’

‘Yes. Even so, I asked Steve to send for the doctor to see if he would prescribe a different medication. He hasn’t called me yet to let me know what happened. I suppose he’s been too busy, with one thing and another, or perhaps he didn’t want to tie up the phone line if the doctor was likely to call.’

‘That’s probably the case.’ He studied her thoughtfully. ‘Would you like me to go with you to see him? It’s never easy when someone in the family is ill, is it?’

‘No, it isn’t.’ She might have known Nick would understand. He had been through difficult times with his mother in the past, and it said a lot about his compassion and perception that he was offering to be by her side. ‘Thank you,’ she said softly. ‘I’d really like it if you would be there with me.’

‘We’ll go as soon as I’ve finished up here,’ he said, becoming brisk and ready for action. ‘Give me five minutes.’

A feeling of relief swept over her. She didn’t know why she had involved Nick in any of this, there was no accounting for her actions, and she was working purely on instinct. All at once, though, she felt that with him by her side, she could handle anything.

They went out to his car a short time later, which was in a leafy, private space in the car park. She glanced at him. Even after a day’s work, he looked cool and fresh, dressed in dark trousers and crisp linen shirt that perfectly outlined his long, lean figure. His black hair glinted with iridescent lights as they walked in the sunlight, and she gazed at him for a moment or two, wondering what it was about him that stirred her blood and made her want to be with him.

He touched her hand, clasping it within his, and suddenly she felt safe, cherished, as though all was right with the world. ‘I’m here for you, Katie,’ he said softly. ‘Any time you need me.’

Her heart swelled with joy. The truth was, he had never been anything but good towards her. He had treated her with warmth and respect, with care and attention, and he was here now, ready to be by her side at a moment’s notice and support her through what promised to be a difficult time. What more could she ask?

She stood in the shade of a cypress tree, watching him as he paused to unlock the car, and it finally hit her that she was bedazzled by him. He made her heart thump and her thoughts go haywire, and there was no knowing why it was happening. Why was she holding back? She might just as well cast her fears to one side and start living again, mightn’t she?

Okay, so she had been hurt once before. Her ex had had a child by another woman and had shocked her to the core with his infidelity, but that didn’t have to mean all men were of a similar nature, did it? Was she going to let that experience ruin her life for evermore?

Nick came to stand beside her, his lips curving in a faint smile, and he said softly, ‘Are you feeling all right? You look different somehow.’

A faint bubble of laughter rose in her throat. ‘I’m fine. I’m just so glad that you’re here with me. Whatever happens, I feel as though I’ll be able to cope with it, just as long as we’re together.’

‘That’s good to know.’ His voice faded on a shuddery sigh. ‘I’ve waited a long while for you to learn to trust me, Katie. I won’t let you down, I promise.’

He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her gently on the mouth. His touch was light as the drift of silk, but it sent fiery signals to every nerve ending in her body, and she wanted to cling to him, to savour that moment and make it last for ever.