Lightning Strikes Part 3

When it came to Noah, what did she know? At one time, she would have sworn that she knew him better than he knew himself.

She almost laughed out loud. Boy, had she been fooled. Like Jerry had said about Randi, Noah had also “cut out.” Where he’d gone and what he’d done remained top secret.

Well, forget him.

She wouldn’t be used again. Unfortunately, she already had been. If he hadn’t pulled back, she would have let him make love to her in that closet—on the floor, against the wall, anywhere. It wouldn’t have mattered.

Thank God she’d come to her senses, because it mattered now.

“Are you okay?” Doris asked.

Everyone was looking at her. “Who, me?”

“Yes, you,” Doris said in a droll tone. “You were making a sound like you were in pain.”

“Don’t pay any attention to me,” Amanda said. “I’m just pooped.”

“Aren’t we all,” Liz said, pinching the bridge of her nose. “By the way, where’s Bethany? She’s been rather scarce lately.”

Doris raised her hand. “I know.”

“So, spit it out,” Jerry said. “If there’s some secret to getting out of this hellhole, Lord, do I wanna know it.”

“What would you do that’s so important?” Doris asked.

Jerry threw her a wicked grin. “Find me a willing woman and do some serious fornicating.”

“You’re sick, Jerry,” Doris said.

This time Jerry glared at her. “Thanks, sweetie. I’ll say something nice about you sometime.”

“If you two are going to behave like children,” Amanda remarked in a weary tone, “I’ll have to treat you as such.”

“Sorry,” Doris said.

But she wasn’t, Amanda knew, noticing the mischievous twinkle in Doris’s eye. She loved giving Jerry a hard time. And he gave it back, tit for tat.

“So where is Bethany?” Liz asked.

“With that preemie, the one the teenager had.” Doris wadded up the chip bag and tossed it in the garbage. “She’s smitten with that infant.”

“Well, it’s time she came back to her bailiwick,” Amanda said. “When you return to the desk, Jerry, call Beth.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Speaking of calling, I can’t believe you guys haven’t been screamed for.” Doris stared up at the clock. “How long’s it been?”

“Fifteen minutes on the dot,” Jerry said. “That’s a mother of a miracle.”

“What’s a mother of a miracle?”

They all swung around and stared as Noah walked through the door. Instantly, Amanda stiffened, then averted her gaze. But that quick motion hadn’t stopped her from first soaking up his image. He looked hard, so disgustingly male that every cell in her body responded, rendering her weak all over.

“That we haven’t been called back to the salt mines,” Jerry said.

“I’m surprised about that, too,” Noah said, walking to the coffeepot and helping himself to a large cupful.

“How’re things in OR, Noah?” Liz asked, filling the short silence that ensued.

It was as though everyone sensed the strain between her and Noah. If they only knew the half of it. But that wasn’t going to happen, Amanda reminded herself fiercely. The main reason being, she wasn’t going to let Noah take advantage of her again. If it was the last thing she did, she would stay out of his way.

Her insurance was to tell Gordon she’d take him up on his offer to back her in private practice. She had begun making plans. That should keep her busy and out of trouble.

Gordon’s proposal of marriage, however, was another matter.

“Holding its own,” Noah said, his tone grim.

Amanda forced herself back to the moment, though she had lost the gist of the ongoing conversation.

“I’m sorry about the Collier girl,” Doris put in. “Kids nowadays think they’re going to live forever. That’s why they don’t think they need health insurance.”

Ignoring Doris’s prattle, Amanda found herself unintentionally watching Noah, admitting that it was hard to keep her eyes off him. She saw immediately that the Collier girl’s death was still working on his psyche. He seemed coiled and ready to pounce, making him appear bigger, rougher and more dangerous.

“Amanda?” Jerry whistled. “You on another planet, or what?”

“Sorry,” she said, not having realized she’d been spoken to. “What did you say?”

“We’re headed back.”

“I’m coming with you.”

“Amanda.”

Noah’s voice stopped her. Reluctantly, she twisted around. “What?”

“Could you hang around a minute?” His eyes gleamed with stubbornness. “I’d like to talk to you.”

Dammit, he knew exactly what he was doing. He knew she would be less likely to turn him down in front of the others than if they had been alone. He was right. She didn’t want to give the gossip mill any more fodder.

She nodded, but she wasn’t happy. Her blood felt icy in her veins, telling her that she couldn’t afford to be alone with him again.

“I really should get back.”

“It won’t take but a minute, I promise.”

“All right.” Her tone was anything but gracious, which drew raised eyebrows from the staff.

Then, as if realizing they were unwanted participants, they scurried out the door. Amanda knew she’d get grilled later by Doris. Too bad. She’d take the Fifth in a heartbeat. Not even her best friend must know that Noah had touched her, much less anything else.

“Thanks for staying.”

His voice was gruff, and his eyes were teeming with an emotion she couldn’t identify. Nonetheless, it forced her breath out in an uneven spurt. “What do you want?”

“I knew this wasn’t going to be easy.”

Her eyes flashed. “Let’s cut to the chase, shall we?”

“Why the hell are you so uptight?”

“I’m not uptight.”

“You sure could’ve fooled me. And stop making me the bad guy here. You wanted me as much as I wanted you.”

Amanda’s face flamed with unexpected color.

“Dammit, Amanda, I don’t want to fight with you. That’s not what this is all about.”

She wished he wouldn’t look at her with such intense thoroughness, especially since she still couldn’t read what lurked behind those gorgeous eyes.

“Just what is it about, then?” she asked in a dull tone.

“Us.”

“I told you, there is no us.”

“I know better, and so do you.”

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