Prologue
Her brown eyes widened with horror as she stared at him. " But that isn't true. I love my job." She gulped hard and stared beyond him towards the door. " But sister is furious."
"I think , she has every right to be angry don't you nurse?"
She nodded and tears came pouring down her cheeks . "I suppose I shall have to leave."
"Oh, come on now, it's hardly that bad." Doctor Knight whispered,
"But it is. You don't understand." Ellen whispered softly.
"Obviously not, but I am beginning to realise there is an awful lot I don't understand about you, nurse Nicholas." A nerve pulsed in his jaw, as he frowned disdainfully at the crumpled hanky she was kneading between her fingers. "For heaven's sake, use this and stop crying. Just because I had to deliver a long lecture that doesn't mean its the end of world." He said and passed on his handkerchief to her.
His hands were gripping her shoulders, his mouth was compressed into a tight line. “Are you really so naïve, that it hasn't occurred to you that some men might not read such comments as a joke , you little i***t. You are not safe to be let out alone.”
Her teeth practically rattled, as he shook her furiously and to her horror, she burst into fresh tears. She heard him swear softly under his breath and suddenly her head was against his chest. She could hear his heart beating almost as fast as her own and the smell of aftershave was there and without knowing quite, how it happened she heard him groan and his mouth came down firmly on her own unresisting one.
After the initial moment of shock her frozen limbs seemed to melt. If this was meant to be a punishment then it was the most exquisite form of torture ever devised, she thought incoherently. His hands moved to her face, drawing her relentlessly closer, brushing against hair, losing the hair pins and he went on kissing and inviting responses, which her body gave until she moaned softly. It was utter madness but he seemed to have robbed her off the power to resist. She tasted the salt of her tears on her lips, as she struggled with emotions so utterly sensuous that she couldn't could hardly breathe. It was all a dream of course, she told herself but a dream she wanted to go on forever.
The spell was shattered as she found herself suddenly thrust away to stand shaking with confusion. Her hand flew to her mouth where the pressure of his lips still remained and she felt the heat of her burning cheeks. But as she looked at him, she heard him make an odd sound in his throat and his expression changed. She looked at him closely and found that his shirt was all crumpled and she knew what exactly she had done. Feeling sick with dismay she stared down at the marking pen clutch tightly on her hand and shook her head, making incoherent sound as she tried to explain.
“Don't.” His voice was icy. He seem to be having difficulty speaking at all. “Don't say a word Ellen.”
She had the distinct feeling that, if she tried he would cheerfully strangle her with those hands which only seconds ago had made her shiver with delight.
The door fell open suddenly and the head nurse walked in. She felt herself shudder, as in one single sweep the cold glance took in the scene. Ellen’s stricken face and the senior doctor who appeared to be suffering some kind of embarrassing moment. Sisters eyebrows were raised a little and she did not how to react, her mouth opened and then closed again. Ellen who was suddenly all too well aware that her hair was a bit messy and her face was flushed. Lowered her head with embarrassment. Today she was finished.
“I want to see you in my office in fifteen minutes, nurse Nicholas.” Her voice did not have any consideration of an appeal. Feared with terror Ellen flung a desperate glance at doctor Knight but he was already at the door, with sister marching behind him.
