Do Opposites Attract? (20 page)

Laughing softly, she ran a hand gently across his forehead. ‘You have no idea how good it is to have you back.’

He tried to move, but found he didn’t have the strength so he fell back against the pillow. ‘How the hell did I get here?’

‘You needed an urgent operation. We got a plane to bring you back.’

He noted her discomfort; the slight flush, the way she twisted her hands. He wasn’t so groggy he didn’t know exactly what that meant. ‘You paid for an air ambulance, you mean.’

She flinched. ‘Yes. What was I supposed to do? Leave you to die out there?’

He was too tired to argue. ‘I guess I should thank you then. I owe you my life.’

Tears glistened in her eyes. ‘I don’t want your damned thanks,’ she muttered. ‘I just want you to get better.’

He cast his eyes sideways and caught sight of the giraffe, staring accusingly at him from the side of his bed.
Why are you being so graceless?
it seemed to be saying to him. ‘What’s that thing doing here?’ he demanded.

‘Tessa said she found it by your bed at the camp. She thought it might be important to you.’

Busted. What sane man has a stuffed animal by his bed? Only one who’s hopelessly attached to the woman who sent it to him. Something he wasn’t going to tell her. So he needled her instead. ‘Why are you sleeping here, on that chair, when you should be at home, in bed?’

‘I wanted you to have somebody waiting for you when you woke up.’ Her face dared him to mock her.

Mitch remembered the last time he’d been in hospital. It was during his stint in the army, after his medical team had been ambushed. There had been nobody waiting for him then when he’d come round. He tried to reach out his good arm to touch her, to convey his gratitude, but the strain was too much. He let it fall back onto the bed. ‘Thank you,’ he whispered, before falling back to sleep.

The more Mitch improved, the grumpier he became. He was still prone to headaches, but was now thinking clearly, which only made him increasingly frustrated at the relative slowness of the rest of his body to mend. Brianna, his one constant visitor, took the brunt of most of his temper.

‘Why the hell can’t I get up and go to the toilet?’ he snapped at her. ‘It’s a man’s basic privilege, to go to the damn toilet. Peeing in a bloody bottle is degrading.’

Brianna tried to hide her grin. Now she knew he was going to make a full recovery, the sight of this strong man temporarily weakened was surprisingly cute. Even when he was being surly and bad-tempered. ‘I’m sure they’ll let you get up soon. I’ll go and see if I can find a nurse.’

‘Thanks,’ he grunted. ‘And while you’re there, you can tell her I’m thirty-four-years old. I’m capable of going to the toilet by myself.’

Laughter bubbled out of her as she went in search of the nurse, who promised she’d come round as soon as she could. Brianna was still smiling as she ambled back to Mitch’s ward. Right up until she rounded the corner and saw him trying to lever his body out of bed. His good arm was clenched tightly to the neighbouring chair, his face contorted with pain. Even as she shouted his name the chair moved and Mitch let out a deep grunt of agony as he ended up with his upper body hanging precariously out of the bed.

Brianna dashed over. ‘What the hell do you think you’re doing?’ she fumed, angry with his stupidity. He was a doctor, for goodness sake. He should know better than to try and push his body beyond what it was capable of at the moment.

Carefully she reached her arms under his shoulders and hauled him back against the pillows. As he sank back, his face deathly pale and wreathed with pain, he shut his eyes.

Smoothing his brow, she reassessed her earlier opinion. It was no longer cute to see him like this. It was heartbreaking. Sighing, she sat down on the chair, giving him a moment to recover. Knowing his pride, she had a feeling it wasn’t just the pain that had knocked him sideways. The embarrassment of being so helpless must have added a sharp twist.

When he opened his eyes again, it was to lash out at her. ‘Haven’t you got anything better to do than sit here?’

Though she knew he was suffering, his words were like a slap around the face. ‘Apparently I haven’t.’ Stiffly she stood and picked up her bag. ‘But as my presence here clearly upsets you, I’ll leave you alone.’

Tears stung her cheeks as she hurried out of the ward. She was a stupid woman, at least when it came to Mitch. Why had she been visiting him every day, anyway? He’d told her in no uncertain terms he didn’t want her in his life and yet, since the accident, she’d continued to act as if they were together. She was his work colleague. That was all. It was about time she started acting like one.

Mitch had plenty of time to mull over his choice of words during the following, lonely week. Even by his own low standards, he knew he’d acted deplorably. He was an expert at pushing away people who got too close, and Brianna was still too close. But that didn’t give him the right to treat her so damn shabbily. How had he thanked her for effectively saving his life? He’d as good as told her to leave him alone. Not surprisingly, she’d taken him at his word and hadn’t visited since. That had been seven long, dreary days ago.

In truth it wasn’t just his desire to thank her and apologise that had him cursing yet another visiting time when she didn’t show up. He missed her, period. He hadn’t realised how much he’d looked forward to her visits until they’d dried up. They had been the highlight of otherwise really crappy days. Visiting time in his now full ward buzzed with the chatter of family and friends calling on his fellow patients, but no one came to see him. All he had for company was a stuffed giraffe and even that was glaring at him from his bedside, reminding him what a bastard he’d been.

He’d had one visit from Margaret and Sally from the office but they hadn’t stayed long. No doubt put off by his foul temper. It wasn’t much to show for thirty-four years.

He had to get fit again and get home.

With that goal in mind, he really put his back into his sessions with the physiotherapist, his desire to get out of hospital far greater than his pain threshold. The hard work seemed to be paying off and he finally managed to haul himself across the ward on a crutch. Not easy when you had a cast on your right arm as well as your right leg.

‘When can I get out of here, Mandy?’ he asked for the hundredth time as he levered himself carefully onto the bed. Though he was shattered from the effort of trying to walk, he was also desperate not to show it.

The physio sighed. ‘Mitch, it doesn’t matter how many times you ask, the answer will still be the same. You can go home when I believe you’re capable of being able to manage by yourself. Unless of course you’re going to reconsider and agree to a carer staying with you?’

‘Somebody I don’t know sleeping in my home? Not bloody likely,’ Mitch answered angrily. ‘I don’t need a nursemaid. I can manage. I’ve got a crutch. I’ll sleep downstairs. Damn it, Mandy, I’m going to discharge myself soon if you won’t let me go.’

‘That would be your privilege but you won’t get my approval until I can see you’re capable of looking after yourself. At the moment you aren’t,’ she stated bluntly.

Mitch cursed under his breath and sat back further on the bed. Damn Mandy, damn them all. He wasn’t going to put up with this much longer. He’d give it until the end of the week. He’d already been in hospital three weeks. It was too much of anybody’s life.

Shifting himself back onto the bed, he caught sight of a slim female figure hovering at the entrance to the ward. The immediate spurt of joy he felt was impossible to ignore or dismiss. He was pathetically grateful to see her.

‘Brianna.’ A broad smile stretched right across his face. ‘I thought I’d scared you off.’

Brianna had debated long and hard about whether she should come to see Mitch again. In the end her desire to see him and check up on his progress had overtaken her pride. The genuine warmth of his smile was a welcome reward. God, she was a sucker where he was concerned.

‘It would appear I don’t scare off that easily,’ she replied, walking towards the bed and taking a moment to appraise him. He looked a lot better. The bruises were fading and his face less pale. His new short hairstyle suited him, emphasising his lean cheekbones. ‘How are you?’

‘Feeling ready to go home, but apparently I can’t because I’m not mobile enough yet.’ He looked up at her, his face a picture of determination. ‘But bugger it, I can’t stay here much longer. It’s doing my head in. I know the best place for me to recuperate is at home.’

‘Would Edna keep an eye on you? Make sure you were okay?’

He snorted. ‘I don’t need an old lady looking after me. Edna has enough trouble looking after herself. No, I’ll be fine.’

‘How about if you come and stay with me until you’re on your feet?’ The words flew from her mouth before she’d had a chance to consider what she was offering. Have him live with her, in her apartment? Was she some sort of masochist?

‘What?’

His strangled response, together with the look of horror on his face, made Brianna wish to God she’d kept her mouth firmly shut. It had been her heart talking, certainly not her head. Mortified, she stared at the floor. When it failed to do as she prayed and swallow her up, she drew in a shaky breath. ‘You know what, forget I said anything.’ She threw the windsurfing magazine she was clutching onto the bed. ‘Here, I brought this for you, to help relieve the boredom. I hope you manage to escape soon.’ Legs rigid with humiliation, she stalked away from his bed.

‘Brianna, I’m sorry. Please, don’t go.’

She wanted to ignore him, wanted to get away so she could lick her wounds in private, but the plea in his voice stopped her. When she slowly turned round, his eyes were full of apology.

‘It seems upsetting you has become a habit of mine,’ he said quietly. ‘One I need to break. God knows, you don’t deserve it.’ He paused and ran a hand across his shaven head. ‘I was surprised by your offer, that’s all.’

‘You were horrified.’

Mitch flushed slightly. ‘Okay, yes, I was horrified, but not for the reason you think,’ he added hastily. ‘It’s not the thought of staying with you. God knows, anything would be an improvement on this place.’

‘Wow, thank you. You really know how to make a woman feel needed.’

Mitch threw up his good hand in despair. ‘Hell, I’m making a real hash of this, aren’t I?’

Brianna could only agree. Still, it made a change to see him on the back foot. She watched as he sagged back against his pillow, sighing deeply. When he raised his head to look at her, it was the first time she’d seen his brown eyes look quite so unguarded.

‘I’ve never had anyone look after me, Brianna,’ he admitted slowly. ‘I’m used to taking care of myself. For me to have to admit I need help is incredibly hard.’ He gave her a rueful smile. ‘But here I am, in plaster casts from head to foot and as helpless as a bloody baby. I don’t have the luxury of being proud. You made a very kind offer and I’m really grateful. Hell, I might not show it, but I’m grateful for everything you’ve done for me.’ His voice was as serious as the look in his deep brown eyes. ‘You saved my life, Brianna. Your visits also saved my sanity. I didn’t realise quite how much until you stopped coming.’

Brianna shifted awkwardly. She wasn’t sure she liked seeing him so humble. ‘Yes, well …’ she trailed off, unsure how to respond. To say it was nothing would be totally untrue. To tell him he meant everything to her, that she’d done what she had because she loved him, would be received with equal mixtures of horror and pity. ‘I did what I could, for a friend,’ she settled on, hoping it was the right response.

It seemed to be, because he smiled. ‘Well, as your friend, would it be okay for me to come and stay with you for a short while, until I can get rid of these damn casts? It should only be for a week or so.’

Brianna nodded, wondering what on earth she was letting herself in for. It was going to be so hard to have him stay with her but not touch him, not kiss him. But she’d gone from losing him as a lover, to almost losing him full stop. Having him as a friend was better than not having him at all.

Only hours after Brianna collected him from the hospital, they were having their first argument – over his determination to make them a cup of tea.

‘If you tell me once more to stop mothering you, I’m going to scream. I’m supposed to be helping you. Stop fighting me all the time and let me.’

‘I’ve got it,’ he replied through gritted teeth, not prepared to admit the simple task was causing him agony. Jeez, he couldn’t even fill a bloody kettle. He was useless. As the thing filled it became heavier and he found it increasingly hard to hold onto it, while also balancing on a crutch. There was no way he’d be able to carry it over to the plug socket. With a clatter he let it fall into the sink. ‘I didn’t want a cup of tea anyway,’ he declared with bad grace, before swinging out of the kitchen as fast as his one good leg and crutch would allow him.

‘You know I don’t have much experience with children,’ Brianna fumed after him. ‘But I’m beginning to realise what it might be like to have a stroppy toddler.’

He tried to block out her words as he lowered himself onto the sofa. He wasn’t stroppy. A little stubborn, maybe.

A few moments later she handed him a steaming mug. ‘Here you go. I thought about putting some sugar in to sweeten you up, but I don’t think I’ve got enough.’

Sheepishly he accepted the cup. ‘Thanks.’ He took a sip, and looked back over at her. ‘Regretting your offer already?’

Laughing, she sat down on the comfy chair opposite him. ‘Let’s see what the rest of the day brings. You know, you’ve got to relax and let me help you out for a while, Mitch. It won’t make you less of a man, just because I have to make your meals, help you up, drive you around.’ He grunted. ‘Right then, I’ve got to log on and check my emails. Is there anything else you need before I go?’

It was on the tip of his tongue to ask for a new leg and arm, but he stopped himself. Bitterness was going to get him nowhere. ‘Could you bring me the list of exercises the physio set out for me? I think it’s on top of my holdall.’

Within seconds she returned and held out the list for him with a flourish. ‘Here you go, sir.’

Her green eyes shone with mischievous amusement, her mouth twitched with barely controlled laughter. He allowed himself the sheer pleasure of looking at her. ‘You know, maybe I could get used to being waited on hand and foot after all.’

With a chuckle that pulled at his insides, she turned to leave the room. ‘Make the most of it, buster. You’ll soon be back home and fending for yourself once more.’

As Mitch watched her saunter out, the warmth he’d felt at her laughter suddenly turned into a chill. He couldn’t understand why. He wanted to get back home, didn’t he?

Later on in the day, having done his exercises, which hurt like hell, Mitch decided to take a shower. He’d had a couple at the hospital and knew he could just about manage by himself, as long as he put the protective covers over his casts. Making sure Brianna was still locked away in her study, he lay on his bed and shrugged off his clothes. The hardest part done, he hauled himself up and crossed the hallway to the bathroom. As soon as he closed the door, he realised his mistake. There was nothing to sit on. It was literally a huge, walk in shower room. There wasn’t even a toilet. He eyed up the shower gel. How the hell was he going to put the stuff on his body, and wash it off, when his only good arm was holding the crutch supporting him? He grabbed the bottle and tried to squirt it onto his skin, whilst at the same time supporting his body with the crutch. It was impossible. With a gesture of total frustration, he let out a loud oath.

Brianna was typing away when she heard Mitch’s loud curse. Without a second thought she dashed into the shower room, stopping abruptly at the sight that greeted her. Stark naked, he was leaning against the wall and looking despairingly up towards the ceiling. He turned his head towards her as she entered.

‘Sorry,’ she whispered, quickly averting her eyes, but not before she’d managed to get a tantalising glimpse of him. He might be broken and bruised, but he still cut one magnificent male figure. It was the one that filled her dreams and even now made her heart race. ‘I heard you curse,’ she explained, looking him squarely in the face. ‘Is there anything the matter?’

Clearly embarrassed, he dropped his gaze to the floor. ‘I’m fine. I just haven’t got enough arms to support myself and wash at the same time.’

Her heart went out to him; he looked so fed up, so utterly frustrated. Unthinkingly she picked up the shower gel. ‘Here, let me rub some of this over you. Then you can just stand under the shower and wash it off.’

The moment her hands smoothed across his naked flesh, she knew it was a mistake. The sexual chemistry that had always been strong between them instantly flared. She heard his sharp intake of breath, and her own gasp.

‘Leave it, Brianna,’ he growled. They’d both felt the flash of desire at the feel of her hands on his skin, but his reaction was more obvious. He twisted away from her. ‘Leave me alone.’

She gave him some space, figuring the shower episode had probably been the last straw for him today. So after asking the cook to bring up two plates of whatever her parents were having, she went to watch television. Mitch would come and find her when he was ready. His empty stomach would lure him out of his room, if nothing else.

Right on cue, as the cook knocked on the door to deliver the delicious smelling dinner, Mitch appeared, his damp hair a reminder of his thwarted attempt at a shower.

‘I’m sorry about earlier. I umm …’ she sighed, taking the plates through to the kitchen. ‘I was just trying to help.’

Mitch nodded and sat himself down at the table. ‘I know. And it’s not as if you haven’t seen me naked before.’ He gave her a crooked grin. ‘Heck, at least I know everything is still in good working order.’

Brianna chuckled, relieved at his change of mood. ‘How did you manage to wash in hospital?’

A slight flush crept across his cheeks. ‘A lot of bed baths, at least in the beginning.’ She raised her eyebrows. ‘Was it humiliating, I can see you wondering. Yes, it damn well was. Did I enjoy it? No.’ He took a mouthful of the beef stew. ‘Mind you, when the pretty blonde nurse was on, there were moments …’ he let the sentence hang.

‘You are a walking cliché, Mitch McBride,’ Brianna replied coolly, pouring a bit more wine into both their glasses.

‘Hey, I can’t help it if what they say about a nurse’s uniform is true. At least on the right nurse.’ Obviously enjoying his memory, he smiled and shovelled more food onto his fork. ‘Seriously, when I had a shower, they had one of those plastic seats, so I could sit down and wash with my good arm.’ He shrugged. ‘I guess I could do with one of those.’

‘Then that’s what we’ll get.’

‘Not much of an alternative to a sexy lady washing me down, but I guess it’s the most sensible solution.’

Brianna glanced up to see him gazing at her with an amused twinkle in is eye. This time it was her turn to blush. She concentrated on her food, trying to ignore the image that burned in her mind. One of his stirring arousal as she lathered his muscular body with shower gel.

The next few days passed by quickly. They settled into a routine where each accepted the other’s need for space, but enjoyed their time together, mainly over meals and in the evening. Working from home instead of the office, Brianna found it useful to have Mitch alongside her and often picked his brain over the initiatives she had ongoing. Although she was very much aware of the sexual spark that still lay between them, it was obvious that nothing could happen, even if either one had wanted it to. So with sex no longer on the agenda, it was an opportunity to talk, to get on together as friends. It surprised her how easy Mitch was to live with. He ate everything she put in front of him, kept his room tidy and even put the toilet seat down. All in all, he was the perfect house guest.

The one thing that stopped Brianna from really enjoying her time with him, that nagged at her almost constantly, was the thought of Catherine. She’d put off telling Mitch about Catherine while he was in hospital, convincing herself he was too weak. But as the days went by, Brianna found it harder and harder to justify her silence. It wasn’t right that she knew something about a major part of his life and he didn’t. So, though she knew it would upset their current status quo, she finally broached the subject one evening as they were eating.

‘There’s something I need to talk to you about,’ she began, pushing her plate away. She knew she wouldn’t be able to eat anything further.

‘Fire away.’ When she hesitated, he frowned. ‘Should I be worried? You look kind of serious.’

She tried to smile. ‘No, there’s nothing to worry about. Hopefully it will be a good thing.’ As she grasped for the words she’d rehearsed off by heart the night before her mind went alarmingly blank.

‘Brianna, you’re scaring me.’ She felt Mitch’s hand cover her own. ‘What is it? You’ve gone pale.’

She withdrew her hand and stood up. ‘It’s about Catherine.’

At the mention of her name, he froze. Slowly he put down his fork and sat back in his chair. ‘What about her?’

‘You mentioned once there was a lady who took you under her wing. I presume that was Catherine?’

He nodded, his jawline tense.

‘From the sound of your voice when you told me about her, I guessed she was somebody you cared about, a lot.’ She looked at him for some sort of agreement, but was met with a stony wall of silence. Pausing, giving herself some time to think of the right words, Brianna walked to the table and picked up her glass, taking a quick sip of the crisp white wine. ‘After Henry threw those accusations at you at the party, I couldn’t seem to get you and Catherine out of my head. You weren’t just angry when he said what he did. You were upset. Then I remembered you’d said it was her that broke off the contact. I couldn’t understand why someone who cared for you enough to take you in, would suddenly do that. So I followed up with Simon. I wanted to find out what had happened.’

‘Who gave you the right to interfere in my life, Brianna?’ he asked coldly, his eyes flat, his face rigid.

She’d been expecting a flash of temper. The controlled, icy anger, was far more unnerving. ‘I know it was wrong. For what it’s worth, I did it with the best of intentions. I thought there must be a simple misunderstanding.’ She raised her head again to look at him. ‘And there was.’

Mitch hauled himself to his feet. He didn’t want to hear any of this. It was part of his past that he’d locked away and he didn’t want ever dragged out again. Feeling equal parts fury and fear he grappled around for his crutch, swearing as it clattered to the floor.

‘Wait, you have to hear me out.’

‘I don’t have to do anything,’ he replied curtly, lunging for the crutch and then propelling himself awkwardly towards the door. There he leant weakly against the frame, dreading the answer to his next question, but knowing he had to ask it. ‘Did you speak to her?’

She flushed, but still looked him directly in the eye. ‘Yes.’

His heart clattered against his ribs. ‘What did she tell you about me?’

Briefly she closed her eyes. ‘She told me how she found you squatting in her house, then became your legal guardian,’ she admitted quietly.

‘Anything else?’

When she shook her head, he sagged against the door frame in relief. ‘Good.’ When he’d mustered his strength, he grasped the crutch and set off down the hallway.

‘Don’t you want to know the rest? How Catherine didn’t have a clue about the letter that was sent? That she loved you, still loves you? That she visited you in hospital when she thought you might die, because she so desperately wanted to see the man you had become?’

The words rung in his ears but Mitch wasn’t listening. He ploughed all his efforts into escaping down the corridor and reaching his room as quickly as possible. Once there he hurled himself onto the bed, allowing tears he was ashamed of to fall down his cheeks. He didn’t want to think about Catherine. He didn’t want to be reminded about his past.

And there was no way in hell he wanted Brianna to know about any of it.

Mitch barely spoke to Brianna the next day. His anger towards her still simmered, though in truth he was now more angry with himself than her. Angry for not realising Catherine hadn’t been behind the letter he’d received. At the time he’d been so concerned with his own feelings of hurt and rejection, he hadn’t thought about it from her side. He should have known Catherine wouldn’t have done such a thing. It hadn’t been in her nature. Through his selfishness he’d managed to hurt the one person from his past who’d cared for him.

His bad temper wasn’t helped by the phone call he took from Frederick. Pompous ass. ‘Yes, she’s here,’ he barked down the phone. ‘I’ll get her.’

He found Brianna in her study. ‘Phone call for you.’ They were the most words he’d spoken to her all day.

‘Thank you,’ she replied, accepting the phone.

He didn’t intend on listening, really he didn’t, but he wasn’t very quick on his crutch, so he couldn’t help but hear her politely decline what was obviously an offer of dinner. ‘I don’t feel I can leave Mitch alone just yet,’ he overheard her saying.

He cursed under his breath. What did she think he was? Some sort of charity case? A kid who needed constant supervision? He barged back into the study just as she was putting the phone down.

‘You don’t have to babysit me,’ he told her cuttingly. ‘I’m not a child.’

‘No, I know you’re not,’ she agreed calmly. ‘Though at times you act like one. However, I would feel better staying in while you’re under my care.’

‘For God’s sake Brianna,’ he snarled. ‘You need to find yourself a life. Maybe it would stop you interfering so much in mine. Go out with the man.’

She appeared startled at the harshness of his words, but maintained her composure. He admired her for it, even as it irked him. Instead of crumbling, she jutted her chin forward.

‘Right then, I will. Please close the door behind you.’

He did more than that, he slammed it before stalking back to his bedroom in a foul mood. For years he had been almost viciously in control of his emotions. Now they were all over the place. His broken body frustrated him, thoughts of Catherine and how she must have felt when he stopped writing to her, haunted him. At the bottom of it all though was Brianna. He could snap and snarl at her all he wanted, but there was no denying that once again he was letting her get under his skin. If he wasn’t careful she’d go even deeper into his body. Into his closed off heart.