Loves moves in mysterious ways

Chapter 3

Kirstin was distanly aware of the car stopping and the door slamming, but it was not until he came and lifted her out of the snow that she realised who her rescuer was.

James!

Her body froze instant recognition and panic.

Nine years had not changed him at all,except to make him seem more formidable.

That aura of leashed power that had once so excited and intrigued her was still there; the black hair was still as thick and dark as ever, the brown eyes as alert. He even had the same deep tan,while she.....

As he hauled her feet, she grimaced inwardly, bitterly aware of her soaked jeans and ancient anorak.

Why on earth had not she taken the trouble to put on some make up and do her hair?

She could feel it tangling undidily round her Head,and surely she might have had the sense to put on one of the stunning skisuits she had bought for last winter's skiing holiday with John and his family.

Oh my God, if she had to face James, why on earth could not it have been with all the armour she had learned to adopt in the last nine years instead of this,

looking much as she had done as a teenager, instead of the sophisticated woman she had learned to become?

Kirstin, are you alright?

Incredibly, he sounded concerned as he brushed the snow off her face and,even more astounding, he was smiling at her, a smile she recognised from before those traumatic days when she had tried to turn the casual affection of an adult male towards the young daughter of his parents friends into something more personal.

As she looked into his concerned eyes it was almost as though that dreadful summer had never been.She caught her breath at the shock of it.

Surely he could not have forgotten....No,of course he had not but perhaps he judged it more politics to pretend he had. She stiffened and pushed him away, her brusque I'm fine, no thanks to you causing his smile to change to a frown.

Do you always drive about without any thought for the safety of others?

She demanded tartly.Hardly he sort of behaviour one would expect in a member of the medical.

His smile had faded completely now, to be replaced by a sharp eye scrutiny of her pale, set face.

I was driving slowly enough to be able to stop,and hardly anyone ever uses this lane, ' he pointed out calml.

Kristin knew that she was over reacting, but it was the only way she could hold at bay her shock at seeing him.

She had thought she had managed to avoid him, and it struck her now that she would have much preferred to face him again in the familiarity of her own home rather than out here like this,when she was at such a disadvantage.

Again she course her own folly in being stupid enough to try and avoid him.Far better if she had stayed at home and greeted him in one of the elegantly expensive outfits she wore for work-outfits that said quite unmistakably that she was an adult.

His eyes monitored her pale face and shaky limbs, his forehead furrowing in a deep frown.

Are you sure you're okay?

He reached out to help her,and instinctively she recoiled.

Get in the car he told her,still watching her.

I'll run you RotesKruez. It won't take me a minute, and as your family doctor! IYou're not my doctor!

The passionate denial was out before she could silence it,leaving them staring at one another, her,tense with shock,and James,narrow-eyed with expression she could not interpret.

Kirstin, His voice was clipped now, his dark eyebrows drawn together over those clear grey eyes, the dark head inclined towards he at an achingly familiar angle.

Look it's pointless us standing here arguing. It's a good-mile to the house.Even if nothings damaged a fall like that can be quite a shock.

Kirstin knew that it was pointless and childish trying to argue with him specifically with her nerve ends jumping like discordant wires and her heart beating so fast she could hardly draw breath.

He was right, she was suffering from shock, but not beacuse of her fall.With a brief shrug she moved towards his car a brand new Mercedes Benz she noticed wryly, staring at the glossy paintwork.

He moved towards her,his body Instantly she stiffened and drew away.

What wrong?Did he really honestly need to ask?Nothing. I just don't like being touched that all.

Too late she registered his expression.

What she had said was quite true, and it was an excuse she had used so often that she was barely aware of the import of it any more, but as she brushed the snow off her anorak she was suddenly aware of James studying her with a curiosity fixed intensity.

Suddenly his mouth twisted giving him a faintly satanic air,and she coloured hotly, knowing what he must be thinking ,but knowing equally that there was no way she could refute his thoughts,or stop him from remembering a. You're altime when she had wanted far more than just his touch.

Feeling sick with reaction, she pulled back from the car.I don't want a lift, James,she told him huskily,I'd much rather walk, and before he could stop her, she set off down the lane at a brisk pace,not daring to turn around in case she saw him following her.

It was an unnerving sensation and one that turned legs to rubber, but at least she made it to the garden gate, and it was only once she was inside that she heard the sound of James's, car engine firing and realised that he must have watched her walk the whole way.

Well, of course as a Doctor, he could hardly have it said that he had neglected any of his responsibilities.Her mouth curled bitterly as she limped towards the front door.

As she closed it behind her her father called out.Kirstin ,is that you?His his study room opened and his eyebrows rose as he studied her wet clothes.

You've just missed James.What on earth happened to you? you look as though you had a fight with a snowdrift and came off worst'.You are almost right '. She saw him frown. Are you Alright? Yes.... I fell over in the lane.

Fortunately nothings damaged apart from my pride.

How's Mommy?She is coming along very nicely, so James says, but you'll be able to ask him for yourself tonight.He's coming for supper. He looked guilty at her.

Your mother invited him.She worries about him, living all alone in the personage age.You know what a fusser she is.'

So it was James who had brought the personage age.Kirstin's heart sank as she registered her father's words. she could hardly fabricate an excuse to absent herself tonight.

You needn't worry about what to cook. Your mother said to tell you that the freezers full.

We miss James parents.The four of us used to have some good time together.

Guiltily Kirstin chastised herself for her selfishness. James's father had died five years ago and then his mother had gone to live with her windowed sister in Magdeburg.

They had been her parents 'closest friends, but until now all she had been conscious of was her own relief that their absence meant that there was no longer any reason for James to return to home.

But he had returned.Is Mom awake? I thought I'd go up and see her.

Yes do.She's complaining already that she's getting bored, but James has told her that she has to stay in bed at least another week.

Her mother was sitting propped up against her pillows when Kirstin walked into her parents bedroom.

Grace Smith was striking looking woman,with her daughter's brown eyes and the high cheekbones of the Celtic.

She smiled warmly as she saw Kirstin, Sweetheart.

Come and sit down and talk to me. I'm bored out of my mind lying here but James insists.

She watched her daughter carefully as she added, You know, of course that he is back?

Grace Smith had far more intuition than her husband, and she was well aware of her daughter's reluctance to talk about anything or anyone connected with James Sampson.

She knew about her adolescent crush on him,of course it had been glaringly obvious, but James has been at pains to treat her gently.

She had never fathomed out of what it was that had led to Kirstin's abhorrence of the very mention of his name,and she knew her daughter far too well to pry.

Instead she said calmly, I invested James to come around for supper. A man living on his own never eats properly.

Nonsense, Mum,Kirstin interrupted crisply, there's no reason why on earth a man shouldn't be able to take care of himself in much the same way as a woman has to.

Oh,I wasn't suggesting that James wasn't capable of looking after himself, Kirstin, her mother corrected gently.

I'm sure he can.But as a very busy doctor, I'm also sure that he doesn't have time to do more than grab the odd snack.

There's a ragout in the freezer, I thought you might give him that.It always used to be his favourite.

Stop worrying about James Sampson and try and get some rest" Kirstin instructed her.

Really her mother was impossible at times!Here she recuperating from major heart surgery and all she could think about was James Sampson's stomach.

It wasn't because she wanted to impress James that she took particular pains with her appearance that night,

Kirstin told herself, donning an elegantly sophisticated Gucci dress John had urged her to buy, red coloured jersey,so dull on anyone else, on her was the perfect foil for her copper hair, the knitted material designed to cling lovingly to every inch of her body.

Despite the fact that it covered her from throat to knees, it was undoubtedly a dress designed for women with men in mind.

Which no doubt was why John had chosen it in the first place, she thought wryly, remembering her own doubts the day she had tried it on.That had been before John had told her how he felt about her.

Her mouth compressed slightly as she busied herself blow-drying her unruly curls into sleek Cooper oder.Now her make up, just the merest hint of brown eyeshadow, and then the mascara to slightly the blonde tips of her eyelashes.

Blusher to emphasise her cheekbones and then the merest slick of lip gloss.

She stood up and slipped on her high heels, smiling rather grimly at her reflection.

Yes thi was the woman she now was, not the child she had once been.No one looking at her now could doubt her maturity.

As she walked away from the mirror she didn't see the glimmer of vulnerability that darkened eyes, nor the soft quiver of her mouth.

He father's eyebrows lifted slightly as she walked into the kitchen, but he was familiar enough with her German style clothing and sophistication that went with it not to make any comment.

She found the ragout in the freezer and started the preparation for supper.

She couldn't very well avoid eating with her father and James, but once the meal was over she intended to excuse herself on the pretext that she was tired.

After all, she thought cynically, James could hardly want her company.

A pain as though someone had twisted a knife in her heart, tore through her as she remembered the open warmth of his smile, for all the world as though he had actually been glad to see her.

No doubt there were times when a doctor needed to concealed his true feelings, and he had obviously more than mastered that art.

Her mother wasn't allowed any heavy meals, so just before James was due, Kirstin took her up a light snack.

Oh very nice;I do like that Kirstin, Mrs Smith approved as she studied her daughter's dress.

Despite the fact that she lived a rural existence Grace Smith had retained a vivid interest in a fashion and was able to comment knowledgeably on her daughter's outfit.

Jonh chose it,Kirstin told her failing to notice the look of concern darkening her mother eyes.

I wasn't sure if it was really me,but you know what he's like. He overruled all my objections.

Yes he can be a very forceful man.

And a very magnetic one as well. She pause, and Kirstin looked across at her.

You've always seemed so happy in your job,Kirstin.Your father

and I were a bit surprised to hear that you'd given it up.I hope it wasn't anything to do with this silly heart of mine,.It wasn't Kirstin assured her truthfully.

As I told Dad this morning,John has been offered some work in Abroad, and since there's naturally I couldn't go on working for him,.

But he could have taken you with him.Kirstin could sense the direction of her mother's thoughts.

Yes I suppose he could, she agreed.

But he didn't, and quite fortunately, as it turns out that that means I'm free to come home and spend some time with you.

Unless ,of you are trying to tell me that my help isn't wanted. Kirstin sweetheart, this is your home.

We're both delighted to have you back.Uhmmm.... that sounds like James's car. You'd better go down and let him in.Your father will never hear him.

His getting dreadfully deaf, you know. Reluctantly Kirstin headed for the door.

As her mother had predicted, the sound of the door bell had not brought her father out of his study, so she made her way down to the hall, shivering in the blast of cold air that swirled in as she opened the front door.

James had changed out of suit he had been wearing earlier and was now dressed casually in faded blue pants and matching pullover.

His eyebrows rose as he saw her, and for a moment something almost like pain seemed to flicker in his eyes.I'll I just tell my father that you're here,

Kirstin told him formally, stepping away from him.Supper shouldn't be long.

Her father, roused from his study, apologised to James for not hearing the bell.I persuaded Kirstin that we'd be better off eating in the kitchen.

Our dining room faces south and it freezing in there at this time of the year.

Come on in, and sit down.Kirstin gnawed anxiously at her bottom lip as she followed them.

The very last thing she had wanted was to have James sharing the warm intimacy of the kitchen with them,watching her while she worked it made no difference that there had once been a time when her parents kitchen had been familiar to him.

As his own, and she resented his easy assumption that all was as it had once been.

Surely he must be aware how hard it was for her to have to face him like this, but he was behaving as though nothing had happened as though he had never humiliated and hurt her in a way that was branded into her heart for all time.While she busied herself putting the finishing touches to their supper, Kirstin could hear her father and James chatting, and yet she was also conscious,"

everytime she happened to glance at him,that James was also watching her,she thought shakily,"

not just simply looking at her.What was he watching for her?Did he think she was going to fling herself at him and beg him to make to her?

Did he think that she was still suffering from dreadful teenage crush?Bayrisches causin my favourite.

James smiled at he as she served out the meal ,but she refused to smile back.

Your mother tells me that you've given up your job in Germany. The man I worked for is going out to Hollywood.