Unexpected

Chapter 21 - The babysitter

"No. I don't." He felt sober. "Not anymore. She... she's gone. There was an accident. It's been." He paused when he realized he no longer knew the exact number of days and hours, "It's been over two years."

She looked at him with her mesmerizing eyes. "I didn't know. All this time I thought you were married." She felt an intense combination of relief and sadness. "They were just babies."

He nodded. "I thought you had a boyfriend. The infectious disease..."

She laughed. "Joe is a good friend. I was in Africa with him and his wife. You're still my boss."

"Not technically. I never thought I would feel this way again." He felt whole for the first time since he lost Mel.

"What way is that?"

"Like if I don't kiss you again I'll die." He needed her more than he thought possible.

He kissed her again with a rising passion that scared him. With some urging from his tongue, she opened her lips, and he took in the taste of her. All the while his hands were in her beautiful silky hair. He never wanted to break away from her.

It was Sara who pulled away again. "Most of the time I thought you hated me."

He took her hand, kissed it and held it to his heart. It was a gesture that he had seen his father do a million times.

"I've been conflicted for months."

"Conflicted?"

"Liking you and knowing that I shouldn't."

"I thought you knew I was crushing on you and you were purposely trying to get me to stop."

He smiled. "No, I was suddenly thinking of you more than I should."

She search for her words. "When... When did things change?"

"After I held you, I thought of you constantly."

Perhaps it really started when Lily commented on her accent.

She nodded. "I know what you mean. I told myself it was a silly crush."

"It's not silly and it's not a crush."

He watched as she blushed. She was always blushing.

"Why is your brother Tim and you're always Dr. Burke?"

"Not always, some call me Dr. B." He teased. "Mostly because professionally, I'm John, but among friends and family I go by Nick. I was never John. My father is John. I wasn't even John when I was naughty. It's always Nick, although Clare and Julie will call me Nicky"

"And Jack is John too?" He nodded. She raised her brow. "Why isn't Tim called John? He's the eldest."

"His mother didn't want him called John, but my mother wanted to carry on the tradition. Tim says it was one of the few things Mum and Dad ever really disagreed on. The compromise was that I would go by my middle name. Tim doesn't care unless it's useful to him to complain."

Sara laughed, but straightened up. "Tim's mother?"

"We're really half-brothers. His mother died when he was young. Dad married Mum when Tim was twelve."

Sara said, "My mum died, but I was older. I guess Tim and I have something in common. Well except, I only have my aunt and uncle. I never had a father."

Nick squeezed her hand. "I'm sorry."

"Thanks. I know there is more to my nickname. Will you tell me about Betty?"

"I will. I promise, but not yet."

He wasn't ready to tell her about his mother who fell in love with his father when she was working as his nurse. Suddenly the story hit home but was awkward because of the love and marriage part.

"Who did you go skiing with?"

"What? Oh. Tim."

"I shouldn't be here. Should I?" she said tentatively.

"Please stay," Nick captured her mouth again and urgently kissed her.

"I'll stay a little longer."

Her sigh sent his blood racing. "I need to keep seeing you."

"We can't. I was warned not to..."

"Warned?"

"I learned the day of the interview with you that there was questionable ethics at Lakes Region. I always knew it had nothing to do with you."

How did she learn about that? He wished it had nothing to do with him.

"Who told you about that?" he asked, not confirming or denying anything.

"My uncle is David Yates. He told me not to mix my personal and professional lives."

She was related to the hospital's lawyer in charge of ethics. He had met with David Yates after the accident and remembered a fair and compassionate man.

"You don't technically work for me, but you've already gone against your uncle's advice."

She looked at him. "Then no one can know about this."

"No." He captured her lips again.