wouldnât have minded if youâd called him out.â
He gave her a curious glance. âLived here long?â
âAlmost all my life.â
His footsteps faltered a little but she didnât halt. She knew exactly what would happen next. He lengthened his stride and walked a little in front of her, turning around to catch sight of her face. âI didnât think that was possible.â
âItâs not.â
He wasnât going to be put off with her short answers. By this point, he was almost walking backwards, keeping his gaze on her the whole time.
âSo how have you managed it?â
He was so busy watching her face that he wasnât paying attention to the road. She reached out and grabbed him just as his foot hit a small rut.
His reaction was automatic. As his balance tipped he grabbed her hand that was clutching the front of his jacket. The warm skin of the palm of his hand wrapped firmly around her wrist. It was like slow motion. A flood of electricity shot up her arm towards her chest. If she could have snatched her hand back she would have.
But he hadnât let go. His pale green eyes fixed on hers. Nothing was said. Neither of them moved again. Her breath caught some way in her throat and all of a sudden she felt the desperate urge to find something to drink. Preferably alcohol.
âCanât have you falling for me twice in one day.â
It was meant to come out as a quipâa joke. But the intensity of his gaze made her normally firm voice turn into a whisper.
He responded instantly. âOh, I think we can.â There was an edge to his voice, a raspiness she hadnât noticed before, that sent a shiver straight down her spine.
Her fingers slowly let go of his jacket. Avery stared at his hand for a few seconds before finally letting go of her wrist.
There was a tiny shake of his head, as if he was trying to process what had just happened.
âOver here.â She spoke quickly, pointing to an office block. âThatâs where weâll get your keys.â She strode ahead. It was crazy. But this guy was unsettling her. Touching her. Giving her glimpses of a whole other world out there.
She buzzed them into the block and picked up his keys and a map of the base from the reception desk. She glanced at the key fob and circled a place on the map with a pen.
âLook, weâre here. And weâll probably go and eat in this street here. Your house is over here. Itâs about ten minutes from where weâll eat.â
She was conscious of him leaning over the map beside her. Even though theyâd been close up earlier in the ER she hadnât noticed the woody smell of his aftershave. Maybe heâd just put some on? Just like she had...
And that darned bit of hair at the front fell over his forehead. Her fingers itched to push it back.
He picked up the map and turned towards her, their noses almost touching. As it was night-time the reception area wasnât brightly lit. There was no one else around. It was almost...intimate.
She stepped back and sucked in a breath. His head tilted to the side a little, as if he was surprised by her sudden movement. What was he used to? Women falling at his feet?
âThereâs a courtyard five minutes away.â She moved over towards the door again. âWhat is that you want to eat?â
As if on cue his stomach gave a loud growl and he put his hand over his belly and laughed. âSomething that no doctor would approve of.â
She pushed open the door. âLike what? Youâve just arrived in Japan. Donât you want to try some local cuisine?â
He shook his head. âNot tonight. Tonight Iâm ravenous. If Iâm sampling genuine Japanese food I want to savour every mouthful. Think of me as a horse.â
She turned to face him. âAre you crazy?â
âYes, I am. Itâs called low blood sugar. I just want to stick my head in a bucket and eat and eat