The Doctor's Rebel Knight Read Online Free Page A

like Rufus bombarding them with sloppy kisses and wet tail slaps. Clearly this man adored canine company and obviously knew Rufus personally, which made her feel better about being alone. She watched as he picked up a bit of driftwood and threw it into the sea. Rufus charged off after it and the man continued jogging up the beach.
    As he came closer Fran felt her face colour up and it had absolutely nothing to do with the warmth of the sun.
    ‘Dr Nin,’ Sergeant Hawke said as he changed gait to a long easy stride, with Rufus at his side, his doggy tongue lolling out in exhaustion.
    When he came to a stop in front of her Fran felt his gaze run over her assessingly, taking in her sarong-clad figure. She wished she had put on something a little less revealing but she hadn’t seen a soul on the beach for the past week. In fact, overthe last few days she had she had just started to feel she could relax her guard a little bit, not having to worry about people and how they viewed her. She hated people staring at the scar on her leg. Her sarong was fairly sheer but thankfully not that sheer.
    ‘Sergeant Hawke,’ she said, unable to kept the chill from her tone even though her body felt blisteringly hot.
    ‘Nice day for a walk,’ he said, reaching down to toss the stick for Rufus again.
    Fran couldn’t help noticing the way his biceps bulged as he threw the stick. He was in perfect physical condition, muscular and toned with not a gram of non-functional flesh—as Caro would call it—on his frame. His skin was a deep olive, covered now with a glistening layer of perspiration from hard physical exercise. His shoulders were broad, his waist and hips lean, so lean she could see every contour of his external oblique muscle above his hips. Stop staring at his groin , she chided herself, and quickly brought her eyes up to his.
    She suddenly realised it was her turn to say something. ‘Um…yes…Rufus likes a lot of exercise.’
    Jacob Hawke gave her his first smile. Well, strictly speaking, it was really more of a half-smile but Fran still found herself staring at him as if he had zapped her with a stun gun. Her breath hitched in her throat, her stomach gave a little flip turn and her legs—even her good one—threatened to fold beneath her.
    Fran hadn’t realised she had even stumbled until his hand shot out and steadied her. ‘Are you OK?’ he asked, frowning at her in concern.
    She looked down at his long tanned fingers almost over-lapping on her forearm and gave a little shiver. Her skin wasa light golden honey colour from her days on the beach but nowhere near the darkness of his. Her arm was smooth and hairless while his was liberally covered with springy masculine hair, right down his arms to the backs of his hands and along each of his long fingers.
    ‘Dr Nin?’
    Fran brought her eyes back to his. ‘Sorry…’ She swept her tongue out over her lips. ‘I’m still not all that steady on sand. It’s supposed to be good physio for me…you know, walking with bare feet.’
    Jacob dropped his hand from her arm, his fingers still tingling slightly even when he took the stick Rufus was poking against his thigh and threw it towards the rolling waves. ‘How’d it happen?’ he asked, turning back to look at her.
    Something moved in her eyes, like a stagehand quickly re-arranging something on the set before the audience could notice. ‘Skiing,’ she said, looking away into the distance. ‘In New Zealand.’
    Jacob let a little silence pass.
    ‘So, how long are you staying in town?’ he asked.
    ‘About three months or so,’ she answered, trying to capture Rufus’s collar as he came back with the stick. ‘We should let you get on with your run.’
    ‘I’m done,’ Jacob said. ‘I was going to head into the surf to cool off. Have you been in the water yet?’
    ‘No, not yet,’ she said, reaching for the dog again.
    Rufus darted out of her reach and, barking madly, raced off after a seagull.
    ‘I’ll get