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‘I thought so.’
‘Why?’ he asked.
‘Because you finish each other’s sentences.’
‘Do we?’ Katrina blinked. ‘I hadn’t—’
‘Noticed,’ Rhys continued with a grin. ‘It’s called teamwork.’
‘Everyone on the ward does it,’ Katrina said. Though even as she spoke, she wondered. Did they? Or were she and Rhys just that little bit more in tune?
She was still wondering on the Saturday morning, in a world of her own, when she walked into the bathroom, shrugged off her robe, pulled the shower curtain back from the edge of the bath—and saw Rhys there, showering off the last suds.
‘Oh, my God. I’m so sorry. I didn’t realise…I didn’t hear…I’m so sorry.’ She felt colour shoot into her face; mortified, she grabbed her robe and fled from the room.
It felt as if everything was happening in slow motion. The curtain being dragged back, the look of shock on Katrina’s face as she saw him, followed swiftly by embarrassment, and then she rushed away.
Clearly he hadn’t locked the door properly and she hadn’t heard the water running. And the last thing Rhys wanted was for Katrina to feel embarrassed about her hearing or be awkward with him because of it. He turned off the shower with one hand and grabbed a towel and wrapped it round himself with the other as he climbed out of the bathtub. Heedless of the fact he was still wet, he went after her, catching up with her in the corridor by her bedroom door. ‘Katrina, wait.’ He put a hand on her arm to get her attention and make her face him.
‘I’m sorry,’ she said again, biting her lip. She looked embarrassed and close to tears, and he hated it. He couldn’t let her shut herself away in her room, feeling that upset and miserable.
‘It’s all right,’ he said, making sure that she could see his face. ‘It’s my fault—I couldn’t have locked the bathroom door properly. You didn’t hear the water running?’
‘No. I wasn’t concentrating.’ She gulped. ‘I’m so sorry.’
‘Cariad, please don’t keep apologising. It isn’t your fault. You weren’t expecting me to be there and I should have made sure the door was locked so you knew I was there.’ He stroked her face. ‘I’m sorry—you said you weren’t profoundly deaf, and I didn’t realise quite how much hearing loss you have.’
‘It’s the family joke that I’m always the one who sleeps through thunderstorms.’ She gave him a brittle smile. ‘It’s just as well I’m a lark instead of an owl like Maddie, or I’d never hear the alarm and be up in time for work. Mum bought me one of those ones that uses a light instead of sound and gradually gets brighter like the sun, and Dad made sure my smoke detectors are really loud so I’m safe, and Maddie bought me one of those gizmos that flashes when the phone or doorbell rings.’
She was gabbling, and they both knew it.
‘Maybe you should sing in the shower in future or something,’ she said. ‘Very, very loudly.’
Katrina was clearly trying to make light of the situation, but Rhys heard the slight crack in her voice. She was really upset. And embarrassed. And feeling she was lacking in something. No doubt she was thinking about Pete and his cruel, unfair comments.
‘Katrina, never, ever apologise for being you. You’re fine just the way you are.’ Even though he knew it was dangerous and he really shouldn’t do it—he wanted to comfort her and make her feel better. Which meant putting his arms round her, holding her close.
She was wearing a soft white towelling dressing-gown; when he pressed his cheek against hers, her skin felt even softer.
Irresistible.
He couldn’t stop himself. He turned his face very, very slightly until the corner of his mouth was touching hers. The lightest, sweetest, gentlest kiss. And then everything seemed to blur. He wasn’t quite sure when or how it happened, but then Katrina was holding him back, her arms wrapped just as tightly round him as his were round her, and her mouth was against his properly. Warm and sweet and soft and responsive, opening under the pressure of his mouth so he could deepen the kiss.
He could feel the blood pulsing through his veins. Feel his heart beating, strong and quickening as he kissed her. Feel every sense magnifying, blooming.
This was exactly what he’d thought it would be like, kissing Katrina.
Amazing.
Even though part of him told him to stop, that he was in grave danger of making the situation much worse, his need for her was stronger. He couldn’t remember ever wanting anyone so much. And it was as if a dam had broken, the feeling rushing through him, powerful and unstoppable.
