One Scandalous Christmas Eve by Susan Stephens

Author:Susan Stephens
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2020-07-08T12:10:43+00:00

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When Dante was under her hands on the treatment couch later that evening she marvelled at the miracle of healing. It had nothing to do with rich or poor, privileged or not, and had everything to do with training. Staring down at one of the most brutally physical men on the planet, currently resting on his stomach buck naked with the small exception of the towel she’d placed across his buttocks, she realised it was possible to separate her two selves and concentrate solely on healing. Manipulating his muscles until she felt the knots release was all the satisfaction she would ever need.

Was it? her cynical inner voice demanded.

It had to be.

‘Well done,’ she said, standing back when the session was over. ‘That can’t have been much fun.’

‘Fun?’ Turning over, he grimaced. ‘If torture is fun, that was hilarious. You’re a lot stronger than you look.’

Wasn’t that the truth? Helping her father out of his financial difficulties was only half the story. When her mother died he took to drink, thinking this might numb the pain. But it was still there in the morning, only now he had a hangover to cope with, while Jess changed his sheets, washed his clothes and begged him to please take a shower. She suspected that these were secrets many other families were forced to keep.

As much as it had hurt like hell, the whole sorry experience had made her strong: physically strong as well as mentally robust. The first time she’d picked him up off the stairs, she’d strained her back. A refresher class in recovering unconscious patients from the floor had reminded her of techniques she should use to avoid injury. One step at a time, she’d told herself as she came to grips with caring for the broken man her father had become. ‘One step at a time,’ she’d whispered when he sobbed in her arms.

Now, thanks to the sale of the ponies, those dark nights were behind him and her father was back on top. He’d stopped drinking and took a shower every day. The washing machine went back to its regular cycle. Jess rejoiced to see him recover, but if she was totally honest she could see that being strong for her father had left her with no time to grieve. Just as well, she determined, firming her jaw. She had responsibilities, and a job to do, which she was good at.

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