Seducing the Marine by Kate Hoffmann

Author:Kate Hoffmann [Hoffmann, Kate]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
ISBN: 9780373798315
Google: l4UPBAAAQBAJ
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2013-12-31T16:00:00+00:00

6

OLIVIA STOOD IN front of the class of second graders, dressed in her lab coat, a stethoscope hanging from her neck. She risked a glance to her left, then groaned inwardly. Will stood beside her, dressed in a navy-blue jacket and royal-blue trousers, his hat tucked beneath his arm.

A tiny shiver skittered down her spine. She’d always heard about the appeal of a man in uniform, but she’d never understood it until now. The jacket made his shoulders look impossibly wide, and the white belt accentuated his waist. He looked so strong, so brave, and yet, dressed as he was, he seemed like a complete stranger. Olivia wanted to tear the clothes off his body and burn them.

The uniform was part of who he was, but she refused to acknowledge that part of his life. To her, the marines were the enemy. They’d taken him from her all those years ago and nearly killed him.

She distractedly listened as the teacher introduced her and Will, then took a seat in the back of the room to watch as Will’s nephew Kyle did his presentation. She’d been invited as a guest of Benny Johansson, who had insisted that she was his most admired person. Actually, he’d informed her that she was his third-most admired, since his hockey coach and the guy who ran the dump weren’t available to come.

As Will listened to Kyle’s presentation, his gaze met hers and held. Olivia sighed softly. After their argument, she’d decided to put some space between them. They were much better off as friends. But now she realized the only way that plan would work was if she locked herself in the hospital twenty-four hours a day. The town was just too small for the both of them.

After Kyle’s presentation, the students were allowed to ask three questions. Will was friendly yet serious as he talked about his job and the important responsibilities he had as an EOD specialist. He seemed calm and collected, and Olivia marveled at the progress he had made. But when he was finished, the class clapped, he said goodbye and immediately left the room.

Olivia wanted to run after him, to apologize for their argument and for her three-day silence. But Benny trotted down the aisle toward her and held out his hand, then pulled her along to her spot next to the podium. He gave a rousing recitation of the story of his two broken arms, and after he was done, Olivia showed the class Benny’s X-rays.

She talked about broken bones and warned them to always wear a helmet when riding their bikes or playing a sport like hockey. Then she removed Benny’s cast and demonstrated how to stabilize a broken arm by giving him a brand-new cast. And then, to her surprise, Benny interrupted her. “Tell them about my bones,” he said. “My...my astrojettica perfecta.”

“I’m not sure we want to talk about that now,” Olivia said, glancing to Benny’s mom, who stood at the back of the room.

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