Love's Tender Warriors by Radclyffe

Author:Radclyffe
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub, pdf
Tags: ! Yes
ISBN: 9781933110028
Publisher: Bold Strokes Books
Published: 2005-11-15T06:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER EIGHT

Sean spent the day in a haze. The only time her mind was clear was the fifty minute intervals she spent with her patients. Between sessions she sat at her desk and aimlessly rearranged the pens and pencils. Every few seconds she would be ambushed by a kaleidoscope of imagesDrews eyes, her hands, the sounds of passion, the taste of her. And Drew leaning over her the night she was hurtpanicked, terrifiedand clearly somewhere else. Her professional instincts told her that whatever Drew was fighting, it was serious. Serious enough to keep them apart, and that was something she passionately did not want.

It was more than just Drew’s physical appeal, although, god knew, that attraction was powerful. But she had admired physical beauty in other women before and had never been drawn to them the way she was drawn to Drew. It was the woman herself who captivated herthe contrast of fierce discipline, commitment, and self-control combined with caring and compassion. What moved her the most, she was forced to admit, however, were the glimpses of suffering Drew revealed in her unguarded moments. Thats what made Sean ache to hold her, not with desire, but with love.

She chose the work she did because the pain of others compelled her, touched her deeply, made her ache with emotion more intense than any pleasure. She was drawn to pain because, inevitably, it was pain that bound all creatures in their valiant struggle called life. In our pain we are most human, and often, most alive.

She sighed and pushed back from her desk. She needed to get ready for class.

~

Chris was surprised to find Drew at the door when she answered the bell late in the afternoon.

“Drew!” she cried.

“Hello, Chris. Is Master Cho in?” Drew asked quietly.

“In the garden. Go on back.” Chris didnt attempt to follow. It was clear from the tone of Drews voice and the dark look on her face that she was here on a private matter.

Janet looked up from the chair where she sat reading and closed her book gently. She had been expecting Drews visit for some time now.

Drew bowed formally. “Forgive me for interrupting”

“I am glad you came. Sit down, please,” she answered, pointing to the chair beside her. She waited patiently while Drew searched for words.

“Im going away for a while,” Drew said at length.

“Ahwhere will you go?”

“Virginia, I think. The army has asked me to run an intensive training course for recruits.”

“How long?”

Drew shrugged. “Six, eight weeks. Permanently, if I want the job.”

Her voice was flat, but the trembling in her hands betrayed her agitation.

“Now tell me why you will go.”

Drew thought of the reasons she had been giving herself but could not bring herself to lie to her old friend.

“Im not ready for a regular life. I thought I was, but since Ive been backIvethe dreams are back. I thought they were goneits been years. But now its worse.”

“And you think they will stop if you go away?”

Drew raised her hands in a frustrated gesture.

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