Commitment

Part 43

It blindsided him. He'd just left one woman, a woman he'd taken on a date, yet had not kissed her properly and here he was, in the middle of nowhere, was tempted to kiss a woman he barely knew.

"Pack up, Regan, we are going back." He said, furious with himself. He recognised the fact his body burned with lust for her.

"What?"

"Pack up. We are going home." He rubbed the back of his neck.

"I have not finished my dinner." She sulked.

"You need more ice on that bruise." He muttered.

"Fine!" She mumbled. "I will do it later."

"You are really stubborn, you know that." He ran his palm down the front of his face.

"I am not stubborn. I just want to finished my dinner!"

"Finished it at the farm!"

"I can finished it here! I like it here!"

"Regan, just think! Granddad, Lore and I all know about your black eye. It will be really dark soon, and I do not want to find you at the bottom of this hill with broken bones added to your black eye. And you need ice for that eye! So, pack up your takeaway and eat at home!"

Regan scowled but she automatically retrieved her bag and repacked the boxes.

Regan muttered, to herself, "I am the doctor here!"

"Come on." He reached for the rug.

"You do know this is silly. I can have my dinner where I want."

"I know."

"So..."

"But not today." Gray interrupted.

"Do you mind..."

"I told Granddad I saw you at the restaurant and you had a black eye. He expected me to bring you back home!" He reached for his torch and hers. He handed over her torch and reached for the bags. He peered at the boxes in the bag. "You ordered heaps for one!" He quirked an eyebrow, "Expecting company?" He asked.

She scowled. "No."

"You would eat all of this on your own?"

No doubt he would hold that against her at their next discussion about the farm's finances. "Does it matter?" She grumbled and walked away.

They walked toward the farm in silence. How could he have thought about kissing her? What was he thinking? What happened to his scruples? His mind reminded him that he did not kiss her. Nearly, his heart reminded. Still wanted to do it. He closed his eyes briefly despite the fact he was walking fast.

When they reached the farm, Regan and Gray was met by Sam and Loretta at the front door, because they were watching from the window and saw the two torches' beams. They watched, as the beams got closer to the house.

"Are you ok?" Loretta said as she scanned Regan's face and registered the bruises on her face.

Regan glibly said, "Yes. The bruise is just superficial."

"Superficial?" Gray quirked at brow at her and walked towards the kitchen.

"Wrong word. It looks worse that it is!"

"You are sporting a huge bruise on the side of your face and you have a shiner." Sam said bluntly. Sam ushered Regan towards the kitchen.

"She knows that, Granddad." Gray said drolly. "And she has not finished her dinner."