Commitment

Part 81

He breathed out a sigh of relief and smiled. "You know, I can't work out how someone so stubborn is so soft!" This woman's character was different to all of his previous girlfriends!

"What?" She blinked. She was trying to work out if she would be well enough to handled the evening shifts. She did a mental evaluation of her health, she felt better now, after just twenty-hours, so perhaps tomorrow she could do the evening shift.

"Jenny obvious spun you a story about our circumstances and you took us on." He quirked an eyebrow, and Regan didn't feign ignorance. "I told you about Bob and his family, and despite that he could not do the two shifts, you took him on."

He was sure she would agree, because she was kind. But he was worried that Regan would not take on Bob, given he could not do the two shifts. But she had listened to him and learned about Bob's situation, and she took him on.

Gray reached for her hands and gave her hands a squeeze, "Thanks." Again, she extricated her hand as her heart did a somersault. She tried for nonchalance. Gray smiled despite recognising her wall came up instantly. But Regan was not ready for his next action. Like yesterday, he tipped her chin, he made eye contact and said with sincerity that he hoped she heard, "You know, you are really very kind."

She felt her heart beat kick into an erratic pulse when she registered his fingers on her chin. As a doctor she knew her heart was just an organ and was anchored firmly in her chest, but a few seconds ago, her heart did a back flip. Her legs were gradually melting as his thumb gently moved back and forth against her chin, and brushing the pad of his thumb against outline of her lips. And the result was that she was slow to process his statements or register his tone, give her wall was impervious to unexpected compliments and heart-back-flips. And then she registered his words, and she squirmed and extricated her chin from his fingers. He left his arm outstretched put placed in on the duvet, just above her knees and he remained on the bed. She thought, not ten minutes ago she was close to throttling this man, and now, her heart was hammering.

"And you have a good camouflage!"

Regan frowned at him in bemusement, surprised by the sudden change in their chat. "Thanks. I think!" She murmured and gave herself a silent stern reprimand for lowering her guard. She put it down to her health. She did not say any more and Gray just waited to see if she would reveal anymore.

He chuckled quietly, "I meant, you wear reticence, timidity and reserve in public. But actually people rely on your reliability, mettle, and loyalty and none those involve timidity or reserve." His statement made her heart beat faster.

"I don't know what you are talked about!"

He took a moment, inhaled and then said with a deadpan tone in his voice, "I bumped into Gabriella." It was an interesting conversation. And an unexpected topic.

Regan said nothing. It was a mixture of jealousy and concern. Jealousy, if Gray and Gabriella were good friends, or concern if Gabriella told Gray about the surf club fire.

"Gabriella Jones?"

"Oh."

"Recognised the name." He pursued his line of inquiry with a trace of impatience.

She murmured, "Yes." His brows drew together as he tried to work through her one words replies.

"She asked about you. You know the local grapevine is fount of information. She knew that you were not well. And also heard I was looking for a worker for your farm."

"So?" She frowned. Regan chewed on her lower lip, as she reran the surf club fire, and she ran her tongue over her lip. Gray wished she could run her tongue over his lips. That brought him back to reality.