a jolt of desire like electricity course through her. Was he interested in Anna? Was he pumping her? Damn—
‘Anna?’ she murmured, and cleared her throat. ‘Urn—possibly. She was asking about you.’
He arched an enquiring brow. ‘And what did you tell her?’
‘Nothing. I said I knew nothing. It’s true. I don’t know you at all.’ More’s the pity.
His smile held a promise that made her feel giddy. ‘We’ll have to do something about that,’ he said lightly. He looked around and caught the waiter’s eye. ‘Could we have our bill please—unless you want anything else?’
She shook her head and grinned. ‘Oh, no, I’ve had more than enough. I couldn’t eat or drink another thing.’
He paid the bill with a credit card, and then he helped her into her coat, his hands settling it on her shoulders with a gentle squeeze. He turned the collar up and snuggled her down into the neck, and then tugged on his own coat and buttoned it before opening the door and ushering her out into the night.
It was crisp and bright, but the wind had dropped and it felt strangely warmer. They strolled this time, arm in arm, unhurried, back through the dimly lit streets behind the hospital. When they were almost there, he hesitated. ‘Where do you live? I’ll walk you home. I can’t have you wandering about at this time of night by yourself.’
‘What about you?’ she said sensibly. ‘You could be mugged or stabbed just as easily.’
He chuckled. ‘Not quite, I don’t think. I must weigh five stone more than you, for a start.’
She snorted. ‘I doubt it. Three, perhaps, but never five.’
‘Semantics. I’m bigger, I’m tougher and I’m probably a darn sight meaner than you are.’
She smiled and gave up. ‘Whatever. It’s down here.’
She led him to her front door, and he paused there, looking down at her in the shadow of the porch. ‘There. Safely home,’ he said.
There was a pause, an infinitesimal hesitation, and anticipation tiptoed over her skin.
‘Thank you so much for a lovely evening,’ she said softly. ‘It’s been wonderful.’
‘Good,’ he said, but still he didn’t move.
Instead he stood there, staring down into her eyes, and when she thought she’d scream from the suspense he smiled slightly. ‘I can’t let you go without a birthday kiss,’ he murmured, and his head lowered, blotting out the yellow glow from the streetlight.
Then his lips touched hers, warm and firm and traced with chocolate, and she nearly smiled. He’d kissed her like this five years ago, and her heart had felt giddy for a week …
For a moment nothing else happened, but then he moved, just slightly, tilting his head and placing tiny nibbling kisses all across her mouth and chin, and she felt a shiver of something unfamiliar and wonderful race through her veins. He’d never kissed her like this!
A tiny noise erupted from her lips, too small to be a whimper, but he heard it, and with a groan he eased her closer, wrapped his arms firmly round her and plundered her mouth with his.
He tasted of chocolate and coffee, with a trace of brandy, and it was enough to intoxicate her already fuddled brain. Without a care, without a modest thought or a second’s pause, she slipped her arms around his neck, tilted her head and kissed him right back.
It felt wonderful. His tongue was like rough velvet, probing and caressing, seeking out the hidden recesses of her mouth and tormenting them with his touch. Their tongues played tag, chasing and retreating, and when after an age he lifted his head, he was breathing hard and a smile lurked in his eyes.
‘Wow,’ he murmured.
She laughed softly and said, ‘Wow, indeed.’
He hugged her, tucking her head under his chin and holding her close, and she could feel the rise and fall of his chest against her cheek.
‘Sorry, that was five years of curiosity coming to the fore,’ he murmured against her hair.
‘What?’ She tipped back her head and searched his face. ‘What do you mean?’
He gave a wry grin. ‘Just that I’ve wondered for the last five years what it would be like to kiss you—really kiss you, not just that little kiss goodbye, but a real, honest-to-goodness proper kiss.’
‘You didn’t notice me!’ she protested.
‘No—I tried to ignore you. There’s a difference. You were my host’s daughter. You were seventeen, totally innocent and much too sweet for what I had in mind.’
‘I had spots and puppy fat,’ she said bluntly.
He chuckled. ‘Rubbish. You were lovely. You were just young, and I was a guest in your parents’ house.’
‘And now?’ she asked without pausing to think of the consequences.
His smile softened. ‘Now I think we’re on the same playing field. We’re both adults, we’re both available—why not just see what happens?’
Excitement tingled along her veins, and her legs threatened to give way. Astonishingly, she was speechless.
He bent his head and kissed her again, just lightly, and then winked. ‘Go on, go inside before I change my mind and forget I’m supposed to be a gentleman.’
She was almost tempted, but a belated sense of propriety prevailed and she slipped her key in the lock, twisted it and opened the door.
‘Goodnight, Mark—and thank you for a lovely evening.’
‘My pleasure. Happy birthday.’
And, blowing her a kiss, he turned on his heel and strode up the path and across the street towards the hospital.
When he was out of sight she closed the door, sagged back against it and sighed luxuriously.
‘That was a tender farewell,’ Lucy said, whipping open the sitting room door just next to her.
She felt colour scorch her cheeks. ‘Are you spying on me?’ she demanded laughingly.
‘No—should I have been? What did I miss?’
‘A real treat,’ Beth said, following Lucy out into the hall. ‘I just watched him walk down the road—wow. Where on earth did he come from?’
Allie gave an embarrassed laugh. ‘I’ve known him for years. He did some work experience with my father five years ago.’
‘He was a well-kept secret,’ Lucy grumbled, trailing into the kitchen.
‘He wasn’t a secret—I haven’t seen him since, until today. He just turned up on the ward.’
‘And romance blossomed! How wonderful!’
‘Beth,
