that what you want?’ Disbelief darkened his eyes, deepened his voice. Who could blame him? Last night she hadn’t mucked around about getting into the sack with him. He asked, ‘Seriously?
No, she wanted to spend the whole time in bed with him. That was the problem. ‘It’s what I need.’
Zac sat back, leaning away from her, his gaze fixed on her as though he hoped to see inside her skull and read her mind. ‘I should be glad you’re saying no, but there’s one fabulous holiday going begging. Until Paul pointed it out I hadn’t realised how much I could do with a break. Fiji would be perfect.’
Olivia said, ‘You can still go.’
‘Not much fun alone,’ he said softly.
‘Apply the pressure, why don’t you?’
‘Yep.’
‘Not happening,’ she muttered. Lifting her cup, Olivia tried to concentrate on what the others were talking about. When the meals arrived she joined in the conversation, relieved that the subject of Fiji had been dropped. But all the while that picture of the sea and coconut palms remained at the forefront of her mind, with Zac firmly in the middle.
Her phone rang just as everyone was getting up from the table to go their separate ways.
‘Olivia, it’s Hugo. I’m sorry to disturb your weekend when I said I’d cover for you, but I’m concerned about Anna Seddon.’
Alarm made her voice sharp. ‘What’s up?’ Anna was a healthy woman who shouldn’t be having any post-op complications.
‘Medically she’s fine. Her obs couldn’t be better, she slept well until four this morning. But she’s having a meltdown about the operation. I’ve tried talking to her but I’m a mere male and have no idea what it’s like to have my breasts removed.’ Hugo sighed. ‘She’s right, of course.’
‘Of all the people I’ve done that procedure for I’d never have thought Anna would break up about it. She’s been so pragmatic.’ Olivia echoed Hugo’s sigh. ‘Is her husband with her?’
‘Yes, and looking lost. She keeps yelling at him to go away. He doesn’t know how to help her either.’
And I can? She had to try. She’d told Anna she’d be there for her throughout this difficult time, and she had meant it. ‘I’ll come over now.’ She dropped her phone into her handbag and turned to face everyone. ‘Thanks for the catch-up, guys. I’ve got to go.’
Maxine stepped up to give her a hug. ‘Don’t take so long next time. I want to hear all the details about your trip to Fiji.’
‘There won’t be any. I’m not going.’ She tried to free herself from Maxine’s arms and failed.
‘Go. It would be good for you.’
Maxine dropped her arms to her sides and Olivia stepped back.
‘You might be surprised.’
Olivia couldn’t help herself: she glanced across at the man in question. His familiar face snatched at her heart. Talking animatedly with the others, he appeared relaxed and comfortable in his own skin. Then he looked over at her and winked. Caught. He’d been aware of her scrutiny all along. Like they were in tune with each other, which was nonsense. They’d never been like that. Except when it came to sex. But there was nothing sexual about that wink. It had been more a ‘Hey, girl’ gesture. Friendly and caring, not deep and loving or hot and demanding. But it had been …? Nice? Yes, nice.
Turning back to Maxine, she said, ‘I’d better run. A patient needs me.’
‘You have to be somewhere in a hurry?’ Zac strode alongside her as she raced for the lobby and the elevators, keen to get away before anyone else brought up the subject of that trip away with Zac.
‘The hospital. I did a double mastectomy and implant yesterday morning and apparently my patient is losing it big time this morning.’
‘That’s a biggie for any woman to deal with.’
‘She’s been so brave all the way through discussions about the operation and what size implants she’d like. She’s dealt with her family’s history of breast cancer matter-of-factly, and accepted she didn’t have a lot of choice if she wanted longevity. Guess it had to catch up with her some time.’
‘Has she got good support from her family?’ Zac asked as he pressed the up button for the elevator.
‘Yes, very good.’ Olivia drew a breath. Only yesterday she’d been saying to the Theatre staff how Anna’s husband was a hero in her book. Yep, and she’d had thoughts about the man next to her being a hero too.
‘You want me to get your car out of the basement? Save you some minutes?’
She stared at Zac. ‘I forgot. I need to order a taxi. My car’s in the hospital car park with a flat battery. I didn’t have time to phone a service man yesterday.’ She made to head for the concierge only to be stopped by Zac’s hand on her arm.
‘I’ll be waiting in my car out the front when you’re ready.’ He nudged her forward into the elevator. ‘It’ll only take a couple of minutes to get it.’
But I don’t want to sit in a car with you, breathing your smell, feeling your heat, wishing I could go away with you. ‘A taxi will be fine.’ She was talking to the closing doors, Zac already halfway across the lobby. She’d lost that round. There’d been determination in the set of his shoulders and the length of his quick strides taking him out of the hotel. He’d be ready for her the moment she emerged from the revolving door of the hotel.
Nice.
Leaning back against the wall, Olivia smiled despite her misgivings. She’d have to come up with a better word than ‘nice’. Zac was more than nice, and his gestures were kind and caring. All good, all sounding bland for a man who was anything but. ‘Hot’ used to be her word for him and, yes, he was still that.
But now? Now he was a mixed bag of emotions and characteristics she hadn’t taken the time to notice before. This Zac was intriguing. She wanted to know more about him. Hell, she wanted to know everything.
As the elevator pinged at her floor she knew she had to walk away from him, because the more she learned about Zac the harder it became to remain aloof. Her emotions were getting involved, putting her heart in turmoil, and that was a no-go zone.
‘I AM SO SORRY.’ Anna Seddon sniffed, and snatched up a handful of tissues to blow her nose. ‘I know it’s your weekend off. Hugo shouldn’t have called you.’
Olivia sat on the edge of the bed and shook her head at her patient. ‘It’s not a problem. I’d have been annoyed if he hadn’t. What started this off? What’s distressed you this morning?’
‘I took a look under the gown and saw where my breasts used to be. It’s horrible there. The new ones don’t look right even wrapped in bandages. I know you said to wait, but I had to see.’ Anna
