very quiet but, then, she did lose her husband fairly recently. There’s no one else listed under “Next of kin” from her booking. Look after her, Till. We need to make sure she has somewhere to go after she’s discharged.’
‘Yes, Mother Carmen.’ Tilly’s answer was light but the look they exchanged reassured her that her friend would be extra vigilant. Tilly would be just as determined as Carmen to be there for any mother, let alone one with twins who had twice as many reasons for moments of unusual interest.
After too few hours’ sleep it was time for Carmen to dress for work again. This time she would be providing postnatal midwifery in the baby hotel, a pet name the medical profession used for the five-star beach resort that catered for a few privately insured postnatal mothers. It was another warm and fuzzy part of her job and the women she supported often existed on less sleep than she’d had so a few yawns between friends was quite acceptable.
It was even better if she’d been with the women in labour and could follow their progress until they went home.
As she pressed the lift button in the car park she couldn’t help thinking of the man on level seven. Zafar. Mysterious name. And what would have happened to him if she hadn’t been in the lift that extra floor? The memory of their close encounter burned brightest.
She screwed up her face. ‘Go away.’ The words hung quietly between her and the closed lift door and she twisted her head uneasily to make sure nobody had heard.
There’d been something incredibly vulnerable about such a virile and powerful-looking man sweating over a stalled lift. Which maybe explained a little why she hadn’t backed off more quickly.
There had been nothing vulnerable in the way he’d crowded her after, though. Or the way she’d almost dared him to kiss her. She couldn’t help the curve of her lips at the return of that memory and thought ruefully that he’d never want to see her again.
Which was fine. Her husband’s underhand conniving had taken her home, undermined her self-respect—though she supposed she should thank him because she was tougher than ever now—and taught her to reserve judgement for a long while yet.
But Zafar’s face seemed indelibly stamped in her memory. Dark, tortured eyes under black brows and a firm yet wickedly sexy mouth that captured her attention with such assurance—a mouth that looked used to command. Everywhere. She felt the re-kindling of awareness low and hot in her belly. Outrageous. She shook her head. She wasn’t going there.
The guy embodied everything she hated about men. Power and prestige. She knew he had it despite his aversion to a stalled lift, and she had no doubt he could be as cynically ruthless as he looked.
He had to have extreme wealth, of course. The very expensive watch and the suit that shrieked of a tailor her ex would have killed to find were dead giveaways. Though why he was out in the beach fringes of eastern Sydney was a mystery.
She really needed to stop thinking about him, but once inside the lift she could picture him across from her easily, too easily, in fact, for someone she’d met for five minutes twenty-four hours ago.
The lift stopped on six and she stepped out onto the main baby floor and made her way to the midwives’ room. To work, woman!
As she discussed her patients with the morning shift midwife she was surprised to hear that Fadia had already been moved to the hotel. Occasionally a very well woman with her second or subsequent baby would move across after four hours but for a first-time mum with twins it was very unusual.
‘And the paediatrician said it was okay? And Tilly’s Dr Bennett as well?’
‘They’ll both be visiting daily here and a mothercraft nurse transferred across with her.’
Special considerations, then. Not the first time wealthy clients had brought their own nurse but she hadn’t envisaged Fadia being like that. ‘That will help.’
‘Not any more. Fadia sent her away as soon as she was settled. Apparently didn’t like her.’
Carmen raised her eyebrows. ‘Curiouser and curiouser.’
Fifteen minutes later when Carmen knocked on Fadia’s door, the last person she expected to open it was the man from the elevator.
Zafar.
Her pulse jumped and he captured her gaze easily and held it, just as he held the small smile on his lips. Heat flooded her cheeks.
CHAPTER TWO
‘AH. THE midwife. Come in.’ As if she was always turning up on his doorstep.
She hoped her mouth was closed because he looked jaw-droppingly handsome when he wasn’t terrified. He seemed ten times taller and broader than before but she guessed her first real impression must have been coloured by his distress.
‘It seems I must thank you for your magnificent skills at the delivery of Fadia’s twins.’
‘Being there was a privilege. Fadia did all the hard work. I was just catching.’
He smiled sardonically. ‘Yet some skill is required with multiple birth.’
He leaned casually against the door. Funny how she had the idea he was as relaxed as a tiger about to spring.
Fadia, perched on the edge of the chair with one of her sons, looked anything but calm and Carmen’s fluttery surprise turned to bristling protection of her patient.
Was the lift almost-kisser the person Fadia was scared of? ‘Is this your husband’s friend?’
Fadia shot a startled glance at Zafar and then back at Carmen’s face. ‘No. Goodness, no.’ Carmen couldn’t help the relief. That saved a bad lack of professionalism and would be a sorry pickle.
‘No, this is my cousin. From Zandorro.’ Fadia sent another glance his way—this time slightly less anxious. ‘He’s come in response to a letter I sent to my grandfather and to see if I need help.’
Zafar inclined his head. ‘Ensuring you and your babies are well. So I can pass the good news onto your relatives, yes.’ He turned to Carmen and raised one sardonic eyebrow. ‘So you haven’t met the elusive friend of our newest family members either, then?’
‘No.’ Carmen had no plan to elaborate. She shrugged to let him know that family dynamics were none of her business. ‘But perhaps you could excuse us while I spend a short time privately with Fadia?’
‘Is that totally necessary?’ Such surprise when she’d said it and obviously a request uncommon in his experience. Carmen bit back her smile at his shock. So, we don’t like being asked to leave, she thought. How interesting.
Just who was he? But it didn’t really matter. She’d had four hours’ sleep, she was worried about Fadia, and wasn’t in the mood for tantrums. ‘Yes. Afraid so.’ Tough. Out you go, though she didn’t say it out loud.
He frowned down his haughty nose and thinned those sexy lips until they almost disappeared, which was a shame, but proclaimed this man expected obedience, not orders.
Welcome to my back yard, buddy. Carmen squared her shoulders and fixed the smile on her face. She could be as tough as he was. Or tougher,
