your team,’ she murmured, ‘though I don’t really know what you have against me.’
‘It’s not that I don’t want you,’ he demurred. He went to stand with his back to the window. ‘I have one or two reservations, that’s all. I have the feeling that you’re inclined to be impulsive—which is not a bad thing at all unless it intrudes on your work, but it wouldn’t do to be making impulsive decisions in A and E.’
‘Unless they were based on instinctive knowledge, maybe.’
He shrugged. ‘Possibly. The other thing is that I can’t help feeling you’re holding something back. I’m not sure yet what that might be.’
He studied her once more, but she didn’t offer any explanation. Instead, she lowered her head and swallowed her coffee as though it was a lifesaver.
He appeared to be deep in thought for a while, but then he said, ‘I suppose the biggest hurdle for me was that I had a particular type of candidate in mind—someone who was on the ball, alert and ready to face up to the challenges of the job.’
He smiled, gentle humour reflected in his eyes and in the curve of his mouth. ‘But instead you came along—and from what I saw back at the house you strike me as being...distracted, disorganised and probably stressed out with the strain of looking after your family. Medicine’s a difficult profession, even for the hardiest of people, and I can’t help feeling that this is probably not the best time for you to be taking on a responsible position.’
Dismayed, she stared at him. ‘You can’t judge me on one meeting. You must realise that you came to the house at a particularly difficult time.’
‘Yes...but that one time made a big impression on me.’ He made a wry face. ‘The problem is I’m finding it difficult to be detached when it comes to making this decision. Try as I may to keep a clear mind, the fact is whenever I look at you, in my mind’s eye I keep seeing a beautiful, half-naked young woman surrounded by chaos. It’s kind of hard to shake off that image.’
Her cheeks flushed with hot colour. ‘I... You caught me unawares. I wasn’t ready to receive visitors.’
He chuckled. ‘No, I realised that, and I should have left right away, but I must admit, the temptation to stay was just too great.’
She sucked in a sharp breath. ‘Tyler, I need this job.’
He nodded. ‘I know,’ he said, becoming serious once more. ‘And the truth is we need a woman on the team to balance things up. I might be a bit concerned that you’re not exactly what I had in mind, but I suppose, since we would be working together initially, I’d be able to keep an eye on you.’
Her eyes widened. ‘Are you saying that you voted in my favour?’
‘I am, albeit with reservations.’ The phone rang just then and he came over to the desk to half sit, half lean on the edge as he reached for the receiver. She was conscious of him being close to her, the fabric of his trousers stretched taut against his thigh, and she felt a sudden, unbidden, rush of heat race through her veins. ‘Okay, thanks,’ he said to whoever was on the other end of the line. ‘Will do.’
He replaced the receiver and looked at her. ‘That was Dr Gregson. He said to tell you the job’s yours if you want it.’
She gave a small gasp. ‘Really? Oh, I do. Definitely, I do.’
His mouth curved, giving his features an irresistible sex appeal. ‘Good. That’s settled, then.’ His expression sobered. ‘Though there is one proviso I should add.’
‘And that is...?’ She frowned, on edge all over again.
‘We feel there should be a three-month trial period to give us all time to decide whether we think things will work out. It’ll be a mutual arrangement. After all, you may decide you don’t care for the way we do things here, and once your brother and his wife are out of hospital, you may want to go back to the mainland.’
She mulled it over. Right now, she couldn’t see that happening, because she would always want to be close to her family, but it was true she had friends back in Cornwall, people she would miss.
‘I can see how a three-month trial might work both ways.’ She was troubled, though. This result was a positive one for the time being, but it wasn’t quite what she’d hoped for, not with this inevitable sense of insecurity hanging over her. Tyler was the one who would have pushed for that condition, she was sure. How could she convince him that she wouldn’t let him down?
She said carefully, ‘Look, I know you have your doubts about me, but I’m sure I can show you that I’m as sensible and methodical as you or anyone else.’
She thought about it for a moment or two and then added hastily, ‘In fact, why don’t you come over for supper one evening...Saturday, perhaps? Then I can show you that I don’t always live surrounded by chaos and upheaval. You’ll see, I can be every bit as efficient and on the ball as you are.’
‘You don’t have to do that—’
‘I know. I want to.’
He inclined his head a fraction. ‘Then, yes, thank you. I’d like that—that is, provided I’m not called out to any sudden emergencies.’ He frowned. ‘I believe I’m on call over the weekend. I wouldn’t want to put you to any trouble unnecessarily.’
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