wasn’t convinced. But she was here and would ensure that her sister got through the next few months as painlessly as possible.
‘Brianna tells me you’re a paediatrician,’ Caitlin said, keen to get the conversation onto neutral ground.
‘Yep, for my sins,’ he replied.
She flicked the kettle on. ‘Would you like some coffee before you go?’
‘Sure,’ he said.
Caitlin looked around for where Brianna kept the mugs. Behind her Andrew reached over her to the top cupboard. For a moment she was imprisoned between him and the worktop. Acutely conscious of the heat of his body, she felt her heart begin to thud. She would have given anything to move away from him, but that would have only drawn attention to the awkwardness she felt. Thankfully, as soon as he had grabbed two mugs, he stepped away. He spooned coffee into the mugs, and then held out the jug of milk and raised one eyebrow in question.
Once their coffee was poured, Andrew sat at the kitchen table and stretched his long legs in front of him. ‘Tell me about you,’ he said, looking at her intently. At that moment Caitlin felt as if her world had shrunk to the kitchen and him and her. Every nerve in her body seemed to be tingling in response to him. She couldn’t remember when she’d last had such an immediate reaction to a man. No, strike that. She couldn’t remember ever having had a reaction like this to a man. It wasn’t just his dark good looks, although he was pretty hot, it was the aura that surrounded him. As if he was pulling her into his magnetic field and she was powerless to resist.
‘There’s not much to tell,’ Caitlin said, desperate for him not to see how he was affecting her. ‘I am Irish—but you know that,’ she said as his mouth quirked. ‘I’ve always wanted to be a doctor, well, since about twelve anyway. I have three older brothers, whom I love but drive me mad. My mum and dad breed horses. That’s about it. What about you?’
‘I’m an only child.’ For a moment a shadow darkened his eyes. ‘My parents are from India, they’re retired and live in Sydney. They came here years ago. I was born here but they’re still pretty traditional. I didn’t know what I wanted to do until my final year at school, but I know I made the right decision to become a doctor. I like all watersports, but am useless on a horse. Anything else you’d like to know?’ He grinned at her. Caitlin wondered if he too felt the electricity that was fizzing around them.
‘Hey, you started this,’ Caitlin rejoined. ‘The question-and-answer session, that is…’ Oh, dear, what if he thought she meant something else?
Suddenly he frowned, then got to his feet. Caitlin looked up to find him towering above her. What had she said to cause the change? One minute he’d seemed relaxed, the next…as if he wanted nothing more than to get away from her as quickly as possible. A thought struck her. Did he think she was flirting with him? Did he think she had misread friendly interest for something else? She felt her toes curl with embarrassment. She stood too, feeling dwarfed by his size.
‘I’ll pick you up on Monday morning and take you in to the hospital if you like,’ Andrew offered. ‘I can give you the lowdown on the way in.’
Caitlin smiled at him gratefully. ‘I’d appreciate that,’ she said. ‘Niall has said I’m welcome to use one of their cars whenever I need to, but I’m not sure I can find my way on the first day. I’ve a hopeless sense of direction. Oh, and thanks again for arranging the job for me.’
Andrew looked down at her and smiled. ‘As I said, no sweat. It’ll be great to have you. We’re all looking forward to seeing the renowned Dr O’Neill in action. I’ll see you on Monday.’
‘No pressure, then,’ Caitlin mouthed at his retreating back.
As Andrew pulled away from the house and headed towards the freeway that would take him home, he let out a low whistle. Dr Caitlin O’Neill was nothing like he’d imagined. He didn’t know what he had expected when he’d offered to help by organising a job out for Brianna’s sister. He was thinking about another doctor—a colleague—that was all. But when he had literally fished her out of the sea, he had been immediately struck by her stunning good looks. That incredible hair and those eyes! Although similar in colour to Brianna’s, Caitlin’s eyes had an intensity that reminded him of a cat pinning its prey. He laughed out loud at the image. Recalling the feeling of the silky-smooth skin under his fingertips, he almost groaned. This was a woman he would like in his bed. Not marriage—no, never that—but an affair. And why not? She looked like the kind of woman whose heart would be difficult to break.
CHAPTER TWO
CAITLIN dressed carefully for work on Monday. She knew that Australian hospitals were less formal than Irish ones, especially given the heat, but she wanted to create the right impression. She chose a floaty skirt that, while cool, still looked smart and teamed it with a short-sleeved white blouse. She twisted her hair into a chignon and then she was ready.
Breakfast was a far rowdier affair than Caitlin was used to. Living alone, she was used to a quiet breakfast with the paper, not this hive of activity. How could such small children make such a racket and how could Brianna think straight with all the noise?
Niall collected his briefcase and slung an overnight bag over his shoulder. He kissed his wife and sister-in-law goodbye. ‘I’ll be back on Friday,’ he told Brianna. ‘Are you sure you’ll be all right?’
‘Go on, you big softy.’ His wife pushed him towards the door. ‘I’ve Caitlin here if I need anything—which I won’t.’ As husband and wife smiled at each other Caitlin felt a pang. What would it feel like to be loved like that? she wondered. Not that she really wanted to find out, she reminded herself. She liked her uncomplicated life back in Dublin exactly the way it was. She had work, loads of friends and plenty of hobbies to keep her busy. The last thing she needed in her life were complications, and if ever she wondered whether she was leading the right life, she just thought about her mother. Although she loved her mother fiercely, her whole life had been taken up with bringing up her large family of three boys and two girls. Caitlin had never seen her mother do anything just for herself. That wasn’t the life Caitlin had mapped out for herself.
She had just finished breakfast when she heard a toot from the driveway. Looking out, she saw Andrew had arrived in a sports car. He jumped over the door and came to meet her. Unlike on Saturday, he was dressed more formally, in a white shirt and light-coloured chinos. He looked fresh cool and very handsome. He opened the door for her with a flourish.
‘Your carriage awaits,’ he said.
‘Why, thank you, sir,’ Caitlin quipped back. ‘You are too kind.’
Soon they were leaving the leafy suburbs behind and were on the freeway. As he drove, Andrew pointed out various landmarks so that Caitlin would find her way the next day. They crossed a bridge, passing modern skyscrapers. Everything seemed as different from Ireland, with its green rolling countryside and the Georgian architecture of Dublin, as it could be.
‘What do you think so far?’ he asked.
‘Apart from the heat? I think it’s wonderful,’ Caitlin answered.
‘It’s not just the beaches, although you have to admit they are the best in the world. The Sunshine Coast is an hour to the north and the Gold Coast about the same distance south. We do some outreach work in both areas, so you’ll get a chance to see them.’
‘I’m looking
