in the apartment block, and all we ever do is nod and smile at each other.’ Once, that had been perfect. Now it seemed to roll out in front of her like an endless dark mat leading to a door going nowhere.
‘Where would you like to live?’
The phone rang, saving her from having to find an answer. The idea was new, and using Nathan as a sounding board would be stretching their new relationship a bit far. But then, this morning she’d have laughed if anyone had told her he’d be sitting in her apartment drinking tea right now.
There was no caller ID on her phone, only the same unknown number as previously. It wouldn’t be anything untoward, would it? ‘Hello?’ Molly said, hearing the caution in her voice and forcing a smile on her face. ‘Molly O’Keefe speaking.’ Easier to be brave when Nathan was sitting opposite her.
‘Hi, Molly. It’s Jean from the charity shop. The shop phone’s playing up so I’m using my personal one.’
Relief threaded through the tension that had begun tightening her body. ‘What can I do for you?’
‘You said to call if we got stuck for staff. One of the ladies who works Mondays has been called away to look after her sick mother. Is it possible you could help out?’
‘I’d love to. I have to be at the ED by three. Does that work for you?’
‘Perfect. Thank you so much. See you then.’ A dial tone replaced Jean’s voice. Just like that?
She dropped the phone on the table. ‘That takes care of Monday morning.’
Nathan was looking at her as though expecting more from her.
‘I put in a few hours at a charity shop that supports the women’s refuge. Fill shelves, run up sales. That sort of thing.’ The shop raised quite a lot of money for abused women and their kids, and it gave Molly a sense of satisfaction to contribute to people she understood all too well without having to explain herself. Though sometimes she suspected Jean had figured out why she turned up.
‘Go, you,’ Nathan said. Then a frown appeared. ‘You must get to hear some horror stories. I don’t think I could cope with those.’
She hesitated, torn between dodging the bullet and being honest. ‘Most of the people I meet come in to spend money and support the charity. Rarely are they the women who’ve survived abuse. Those who have don’t usually talk about it.’ Stop. This man wasn’t stupid. He’d see behind her words if she wasn’t careful.
‘You’re probably right. The rare exceptions being those brave women who go public about their ordeals in order to raise awareness.’ Awe shaded his voice, his face and that steady gaze. ‘I don’t know how they do it.’
‘Neither do I,’ she muttered truthfully.
Draining his mug, Nathan stood up. ‘I’d better get cracking, get things done before heading to the airport. Sleep being one of them. You look like you’re in need of some too.’
She might look tired and messy, but for once she felt more alive and awake than a toddler after a nap. Ready for fun, not sleep. Was Nathan responsible for that? Away from work she didn’t get so wound up around him, took his comments on the chin. ‘I might go for a run first. That always helps clear my mind.’ Anything to shake you out of my head.
‘Running doesn’t wake you up?’
‘Not often. I’m usually exhausted and a hot shower finishes me off.’
His eyes widened briefly. ‘Right,’ was all he said, but he managed one of those devastating smiles.
When she could breathe properly, she growled, ‘I thought you were leaving?’
‘Can’t a guy change his mind?’
The smile was still going on and now her legs were starting to protest about keeping her upright. Legs that were supposed to take her for a run. The couch was looking mighty good right about now. With or without Nathan? She wanted Nathan? Hell, when she finally woke up she didn’t do it in half-measures. There hadn’t been any sex in her life for a long time and now every last cell in her body was sitting up, fighting to be noticed.
‘No,’ she muttered around the need clogging her throat. Not sure if the ‘no’ had been directed at Nathan or herself. This was not going anywhere. They worked together. He was confident, she wasn’t. That was a work in progress. He’d have a woman in his life. What gorgeous-looking man didn’t? She’d get over this lust as soon as he left. Or in the next hour while she was out jogging. Or while she was in bed sleeping. Or on the train going into work tonight. She would. It was only an aberration in her carefully controlled world. A damned distracting aberration, but it would pass. No choice.
‘Can I have your phone number?’ Nathan pulled his phone from his pocket.
So much for passing. He’d raised the ante. ‘Why?’
His dark eyebrows rose. ‘So I can call when I’m going to take the car for that spin. Is that all right?’
If she was supposed to be getting over her reaction to him, then why was the thought of going for a ride with Nathan winding her belly tighter than ever? Rattling off the number, she hoped she’d got it right. She could’ve given him the number for the zoo for all she knew. ‘I’ll look forward to it.’ She headed for the door and hauled it open, needing to get him out of her small space where he took up all the air and made her feel tiny and fragile, and so, so alive.
Guess this was what getting a life meant. She had to pause, evaluate what was happening, figure out why she felt like this with Nathan when no one else brought on these feelings. No, no more pausing, hanging around waiting to see what the universe threw at her next. Try taking control instead. Slowly.
Nathan stepped past her, leaving a faint trail of outdoorsy aftershave scent behind him.
She gulped. Were need, desire, hope rising because she truly was attracted to him? Or was this all about getting a new life and he was merely a stepping stone? It was something else to figure out.
‘See you tonight.’ Quickly closing the door, she leaned against it and tipped her head back to stare at the ceiling as though the answers to her questions were written there. The excitement tripping through her veins, warming her long-frozen heart, was real. There’d been nothing slow about this debilitating sensation rocking her. Oh, no. Wham, bam, Nathan Lupton had stormed in and turned up the thermostat, taking her by surprise, and she didn’t want to back off. Even if she should.
‘Hell and damnation.’ Nathan shook his head as he pulled into the drive and parked at the back of his large, sprawling house. Towards the end of last night’s shift, quiet Molly had shown another side to herself, had become interesting. Except, having spent time with her dressed in a figure defining, classy blouse and trousers, sexy kept coming to mind, raising more questions than answers about what made her tick than anything had during the previous two months they’d worked together. From now on her stereotype uniform was not going to negate those images.
And the short time he’d spent in her apartment had him wanting to know more about where she came from, the life she’d led before moving to Sydney.
Hah.
