won’t be,’ she affirmed quickly.
Aiden felt a weird tightening in his chest. So far, so good but now there seemed nowhere for the conversation to go. That was until the children, curious about their mother’s visitor, nudged in beside her.
Kate gathered them in, her smiling mouth soft and pretty. ‘Aiden, these are my children, Luke and Mia. Kids, this is Dr O’Connor from the surgery.’
‘Luke. Mia.’ O’Connor greeted them almost formally. ‘I’m Aiden.’
‘Can you play soccer?’ Luke asked hopefully.
‘You bet I can. Can you?’
‘A bit. But there’s no room to practise here.’ Luke looked dolefully around the back garden.
‘Ah …’ Aiden rubbed his chin thoughtfully. He turned to Kate. ‘There’s a great park near the showgrounds. Have you not found it yet?’
‘There’s hardly been time. Perhaps we could go across later.’ She tried to placate Luke with the promise.
‘I could take him for a kick-about now,’ Aiden said before he knew he was going to say it.
‘Thanks, but I can’t let you do that,’ Kate protested quietly. She made a small face. Oh, lord, this was awkward.
‘Of course. I understand.’ Aiden spread his hands in mute acceptance. ‘You hardly know me after all.’
It wasn’t just that. Kate battled with conflicting emotions. Was it wise to allow Aiden to become involved in their lives so quickly? Or at all, for that matter? But on the other hand, it would be so good for Luke to have some male company. Her dad did his best but now in his late-sixties, understandably, his energy levels were flagging. And Aiden was young. More like a real dad.
Kate felt discomfort flood her. Too far. Too fast. She dithered a second too long.
‘Can I, Mum?’ Luke piped up, his tone wheedling, his big brown eyes pleading.
‘Why don’t we all go to the park?’ Aiden suggested, forcing himself not to reach out, not to touch Kate. He wanted to reassure her that he, Aiden O’Connor, was trustworthy. He wanted to see her relax, make her laugh.
Stop her acting so uptight around him. He wanted to get to know her a whole lot better. A whole lot. And away from from the constraints of the surgery.
‘All of us?’ Kate said, and frowned a bit.
‘Seems sensible.’
Kate’s heart twitched and kept on twitching while Aiden’s smile warmed, deepened, drawing her in. ‘OK, then.’ She flapped her hands in an airy motion of acceptance. ‘I’ll put together a few snacks and things. We may as well make a morning of it.’
Mia jigged in excitement. ‘Are there any swings?’ she asked Aiden.
‘And monkey bars.’
Kate felt her heart turn over, watching Aiden hunker down beside her daughter, diminishing the impact of his height. ‘And rope ladders,’ he told Mia seriously. ‘Even a flying fox.’
‘She’s too little for that,’ Luke chimed in importantly.
‘Am not.’ Mia’s fierce little look told him what she thought of that.
‘Perhaps if I hold onto Mia, she could manage the flying fox.’ Aiden pursed his lips as if considering the problem. ‘What do you think, Luke?’
‘Yeah, I s’pose.’ Luke gave grudging approval.
Good grief, he was a natural. Kate ran up the steps to the deck. Her heart felt as though it might burst. They looked so right together, Aiden O’Connor and her kids. She shouldn’t think it, but she did.
Kate couldn’t believe how fast the morning had flown. True to his promise, Aiden had put Luke through his paces. He’d been patient, encouraging and Luke had responded, his little face lit with happiness as Aiden showed him how to kick with the side of his boot and not the toe, as Luke had been doing. The results had been spectacular. Well, at least to his mother.
Kate thanked Aiden again as they took a breather. They were sitting on the wooden bench seat, their backs resting against the picnic table while the children played nearby. ‘This has been absolutely wonderful for Luke,’ Kate said. ‘I wouldn’t have had a clue about any of that technique stuff.’
‘Horses for courses, Kate.’ Aiden took a bite from the apple she’d tossed to him. ‘I coach for the local juniors. Would you consider allowing Luke to join one of our teams?’
Kate took her time answering. ‘I guess it would be good for him.’
‘I wouldn’t be coaching his age group,’ Aiden said casually. ‘I coach A level.’
‘Oh.’
‘But all the coaches are accredited. Luke would be in good hands. He’d have fun with his peers. And at his young age, playing sport should be about having fun. Don’t you agree?’
Aiden watched her thoughtful reaction to the concept. She tilted her face towards him, her hair brushing against his shoulder, a mess of wind-blown waves, long, shiny and smelling of citrus. Fabulous. He breathed in deeply to stop himself leaning into her and closing the space between them. Touching his mouth to hers.
But one touch would never be enough.
Kate tilted her chin. Aiden O’Connor had given up a whole morning to spend time with her children and yet he hadn’t seemed bored or indifferent. Well, if he was, he hadn’t let it show. In fact, he’d been unassuming and nice. And now he was smiling at her, his mouth tilting quizzically. He seemed in no hurry to leave, his tanned legs in their cargo shorts stretched out in front of him, his trainer-clad feet crossed at the ankles.
Avoiding his gaze, Kate dipped her head, locking her fingers around the edge of the bench seat. What was the question again? Oh, yes, having fun. There hadn’t been much fun in her own life recently but her kids deserved a truckload. She swallowed hard and then said huskily, ‘Childhood should all be about fun.’
‘I’ll let you know when sign-on day is happening, then, and you can bring Luke along.’ Aiden glanced at his watch. ‘And talking about fun, I should make tracks. Party in Brisbane tonight I can’t possibly miss.’
‘I won’t hold you up, then.’ Kate rocked to her feet. She felt sick with embarrassment. For just a little while she’d allowed herself to relax around Aiden O’Connor, to edge closer to him, mentally as well as physically. But he obviously had personal ties she knew nothing about. And it was none of her business anyway.
Aiden got to his feet slowly. What had he said? She’d already bolted, rounding up Luke and Mia as if she couldn’t wait to be shot of him.
‘Say, thank you to Dr O’Connor, kids.’ Kate tightened all the bits of herself that had seemed to have loosened, almost presenting the children to him for inspection. She felt such a fool. Letting herself be lulled by the sheer sexiness of the man. Letting herself begin to want things …
‘Kate.’
