he actually thinking of getting back together with her? Could they erase what had torn them apart and start over? If so, they could just put off signing any papers for a while and wander down this lane for a few miles and see what happened.
Unless Annabelle didn’t want to do that.
Didn’t someone say that couples who were getting divorced would sometimes fall into each other’s arms one last time as a way of saying goodbye or having closure? What they’d done hadn’t seemed like that. At least not to him.
Vaguely he was aware of the sound of running water. Ah, that answered the question as to where she was. She was taking a shower.
Naked.
She probably had soap streaming down her body.
Naked.
When the word popped up a second time, he smiled. Hadn’t he just thought about how it was still early?
Well, they could kill two birds with one stone. He could soap her back, while doing a few other things.
Throwing the blankets off, he realised the flat was chilly. The heat must be turned down, since Suzanne hadn’t expected anyone to be living here.
He’d have to call her this morning and let her know he’d spent the night so she didn’t come into the flat, realise someone had been in there and assume there’d been an intruder. And he’d promised he would call the hospital first thing to see how Baby Hope was doing. This was a good time to do that.
Bringing up the number on his smartphone, he rang the main desk of the hospital.
‘This is Mr Ainsley. Is Miss McDonald in yet?’
‘Let me check.’
The voice clicked off and became elevator music as he was put on hold. The shower was still running. Even if she came out before he was done with his call, he would just coax her back under the spray.
The music stopped and Sienna’s voice came over the line. ‘Hi, Max. Everything okay?’
It was more than okay, but that wasn’t something he was going to tell anyone. Not yet.
‘Fine. I’m just checking on our patient.’
He could practically hear a smile form on the other doctor’s lips. ‘We have several patients. Which one are you referring to?’
This time the smile was on his end. ‘A certain young transplant patient.’
‘She’s fine. No more episodes of a-fib.’ There was a pause. ‘I do seem to remember telling you I would call you if there was any change.’
‘You did. But I wanted to be able to tell...’ This time it was Max who stopped short. He wasn’t really ready for anyone to know that he and Annabelle had spent the night together. ‘I just wanted to see if I needed to rush back this morning or not.’
‘No need to rush at all. She’s doing brilliantly.’
‘Good. Thank you for taking over her case during my absence.’
‘Not a problem at all. Are you coming back today?’
‘Yes.’ Which brought back to mind what he’d set out to do when he got out of bed. ‘I’ll be in around four o’clock this afternoon. Call me if you need me.’
‘I will. Have a safe trip.’
‘Thank you.’
Max rang off, scrubbing a hand through his hair. And now back to his previous thoughts of Annabelle and that shower.
Before he headed for the bathroom, though, he made a quick detour down the hallway and turned the heating up to a tolerable level—the amazing thing was they hadn’t noticed the cold last night when they’d been making love. Then he padded back to the bathroom, stopping just outside the door.
The shower was definitely running.
He hadn’t put on any clothes before falling asleep so that saved him a step. His mouth watered. He could certainly use a shower. Now more than ever.
Trying the doorknob and finding it unlocked, he eased into the room. Steam enveloped the space. She’d been in here a while. But then again, he remembered Annabelle had loved long, luxurious baths and showers. Her skin would be soft and moist...
Gulping, he removed his watch and placed it on the counter and then turned towards the shower enclosure. He could just barely make out Annabelle’s form through the frosted glass. His body hardened all over again. How did she do that to him?
It was almost as if they’d been given a clean slate. Something he’d needed—they’d both needed.
With that thought in his head, he wrapped a hand around the handle of the door just as the water switched off.
Damn!
Yanking the door open, he found a pink-faced Annabelle, her hair streaming down her back, eyes wide with surprise.
‘Max! I thought you were still asleep.’
‘I was. But then I heard the shower and thought I might take one too.’
Her slow smile lit up the enclosure. ‘I think I might have left you a little hot water. If you can be quick.’
‘Did you forget? We had an on-demand unit put in. I can be as slow as I want to be.’
‘Can you?’ Her smile widened. ‘I may have missed a spot or two, then. Do you mind if I join you?’
‘I was counting on it.’
With that, Max closed the door and turned on the shower. Then, with the sting of hot water pelting his back, he put everything else out of his mind as he moved to turn on Anna.
* * *
Annabelle stretched up to kiss Max’s shoulder one last time, her body warm and limp as she stood on the warm tiles of the shower enclosure. ‘Were you able to call the hospital yet?’
‘How did I know you were going to ask that?’ He gathered her hair in his hand and squeezed the excess water out. ‘I’ve missed doing this.’
‘Showering?’
‘Showering...with you.’
‘I’ve missed it too. Along with...’ Her hands swept down his chest, heading to regions below, only to have him catch her before she reached her destination.
‘Witch. Is that all you’ve missed?’
Was there a hint of insecurity in that voice? Impossible. Max was never insecure. He always knew exactly what he wanted. Or didn’t want.
A chill went over her.
No. He’d said he’d missed her. Or had he? Hadn’t his exact words been that he’d missed showering with her? Having sex
