âAt the moment you look like you could have anything you want.â
He stopped, right in the middle of the hallway, and turned to face her.
âReally?â
He didnât glance around to see if anyone was watching, just put his hand on her elbow and slowly steered her back against the wall. He stepped in, so he could stare down into her face, and his pupils dilated in the dim light as he scrutinised her features one by one.
Miaâs inner voice chanted, Tsk-tsk. Silly girl. Thatâs what comes of pulling the tigerâs tail.
His voice lowered, and when he spoke it seemed her inner voice was right.
âI can have anything? What about you, Mia? Can I have you?â
A mother to five sons, Fiona McArthur is an Australian midwife who loves to write. Medical⢠Romance gives Fiona the scope to write about all the wonderful aspects of adventure, romance, medicine and midwifery that she feels so passionate aboutâas well as an excuse to travel! So, now that the boys are older, her husband Ian and youngest son Rory are off with Fiona to meet new people, see new places, and have wonderful adventures. Fionaâs website is at www.fionamcarthur.com
Recent titles by the same author:
THE MIDWIFEâS LITTLE MIRACLE (Lyrebird Lake Maternity)
THE MIDWIFEâS NEW-FOUND FAMILY (Lyrebird Lake Maternity)
THEIR SPECIAL-CARE BABY
THE SURGEONâS SPECIAL GIFT
âIS THIS the right place, Dad?â
Angus Campbell looked at the son he still couldnât believe was his and patted Simonâs shoulder awkwardly. âYes, mate.â How did one learn to be a âdadâ in one weekend? Angus pushed the thought away, raised his hand, and knocked on his own fatherâs door. âI just needed a minute to get my head together.â
He was talking to a closed door and the lack of response was unexpected. Angus strode to the window and peered in.
The house was quiet, something he couldnât remember it ever being. When you were brought up in a country doctorâs residence there was always someone coming or going. At the very least the housekeeper, Louisa, was usually there.
That would be the Louisa his father was going to marry. Another idea he had to get used to.
He turned the handle of the front door and, sure enough, it swung open. Theyâd never locked the front in his time either.
He looked at Simon and then peered down the central hallway again. âDoesnât look like anyone is home.â
His words fell away as the door to the bathroom opened and out of a cloud of billowing steam, framed by the door, stepped a very pinkâand delightfully curved in all the right placesâwoman. And she was only just wrapped in a leaf-green towel, putting him in mind of a rose on a dew-laden morning.
Angus learned his new son was a gentleman when Simon spun on his heel and faced the other way, unlike his father.
He should really do that too. Instead, Angus met the steady green eyes assessing his arrival and unashamedly enjoyed the spectacular view. âSorry.â
âSo I see.â Her voice was level and delightfully throaty, and she could have been dressed in a threepiece business suit given her composure. She held his gaze and he lost sight of the rest. âCan I help you?â she finally asked.
Impressed, Angus did avert his eyes for a moment. âIâm looking for Ned.â He looked back. Yep. Dewy rose. âDoes he still live here?â
âAh.â She nodded as if something had been confirmed. âThe prodigal son! We heard you were coming. Theyâve all left for the hospital to see the new baby. Give me a minute and Iâll be right out.â
She slipped into a room two doors down and shut the door firmly.
Angus blinked and stepped back.
âShe can handle you, Dad. Watch out.â Angus turned to look at this young man he barely knew, his son, and tilted his head.
âReally? On what knowledge do you base that assumption?â
Simon grinned. âOn my knowledge of women.â
So that explained it? The kid wasnât even twenty. âHow can you have such knowledge of women at your tender age?â
Simon flashed him a cheeky smile and Angus felt that pang again that heâd missed seeing this amazing young being grow up. No doubt he himself would have been a different man if heâd known heâd had a son. Angus felt the anger rise again and he damped it down ruthlessly. It was okay. He knew now.
Simon went on. âBecause I have four sisters and youâve been working eighty hours a week all over the world since I was born.â
Angus thought of the extremely desirable women heâd dated for short periods in far-off places over the years and decided his son didnât need to know his father had more than a little experience himself. âSo you know about me and not the other way around?â