LITMIR.BIZ

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make her glow like Misty glowed now.

      She’d been rudely awakened to the fact that the fiancé she’d left behind at Westside had been no great loss. It had all been such a fabulous whirlwind when they’d met. The knight to storm her chastity, romantic declarations and gifts from Mark, but then within a few months she’d been the cook, cleaner, laundress and all-round organiser for a man who just wanted a mother while he played at medical research.

      She’d thought she was in love, he’d looked the part and even said the right words in the beginning, but now she just felt stupid for seeing something that hadn’t been there.

      The first inkling had come when she’d caught a virus that had left her weak and unable to care for herself, let alone do all the things she’d grown used to doing for Mark.

      He’d been horrified that she’d hoped he’d help her. Then to find out she was pregnant when her contraception had failed and Mark’s absolute horror and total denial that he would ever want a family or responsibilities. Something he’d neglected to mention when he’d asked her to marry him.

      Then his other girlfriend had showed up. Another research scientist and as glamorous as Mark.

      Mia wasn’t sure who she felt more sorry for. Herself for love and illusions wasted or the poor woman who was engaged to him now.

      She and her baby would be fine. She would build a wonderful life for both of them and Lyrebird Lake would help them.

      ‘You okay?’

      Mia refocussed on her friend. ‘Sorry.’ She dredged up a smile for Misty. ‘I’m so glad you and Montana insisted I move up here. I’ve missed you guys.’

      ‘We’re glad you’re here too. Apart from the fact that we desperately need midwives as our clientele grows. Come and say hello to my stepdaughter. Tammy’s almost packed.’

      Half an hour later Mia watched the new family drive away and she turned back to tidy up before Josephine arrived. After that she’d lock up. A couple of hours in a busy emergency ward would be just the thing to stomp on the self-pitying thoughts she couldn’t shake off.

      Her thoughts drifted over to Ned and Angus and she wondered how things were going over at the house. It was surprising how much she would have liked to be a fly on the wall over there.

      ‘We missed you last night.’ Angus was already in the kitchen the next morning when Mia opened the door, and he looked very large and very much at home.

      She guessed technically he was home! From something Simon had said she had the feeling that his father hadn’t had much of a home life since he’d left.

      Angus stood up and waited for her to be seated and she frowned. She’d thought chivalry had gone out with the ark. It’d certainly had for Mark.

      ‘Good morning, Angus. Don’t wait for me. Please sit down.’ She poured herself a tiny coffee from a shiny chrome percolator she’d never seen before, which was plugged beside the stove. A taste wouldn’t hurt, she thought, adding plenty of milk for good measure.

      ‘I’ll wait,’ he said, and she frowned at him.

      The strong smell of rich coffee beans made her draw a deep, indulgent sigh and when she opened her eyes Angus was watching her. She sat quickly.

      ‘Smells good?’

      ‘My only weakness,’ she said firmly and ignored the tremble in her knees. Then she had a thought. ‘Coffee and chocolate. I have two.’

      ‘Chocolate?’

      ‘Mmm.’ She wanted to talk about him. ‘So what are your plans now you’ve been reunited with Ned and found a son?’

      He put his cup down and sat back in the chair. The silence lengthened and he didn’t smile, but somehow she knew he was amused. ‘So you just want to go straight for the information, do you? No fooling around?’ Angus said.

      Their eyes met and she could feel those flickering darts of heat in her stomach that she hadn’t realised could be ignited by just a glance. She shouldn’t even be talking to this guy. He was far too dangerous to her peace of mind.

      She feigned an uninterested shrug and pulled the toast he’d indicated towards her. ‘If you don’t want to tell me then don’t.’ It was so frustrating that she couldn’t read his thoughts, but she didn’t have any idea what was going on in his mind.

      ‘Prickly little thing, aren’t you?’ was all he said.

      So he wasn’t going to answer. It was disappointing, but she’d live.

      Then he went on as if musing. ‘Should I tell you something and you can decide whether you think it’s a good choice on my part?’

      She frowned. ‘I was just making polite conversation.’ Well, she wasn’t really, because she wanted to know, but blow him. He could keep his plans secret for all she cared.

      ‘Ah. Polite.’ The inflection rose as if he didn’t believe a word of it.

      She glared at him again. The guy was infuriating. Then she noticed the tiny quirk at the edge of those sinfully seductive lips of his and realised.

      And he confirmed it. ‘So I should stop teasing you?’

      She relaxed as he dragged a smile out of her. ‘You had me going. I’m not used to subtlety. My fiancé has none.’ She didn’t know why she did it, maybe some dormant protective instinct, but she put the present tense in there as a safeguard from the feelings this man stirred in her.

      ‘You’re engaged?’

      She didn’t meet his eyes. ‘To a doctor in Sydney.’

      Angus looked interested. ‘So when are you getting married?’

      That’s what came of telling lies. ‘We’re having a break.’ Then she looked at him and added, ‘I don’t want to talk about it.’ Well, that was the truth.

      ‘Fine. Neither do I.’ He did that almost-smile thing with his lips and she held her breath in case he actually did give her a full-blown grin, but it didn’t happen. The guy would be an awesome poker player.

      She took a sip of the glorious coffee and closed her eyes. ‘Did you make this?’ Good coffee was the only thing she missed about Sydney. Even a taste was heaven.

      ‘Yep. My specialty.’ He paused. ‘So what are you doing today?’ he asked just as she took another sip, and her glottis closed too late as coffee slipped into her windpipe and suddenly she had to cough and splutter inelegantly as she wheezed to get her breath.

      Almost immediately Angus was behind her chair and with both his hands he straightened her shoulders and then tapped her once between the shoulder blades. Not in that thumping, cure-worse-than-thedisease way men usually had, but one firm tap with the flat of his hand that cleared her airway instantly.

      She whistled in the next breath and her sight cleared as she wiped her eyes. ‘Thank you.’

      He sat down. ‘My pleasure. Next time I’ll wait until after you sip before I start a conversation.’

      She pushed the coffee away. She was embarrassed enough. ‘I’ve had enough.’

      He nodded. ‘Then it’s safe to ask again? If you have any plans for today?’

      Mia didn’t know where to look so she settled for a glance at the coffee pot and back. ‘I’m on call from three this afternoon and doing the night shift if I’m needed in Maternity.’

      ‘Then you could come for an early lunch?’

      That’s what she’d thought he was getting to. Whoa, there, boy. Didn’t I just say I was unavailable?

      Almost as if he heard her thoughts he went on. ‘I should explain. You being engaged actually helps as I don’t want to give you the wrong impression.’

      Wrong impression?

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