LITMIR.BIZ

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maybe Kate was thinking about the old friend from medical school she thought she’d spotted in the crowd at registration. The news that he was now married had been disappointing. Thanks to the latest disaster of being unceremoniously dumped by Rick, Georgia was completely over the idea of finding the love of her life but her flatmate was still a believer and, if anybody deserved the happy-ever-after of the full package, it was Kate.

      Perhaps the vibe of wishing the best for her had transmitted itself to Kate because she finally looked up from her meal. She glanced from Georgia to Dave and back again, a subtle quirk of her eyebrow confirming what Georgia already knew—that Dave was interested and it would be very easy to turn this chance meeting into something more—but even that didn’t provoke any hint of disapproval.

      Kate started chatting to Sally and Ken then, clearly interested in hearing about what it was like to live and work in New Zealand. Seeing that she seemed more relaxed about being here allowed Georgia to release a small sigh of relief. Maybe Kate was making an effort to embrace this adventure and the next couple of days would be a lot of fun for both of them.

      And maybe that was exactly what Georgia needed to do. To focus on this competition for what it was—an opportunity to demonstrate her skills to the best of her ability. Kate was smart enough to be right most of the time and the plan that had seemed like an epiphany a few weeks ago, however half-baked it had been, was a hare-brained scheme.

      And wrong?

      With a small, inward sigh, she joined in the conversation and avoided looking at Dave again until she had finished her meal. By the time they all filed out of the dining room on the way to the pre-competition briefing she had decided that Dave, despite how cute he might be, was safe. After only one candidate, she was done with her personal profile testing.

      She didn’t need Kate’s disapproval because she had just tapped into plenty of her own.

      Men who contributed to sperm banks were doing so with the full knowledge that they could be fathering children they would never know. Making an assumption that what someone didn’t know couldn’t hurt them was irresponsible and...and unacceptable.

      All the men here were safe.

      She was done with any list-ticking. The master plan had been scrapped.

      * * *

      ‘Between eleven-thirty and midnight tonight, you will all receive your list of events.’

      Georgia felt her heart pick up its rate as a squiggle of excitement tickled her gut. This was really happening. She’d heard about this competition years ago, when she’d been training to become a paramedic, and it had always been a dream. This was why she was here and the crazy idea of hooking up with someone and possibly going home pregnant was no longer even remotely interesting.

      ‘You will be given the GPS coordinates of the scenario and a start time,’ the official continued. ‘Please be there at least ten minutes before that time. If you are late, you will not be admitted and you will not be marked in that section of the competition.’

      Georgia elbowed Kate, who was standing close beside her in this very crowded room. ‘No chance of that happening,’ she whispered. ‘Not when I’m with you.’

      The comment should have earned the kind of eye-roll that Kate bestowed automatically whenever she was reminded of her compulsion to obey rules but, instead, she received a quick grin. Maybe Kate was feeling as excited as she was now that this was actually beginning. Or would be in a few hours.

      Starting at six a.m. tomorrow, there would be twelve tasks for each team to complete within twenty-four hours, with time allowed for rest and meal breaks along the way. A final warning about possible elimination from the competition if any teams were found to be sharing information about the tasks completed the briefing and a babble of conversation broke out amongst a shifting audience.

      To Georgia’s surprise, Kate immediately turned to the man standing on her other side.

      ‘What section are you in?’ she asked. ‘All doctors? Doctors and med students?’

      Her body language suggested the ease of an old friendship so Georgia realised that this man had to be the one Kate had told her about. Luke?

      ‘Doctor/paramedic.’ He put his arm over the shoulders of his companion. ‘This is Matteo Martini. Italian paramedic extraordinaire.’

      Georgia’s gaze shifted. And then something a lot bigger shifted inside her chest.

      This Italian paramedic had to be the most gorgeous man she had ever seen in her entire life. Well over six feet tall, his strong features were softened by a frame of soft waves of black hair and his eyes looked like the darkest, most luxurious chocolate you could imagine. And that smile...just crooked enough to give a hint of playfulness. Mischief even?

      Whatever. The net effect was drop-dead sexy.

      ‘Ooh...’ The sound was almost an approving hum and Georgia felt as if her body was shifting itself a bit closer, even though she knew she hadn’t moved. And then her mouth opened without giving her time to think about whatever words she wanted to produce. What did emerge was vaguely appalling.

      ‘A martini? Yes, please... Extra-dry—with an olive.’

      She saw the flash of surprise in those chocolate-coloured eyes but then it vanished in the wave of laughter that Georgia managed to join in with, making her ridiculously flirtatious comment no more than a joke.

      ‘This is Georgie,’ Kate said. ‘My paramedic partner.’

      It seemed the most natural thing in the world to fall into step beside Matteo as Kate and Luke led the way to the bar where everyone was going to wait for the scenario list and start times to be handed out.

      She felt small beside this solid male figure. And a bit embarrassed, to be honest, after her overly enthusiastic response to their introduction.

      Matteo seemed perfectly at ease. He bent his head so that his voice was like a soft, teasing growl intended only for her ears.

      ‘So...you and me, then?’

      Oh, help... If her response to their introduction had been flirtatious, this was more like blatant seduction and the reaction of her body to both the sound of his voice and the implied invitation was like nothing Georgia had ever experienced. She’d met this man less than a minute ago and already the attraction was so powerful she wanted...

      An upward glance gave her direct contact with those extraordinary eyes.

      Oh, man...she wanted everything. The sheer force of such an unexpected response to a stranger was actually alarming enough to make her break the eye contact within the space of a heartbeat.

      And she didn’t trust herself to say a single word.

      Even more disturbingly, she could feel a faint fluttering sensation that she recognised only too well.

      Hope...

      That this was it. That perhaps she had found the person she had been searching for. Her person.

      The mental stamp was forceful enough to squash the flutter.

      How many times? It wasn’t even that long since her heart had been broken for what she had sworn would be the very last time. She was not going to be stupid enough to take even a single step down that path. The one that ended with someone waiting inside a pretty church, bathed in all the promise of happily-ever-after.

      No and no and no.

      ‘The competition,’ Matteo offered helpfully into the short silence. ‘We’re in the same category. We both have a doctor for a partner.’

      ‘Oh...that’s true.’ There was a very different sensation dampening the flicker of desire now. Disappointment?

      For heaven’s sake, Georgia told herself firmly. Get a grip...

      Matteo paused by the entrance to the bar to allow her to go in first. He smiled at her.

      ‘I intend

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