LITMIR.BIZ

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before heading out the door. ‘You two are close.’ Something strangely like envy darkened her voice.

      ‘Her husband’s been my best mate from years back when we were into surfing. We continued our friendship into med school, and never stopped since.’ Cole had been there for him in the darkest days. Taking Molly’s elbow, he kept his touch light when he longed to pull her closer and breathe in that rich fragrance that was her. Funny but he hadn’t realised how often he’d smelled it until now. She really was doing a number on him, and didn’t have a clue. Which was something to be grateful for. That, and not how he was spending time with her, breaking down the barrier she kept between them.

      ‘You don’t surf now?’ When she tilted her head back to stare up at him it was almost impossible not to reach across to tuck some wayward curls behind her ear.

      Resisting required effort, so it took time to answer. ‘Occasionally I chase a wave out where I live but not as often as I used to. Cole joined the army and I broke an ankle. That didn’t prevent me getting back on the board once the bones mended, but around that time specialised study began taking up all my spare hours.’

      What was left had been for Rosie. Rosie. His heart wavered. The love of his life. Nothing like Molly. Would he have taken a second look if she had been? It would be too strange.

      Hang on. Second look? There’d been a third, fourth and more. He shivered, suddenly afraid of where this might lead. All the moisture in Nathan’s mouth dried up. He might be getting closer to stepping off the edge in the hope of finding that deep, loving happiness he’d once known, but what if it all went sour? Turned to dislike instead? Or worse, what if he fell in love with a woman he couldn’t make happy because of his past?

      They reached his car. ‘What’s your address in Bondi Junction?’

      ‘I’ll put it in the GPS.’ Molly settled into the seat and buckled in. ‘I know the way, but let’s play it safe.’ Seemed she wanted to get there as soon as possible.

      They didn’t talk on the way, but when he pulled up outside the apartment block Molly indicated, he said, ‘I’ll walk you to the entrance.’ The sooner the better. He needed to breathe air not laden with Molly’s scent, and to put space between them. Then drive away, windows lowered and music on loud. He needed to stop, think about what he was doing getting to know Molly, before it got out of hand.

      ‘That’s not necessary.’ She grabbed her bag from the floor and elbowed the door open, snatching up the hairbrush that had fallen out of her bag.

      The door shut with a soft click, but Nathan was already moving around to join her on the pavement. ‘When I see someone home I go all the way.’

      Her emerald eyes widened as something akin to laughter sparkled out at him. ‘We don’t know each other well enough for that.’

      ‘You know what I meant.’

      That was not disappointment blinking out at him. It couldn’t be. Then Molly proved it wasn’t. ‘That’s a relief. I wasn’t a hundred percent sure what you were saying.’ Her eyes cleared, but there was a little twitching going on at the corners of her mouth.

      Hell, he’d love to kiss that mouth. He needed to know if those lips were as soft and inviting as they looked. His upper body leaned forward without any input from his brain, but as he began to lift his arms, common sense stepped in. Molly would kick him where no man wanted a shoe if he followed through.

      Stepping back, he looked around the area. The entrance was accessed immediately off the footpath where a bus stop was outlined. Nothing wrong in that, but it was so ordinary and Molly was anything but. He sighed, long and slow. It had nothing to do with him where she chose to live. This was getting out of hand. He was making up stuff without Molly saying a word. But he had to ask, ‘How long have you lived here?’

      She was focused on a pebble, rolling it round on the pavement with the toe of one classy shoe, then, raising her head, she eyeballed him. ‘Since I moved to Sydney a year ago. I worked in a medical centre down the road while looking for a job in an emergency department anywhere in the city.’

      ‘I’d have thought there’d be plenty of opportunities in that time. You picky, or something?’ He added a smile to take the heat out of his question.

      ‘I got a job within weeks of starting at the medical centre, but a nurse I worked with came down with leptospirosis and when the manager asked me to stay on until she was back up to speed I didn’t feel I could let them down. They’d been nothing but good to me from day one.’

      How many questions could he get away with? Pushing her wasn’t being fair, but he needed to learn more. Maybe the answers would dampen the ardour taking hold of him. ‘I’d have thought you’d move closer to the city, where the shops and nightclubs are.’

      ‘I like it out here.’ For the first time he heard doubt in her voice. ‘Neither do I mind the train trip. It doesn’t take long. Judging by the traffic the few times I’ve driven in, I think the train probably gets me there in less time than it takes you in that fancy car.’

      True. ‘Where did you move from?’ So much for shutting up.

      ‘Adelaide. Before that, Perth.’ The pebble flicked across the path as she turned away. ‘I’m heading inside for some sleep. Thanks for bringing me home.’

      His heart skittered. What was wrong with his last question? ‘Wait.’ What the hell for? Despite the tightening in his belly and groin brought on by those curves outlining her jacket and trousers, he had to let her go. He wasn’t ready for this. He’d bet Molly wasn’t either.

      She paused to look over her shoulder. ‘Go home, Nathan. Get some sleep too. Being Friday, tonight’s bound to be hectic.’

      Ignoring that, he said, ‘You want to come with me sometime when I take this...’ he waved at his car ‘...for a blast along the highway?’ What happened to not ready, and thinking things through? Damned if he knew, other than he wasn’t giving up that easily now that he’d started.

      She stared at him as if he’d just asked her to fly to the moon in a toy box.

      He waited, breath stalled between his lungs and his nostrils, hands tightening and loosening. What was the problem? He’d asked Molly to go for a spin, which meant sharing the small space and breathing her scent some more. No big deal. Yet it felt huge. It was a date. So what? About damned time. There’d been the occasional romp in the sack with women who understood that was all he was offering.

      He knew instinctively that Molly would not want that with him. Then again, maybe she would, and he could have fun and walk away afterwards. Shock hit him in the gut. He didn’t want that with this woman. All or nothing. No half-measures. All had to be out of the question. She wasn’t his type. So it had to be nothing. About to withdraw his offer of a ride, he got a second shock.

      Molly was grinning at him, and it was the most amazing sight. Beautiful became stunning, quiet became gorgeous and cheeky. ‘Only if I get a turn at the wheel.’

      His heart must’ve stopped. Nothing was going on behind his ribs. His lungs had seized. It didn’t surprise him when his knees suddenly turned rubbery. How could he refuse her? Leaning back against the car to prevent landing in a heap on the damp asphalt, he asked, ‘You like driving fast?’ Fast and dangerous? He hadn’t thought dangerous would come into anything Molly did. She appeared too cautious. Appeared, right? Not necessarily correct.

      ‘Strictly safe and sensible, that’s me.’ The grin dipped.

      Phew. He could get back on track, be the colleague who’d brought her home—and ignore the challenge he’d set himself. If only Molly’s mouth hadn’t flattened, because that got him wanting to make her smile again. ‘I promise I’ll be so safe you’ll want to poke me with needles.’ He straightened, took a tentative step and, when he didn’t fall over, began walking up to the main door, making sure Molly was with him.

      He got no further than the entrance.

      ‘Thanks,

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