LITMIR.BIZ

      ‘This is where she’s been sleeping?’

      The angry voice woke Rose, and she opened her eyes to see Zac towering over her small cot bed in the tiny family room on her father’s floor at the clinic. A young male nurse was fairly cowering in front of Zac.

      ‘Does this really look like suitable accommodation for a pregnant woman?’

      The nurse went red.

      Rose sat up and put a hand to her head when it swam. She hadn’t slept that well, and fatigue washed over her.

      Zac was down on his haunches in front of her. ‘Are you okay?’

      Before she could say anything he cursed and stood again. He was on his phone in seconds, issuing instructions, and Rose saw the nurse take his chance to escape further censure.

      She forced herself to stand as Zac was putting his phone away.

      He took her arm. ‘When was the last time you ate a decent meal or slept properly?’

      Rose blinked. She couldn’t actually remember.

      Zac cursed again and said ominously, ‘Right—that’s it.’

      He led her out of the tiny room and stood in front of her. She wanted to scowl at him for being so dominant and gorgeous first thing in the morning.

      ‘My car is downstairs. My driver is going to take you back to my hotel, where you are going to—’ He held up a hand when Rose opened her mouth, and waited till she’d shut it again before continuing, ‘Where you are going to eat breakfast and then go to bed in my room for a few hours. After that I’ll have a room arranged for you.’

      ‘But I can’t just leave! My father—’

      ‘Your father will be fine. I’ll stay with him.’

      Rose’s belly swooped. ‘But you’re busy…’

      Zac held up his phone, which admittedly looked as if it could launch a nuclear missile. ‘Nothing I can’t handle from here. Now, go—or I’ll put you over my shoulder.’

      The thought of Zac touching her and seeing how much she still wanted him was enough to galvanise her into moving. She checked on her still sleeping father and then Zac accompanied her downstairs.

      He said sternly, ‘I don’t want to see you until after you’ve slept and had lunch.’

      Feeling thoroughly bemused, Rose did as she was told, and had to admit that being looked after was seductive enough to be dangerous.

      When she did return to the hospital later, feeling much more herself again after some sleep, followed by a long hot shower and food, she stopped in her father’s doorway and took in the sight. Zac was sitting by the bed talking to her father, who was laughing weakly at whatever Zac had just said.

      They both looked up and saw her at the same time, and her father put out his hand. He already looked so much better.

      ‘Roisín, look who it is! Zachary Lyndon-Holt—’ Her father stopped and flushed and looked at Zac. ‘Sorry, son, it’s hard to remember you’re not—’

      Zac smiled, ‘It’s fine, Mr O’Malley.’

      Her father went red. ‘Stop that. It’s Séamus to you.’

      Rose’s heart swelled so much she thought it might burst. Danger. Because what would happen when Zac got bored with this responsibility and went again?

      She came into the room and said pointedly to Zac, ‘I’m here now. I’m sure you have things to attend to…’

      His eyes flashed, but he uncoiled his big body from the chair and stretched—which didn’t help her hormone levels. Then he said pointedly, ‘A word, Rose? Before I go?’

      She nodded and went out with him after he’d said goodbye to her father.

      She faced him. ‘Look, Zac—’

      ‘No, you look. I’m not going anywhere, and this is how it’s going to happen. There’s a room for you at the hotel. We are going to take it in turns to visit your father until he’s ready to go home, and there’s nothing you can do about it.’

      Rose’s mouth stayed open and Zac’s gaze dropped there for a moment. Electricity zinged between them.

      His gaze came up again. ‘I’ll see you later, Rose.’

      And then he turned and sauntered off and left her feeling frustrated, irritated, grateful…and generally in turmoil.