LITMIR.BIZ

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down that much, and neither would she. Sophie watched him stride away, those long, muscular legs giving her heart palpitations. How could anyone be so perfect?

      Aha, that’s physically.

      What about his personality? Couldn’t be perfect as well. Probably not, but so far she hadn’t found anything to make her dislike him or even be wary of him. Right now she didn’t care. She was too busy enjoying the view.

      Cooper waved over his shoulder at her without turning round. So he knew she was ogling him. Ego. He was so used to women falling all over him it would never occur otherwise.

      Didn’t help that she’d proven him right.

      * * *

      The water was cool and immediately brought down the heat that had plagued her all day. ‘This is bliss.’

      She was glad she’d come. Forget looking like a beached whale. For the first time in ages she was comfortable in the hot northern state. Auckland could be warm and muggy, but never did the temperatures reach the thirties. Which had to be a plus for when she got home.

      ‘You’re happy?’ Water splashed over her as Cooper dropped down beside her.

      ‘Very.’ She sighed her pleasure.

      ‘You’re easily pleased.’

      Sometimes. ‘Where did you do your training?’

      He went with the change of subject. ‘Auckland. Qualified as a surgeon four years ago and signed up for a short stint with the army straight away. You?’

      ‘Otago.’ She’d been in a hurry to get away from home. Nothing to keep her there. ‘I was four years behind you.’

      ‘Why did you sign up for the military?’

      ‘I love travelling and they were wanting surgeons for places I’d never been and was unlikely to visit on my own.’ Travelling kept her focused and didn’t allow time for the doubts and insecurities to creep in. If she didn’t stay in one place for long she wasn’t in danger of getting close to people.

      ‘You wanted to see Afghanistan?’

      ‘Why not?’ It hadn’t been her first pick but she’d signed up for an adventure. Not the army’s fault she’d got more than she’d bargained for. ‘Thank goodness it was only a twelve-month contract.’ She shuddered as vivid memories of that attack in Bamiyan struck.

      ‘Got more than you bargained for?’

      ‘I still have nightmares about that bomb blast. Do you?’

      ‘Often.’ Cooper traced a finger over her chin. ‘There are some good memories about what followed.’

      Sophie’s head jerked back. She had those memories too. But that had been then, while now was a whole new deal. ‘I was incredibly naïve to think nothing would happen while I was there.’

      I’m thinking bombs, not babies.

      ‘I reckon every soldier who signs up is guilty of that. By the way, have you heard how Kelly’s doing?’

      ‘Really well, despite losing her leg.’ They talked regularly. ‘She’s planning on returning to nursing on a part-time basis as soon as she gets the hang of her prosthesis. She’s fallen in love with one of the medics who evacuated her to Darwin, and they’ve set up house together in Perth.’

      ‘The strange twists of fate.’

      Yeah. Look what fate had done for her. ‘It’s stopped me in my tracks, and made me reassess what’s important. Before Bamiyan my life was all about surgery and travel. Now I’ve got someone else to think about.’

      And I still have no idea what I’m doing.

      ‘Are you going to continue working after the baby’s born?’

      ‘I’m hoping for part time at first.’ The money she’d saved while in the army would see her through till the New Year if she was careful.

      ‘You’ll employ a nanny?’

      She blew air over her lips. ‘Not sure yet. I don’t like that idea, but I do have to earn a living.’

      Cooper pushed away and began swimming. His arms cut through the water, his strength pulling him along quickly and efficiently. What had she said? It was the truth. She didn’t have a wealthy family to fall back on. She didn’t have any sort of family to turn to really. Mum and Dad wouldn’t want a bar of her and her baby, which was why she hadn’t found the courage to tell them they were about to become grandparents. She couldn’t face their scorn at having made the same mistake they had. But there was a difference. She wasn’t getting married for the sake of her reputation, as her parents had done.

      Sophie flipped onto her back to float on the current, but the bulge that was her belly poked up at the sky and she immediately dropped back onto her feet. Sinking until the water reached her chin she relaxed into the coolness and pushed aside all her doubts for another day. It was strange how that now she’d told Cooper about the baby everything else she’d been avoiding was filling her head. Finding somewhere to live, getting furniture, baby clothes and a bassinet. Then there was telling her parents about the mistake she’d made with Cooper. Time was running out and once she was home there would be no excuse for not sorting everything out. Including the doubts and fears that followed her into sleep every night.

      ‘Can I see you when we get back to Auckland?’ Cooper appeared from behind her.

      She’d been so tied up in her own thoughts she hadn’t heard him splashing through the water. ‘I did say I wouldn’t stop you from having a part in the baby’s life.’ Even with his now slightly longer hair plastered to his skull he looked good. Too darned good for her heart rate, which had risen too high in a blink.

      ‘Just checking.’

      ‘Cooper, if I say something like that I mean it and am not going to retract it.’

      He nodded slowly. ‘It’s weird, being brought together over something so important with someone I know next to nothing about. Allow me the odd left-field question. I’m sure you’ve got plenty of your own.’

      ‘Here’s one.’ But not so left field. Her T-shirt clung to her outline like a second, wrinkled skin, and left nothing to the imagination. ‘Will you refrain from staring at me as I waddle out of the water and wrap a towel around my waist?’ Except she didn’t have a waist any more.

      He should’ve laughed at that. He didn’t. Instead, he put an arm around her and began walking them towards the water’s edge. ‘Don’t talk like that. You’re beautiful and your pregnancy makes you glow: it does not make you ugly or fat or ungainly. It suits you. Please, believe me.’

      How could she not when he sounded so sincere? Looked at her like she was beautiful? Special even. Tears sprang to her eyes. ‘You say the nicest things.’

      Damn you.

      But of course he did. He was a playboy. A charmer. But... She’d swear his words were genuine. Not meant just to stroke her ego and win him a few brownie points. She was vulnerable at the moment. Doing this on her own was bound to make her susceptible to whatever Cooper said. Wasn’t it?

      Actually, no, she didn’t believe that. She was strong, and, despite baby hormones tearing into things, she was managing just fine—if she didn’t think about everything that could go wrong before, during and after the birth. After would be a lifetime. A lifetime of hoping she got her role as a parent right, never hurt her girl, never let her down, loved her unconditionally. How could she do that when she’d never experienced it? One thing she knew for certain—she’d never needed a man to tell her she was beautiful before, and she wasn’t starting now. She’d accept Cooper’s compliment for what it was, and enjoy it. ‘Thanks.’

      ‘I mean every word.’

      A warm glow that had nothing to do with the sun made her skin tingle. Could be that it might help, having

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