LITMIR.BIZ

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yes, yes. Give me a moment. Olivia took the proffered menu. ‘A pot of English Breakfast tea, thank you.’ A quick read of the list of tasty dishes on offer. ‘Pancakes with bacon and banana, and lots of maple syrup.’

      When she turned to find Zac watching her with a soft smile on those adorable lips she snapped, ‘What?’

      ‘Pancakes and syrup? I thought you’d be a muesli and fruit girl.’

      She was. Always. But this morning her usually strict control over her diet had gone the same place any control seemed to go when Zac was around—out west somewhere beyond the hills. ‘Thought I’d spoil myself.’ She looked around the table at her friends. Zac’s friends too, don’t forget. ‘Did everyone enjoy last night?’

      ‘You have to ask?’ Maxine asked with a grin. ‘The band kept playing until one and only stopped because the hotel management asked them to.’

      ‘The dinner was amazing,’ Brent added.

      Olivia looked at the boys sitting quietly opposite her. ‘Did you all have fun too?’

      ‘Yeah. But Mum made us go to our room early. I liked dancing,’ the oldest said.

      ‘Your mum’s mean.’ Andy grinned tiredly. Now that the excitement of the night before had worn off he looked as though he had little energy left.

      ‘It’s part of the job description,’ Zac added.

      ‘That was a generous gift from Paul,’ Maxine chipped in. ‘I’m assuming you’re both going to take it up. I mean, who wouldn’t go to a luxury island in Fiji, all expenses paid? I know I would.’

      ‘Does everyone know?’ Olivia shivered. No way would she go after how things had played out last night in Zac’s apartment. Nearly a week sharing a bure with Zac would make a joke of her self-control. Remaining impervious to Zac’s charm would be impossible. As she’d already proved. ‘I don’t think I’ll be going.’ Unfortunately her eyes drifted to the right and locked with Zac’s.

      ‘If that’s what you want.’

      She wasn’t sure about it being what she wanted, but she knew it was how it had to be for her sanity. Amidst exclamations from just about everyone else at the table Olivia told Zac quietly, for his ears only, ‘It’s for the best.’

      ‘Yours, or mine?’ Why the disappointment? Surely he hadn’t thought they’d be having a five-day sex fest? Though, if she was being truthful with herself, he had good reason to think that, given how quickly they’d leapt into each other’s arms last night.

      ‘Ours.’ A picture of blue sea and coconut palms crossed her mind. Going to Fiji would be marvellous. That lump at the bottom of her stomach was her disappointment. It was a great opportunity and she was reneging on it.

      ‘Last night you accepted.’ Zac’s words arrowed to the core of her concern.

      ‘I did.’ She’d be letting Paul down after he’d done something so generous. She wasn’t used to people doing things like that for her. She had a feeling she’d also let Zac down. Would he want to go alone? Or could he take someone else with him? Jealousy raised its ugly head. She didn’t want Zac going to the tropical island with another woman. If he was going she wanted to be the one at his side. In his arms. Gulp. Make up your mind. What do you want with Zac?

      She wanted Zac in her life. But to follow up on that would be dangerous. What if they did get close; moved in together? How long would that last? When her mother acted once too often with the mess Olivia was used to dealing with, would Zac walk? If she had a month like she’d had in February, when she’d had so much work she’d all but lived in the hospital for four weeks, would he begrudge the time he didn’t have with her and leave? There’d only been one man in her life she’d loved unconditionally—her father—and he’d deserted her. She doubted her ability to cope with anyone else doing that to her.

      Her tea arrived and she concentrated on pouring, tried hard to ignore the dilemma going on in her head.

      But Zac didn’t seem to have any problem continuing the conversation. ‘I take it this is because of what happened in my apartment?’ He leaned closer so only she could hear him.

      Unfortunately his movement brought that heady smell that defined him closer to her nostrils. There was no avoiding the scent, or the challenge in his eyes. ‘We wouldn’t be able to go the distance without touching each other.’

      ‘Is that what you want?’ Disbelief darkened his eyes, deepened his voice. Who could blame him? Last night she hadn’t mucked around about getting into the sack with him. He asked, ‘Seriously?

      No, she wanted to spend the whole time in bed with him. That was the problem. ‘It’s what I need.’

      Zac sat back, leaning away from her, his gaze fixed on her as though he hoped to see inside her skull and read her mind. ‘I should be glad you’re saying no, but there’s one fabulous holiday going begging. Until Paul pointed it out I hadn’t realised how much I could do with a break. Fiji would be perfect.’

      Olivia said, ‘You can still go.’

      ‘Not much fun alone,’ he said softly.

      ‘Apply the pressure, why don’t you?’

      ‘Yep.’

      ‘Not happening,’ she muttered. Lifting her cup, Olivia tried to concentrate on what the others were talking about. When the meals arrived she joined in the conversation, relieved that the subject of Fiji had been dropped. But all the while that picture of the sea and coconut palms remained at the forefront of her mind, with Zac firmly in the middle.

      Her phone rang just as everyone was getting up from the table to go their separate ways.

      ‘Olivia, it’s Hugo. I’m sorry to disturb your weekend when I said I’d cover for you, but I’m concerned about Anna Seddon.’

      Alarm made her voice sharp. ‘What’s up?’ Anna was a healthy woman who shouldn’t be having any post-op complications.

      ‘Medically she’s fine. Her obs couldn’t be better, she slept well until four this morning. But she’s having a meltdown about the operation. I’ve tried talking to her but I’m a mere male and have no idea what it’s like to have my breasts removed.’ Hugo sighed. ‘She’s right, of course.’

      ‘Of all the people I’ve done that procedure for I’d never have thought Anna would break up about it. She’s been so pragmatic.’ Olivia echoed Hugo’s sigh. ‘Is her husband with her?’

      ‘Yes, and looking lost. She keeps yelling at him to go away. He doesn’t know how to help her either.’

      And I can? She had to try. She’d told Anna she’d be there for her throughout this difficult time, and she had meant it. ‘I’ll come over now.’ She dropped her phone into her handbag and turned to face everyone. ‘Thanks for the catch-up, guys. I’ve got to go.’

      Maxine stepped up to give her a hug. ‘Don’t take so long next time. I want to hear all the details about your trip to Fiji.’

      ‘There won’t be any. I’m not going.’ She tried to free herself from Maxine’s arms and failed.

      ‘Go. It would be good for you.’

      Maxine dropped her arms to her sides and Olivia stepped back.

      ‘You might be surprised.’

      Olivia couldn’t help herself: she glanced across at the man in question. His familiar face snatched at her heart. Talking animatedly with the others, he appeared relaxed and comfortable in his own skin. Then he looked over at her and winked. Caught. He’d been aware of her scrutiny all along. Like they were in tune with each other, which was nonsense. They’d never been like that. Except when it came to sex. But there was nothing sexual about that wink. It had been more a ‘Hey, girl’ gesture. Friendly and caring, not deep and loving or hot and demanding.

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