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‘Hmm.’ Someone cleared their throat behind her and she leapt back, away from that mouth, from those slumberous eyes suddenly sparking into amusement.
Mattia straightened and looked over her shoulder. ‘Hello, Jeremy. I don’t believe you’ve met Elene. She’s been putting in hours at the unit. Elene, this is Colleen’s husband, Jeremy.’ His hand caught her elbow, drew her closer to him.
‘Hello, Elene. Colleen’s mentioned you, but have to say I wasn’t expecting to meet you here this morning.’ He really meant as in kissing Mattia, surely?
With Mattia’s hand supporting her Elene didn’t feel awkward. Having him at her side made her feel special and cared for. ‘I’m about to change out of this uniform and disappear back to the unit.’
Mattia’s grip tightened. ‘Why don’t we get breakfast before clocking on at our respective wards?’
‘Sounds good to me.’ More than good. This was starting to feel like a relationship, even if only friends. ‘Give me five minutes.’ Actually, friends didn’t cut it. They’d kissed again. Mattia had moved past friend category. She just didn’t know which one to put him in next.
* * *
Mattia watched Elene haul her slouched body out of the room like she was lost.
‘I hear she’s a great nurse and a lovely lady.’
Mattia shrugged casually. ‘All of that.’ And some. But he wasn’t saying. Of course he shouldn’t have kissed her, but he was a man, and Elene was beautiful and womanly, and in need of comforting. Jamming his hands into his pockets, he nodded at Jeremy. ‘See you around.’
Jeremy might think twice before reporting what he’d interrupted to his colleagues, but Colleen would know before the day was over. It couldn’t be helped. Besides, kissing Elene under any circumstances was the perfect start to his day.
Once in clean clothes, he sauntered out to the corridor to wait for her. He could get used to this. What? He stopped, stared around. Everything was how it always was. He was in Sorrento, soon to be at the hospital where he spent most of his days. He hadn’t had a brain aberration. So how did he explain the fact he enjoyed waking to Elene in his house, to working alongside her on occasion, to sharing meals? Turn around, head to the ward early, forget you offered breakfast.
Elene appeared further along the corridor, that sadness still lurking in her stance despite that kiss. He began moving in her direction. He would not go back on his invitation. He wanted to spend time with Elene. Whatever the future brought as far as how he managed full-time parenthood while keeping Elene around, it could only be a plus if they were getting along. Nothing to do with the heat simmering in his veins.
Dressed in those fitted shorts and the sleeveless blouse she wore every second day, Elene looked stunning. His heart flapped around like a stranded fish, unable to behave sensibly. Below his belt things were stirring. This is Elene, someone you have to convince to move here permanently, not take to bed.
Tell that to his lower regions. The fact was that from the moment he’d seen her outside his office the day she’d arrived in Sorrento he hadn’t been able to put her back in the box labelled ‘snippy annoying female.’
But how was a man to resist those curves, that swell of her breasts, the full lips that his imagination had tripping over his skin? When Elene looked over at him her green gaze whispered across him, lifted bumps on his arms and further tightened his manhood. He fell deep into that labyrinth, unable to fight the attraction, knowing he was on a hiding to nowhere and still wanting to go there. Time to do something about gaining control while he still could.
‘Sorry, but I can’t make breakfast. I’ve got an emergency with one of yesterday’s patients,’ he lied before abruptly heading away, unable to watch disappointment overtaking the sadness in her face. Sorry, sorry, but someone has to look out for my heart, and the only person available right now is me.
Damn Elene. She’d done this. It was all her fault he’d begun falling for her, had started wanting the whole happy family, cosy home scenario. Her fault. Not his. Not when he’d locked away those expectations long ago. Even after he’d come close to kissing her in Wellington he’d managed to stay focused. He was doing perfectly well on his own, without having anyone special to love. His extended family supplied all the love he needed. Or so he’d thought until the advent of Elene Lowe, non-snippy version. And his daughter. They were a package. He could not sever one from the other. It wouldn’t be right, nor fair. Nor did he want to. They went hand in hand, and it would be perfect if he could add his hand to that mix.
It wasn’t going to happen. While Elene hadn’t shown signs of wanting to set up house with him so that she could live in the lap of luxury, he’d been duped before, no longer trusted his judgement completely. Only time would allow him to work through this, and time wasn’t available. Aimee needed structure in her life, plus security and unbridled love. Aimee needed him to make up his mind—should he carry on living in Sorrento and convince Elene to join him on a platonic footing, or move to Wellington and start over on the career ladder, set aside the charity for someone else to run? Except the charity was no longer the important issue in his life now. He had a daughter.
He and Elene needed to sit down over a meal and talk, make plans, bring this indecision to an end. This weekend.
The next morning Elene bought two coffees on the way to the unit.
‘Gino’s still feeling sorry for himself,’ Colleen told her, flipping the lid off her take-away cup to let the coffee cool. ‘I’m sure that won’t stop you getting him on the move.’
‘Slowly, slowly, today. Mattia said to stay with the walking frame for now.’ That man knew how to wind her up. Yesterday he’d been so understanding and then that kiss. Her cheeks flamed. Then he’d cancelled breakfast. There hadn’t been an emergency. How he’d thought she wouldn’t find out was beyond her. Colleen had talked to him on the phone ten minutes into their shift. He’d gone from kissing her to suggesting breakfast to walking away on a lie. Last night he hadn’t come home until nearly midnight, missing out on goodnight kisses with Aimee. She’d been in bed, reading because sleep was elusive. The temptation to rush out and confront him had been strong, but she’d managed to stay put and hold onto the words that might set them back.
‘Jeremy says Mica’s been asking for you,’ Colleen said with a grin on her face.
Obviously that wasn’t all Jeremy had told his wife. Elene wasn’t taking up the gauntlet. ‘I’ll drop in to say hello when I’ve finished here.’ Mica had been transferred and slowly recovering. Baby was still in utero and under constant monitoring.
Colleen only grinned more. ‘Whatever.’
‘Right. On with the day.’ She was bursting to talk to someone about Mattia and the mess they were in but Colleen, lovely as she was, wasn’t the right person when she worked with Mattia. If only she had time to call home. But there was no such thing as a short conversation with her sisters. Anyway, she didn’t want short; she needed deep and long—with answers that’d soothe her stress levels, and there wasn’t time.
Digging out her phone to check for messages, just in case Mattia had grovelled for forgiveness, she gasped. Not Mattia, but there was a message from Maria Ricco. She had to be seeing things. But no—the name Maria Ricco flashed at her. Was she calling to say Don’t go near my son, you’re poison? Elene wouldn’t put it past her after that interrogation on Sunday. Though they had been talking on more friendly terms by the time she and Mattia had left for Sorrento. Only one way to find out. Elene pressed return and held the phone to her ear.
It only rang once. ‘Elene, thank you for calling me back. I know you’re at work so I wasn’t sure if you’d see I’d tried to get hold of you.’
‘I’m about to start. Were you trying to get hold of Mattia?’ The moment she asked she knew she couldn’t be further from the truth. Maria would have every number Mattia possessed.
‘I wanted to talk to you.’ Ther
e was a laden pause. ‘I’ll start again. Would you let me come down and spend time with Aimee today? I won’t take her away from the house. It’s just that, well, she’s my granddaughter and I’d like to get to know her.’
Elene sank onto a chair. Here we go. It’d started. The family getting close to Aimee. But that was good, it was right, and she couldn’t deny the request. Where did it leave her? Being selfish. This is about Aimee, not me.
‘I’d understand if you’d prefer to be there at the same time. In case she gets upset.’ The self-doubt in Maria’s voice tugged at Elene. This woman wasn’t as tough as she’d made out.
Drawing a breath, Elene said, ‘Aimee rarely gets upset, and I’m sure you can cheer her up if she does.’
‘Does that mean you’ll let me visit?’ Hope replaced the doubt.
‘I would never stop you. You’re her nonna.’
‘Thank you, Elene. I was thinking I could stay on so you and Mattia can go out for dinner. Alone,’ she added with a tight laugh.
‘You think Mattia and I should go out together?’ Elene blurted. This woman had been a tigress on her son’s behalf and now she was suggesting they go on a date? ‘I think you’ve got the wrong idea about how well we get on.’
‘Have I, though?’
‘Yes, definitely.’
Or did Maria have a point? When they’d been caught kissing, Mattia hadn’t been ashamed or embarrassed, and had stood by her when Jeremy turned up.
‘You need some time together. I’ll see you later.’
Back to that strong woman who spoke her mind. But Elene had seen another side to her now. Maria and her son had a lot in common.
Elene found herself smiling. ‘I look forward to catching up.’ She surprised herself by meaning it.
Texting the news to Mattia, she wondered if he’d bother to answer, if he had time that was.
Ping.
That’s great. Would you like to go out to dinner tonight?
He had to be between operations.
