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‘Not yet. I’ve been working with Josh.’
‘He’s an amazing doctor,’ Louisa said, pausing to get her breath back as they climbed the gentle path that led to the cottage. ‘And drop-dead gorgeous. It’s a lethal combination, as I’m sure you’ve discovered. Brain and looks. When are you having dinner with him?’
Kat stopped dead beside her. ‘Pardon?’
Louisa’s eyes twinkled. ‘I asked when you were having dinner with him.’
‘I’m not!’ Kat shook her head, suddenly flustered, relieved
that Archie was some way ahead with the dog. ‘Why would I?’
‘Because you’re beautiful and our Josh never lets a beautiful woman slip through his fingers?’
Kat looked at Archie. ‘But I’m not available.’
‘You’re married?’ Louisa gave an embarrassed groan and clamped a hand over her mouth. ‘Tactless me. I’m so sorry, it’s just that you don’t wear a ring so I assumed—’
‘I’m not married,’ Kat said gruffly, ‘but I’m not available.’
‘You’re seeing someone?’
Kat shook her head and Louisa frowned.
‘So why aren’t you available?’
‘Because I have Archie.’
Louisa stared at the boy. ‘I see.’
Kat could tell that she couldn’t see at all, but she didn’t intend to expand on her answer. She wasn’t used to explaining her life to anyone. She’d been forced to make her own decisions for so long she couldn’t remember what it was like to seek the advice of another person.
‘Come on.’ She unlocked the door of the cottage. ‘Let’s have that tea.’
* * *
‘I gather you met Louisa.’ Josh thrust an X-ray into the light-box and squinted at the films. ‘Well?’
‘I can’t see a fracture.’
He turned towards her with that lazy, sexy grin that did stupid things to her heart rate. ‘I was asking you about my sister-in-law.’
‘Oh…’ Kat blushed. ‘She’s lovely. Really friendly. Archie loved the dog.’
‘He’s the only one who does,’ Josh drawled. ‘That dog is one of Louisa’s rescues.’
‘One of her rescues?’
‘She’s always rescuing people.’ Josh swivelled his gaze back to the X-ray. ‘She rescued my brother. Last Christmas. Took over his life. Good thing, too. Thanks to Louisa, we get to eat decent food once in a while and my brother has rediscovered the meaning of life. You know, if Archie is interested in boats, you ought to take him sailing. You’re living in the right place. I was on a boat from the age of two. So was Mac.’
She stiffened, thrown by the sudden change of subject. ‘I’ll bear that in mind.’
She had every intention of making some enquiries but she had no confidence that she’d be able to afford anything other than a pleasure trip. Not that she had any intention of revealing her financial details to Josh. She organised her own life and had done for years.
He was standing so close to her that she felt the brush of his arm against hers, felt the power of his body.
And what a body.
Heat spread through her and she wished she hadn’t seen him without his shirt. She closed her eyes briefly, trying to erase the image. She needed to work harder, she decided. Needed to drive out those thoughts before they blossomed and grew into something she couldn’t control. She didn’t have room for those feelings in her life.
