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But that was as far as it went. Libby knew that underneath the light-hearted banter her brother was icily determined never to settle down with one woman. She looked at him sadly, the anger melting away as she acknowledged that he was as much a victim of their upbringing as she was. When things had become heated between her parents, it had frequently been Alex who had intervened. The experience had left him with a serious allergy to long-term relationships.
She’d thought she was the same, but his words had kindled a doubt deep inside her.
Was she secretly hoping that Mr Right was out there?
Was she fooling herself by pretending that she wasn’t interested in relationships?
Alex was looking at her steadily and she sensed that he knew what she was thinking. For all their petty arguing, they were extremely close.
‘So tell me about the man who bought you,’ he said, his voice surprisingly gentle. ‘Rumour has it that he was smitten.’
Rumour?
Libby stared at him, wondering just how much he knew. The hospital grapevine had obviously worked overtime. ‘Did you know that Philip tried to buy me?’
‘No.’ Alex’s smile faded and his blue eyes suddenly lost their warmth. ‘I didn’t know he was turning up or I would have been there. He and I need to have a chat.’
Libby watched as her brother’s fingers tightened around his mug. For a brief moment both of them had forgotten Adrienne’s presence. ‘Defending my honour, Alex?’
‘Maybe.’
Libby swallowed, touched by her brother’s protectiveness. ‘Would you have hit him?’
‘Into the next county,’ Alex drawled lightly, ‘so maybe it’s just as well I didn’t go. I gather someone outbid him?’
Oh, yes. Someone had definitely outbidden him.
Libby stared at her plate, her mind suddenly full of Andreas. His broad shoulders, his powerful musculature and the aura of strength that surrounded him.
All her instincts warned her that he was the sort of man who broke hearts.
He was absolutely the last person that she ought to be daydreaming about.
So why couldn’t she get him out of her mind?
‘Lib?’ Alex leaned forward, his blue gaze sharp. ‘Come on. Tell your big brother.’
Libby felt her colour rise and cursed inwardly as she saw Alex smile knowingly. It was impossible to hide anything from him.
‘He’s not really my big brother,’ Libby told Adrienne, keeping her voice light to disguise the hammering of her heart. ‘We’re triplets. He was born about three minutes before our sister Katy. I was last.’
Adrienne stared at them in fascination. ‘Triplets? You lucky things. How wonderful to be one of three.’
‘Not that wonderful,’ Libby said, glaring at her brother, but Adrienne sighed wistfully.
‘I think it’s great. I would have done anything to have had a brother or sister and you’ve got both.’
Alex leaned forward, his voice gentle. ‘You’re an only child?’
Adrienne nodded. ‘And my mum and dad died in a boating accident in Greece when I was tiny. I’ve lived with my Grandma for the past twelve years but she had to have a hip operation and now she’s decided that she’s too old to look after me now and that’s why I’ve come to live with Andreas.’
Alex listened carefully to this tumbled speech and his gaze swivelled to Libby.
‘And who’s Andreas?’
‘He’s the man who bought me last night, Alex. Remember? I was for sale, and you were supposed to buy me.’
Completely unrepentant, Alex lifted a dark eyebrow. ‘How much did he pay?’
