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‘Not every patient. But when the need is real…’ She gave a shrug. ‘It makes perfect sense from a management point of view. I’m the one with all the information. It means Chloe gets better care and her mother doesn’t have to explain her history all the time.’
‘You can’t be there for everyone all the time. It isn’t possible.’
‘But continuity makes sense from a clinical point of view.’ She frowned as she thought of it. ‘In Chloe’s case it means that a doctor unfamiliar with her case doesn’t have to waste time taking details from a panicking parent when it’s dark outside and the child can’t breathe properly.’
‘I can clearly see the benefits for your patients.’ His eyes, dark and disturbingly intense, searched hers in a way that she found unsettling. ‘But the benefits for you are less clear to me. It places an enormous demand on your time. On your life.’
‘Yes, well, my job is important to me,’ she said quickly, wondering whether there was anyone left in the world who felt the way she did about medicine. ‘For me the job isn’t about doing as little as possible and going home as early as possible. It’s about involving yourself in the health of a community. About making a real difference to people’s lives. I don’t believe that a supermarket approach to health care is in anyone’s interests.’ She broke off and gave an awkward shrug, spots of colour touching her cheeks as she reflected on the fact that she was in danger of becoming carried away. ‘Sorry. It’s just something I feel strongly about. I don’t expect you to understand. You probably think I’m totally mad.’
‘On the contrary, I think your patients are very fortunate. But in all things there has to be compromise. How can you be awake to see patients—how can you be truly at your best—when you’ve been up half the night?’ He strolled towards her and she felt her whole body tense in a response that she didn’t understand.
She’d always considered herself to be taller than average but next to him she felt small. Even in heels she only reached his shoulder. Unable to help herself, she took a step backwards and then immediately wished she hadn’t. ‘You don’t need to worry about me, Dr Moretti,’ she said, keeping her tone cool and formal to compensate for her reaction. ‘I’m not short of stamina and I really enjoy my life. And my patients certainly aren’t suffering.’
‘I’m sure they’re not.’ He gave a slow smile and raised an eyebrow. ‘Does it make you feel safer, Alice?’
She took another step backwards. ‘Does what make me feel safer?’
‘Calling me Dr Moretti.’ His expression was thoughtful. ‘You do it whenever I get too close. Does it help give you the distance you need?’
She felt her heart pump harder. ‘I don’t know what you’re talking about.’
‘Was it a man?’ He lifted a hand and tucked a strand of blonde hair behind her ear, his fingers lingering. ‘Tell me, Alice. Was it a man who hurt you? Is that why you live alone and bury yourself in work? Is that why you don’t believe in love?’
With a subtle movement that was entirely instinctive she moved her head away from his touch. ‘You’re obviously a romantic, Dr Moretti.’
‘You’re doing it again, tesoro,’ he said softly, his hand suspended in midair as he studied her face. ‘Calling me Dr Moretti. It’s Gio. And of course I’m romantic.’
‘I’m sure you are.’ She tilted her head, her smile mocking. ‘All men are when it suits their purpose.’
He raised an eyebrow. ‘You’re suggesting that I use romance as some sort of seduction tool? You’re a cynic, Alice, do you know that?’
Was it even worth defending herself? ‘I’m a realist.’ Her tone was cool. ‘And you’re clearly an extremely intelligent man. You should know better than to believe in all that woolly, emotional rubbish.’
‘Ah, but you’ve overlooked one important fact about me.’ His eyes gleamed dark and dangerous as he slid a hand under her chin and forced her to look at him. ‘I’m Sicilian. We’re a romantic race. It’s in the blood. It has nothing to do with seduction and everything to do with a way of life. And a life is nothing without love in it.’
‘Oh, please.’ She rolled her eyes. ‘I’m a scientist. I prefer to deal with the tangible. I happen to believe that love is a myth and the current divorce statistics would appear to support my view.’
‘You think everything in this world can be explained given sufficient time in a laboratory?’
‘Yes.’ Her tone was cool and she brushed his hand away in a determined gesture. ‘If it can’t then it probably doesn’t exist.’
‘Is that right?’ He looked at her as if he wanted to say something more but instead he smiled. ‘So what do you do to relax around here? Restaurants? Watersports?’
For some reason her heart had set up a rhythmic pounding in her chest. ‘I read a lot.’
‘That sounds lonely, Dr Anderson,’ he said softly. ‘Especially for someone as young and beautiful as you.’
Taken aback and totally flustered, she raked a hand through her blonde hair and struggled for words. ‘I—If you’re flirting with me, Dr Moretti, it’s only fair to warn you that you’re wasting your time. I don’t flirt. I don’t play those sorts of games.’
‘I wasn’t flirting and I certainly wasn’t playing games. I was stating a fact.’ He said the words thoughtfully, his eyes narrowed as they scanned her face. ‘You are beautiful. And very English. In Sicily, you would have to watch that pale skin.’
‘Well, since I have no plans to visit Sicily, it isn’t a problem that’s likely to keep me awake at night.’ Her head was buzzing and she felt completely on edge. There was something about him—something about the way he looked at her…
Deciding that the only way to end the conversation was to leave the room, she headed for the door.
‘Wait. Don’t run,’ he said gently, his fingers covering hers before she could open the door.
His hand was hard. Strong. She turned, her heart pounding against her chest when she realised just how close he was.
