Page 36 of One Night with the Doctor

‘This can work, Callie.’ He thrust against her palm a little as he slid his hand to her leg. ‘If we want it.’

Callie flattened her palm against him as his mouth continued to create havoc and his hand stroked her thigh. ‘I can’t concentrate when you do that,’ she whispered.

His lips curled against the angle of her jaw. ‘Come on, Callie. You know you want to.’

‘You’re not playing fair.’

He chuckled. ‘No. I’m not. I’m playing to win.’

Intractable as ever, giving no quarter, just as he’d been on the bridge that day. All magnificent male, dominant and authoritative and sexy as hell.

We’re doing it my way.

Thankfully the captain’s voice came over the intercom, announcing some mild turbulence which yanked Callie out of the sexual trance. She unhanded Sebastian, sat up straight and looked ahead, her cheeks pinking up at her behaviour.

‘Callie?’

‘Shh,’ she said, shutting her eyes. She’d never been more grateful for turbulence in her life. ‘Don’t talk. Just don’t talk.’ She rolled her head to look at him. ‘I need to think.’

And think she did. A lot.

Would having a fling with Sebastian be that bad? She’d had a couple of short-term flings before and had come away unscathed. She’d burnt off some sexual energy just as Sebastian was suggesting and they’d been light and fun and she’d enjoyed them while they’d lasted.

And she was free now to do it again. She had no responsibilities. So, why not?

Because, a little voice said. Because.

When the plane landed she still wasn’t any closer to a decision. But as they were walking out the terminal doors towards the car park, the sunset a palette of oranges bleeding into reds, Sebastian held out his hand.

‘Come back to mine?’

Callie hesitated. She looked at his offering then up until she met eyes that were shimmering with desire – raw and potent. And God help her, she wanted to take what he was offering more than she wanted her next breath.

She wanted to be reckless and throw caution to the wind like she used to do back before her life got complicated.

‘We always go home to sleep in our own beds.’

He nodded. ‘Absolutely.’

Drawing in an unsteady breath and with her pulse fluttering madly at her temples, Callie slipped her hand into his and said, ‘Lead the way.’

7

Two months later Callie waved at Ginny as she pulled out from the kerb. Her seven-month-pregnant belly was on proud display in the form-fitting dress and she looked better every time Callie saw her – blooming, in fact. She was doing so well with her reduced medication and looking forward to the arrival of their baby girl.

Ginny had joked that Callie had better get a move on or she’d be too old, and Callie had laughed. But even standing there, with Ginny’s belly round and firm in front of her, Callie had felt nothing.

Sure, she’d felt happy for Ginny and Brad but, apart from that weird moment during the twelve week ultrasound, there had been no crashing urge to join the club. No desire to have her own belly full with child. And she knew that being a mother could come in a bunch of different guises.

For her it had been Zack. He’d been her chance at experiencing motherhood, albeit second-hand, and she was perfectly okay with that.

Still, despite this apparent flaw, Callie was deep-down-in-her-bones happy. The sun was shining, it was Friday afternoon, her patients were well.

What more could she ask for?

She certainly couldn’t ask any more of Sebastian. Things were working out better than she had ever imagined. Somehow she and Sebastian seemed to have the work/personal balance right. She’d fretted that things would be awkward at work, that their colleagues would treat them differently if/when they found out, or would disapprove of such a potentially disastrous match.

A few years back two of Jambalyn’s staff had been involved in a tempestuous relationship that had come to a very messy end. They’d all spent months walking on eggshells around the office until one of the two left.