One of the little girls tugged at her clothes. ‘I need the toilet, Libby.’

‘I’ll take you, sweetheart,’ Bev said quickly, catching her by the hand, obviously eager to find an excuse to get away.

Another little boy stepped closer. ‘Is that the end of the story?’

Dragging her gaze away from his, Libby glanced down and managed a smile. ‘For now. I’ve got to do some work.’

‘Can we have another story later?’

‘Maybe. If there’s time.’ She stroked Marcus’s hair and put him back in his cot. She looked pale from lack of sleep and there were dark rings under her eyes but her beauty still took Andreas’s breath away.

There were sparks of accusation in her eyes as she turned to face him. ‘Well, that was a pretty dirty trick.’

He lifted an eyebrow quizzically and she glared at him coldly.

‘Not telling me you were the new consultant.’

‘You didn’t ask me. In fact, you didn’t even ask my name. You just passed out on me,’ he pointed out mildly, enjoying the blush that warmed her cheeks. She had incredible skin. Smooth and creamy and untouched by the harshness of the sun.

‘But you knew who I was,’ she said accusingly. ‘You knew I worked on the ward.’

‘There was a strong chance of it.’ He lifted a broad shoulder. ‘So?’

She stared at him incredulously. ‘Didn’t you think that it might be embarrassing? Do you always mix business with pleasure?’

He gave a smile that was totally male. ‘That,’ he said slowly, ‘depends on the extent of the pleasure.’

‘Right.’ She stared at him for a long moment and then looked away, her chest rising and falling rapidly. ‘Well, at least I can save myself postage. Your shirt is in my locker.’

‘My shirt?’

‘The shirt you dressed me in, Dr Christakos.’ Her voice was loaded with accusation. ‘When I was asleep. Remember?’

Of course he remembered.

He remembered every delectable inch of her. ‘I didn’t think you’d be very comfortable sleeping in that pink thing. It seemed a little tight.’

‘Excuse me?’ She arched an eyebrow. ‘I’m supposed to be grateful that you undressed me?’

‘Calm down,’ he drawled, his eyes gleaming with amusement. ‘I kept my eyes closed the whole time. Well—most of the time.’

Libby’s mouth tightened and she grabbed his arm and dragged him into the treatment room.

‘I think we’d better get a few things straight.’ Her blue eyes flashed at him as she let the doors swing closed behind her. ‘I only allowed you to buy me because I thought my brother had sent you. I had no intention of going on a date with anyone.’

‘You’re angry because I bought you?’ He lifted an eyebrow. ‘You would have preferred me to have stood aside and let the blond man buy you?’

She stiffened slightly. ‘No, of course not.’

‘I seem to remember you holding onto me pretty tightly last night.’

His dark eyes glittered with amusement and she coloured. ‘Yes, well, at the time I thought you were rescuing me.’