‘I was.’

She glanced at him impatiently. ‘You know what I mean! I thought my brother had sent you.’

He shrugged carelessly. ‘He didn’t, but I don’t see the problem.’

‘There is no problem, providing you take the £1000 back,’ she said, and he smiled.

‘I don’t want the money,’ he said smoothly. ‘I paid for a date and that’s what I want.’

And this time he was going to take the kiss to its natural conclusion.

She lifted her chin. ‘And do you always get what you want?’

He smiled. ‘Always.’

She sucked in a breath, looking slightly taken aback. ‘Well, you won’t on this occasion. I don’t date men.’

Andreas leaned broad shoulders against the wall and tried to adjust to the fact that he’d just been turned down by a woman. It was a totally new experience.

‘So…’ He shrugged casually. ‘You get to know me a little, and then you say yes.’

Her mouth fell open. ‘Confident, aren’t you?’

‘Remember the fireworks, Libby.’

She stilled and her eyes connected with his. For a long moment she stared at him and then she swallowed and backed away, hoping that distance would cure the fluttering in her stomach. ‘Leave me alone. I’m very grateful that you rescued me from Philip last night and I’m grateful that you took me home when I was in a less than coherent state—’

‘You were drunk,’ he slotted in helpfully, and she winced.

‘I hadn’t eaten anything all day and I had one vodka—apparently.’ She rubbed slim fingers across her temple as if the memory alone was enough to inflict a headache. ‘It was hidden in the orange juice.’

Hidden?

‘Anyway.’ She looked at him warily. ‘It’s history now.’

His gaze slid down her slim body, noting that she was trembling and that her hands were clenched into fists by her sides.

Despite her protests, it was blindingly obvious that she was as strongly affected by their encounter as he’d been, and it was hardly surprising. The chemistry between them was overwhelmingly powerful.

Gratified and encouraged by her response to him, he folded his arms across his broad chest and reminded himself that she’d been badly hurt. It was just a question of patience. ‘It isn’t history. You owe me a date.’

‘Haven’t you learned the meaning of the word ‘‘no’’? What the hell is the matter with you men?’ She glared at him with frustration and then stalked across the treatment room, pausing to look at him as she reached the door. ‘In case you’ve forgotten, you have a little girl at home. I don’t think your wife would be too impressed if she could hear you now.’

Andreas tensed, reflecting on how close he’d come to being in exactly the position she’d described.

If it hadn’t been for Adrienne he’d have made a colossal mistake.

‘I don’t have a wife,’ he said softly, ‘and Adrienne isn’t my daughter, she’s my niece. But it’s true that I do have a responsibility towards her for the time being, which is why you slept in the spare room last night and not in my bed.’