Alix’s stomach lurched. Those were the three words she’d dreaded hearing.

She sent a nervous glance toward Zac, but he didn’t appear to share her panic.

He curled an arm round the child, holding her steady. “Close your eyes and sleep a little.”

“I’m not tired.” Holly’s breath hitched. “When’s Mummy coming?”

“She’s going to be joining us soon, but first we have to get to our cabin and make it all cozy. Maybe build a big snowman for her. She’s definitely going to want a snowman.”

Holly’s eyes drifted shut, but she forced them open again, her head swaying slightly as if her neck couldn’t hold the weight of it, her determination to fight sleep almost comical. “Will she come soon?”

“Very soon. And you and the snowman will be having too much fun to even notice she isn’t there.” Zac fixed his gaze on the conveyer belt of luggage and then jerked his head. “There’s one of ours. If you step out of the way, I’ll—”

“I can lift a suitcase, Zac.” Alix stepped forward and swung it off the moving belt, so intent on proving her strength and capability that she almost lost her balance.

Zac grabbed it with his free arm and loaded it onto the trolley.

Alix rolled her eyes. “I could have done that, but if you need to be macho man, that’s fine.”

“Macho man?”

“Prove your macho credentials. I’m sure your ego is suffering from not being able to wrestle at least two polar bears before breakfast.”

“There aren’t too many polar bears in London.” He hauled the final case onto the trolley. “You think I’m macho?”

“I don’t think of you at all. I doubt I’d recognize you if I passed you in the—” She gasped as he closed his hand around her wrist and pulled her close.

“You wouldn’t recognize me?” His gaze was fixed on hers, his mouth a breath away from hers. “You don’t think about me, Alix?”

Her heart was pounding so hard she was afraid it might burst out of her chest. “Never.” The word emerged as a broken croak, and still he looked at her, his gaze searing and intense.

The noise and bustle of the airport faded into the background, and there was nothing but the rapid whoosh, whoosh of her pulse as it thundered out of control.

“How long are we going to keep up this pretense? For one short moment, let’s be honest, shall we?” His head lowered, and her breathing grew shallow. Was he really going to... Yes, he was going to—right here—right now—

“Want Mummy.” Holly lifted her head, and Zac released his grip on Alix’s wrist.

“Go back to sleep, honey.” No velvet tones this time. His voice sounded raw and rough, and it was at least some consolation that he was obviously as unsettled as Alix was.

Her whole body was in an extreme state of alert.

He’d almost kissed her. Right here in the airport.

Would she have pushed him away? Of course she would. She might even have slapped him, which would have given that woman with the romantic notions something to think about.