He watched, feeling something shift inside him. After his recent experiences, he'd given up on meeting a woman who found children anything other than a nuisance.
'She's good with them.' His soft observation drew Bev's glance.
'Yeah, she's better than most drugs. No one cheers the children up like Libby,' she told him. 'She's the best. This ward would have collapsed without her. She does the work of three.'
As they watched, the little boy snuggled closer and Libby curved an arm around him and cuddled him closer.
She was a natural storyteller, her eyes twinkling with enthusiasm and mischief as she emphasised the drama and held their attention.
She'd just got to the part where the wolf fell into the hot water when she looked up and saw him, her eyes widening with recognition. Her gaze slid to Bev in silent question and her cheeks turned pink with mortification as understanding dawned.
Bev gave a weak smile and shrugged helplessly.
'More.' The toddler tugged her arm, frustrated that the story had stopped and oblivious to the drama being played out around him. 'Want more story.'
Libby swallowed, obediently croaked her way to the end and then scrambled to her feet, Marcus still in her arms.
Bev cleared her throat. 'This is Andreas Christakos, the new consultant.' She spoke in a bright, professional voice that did nothing to alleviate the tension in the air. 'Andreas, this is Elizabeth Westerling. We call her Libby. I think you've already met each other … ' Her voice trailed off slightly, and Libby closed her eyes briefly, her cheeks still pink with embarrassment.
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.'
'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.'
Colour flared in her cheeks and she sucked in a breath. 'I would not have been in your bed, Dr Christakos. I don't do things like that.'
'You didn't know whose bed you were in,' he pointed out, touching her flushed cheek with a strong finger. 'That might be a point worth remembering next time you have a drink.'
'Perhaps you should address your comments to the ward sister,' she muttered, and he frowned.
So it was the ward sister who'd spiked her drink. Which explained why she'd been so worried about Libby when he'd walked onto the ward alone.
Well, next time he took Libby out he was going to make sure that she didn't touch a drop of alcohol. He wanted her stone cold sober.
'What time are you off duty?'
'That is none of your business. What was it your niece said? That women are always chasing you for your looks and your money?' She tilted her head to one side. 'I don't normally tell people this on such a short acquaintance, but it's probably only fair to warn you that my father is one of the richest men in England and I've always been hideously suspicious of really good-looking men. So you have absolutely nothing to offer me.'
'How about fireworks?' He stepped closer to her, amused by the way she snatched in her breath and glared at him. She was trying so hard to pretend that she wasn't interested in him and he found it surprisingly endearing.
'Remember those fireworks, Libby,' he drawled softly, lifting a hand and trailing a finger down the slim line of her throat. 'Next time we're going to set them off in private.'