‘Right.’ Ally watched her carefully. ‘Well, we’ll have to think about it.’
Lucy’s words about Kelly’s mother not being keen on drugs came back to her, and she frowned briefly. Was that what was happening? Was she withholding the drugs? She made a mental note to follow it up as soon as Kelly was out of hospital.
* * *
Ally heard the laughter as soon as she pushed open the door of the barn.
Charlie was lying on her stomach on the big rug in front of the fire, her legs swinging from left to right, and Sean was sprawled across from her in the process of loading small white balls into a tunnel.
‘Hi, Mum!’ Charlie grinned delightedly. ‘We’re playing Hungry Hippos. I’ve won twice.’
‘She’s violent,’ Sean murmured wryly, smacking Charlie’s hand gently as she leaned across to steal a ball. ‘That’s mine, you cheat!’
Charlie giggled furiously and then pounded the plastic hippo with her hand until it swallowed the ball.
‘I’ve won another one!’ she whooped, and wriggled into a sitting position, her blonde hair awry as she beamed at Sean.
Ally dropped her bag and sank onto one of the squishy white sofas which had been her biggest indulgence. ‘So, how was the party, tuppence?’
‘Oh, great! There were some brilliant costumes but mine was the brilliantest.’
‘The most brilliant,’ Ally corrected automatically.
‘My mask was scary, wasn’t it, Sean?’
‘Terrifying.’ Sean’s eyes gleamed and swivelled to Ally who was feeling thoroughly agitated. Whatever she’d been expecting, it certainly hadn’t been a cosy domestic scene, with Sean playing with her daughter. Somehow she’d thought he’d be reading quietly on one of her sofas while Charlie played in her bedroom—instead of which he was lying on his side on her rug, his jeans clinging to the hard muscle of his thighs, a glimpse of dark hair showing on his chest as his shirt buttons gaped slightly. He looked devastatingly male and thoroughly at home.
Surely he’d said he didn’t like children…
She bit her lip and dragged her gaze away from the question she saw in his.
‘Dr Nicholson has got to go now, darling, so finish the game quickly.’
Sean watched her, one eyebrow lifting, and she felt thoroughly flustered. What was he thinking?
Suddenly he gave a soft smile. ‘I’m not in a hurry.’
Damn the man! His dark eyes teased her gently and she swallowed hard. He knew she wanted him to go but he wasn’t going to take the hint.
‘Can’t he stay to supper?’ Charlie bounced onto the sofa next to her mother and crossed her legs. ‘I could dress up again and scare you.’
‘No, thanks, you might give me nightmares.’ A wicked glint appeared in his eyes as they met Ally’s. ‘And I’m having enough trouble sleeping as it is.’
Ally coloured and got up quickly to hide her embarrassment. No way was this man staying to supper. She’d choke!
‘How was Kelly?’ He rose in one fluid movement and suddenly he was standing right next to her, tall, well muscled and very, very male.
‘Fine. Much better.’ Why wouldn’t he stop looking at her? It made her feel peculiar…
‘Can’t Sean stay to supper, Mum?’ Charlie wheedled, and Ally gave Sean a threatening look.
‘You’re much too busy this evening, aren’t you, Sean?’
‘Me?’ He raised his eyebrows and smiled innocently. ‘Not unless my bleeper goes off. I’d love to stay to supper.’
‘Yippee!’ Charlie leapt off the sofa and charged into her bedroom, leaving Ally grinding her teeth in frustration.
Sean gave a low laugh and dropped onto the sofa. ‘It was kind of you to invite me.’
Damn the man! Ally took a deep breath and struggled with her temper. ‘I did not invite you! I don’t want you to stay to supper and you know it!’
‘Why?’ The sharp question and the look in his eyes made her heart stumble.
‘Because I’ve already told you I don’t want you getting close to Charlie.’
He raised an eyebrow and stretched out those long legs. ‘Close to Charlie or close to you?’
‘Neither.’ She stared at him fiercely, her chest rising and falling as she breathed. ‘Please, Sean…’
He rose suddenly, catching her arm in a firm grip when she would have backed away.
‘Oh, no, you don’t. Not until we’ve talked about this.’ His fingers bit into her forearm as he pulled her back towards him. ‘Are you still trying to say there’s no chemistry between us?’
There was a long silence as they stared at each other and then she sagged slightly.