‘No.’ Ally slammed the saucepan down on the hob and glared at him. ‘No, she doesn’t.’
He was frowning. ‘You think it’s right to keep a child away from her father?’
She ground her teeth and anger blazed out of her eyes. ‘You’re doing it again, Dr Nicholson. Jumping to conclusions.’
He shrugged. ‘Wasn’t he interested in being a father?’
‘Rob? The only thing Rob was interested in was himself.’ Ally didn’t want to think about Charlie’s father and how much pain he’d caused her entire family.
Sean was watching her closely. ‘But you must have loved him at one time?’
Loved him? Rob the rat? He had to be joking! But, then, Sean didn’t know the whole story, and she certainly wasn’t about to tell him. She was keeping her distance.
‘Everyone makes mistakes,’ she said shortly, rummaging in the vegetable rack for an onion.
‘And the child pays the price.’ Sean’s voice was suddenly hard and she gasped at the injustice of his remark, slamming the onion down on the work surface and whirling to face him.
‘You always judge people before you know the facts, don’t you?’ She jerked her head angrily, her blonde hair flopping gently onto her shoulders as it finally escaped from the restraining plait.
He shrugged those broad shoulders, unconcerned by her outburst. ‘So tell me the facts.’
‘I have no intention of telling you the facts.’ She glared at him. ‘The facts are none of your business, Sean Nicholson, but don’t you dare imply that Charlie has suffered from being with me because I can assure you that I give her everything a child needs.’
A muscle worked in his cheek. ‘Except her father.’
‘Yes, well, in Charlie’s case she’s better off without him!’ Ally turned back to the onion and chopped it with fierce, deliberate strokes of the knife. The man made her so angry!
‘Maybe a child is better off with a mediocre father than no father.’
‘Well, that shows how little you know about the situation.’ Controlling her temper with difficulty, Ally turned and dropped the knife into the sink, turning on the taps with more force than was necessary. ‘My daughter may only have me, but at least I’m always here for her. I don’t change my mind if I’ve had a tough day, and I don’t give her up if something better comes along—’
‘Is that what Charlie’s father did?’
She turned to look at him, her eyes blazing. ‘Charlie’s father was a complete rat.’
His gaze was ironic. ‘Well, you obviously didn’t think he was that bad when you slept with him.’
The sound of her hand connecting with his lean cheek echoed around the kitchen, and she froze with the shock of her own actions. She’d hit him. Dear God, what had got into her? She’d never hit anyone or anything in her life before.
Breathing unsteadily, their eyes met, hers wide and shocked, his thoughtful and intent.
She blushed with mortification. ‘I’m sorry…’ she began stiffly, and he gave a short laugh, rubbing his cheek with a rueful expression in his eyes.
‘Don’t be. I deserved it. It was a totally insensitive comment.’
But it was the obvious comment—that she’d loved Rob enough to sleep with him and bear his child. Still shocked by her own actions, she covered her mouth with shaking fingers, her hand still tingling from the contact with Sean’s cheek. For a moment she was severely tempted to blurt out the whole truth but then she stopped herself. Why on earth would she confide her life story to this man whom she hardly knew? She didn’t want to confide in him. Didn’t want to get close.
‘It—it isn’t how it seems. It’s complicated. Rob was a total mistake,’ she said briefly, her blue eyes wary as they watched him. It was the truth. Economical maybe, but the truth nonetheless.
He raised his hands in a comical gesture of surrender. ‘Well, as you rightly said, it isn’t any of my business.’
‘No.’ Ally stared at his cheek and bit her lip as she saw the livid red streak. ‘I hurt you. What can I do? Do you want ice or something?’
He gave her a half-smile that was so sexy her knees almost gave way. ‘You could kiss it better…’
Her breath clogged her throat. ‘Don’t be silly.’ Her voice cracked slightly and she changed the subject quickly. ‘So, what makes you feel so strongly about the subject of absent fathers?’
His jaw tightened and his expression was suddenly guarded. ‘I just happen to believe that in an ideal world children should have two parents.’