A Proposal to Remember

‘That’s what worries me,’ Kim said dryly. ‘Why would you be happy, given that by the end of the day you’ll have blisters on both feet and a headache bigger than Africa?’

‘I don’t care about blisters. I met someone.’ She tried to sound nonchalant and then wondered why she was even bothering. Kim was her best friend and they told each other everything.

‘You met someone? When? We worked together yesterday and your smile was normal-sized then.’ Kim looked at her, stunned, and Zan laughed.

‘I met him last night.’

‘Last night? So it wasn’t quick or anything?’ Kim shook her head in disbelief. ‘Zan, I hate to be the one to point this out, but falling for men in one night isn’t your style. In fact, correct me if I’m wrong, but you’ve never fallen for anyone, no matter how many nights were involved. You invented the word “cautious”. I’m the reckless one in this friendship.’

Zan shrugged. ‘So maybe it’s time I changed.’

Kim glanced around to check that no one was within earshot and lowered her voice. ‘So did you…you know?’

‘Kim!’ Zan pretended to look shocked and then grinned. ‘No. We didn’t. But I’ve made up my mind I’m going to. He’s going to be my Christmas present to myself. I’m fed up with being cautious and he’s gorgeous.’

‘Obviously.’ Kim sounded faint. ‘He’s managed to achieve in one night what the whole male race has been struggling with for years. I can’t wait to meet him.’

Zan dipped her head, deciding not to mention that the locum and her new man were one and the same. Her relationship was too new to expose it to one of Kim’s indiscreet comments.

‘Anyway, if you could pull yourself down off the cloud you’re sitting on, we need to get this clinic started,’ Kim said brightly. ‘And when we’ve finished that, we’ve got a tree to decorate.’

‘That’s OK.’ Zan smiled. She loved decorating Christmas trees and she wasn’t afraid of hard work. ‘So where do you want me to start?’

‘Here in clinic, keeping an eye on my locum, who’s in Room 1,’ Kim told her, and Zan fought to control her expression. If the new locum was the person she thought he was then she intended to keep much more than an eye on him.

Her heart banging against her ribcage and her hands suddenly shaking, she picked up a pile of notes and walked towards her room.

It connected with the room next door, and through the open door she could see Carlo sitting at the desk, stethoscope looped around his neck, reading through a set of notes.

It was the first time she’d seen him in daylight and her heart missed a beat.

Her first thought was that he was stunningly good-looking. Dressed in a dark suit, he had an air of strength and authority that made her catch her breath.

Her second thought was that he didn’t look English.

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Her eyes slid over his short, cropped hair, rested for a moment on his olive skin and dark jaw and then dropped down to those powerful shoulders.

He looked completely and thoroughly Italian.

She knew she was staring but she couldn’t help herself, and when he glanced up and saw her standing there his face broke into a smile that made her remember why she’d ended up semi-naked in the shower with him after only a few hours’ acquaintance.

He was the sexiest man she’d ever met.

He rose to his feet in a fluid movement and strolled across to her, his gaze heating as he looked at her.

‘Buongiorno—good morning.’

‘Good morning.’ Suddenly she felt ridiculously shy and lifted a hand to smooth her dark hair behind her ear.

He gave a low groan and glanced over his shoulder to make sure that no one was listening. ‘Don’t do that or I’ll never get any work done this morning.’

Before she could answer, Kim walked into the room, clutching a pile of notes.

‘Mr Bennett?’

At first Carlo didn’t react, but he must have seen something in Zan’s eyes because he suddenly shook himself and turned to the other woman.