He walked back into the room and she noticed for the first time that he was wearing nothing but a pair of loose-fitting tracksuit bottoms.
‘I was still in bed when I heard you get up,’ he said, intercepting her look and proffering an explanation. ‘I’m not in the habit of wearing clothes to bed.’
She was well aware of that and the sight of his tanned, muscular chest was a tantalising reminder of what the rest of him looked like.
Incredible…
He had the perfect musculature of an athlete and she averted her eyes and took the glass of water he brought her with a murmur of thanks.
The bed sagged slightly under his weight as he sat down next to her. ‘I don’t suppose there’s any chance I can persuade you not to work today?’
‘None at all,’ she said, putting the glass of water back on the bedside table. ‘I feel much better now.’
‘Right.’ Luca rolled his eyes and gave a wry smile. ‘Has anyone ever told you that you’re difficult to handle?’
‘Yes. Lots of times.’ Tia swung her legs out of bed and reached for her dressing-gown, taking deep breaths to calm her stomach. ‘Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to use the bathroom. Hopefully to wash this time.’ She walked towards the door, deliberately avoiding looking at the powerful muscles of his shoulders.
The no-touching rule was becoming harder by the minute.
Luca drove her to the hospital and Tia found herself working in the antenatal clinic for the morning.
‘Do you mind, Tia?’ Sharon immediately apologised. ‘I’m moving you around everywhere, I know, but I’ve got a midwife off sick and we’ve got a busy clinic. You should enjoy it—your Luca’s working down there this morning.’
He was?
Tia’s heart lurched uncomfortably. On the one hand, concentrating was difficult with Luca around but, on the other hand, she was intrigued to learn more about him as a doctor. What she’d seen so far had certainly been impressive.
She made her way to the clinic and introduced herself to the sister there.
‘Could you do a booking visit?’ Janet handed her a pile of notes and leaflets. ‘First baby, she’s down the end on the left. Karen King.’
The booking visit was the first time that the pregnant woman attended the hospital and it took longer than other appointments.
As Tia walked briskly along to the room she found herself looking for Luca and gave herself a firm telling-off.
Why, oh, why did he have such a powerful effect on her?
Pushing thoughts of him from her mind, she opened the door and smiled at the woman seated by the desk.
‘Hello, Karen, I’m Tia.’ She shook the other woman’s hand and settled herself comfortably at the desk. ‘This is your first trip to the hospital and this visit does take longer the others. I’m afraid I’m going to bombard you with questions.’
‘I don’t mind at all.’ The other woman’s eyes sparkled and she placed a protective hand on her abdomen. ‘I’ve been longing for this appointment. You really feel you’re pregnant once you’ve been to the hospital, don’t you think?’
Her excitement and enthusiasm made Tia’s heart twist. Why didn’t she feel the same way?
‘Then I gather you’re pleased about the pregnancy,’ she said, her voice slightly gruff as she opened the notes and pulled a pen out of her pocket.
‘I’ve never been so pleased about anything in my whole life,’ Karen said softly, her eyes shining with tears. ‘I just can’t believe we’re going to have a baby. Nigel and I can’t stop hugging each other. We’ve been trying for almost a year. I was really starting to think I wouldn’t be able to have my own child and that’s a terrible feeling for a woman, isn’t it?’
Was it?
Tia stared at her. ‘Well, I—’
‘All your life you just assume you’re going to have children,’ Karen continued, ‘and then you get married and you assume that you can choose to have a baby when you like, so you try and then nothing happens and it’s as if your whole life is over. Do you know what I mean?’
No.
Tia swallowed hard. She didn’t have a clue what the other woman meant. Her situation was the complete opposite to Karen’s. All of her life she’d assumed that she wouldn’t have children. That she would never want to have children. Then she’d become pregnant without even intending to…