The Doctor's Engagement

‘But you’re nervous about it?’ Holly’s voice was gentle and kind and Anna shifted awkwardly.

‘Yes, very. The birth was so painful and afterwards...’ She gave a wry smile. ‘I haven’t even had a postnatal check really. Actually I’m terrified of trying anything until I know it isn’t going to hurt.’

‘In that case, I think you should let Dr Logan take a look at you,’ Holly said. ‘Unless you’d rather see one of the female partners?’

Some women preferred to see female GPs for intimate examinations but Anna shook her head.

‘No. I’d rather see Dr Logan. He’s the only doctor I trust after what happened,’ she confided, shifting Harry back to the first shoulder and jigging him slightly to calm him down. ‘I don’t care that he’s a man—once you’ve had a baby and been poked and prodded down there you don’t have any modesty left.’

Holly smiled. ‘I’ll go and see if he’s free.’

She tapped on Mark’s door and heard his sharp, ‘Come in.’

‘Mark?’ She opened the door and popped her head round, checking that he didn’t have a patient with him. ‘Can I talk to you?’

‘Of course.’ He raised an eyebrow. ‘What’s up?’

Lounging behind his desk, he looked very sexy and more than a little remote and she felt ridiculously self-conscious. Every time she looked, she saw less of her old friend Mark and more of a very strong, virile male.

‘I’ve got Anna Watts in my room...’

He frowned. ‘And...?’

‘And she wants to know whether it’s OK for her and her husband to have sex.’ Holly blushed as furiously as Anna had and Mark grinned wickedly.

‘She wants my permission?’

‘Mark!’ Holly was totally flustered. ‘For goodness’ sake! You know what I mean.’

‘Of course I do,’ he said softly. ‘I just like to tease you. What is it about sex that makes you so shy, Holly?’

Holly bit her lip. ‘I’m not shy.’

‘No, maybe not shy.’ He leaned back in his chair and watched her closely, his dark eyes sharply perceptive. ‘Shy’s the wrong word. Just inexperienced. Under that innocent exterior I suspect you’re a burning cauldron of emotions just waiting to explode.’

He didn’t know the half of it, she thought, backing away towards the door, trying to remember how this awkward conversation had started.

She didn’t argue with his comment about her inexperience. Her lack of serious boyfriends was no secret, especially not to Mark who’d known her for so long.

‘I just need to you to examine her and see whether everything is back to normal,’ she muttered, trying to remind him about the original purpose of their conversation.

‘She should have had a follow-up appointment at the hospital.’ Mark’s mouth tightened. ‘Didn’t they call her back?’

Holly shook her head. ‘I don’t know. I didn’t ask, I’m afraid. I wasn’t really sure what had happened before.’

‘OK.’ He rose to his feet in a fluid movement and walked towards her. ‘Let’s go and see her. Will you chaperone?’

‘Of course.’ Holly followed him back to the treatment room and hovered while he questioned Anna.

‘Didn’t you have a follow-up appointment at the hospital?’ He checked her notes with a frown and she blushed deeply.

‘I was supposed to go...’

Mark’s head jerked up from the notes and his eyes narrowed. ‘But?’

Anna shrugged helplessly. ‘I couldn’t face it. I hate that hospital, Dr Logan. And I don’t really trust them.’

Mark sighed and put the notes down on the desk, his expression grim.