Harry responded easily, his hands anchoring on her hips and his lips locking with hers. This was no slow easy kiss. This was rapid and passionate with a whole host of pent-up frustration.
Her body signalled for her to do more. But she was conscious of the fact she was naked under the robe and Harry was fully dressed. Esther didn’t like inequalities. If there was going to be a repeat of this, they would be on even ground.
His hand moved from one hip and tangled in her hair that was still caught in the make-do knot she’d used in the shower. As she kissed him, she inhaled. Catching the clean fresh smell of his shower gel and finding the still-damp hair at the nape of his neck.
Their kiss slowed. Both of them conscious of what could happen next. Esther wasn’t ready for that. This was a guy she’d hated a few days ago. Now, she was semi-naked and kissing him in his walk-in wardrobe after he’d revealed a tiny part of himself. Honestly, she couldn’t make this up. Her head still didn’t quite believe it.
Their lips parted and he rested his forehead against hers for a few seconds. She liked that. A little moment together with both of them catching their breath. There was no embarrassment. No jumping back as if they’d done something wrong. They were two consenting adults. And it had been a long, long time since anyone had kissed her like that. A kiss that left her breathless and panting and listening to the pitter-patter of her heart against her chest.
Harry smiled. ‘Well, that was unexpected.’
She gave a small nod. ‘Indeed.’
It was a word she didn’t use often. But she was feeling kind of speechless.
She stepped back and picked up the underwear and socks that had landed on the floor. ‘I better get dressed,’ she said quickly.
Harry blinked as if he’d gone somewhere else for a moment. ‘Oh, yeah. I have surgery. I’d better get to the hospital.’
As she stepped outside the wardrobe he caught her arm. ‘But I’ll take you home first.’
She shook her head. ‘No way. What time is it anyway? You’re usually at the hospital early. They’ll be looking for you. Driving me across town will just hold you up.’
He shrugged. ‘That’s okay. And I don’t think you realise just how early it is. It’s just after six. My surgery isn’t until 1:00 p.m. I have plenty of time to drop you back home.’
She knew she should say no again. She knew exactly what the traffic would be like across London—even more so when he was battling to get back to the Queen Victoria. But somehow the words wouldn’t come out of her mouth.
She loved her job. She didn’t mind working hard. But it left so little time for anything else. She liked the fact that someone had actually taken the time and trouble to take care of her for once. Her mum was back home in Scotland. Apart from the handful of friends she’d trained with here, she didn’t really have any deep friendships. Lots of casual acquaintances from work, but nothing else.
So, even though good manners meant she should probably insist she say no to Harry, the problem was, she just didn’t want to.
‘Give me five minutes,’ she said, turning to leave and trying her best not to look at the giant bed in front of her. She swallowed and shook her head. One kiss. That’s all she’d had and she was already starting to have crazy thoughts.
She walked down his corridor, seeing his wealth everywhere. This guy was a duke, why on earth would he be interested in a midwife from a wee place in Scotland? She wasn’t exactly his type. And he wasn’t exactly hers.
It was beyond odd that she’d gone in a few days from wanting to plot a guy’s murder to thinking about his lips.
She reached her own room, pulled on the clothes and stuffed her own inside her large handbag. There was something intensely personal about slipping her legs into Harry’s jersey shorts. They were big for her, and it just made her consider how snugly they fitted him. Esther let out a groan and shook her head. ‘Get a grip,’ she muttered to herself.
The clothes were miles too big so she cuffed the joggers so they didn’t swallow her so much. Then hung the robe back up on the bathroom door. She had a quick check to make sure she hadn’t left anything behind, then slipped on her shoes and jacket.
Harry was waiting for her in the middle of the hall and pressed a button revealing a lift.
She blinked and shook her head. ‘Your house has a lift?’
He nodded. ‘Of course. The car is in the basement downstairs. I think I’ve used the front door only a handful of times since I moved in.’
She sighed as she stepped in. ‘And here was me thinking you must have carried me up legions of stairs. It’s not quite so gallant knowing you just shoved me in a lift and pressed a button.’
He grinned. ‘I can assure you, I didn’t shove you anywhere. But—’ he let out a laugh ‘—but the lift did help.’
She nudged him. ‘If only you’d strained something.’
He turned to her, that gleam back in his eyes again as the door slid open to a dark basement. ‘Oh, I think we can definitely agree that I strained something.’
She couldn’t wipe the smile off her face as he opened the car door for her and she slid inside, quickly giving him the postcode for her address.
The journey across London was easy, and they chatted all the way. Sometimes about patients, sometimes about other members of staff, and Harry asked a few questions about Esther’s mum. There was little point in trying to keep things secret. She’d already told him about her mum’s illness and her keeping the family afloat, so nothing seemed intrusive. She kept quiet about her own father. She loved him, she’d adored him, but telling more about him would mean she would have to admit he’d been a dreamer and a drifter. It was why a stable life and stable job were so important now.
But she was curious about him. She wanted to ask more about his relationship with his parents. He’d only said a few sentences. But the resentment he’d had towards his father was very real. She wondered what kind of life he must have had to make him feel like that.
It was a little odd. But she didn’t feel as if she could pry. She was acutely aware that one kiss didn’t give her the right to ask for a full family history.
They drove into Dagenham and her stomach gave a little flip. She wasn’t ashamed of where she stayed, but it was certainly different from his town house in Belgravia. Her basement flat was dark, with cracked windows and a few broken lamp posts nearby. Her whole flat could probably fit into his large bedroom and walk-in wardrobe and she hated the thought he might judge her because of it. Rents were high in London and it was the best she could afford.
As they pulled up outside her flat her phone beeped. She couldn’t believe it actually still had any charge left. As she pulled it from her bag it beeped again and she smiled and shook her head. Harry’s eyes were still on the road as he manoeuvred to park. ‘Something wrong?’
She shook her head. ‘Just my friends. Chloe—you might have met her. She works in A&E and covers the air ambulance service too. She’s just come on duty and heard I was unwell last night. She’s texting to see how I am.’
‘She texted twice?’
Esther smiled and shook her head. ‘Oh no. The second text is from Carly. She’s a community midwife. Chloe will have asked her if she’s heard from me, and now Carly is texting too. I bet if I check my emails I’ll have one from Isabella too. She trained with us but is in New Zealand right now.’
‘They’re checking up on you?’
A warm feeling spread across her stomach. She should have known the girls would all contact her as soon as they heard she wasn’t well.
Sometimes London felt a bit overwhelming. It didn’t matter they all worked in different places. She knew if she picked up the phone to any one of these girls at any point, they would be there for her.
They all understood why she had to work so hard. Chloe frequently told her about extra shifts in A&E.
‘
They’re my friends. We check up on each other.’
Harry gave an approving nod as the car came completely to a halt. She turned her head to the side and caught her breath. She looked at her flat every day. But coming from his plush town house to her basement flat with the row of run-down shops next door didn’t make her feel proud.
Before she had a chance to say anything he was out of his seat and holding open the door for her. She climbed out and gave him a smile. Goodbyes could be awkward. ‘Trying to get rid of me?’ she joked.
‘Nope,’ he said, his hands going to her hips. ‘Just making sure you don’t run inside without kissing me goodbye.’
His lips were on hers in an instant. And she didn’t resist. She wrapped her hands around his neck again as her body pressed against his. This was brand new, but it felt more comfortable than it should. Although her brain was telling her they lived different lives and had absolutely nothing in common, her body was telling her something different.
Harry wasn’t permanent. This could be a passing thing. She could still commit to her work without getting too involved. She might actually have five minutes of fun. It had been so long she’d almost forgotten what it felt like. Hopefully he would be on the same wavelength.
They were in the middle of the street, so after a few moments she pulled reluctantly away, her lips already feeling swollen. ‘Rest up and I’ll see you at work,’ he said.
She watched as he walked back around his car, slid behind the wheel of the Aston Martin and gave a wave as he drove away.
She wasn’t quite sure whether to feel happy or sad. He hadn’t asked for her number. He hadn’t made any kind of promise or intention.
She took a few deep breaths. Her eyes caught a familiar face walking down the other side of the road. One of the orderlies from the hospital. He gave her the briefest nod and headed on down towards the train station.
Her cheeks flamed. Perfect. So much for keeping things low profile.
As she headed down the steps to her flat, part of her was still frothy and light. It didn’t matter how much she wanted to pretend otherwise, Harry Beaumont had definitely gotten under her skin.
CHAPTER SIX
SHE’D SPENT THE day lying on the sofa, eating bite-sized chocolates and drinking tea. It was the first day off she’d had in a month.
By the time she got up the next morning she was feeling much better. It was clear the antibiotics had finally kicked in, and any sign of the previous reaction was completely gone.
There was a definite spring in her step as she walked along the Thames that morning. The NICU was quiet when she entered, which was usually a good sign. It meant things had been fine overnight.
The handover went smoothly and she was pleased to see Billy again. His charts showed he was starting to gain a tiny bit of weight and his wound was clean.