The Doctor's Engagement

To cover her nerves she dived under the sheets and shot him a scathing look but his grin widened and he sprang to his feet and made for the bathroom.

‘I’m off to take a long, cold shower.’

Still chuckling, he disappeared into the bathroom and Holly closed her eyes, relieved to have some breathing space. She really couldn’t cope with his banter at the moment. She just hoped he wore pyjamas in bed.

When he finally slid into bed next to her she felt his hair roughened leg brush against hers and knew that if he was wearing anything, then it was the barest minimum.

Pretending to be asleep, she lay absolutely still and tried to breathe normally, horribly aware of his nearness. She daren’t move in case she touched him and she doubted whether she’d be able to sleep a wink. Not with him lying next to her.

* * *

Holly felt safe.

So very safe and warm.

Wrapped in strong arms, she was being held firmly against a powerful chest, warm skin and dark hairs teasing the soft skin of her cheek. It felt unbelievably good. So good that she never wanted to move. Yawning, she snuggled closer, enjoying the tantalising male smell and the unusual feeling of security as she gradually woke up.

She never usually felt this nice in the mornings. And that was because—

Her eyes flew open and she was suddenly wide awake. She was in bed with Mark. She was lying on Mark. Her arms were wrapped round him.

Hardly daring to breathe, she eased away from him slowly, her heart thumping rapidly as she tried to extricate herself without waking him up. Please, please, don’t let him realise...

His eyes were closed and his breathing was even but something about his stillness made her freeze and look at him closely. Was he really asleep? Deciding that he had to be—If he was awake then he would hardly be lying there, holding her—she slithered out of the bed and tiptoed across the bedroom to the bathroom, locking the door carefully behind her.

Covering her face with her hands, she gave a groan and sagged against the wall. That could have been so embarrassing! What if Mark had woken up and found her wound around him like a piece of bindweed?

Vowing to make some excuse and sleep on the floor from now on, she turned on the shower, trying to wash away the tingle in her skin that had been there ever since she’d felt his powerful legs tangled with hers. She hadn’t expected

to sleep a wink, but the truth was that having Mark so close had made her feel safe. Even safer than she’d felt just knowing he was sleeping at the other end of the house.

By the time she’d washed her hair and wrapped herself in a fluffy white bathrobe she’d found on the back of the door, she was more in control.

Walking out into the bedroom, she glanced towards the bed and realised it was empty but the doors to the balcony were open and she saw Mark, his back to her, staring out across the sea.

He was dressed only in a pair of boxer shorts which clung to the hard muscle of his thighs, and her eyes drifted over his powerful physique, resting on the curve of his shoulder muscles.

She frowned slightly.

He seemed tense, as if something was bothering him.

‘Mark?’ Instinctively she stepped towards him, concerned. ‘Mark, are you all right?’

He stiffened but didn’t turn, his voice gruff. ‘I’m fine.’

‘But—’

‘I’m fine, Holly. And it’s your turn to get the kettle on.’

She hesitated, wondering whether to persist, but then backed away, sensing that for some reason he didn’t want her there. Which probably meant he was thinking about the woman that he was in love with...

Tying the dressing-gown more firmly round her middle, she padded downstairs, watching the sea glistening in the early morning sunlight.

Cross with herself for being so pathetic, she waited for the kettle to boil and tried to forget that finally Mark had fallen in love with someone. She’d never imagined that loving someone who didn’t love you back could be so painful. But the knowledge was always there, sitting inside her like a lump of lead, weighing her down.

‘Coffee ready yet?’ Mark’s voice made her start and she turned with a smile and a nod.

‘Of course.’ She reached for two mugs and made some coffee, trying not to notice how handsome he looked, dressed in a crisp white shirt, his dark hair still damp from the shower. ‘Did you have a good night?’