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.
Her phone buzzed in her pocket and she checked. Carly. Take second break. Need to meet you in canteen.
She frowned. Was something wrong? By the time she reached the canteen, Chloe and Carly were already sitting at a table waiting for her, coffee steaming from mugs and a plate of scones in front of them. As a community midwife Carly didn’t spend quite so much time in the hospital so Esther was immediately suspicious.
She pulled her chair out warily, looking from one face to the other. ‘What’s going on? Does one of you have something to tell me?’
Chloe tilted her head just a fraction to the side. ‘Why, that’s just what we were about to ask you.’
‘Okay, so what does that mean?’ asked Esther as she pulled one of the coffee cups towards her.
Carly had mischief written all over her face. ‘Should we curtsey?’
Esther leaned her head on one hand. ‘You got me. I have no idea what you’re talking about.’
Chloe pulled a face. ‘Don’t forget where I work.’
‘I know exactly where you work.’ Recognition started to dawn. ‘Oh, is this about me being not well?’
Carly drummed her fingers on the table. She obviously wanted to get to the point. ‘More about who looked after you when you weren’t well.’ Cutting right to the chase.
Chloe sliced open one of the scones. ‘Viktor came in this morning and took great delight in telling everyone you were in a lip lock with Harry Beaumont early yesterday morning and it was clear he was dropping you off.’
Esther’s mouth fell open. She put her head on the table. ‘Oh no.’ Viktor. The orderly. Of course.
‘Oh yes,’ said Carly with glee in her voice. ‘Now spill, girl. I want to know all the details.’
Esther stayed quiet for a few moments. These were her friends. At least they’d warned her she was the latest piece of hospital gossip.
She pulled her head back up. ‘I’m the talk of the steamie, aren’t I?’
‘Yep,’ said Chloe, nodding her head. ‘But I want facts, not fiction.’ She grinned as she looked at Esther. ‘So did you, or did you not, spend the night with Harry Beaumont—our resident duke?’
There it was again—the rush of heat to her cheeks when she thought about Harry. It was getting to be normal for her.
She bit her bottom lip and tried to think of how to put this. These guys were her friends, they weren’t going to judge her.
‘I was working in A&E and had a bit of reaction to the antibiotics I was on. I’d been feeling tired for days and finally worked out it was due to an infection. The first set didn’t work, the second set gave me hives and Harry got me some steroids and checked me over.’
Chloe’s eyebrows shot up. ‘Checked you over, did he?’ Her voice was like a cartoon character.
Esther gave her a nudge. ‘Stop it. Because I’d had a reaction they said I could only be discharged if I had supervision. Harry offered to be the supervision. I think he just felt sorry for me, because we’d had a fight a few days before. He took me home that night and I fell asleep in the car. When I woke I was in his town house.’
‘Where’s his town house?’ asked Carly quickly.
‘Belgravia.’
Both of her friends gave a little sigh. ‘Well, he is a duke,’ said Chloe.
‘So, you slept all night, alone?’ asked Carly.
‘Yes.’ Esther nodded determinedly. ‘Alone.’
‘So what about the love fest outside your flat, then?’ Chloe was smothering her scone with jam.
Esther reached up and grabbed a strand of her hair from her ponytail and started twirling it around her finger. ‘Yeah, that.’
‘Yeah, that,’ repeated Carly. ‘Get to the real story, we’re on a time limit here.’
Esther started stalling, wondering how she could tell the story without a whole heap of mixed emotions swirling around in her head. She buttered her scone ever so slowly.
Chloe let out a big sigh. ‘Any time this year, Esther.’
For some reason she couldn’t quite meet any of their inquisitive gazes. It was so much easier to stare at the scone, even though her appetite wasn’t quite what it should be. Normally the Queen Victoria scones lasted around thirty seconds on her plate.
‘Well...’ she started slowly. ‘He made me breakfast that morning.’
‘In bed?’ asked Carly.
Esther shook her head. ‘No, not in bed, in the kitchen. I’d had a shower and asked him for some spare clothes to change into. He took me into his walk-in wardrobe and while we were in there...’
‘While you were in there, what?’ Carly pressed.
Chloe laughed and waved her hand. ‘Sorry, I stopped paying attention once you said the words “walk-in wardrobe.”’
Esther sighed. ‘While he passed me some clothes, our hands touched and, well, it was just like...something.’
‘Something?’ Both girls spoke in unison and leaned forward.
She couldn’t tell them the rest. She couldn’t tell them what he’d revealed. I
t was private. Just like her story about her mum.
‘Yeah, something. You know how it is when you meet someone and then all of a sudden there’s just this feeling and...then he kissed me.’
‘And?’ asked Carly.
‘And I might have kissed him back,’ she admitted.
‘Wait a minute,’ said Chloe. ‘So this guy, who three days ago you texted me and said he was an arrogant git and you hated him, now he’s kissing you and you’re kissing him back?’
When she said it like that it seemed ridiculous, and Esther cringed. ‘Yeah, maybe.’
‘And then he dropped you back home and kissed you all over again outside your flat?’ said Carly.
Esther nodded. She took a bite of her scone in the hope they might stop asking her questions.
Chloe was grinning, giving Carly a conspiratorial nod across the table. ‘Sounds like quite a turnaround.’
‘It does.’ Carly grinned too and folded her arms across her chest. ‘So, like I said, should we start curtseying around you?’
‘Oh, stop it, you two.’ Esther shook her head and gave a wistful sigh. ‘I have no idea what happens next, if anything. He’s just passing through. We didn’t make plans. He didn’t ask for my number. He just said he’d see me at work.’ Her stomach gave a squeeze. Saying those words out loud made her feel as if she’d been entirely led on.
For the first time there was silence at the table.
Eventually Chloe spoke up, her voice artificially bright. ‘Well, that doesn’t mean anything. Maybe he’s waiting to see how you react. Maybe he doesn’t want to come on too strong.’
‘Yeah, that’s it,’ agreed Carly quickly. ‘He’s waiting for your lead.’
‘Or he’s clearly not that interested,’ said Esther flatly.
The people at the table next to them stood up and Esther checked her watch. ‘Gotta go, time’s up.’
Chloe gave her arm a little squeeze. ‘This could be a good thing. You might get to have a little fun.’
Esther picked up her bag and gave her a weak smile. ‘Let’s just wait and see.’ It made her feel a bit stupid. Half the hospital would now know she’d locked lips with Harry Beaumont, as gossip spread quicker in the hospital than an infectious disease.
Cinderella and the Surgeon Page 9
