by Sue MacKay
Zac saw some of the tension in her neck ease off a notch. Being a perfectionist, CC didn’t do relaxing very well, and tonight she was coiled tighter than a snake about to strike.
‘Time to start the auction,’ Olivia said in a sudden gap of the conversation. ‘I think everyone must be here by now.’
‘Good idea,’ Paul said. ‘Make the most of this amazing atmosphere.’ He nodded at the crowd talking and laughing.
‘Why don’t we hold up the articles being auctioned while Gary’s man deals with the financial side?’ Zac led the way through the throng to the podium.
Olivia nodded, picked up the mic. ‘Okay, everyone, can I have your attention?’
Nope. Not happening. If anything, the noise level seemed to increase. Zac reached for the mic, touching the back of her hand as he did so. Soft, warm, different Olivia. His mouth dried. It wasn’t too late. He could still run away. And then what? Spend the night thinking about Olivia and coming up with a hundred questions about her?
Clearing his throat, he spoke loudly and clearly into the mic. ‘Quiet, please.’ The conversations petered out as everyone turned to face him. He wanted to crack a joke but doubted he could pull it off with this tight band strangling his throat. If only Olivia would move away and let him breathe. Finally he started talking and slowly got his voice back to normal. ‘We are about to start the auction so take a seat. Gary is our auctioneer and we want him to be able see each and every one of you, so even if you scratch your knee he can take it as a bid.’
As the bidding got under way Olivia’s tension climbed back up. ‘Relax,’ he told her. ‘This is going to be amazing, you’ll see.’
She turned worried eyes on him. ‘How can you be so certain? What if we barely raise enough money to get Andy a one-way ticket to the States?’ Her teeth nibbled her bottom lip.
Olivia didn’t do nibbling. Taking her hand in his, he squeezed gently. ‘I believe in you, that’s how.’
Her eyes widened, her chin tipped forward. ‘Truly?’ she squeaked.
‘Truly.’ He did. He realised that through the years they’d been training to become surgeons he mightn’t have noticed how sexy she was but he had known of her determination never to fail. Perhaps he hadn’t learned much more about her during their affair but this was still Olivia, the same woman who’d qualified as an excellent plastic surgeon. Only now he saw how much she cared for their friends. Olivia was a big marshmallow, really, and he liked marshmallows.
‘Thanks.’
‘Olivia? So do all the people in this room. That’s why they’re here.’
He felt a responding squeeze where her hand was wound around his. ‘You say the nicest things,’ she whispered, before pulling free and turning to face the now-quiet room.
She’d been flip in her tone and yet it didn’t bother him. That was Olivia covering her real feelings. He was beginning to see she was an expert at doing that. Come to think about it, she’d always shut him up with a kiss whenever he’d started to talk about anything personal. What was she hiding? Who was Olivia Coates-Clark? The real CC?
As Zac picked up the envelope to be auctioned, which contained a week in a timeshare bure in Fiji, he knew he was getting into trouble. Forget quietening the itch. Now he had to fight the need to get to know all about Olivia, right from when she’d lost her first tooth to what her idea was of a dream holiday.
The bidding was fast and furious, with plenty of people vying to buy the first offering. In the end Paul outbid everyone, paying enough to send a dozen folks to Fiji rather than the two that the deal covered.
‘That’s auctions for you,’ Zac whispered to Olivia as at last she began smiling.
‘It’s not about what they’re bidding for, is it?’
‘Nope. It’s all about the man sitting at that table with his wife and kids, looking like hell and pretending otherwise.’ Andy looked shocked, actually. Probably because of the ridiculous amount Paul had bid.
Olivia nudged him. ‘We’re not a bad bunch, are we?’
‘Apart from opinionated, hardworking, and overly comfortable with our lot, you mean?’ He grinned at her.
‘I’d like to think more along the lines of caring, hardworking, and overly focused on helping others.’ She grinned back.
His stomach clenched. That grin, that mouth…oh, man. I’ve missed her so much. Not just the sex. He’d liked being with her too, even if only while they’d ridden the elevator to the apartment she’d rented then, and before they’d fallen into bed.
‘What are we auctioning next?’ he growled, needing to get back on an even keel.
‘The weekend on your luxury yacht. If you’re at the helm that should attract a lot of female bidders.’ Her grin only grew.
‘The ladies here are all taken.’ Except you. Zac sighed when one of the partners in the surgical practice where he worked bought the weekend excursion. The man wasn’t easy to get along with, and now he’d have to spend two days holed up in a yacht with him and his whole family.
‘You’re being uncharitable,’ Olivia whispered beside his ear.
‘I didn’t say a word.’
‘There was a brief wincing and tightening of your mouth when the hammer hit the podium.’ She laughed. ‘That man paid a small fortune for the pleasure of going sailing with you.’
‘He did, and I’ll make sure he has a fantastic time.’
Gary had the crowd in the palm of his hand now, and the bidding went through the roof for everything from a painting of a seagull hovering over a beach to a meal at a restaurant down at the Viaduct Harbour.
Zac watched Olivia every time the gavel hit the podium. Her eyes were getting brighter and brighter. ‘We’re killing it,’ she whispered at one point.
‘Says the woman who was worried this wouldn’t work,’ he retorted. The more she smiled the more she relaxed, and the more beautiful she was. Zac felt his heart soften even further towards her. So he sucked in his stomach and hardened himself against her. Mentally, that was.
‘That’s me. Control freak with no control over the outcome of the auction. Of course I was going to be concerned.’
Was that why she’d ended their affair? So she could keep control and not wait until he decided to call it quits? Since the morning he’d woken to hear Olivia say she was walking away from their affair he’d felt bruised and let down. He hadn’t known why, except it had reminded him of the day his family had cut him off. But with Olivia he’d had nothing to feel guilty about.
‘That’s it, folks. We’ve sold everything,’ Gary called out.
Olivia crossed to stand behind the podium, a piece of paper in her hand, tears in her eyes. ‘You’re an amazing group of people. This auction went way beyond even my dreams.’ She read out the amount they’d raised and had to wait a long time for the applause to die down. ‘You are all so generous it’s humbling.’
Zac glanced across to Andy’s table, and felt emotion tug at his heart. Kitty was crying and Andy slashed his arm across his face as he slowly stood up. Carefully negotiating his way around tables to reach Olivia, Andy gave her a long hug before gripping Zac’s shoulder.
‘Hey.’ Zac could think of nothing else to say. The success of the auction said everything that needed to be said about the love he felt for this man.
Taking the mic, Andy stumbled to the podium. ‘What can I say? Olivia’s right. You’re awesome.’ His voice cracked. ‘Tonight means so much to Kitty and me, and our boys. You have given us a chance.’ He stopped and looked down. Everyone waited quietly until he raised his head and said, ‘CC, I can’t thank you enough. I know so many people contributed to tonight and I thank each and every one of them, but without you, CC, none of this would’ve happened.’
Zac clapped and instantly everyone leapt to their feet to join him. He reached for Olivia’s hand and raised it high. ‘Our CC.’
Tears were streaming down her cheeks. ‘Stop it,’ she hissed. ‘You’re embarrassing me.’
Zac retrieved the mic from Andy and when th
e clapping died down said, ‘In case you missed that, CC says we’re embarrassing her. When did that ever happen?’
Laughter and more clapping broke out. Olivia shook her head at him. ‘You’ll keep.’
There was the problem. He shouldn’t want to be kept for Olivia. Or any woman. He wouldn’t be able to deliver what she wanted, needed.
CHAPTER FIVE
‘DID YOU JUST YAWN?’ Zac asked as they danced to the Eziboys’ music.
Olivia shook her head. ‘Just doing mouth stretches.’ Did there have to be a smile in his eyes? It was devastating in its intensity. Made her happy to be with him, when she shouldn’t be. Exhaustion had returned as dessert had come to an end, yet somehow she’d still found the energy to shake her hips to the beat of the music.
Zac’s eyes widened, and the tip of his tongue appeared at the corner of his delectable mouth. ‘Right,’ he drawled.
She mentally slapped her head. Mouth stretches. She used to trail kisses all over his body, starting below his ear and tracking down, down, down. The memories were vivid now, in full technicolour, and heating up her cheeks. Hopefully he wouldn’t notice her heightened colour in the semidarkness of the dance floor.
It would take very little to fall in against that wide chest and let him be her strength for a while. She’d never known what it was like to let someone be strong for her. If she ever loosened up enough to try it, Zac might be her man.
How had she managed to leave him that morning? Fear. Always a powerful motivator. For her it had been fear of losing control, of never knowing which way was up. As an adult she had no intention of reliving the turbulent life she’d known growing up. Not for anyone.
‘Feel like taking a break, having a drink?’ Zac asked.
Definitely. Anything to put some space between them. ‘Good idea.’ She immediately turned for their table.
Waving at a waiter, Zac pulled out a chair. ‘Take the weight off.’
When he sat down beside her his chair was way too close, but she was reluctant to make a show of moving away. Anyway, she didn’t have the strength to resist him at the moment. Glancing at her watch, she sighed. The band was booked for at least another hour. Sneaking off to her room and that huge comfortable-looking bed was not yet an option.
The champagne was cool and delicious. ‘Perfect.’ She settled further into her chair. ‘You keep dancing, if you want. I don’t need babysitting.’
Zac chuckled. ‘Dancing has never been one of my favourite pastimes.’
‘But you’re good at it. You’ve got the moves.’ Ouch. Shouldn’t have said that.
That devastating smile returned briefly. ‘I’d say thanks except you seemed to nearly fall asleep while we were shaking our hips.’
‘I can’t believe how tired I am. Probably won’t go to sleep for hours when I finally make it to my room. My muscles feel like they’re pulled tighter than a tourniquet.’
‘What you need is a few days away somewhere where no one can reach you to talk about work, or fundraising, or anything more stressful than what you’d like for dinner.’ Zac sipped his drink. ‘When did you last take time off?’
She thought about it. Glanced at him. Remembered. ‘It was a while ago.’
‘A little over eighteen months ago maybe?’
‘Maybe.’ Zac had booked three nights at a retreat on Waiheke Island. They’d only managed one night before he’d returned home after his brother had been admitted to hospital with a collapsed lung.
While accepting he had to go, Olivia had been disappointed he’d not returned to the resort later. She sometimes wondered—if they’d had the whole time together would they have got to know each other a little better outside the bedroom?
‘I might as well have stayed with you,’ Zac muttered, as if reading her mind.
Olivia’s stomach flipped. ‘What? Your family needed you.’ So had she, but not as much.
‘No, they didn’t.’
‘But they phoned you.’
He shook his head. ‘My grandfather called to let me know about Mark. Not my parents.’
She wanted to say that made sense if his parents had rushed to be with his brother, but something in his eyes stopped her, told her she was wrong. ‘You don’t get along—’
‘Mind if I join you both for a moment?’ Paul plonked himself down without waiting for an answer.
Relief flicked across Zac’s face. ‘Can I get you a drink, Paul?’
‘No, thanks. I won’t take up much of your time.’ Leaning back in the chair, he studied first Zac then her so thoroughly she began to think she had chocolate mousse on her chin.
The band stopped for a short break and most people were making their way to the tables. And Paul still wasn’t saying anything. She ran her fingers across her chin, came up clean. She glanced at Zac, who shrugged his shoulders.
Finally, Paul pulled an envelope from the inside pocket of his jacket and Olivia instantly recognised it as an item that had been auctioned earlier. A trip somewhere. There’d been a few trips auctioned tonight but she thought Paul’s one had been to Fiji.
As he laid the envelope on the table between her and Zac she felt a flutter of trepidation in her stomach. She couldn’t keep her eyes off that large white envelope or the finger tapping it, as though it was beating out her fate.
‘This is for the two of you. Five nights at Tokoriki Island Resort on the west side of Fiji’s mainland.’
No. No, please, no. Tell me Paul didn’t say that. I can’t go anywhere with Zac, and certainly not somewhere as intimate as a resort in Fiji.
Olivia slowly raised her gaze to Zac and saw him looking as stunned as she felt. ‘It’s kind of you, Paul, but I have to say no.’
‘Zac? What do you think?’ Paul looked a little smug.
It didn’t matter what Zac thought. She wasn’t going.
A few days far away from everything and everyone with only Zac for company held a certain appeal. White beaches, warm sea, palm trees bending in the breeze, and… And Zac.
‘It’s a no from me too. Thank you, though.’
Paul wasn’t easily fobbed off. ‘Think before rejecting my offer out of hand, both of you.’
Olivia shook her head. One evening with Zac had her in a state of longing and wonder. She would never cope with being stuck on a tiny island with him for a week.
‘What’s this about?’ Zac asked in a surprisingly level tone, his eyes fixed on the man issuing the challenge.
‘Look at you. You’re exhausted. I know you haven’t had a break all year. You need a holiday. So does Olivia. Why not someplace exotic? This timeshare bure is on an island catering for approximately twenty couples at any one time. No children allowed. All meals provided, massages as well.’ Paul smiled.
Any other time she’d be drooling at the thought of going. But never with the man sitting beside her, looking as perplexed as she felt.
‘It sounds wonderful, but you’re expecting Zac and me to go together?’ Olivia shook her head. Not going to happen. Looking at Zac, she could see the lines at the edges of his mouth. He was tired. It had taken Paul pointing it out for her to notice.
‘You have two weeks to choose between, both in July, so you’ll need to get your heads together quickly.’
Which part of ‘I’m not going’ doesn’t Paul understand? ‘July’s two weeks away. I can’t just pack my bag and leave my patients in the lurch.’
‘Neither can I,’ Zac growled.
Paul hadn’t finished. ‘I’ll cover for you, Zac, and I’m sure we can find someone to pick up the reins in your department for five days, CC.’
‘You still haven’t said why you’re doing this. Us needing a holiday doesn’t cover such generosity.’ Zac sipped his drink, a thoughtful expression on his handsome face.
An expression that worried Olivia. He’d better not be considering this crazy idea. She snapped, ‘It doesn’t matter why. It’s not going to happen.’ Knowing how ungrateful that sounded, and yet annoyed that Paul thought he could m
anipulate them, she added, ‘It’s a lovely offer, Paul, but I’m turning you down.’
The moment the words left her mouth she was regretting the lost opportunity. A holiday would be fabulous right now. Keeping up her usual number of patients and working on this gala fundraiser had finally caught up with her. Throw in her mum’s latest crisis, and heading offshore to somewhere she’d be pampered sounded better and better. A sideways glance at Zac and she couldn’t deny that going away with him didn’t have appeal. Her head snapped up. She was not going anywhere with Zac.
Someone coughed. ‘I’ll cover for you, Olivia.’ A colleague at Auckland Surgical Hospital sat on the other side of the table, looking completely relaxed about the whole scenario. ‘You know you’ve been wanting to get away for a while now. The timing couldn’t be better. Leave it another couple of months and I’ll be on maternity leave.’
Thanks a million. You obviously haven’t heard the whole conversation, especially the bit about Zac going too. But as Olivia glared at the woman she felt herself wavering. This might be working out too easily, but did that mean she shouldn’t be considering it? Should she be grabbing that envelope and rushing home to pack, or was it wiser to continue refusing Paul’s kindness?
Zac was watching her with something akin to an annoying challenge in his eyes. ‘What about it, CC? It could be fun.’
‘It could be a nightmare.’ How would she remain aloof when they were sharing accommodation on an island with very few people around for distraction? How would she be able to control herself with that hot bod so close for days on end?
Pulling her gaze from that infuriating taunt in Zac’s eyes, she looked around the now-crowded table and found everyone watching, waiting for her answer, almost as though they were all challenging her.
You never turn down a dare, remember?
She’d never had one quite like this, though. She could not go on holiday with the man she’d had to walk away from once already. Not when he’d got her in a tangle of emotions within minutes of turning up in the hotel earlier that afternoon. She’d never survive with her heart and her brain functioning normally if she spent five days and nights in the same space as Zac.
