More Than Time

‘Of course—your wheelclamp!’ Her hand flew to her mouth to cover the grin, but he saw it and glowered at her.

‘Gloating, Lizzi?’

She moved away from him, her amusement gone. ‘No, I’m sorry, I wasn’t—it was just the irony—Ross, I——’

‘Lizzi?’ His voice was deep, gentle. He cupped her shoulders in his hands and drew her nearer towards him. ‘I was only teasing. Don’t be afraid of me.’

She looked up and met his eyes, then looked away again. ‘I’m not,’ she said quietly. ‘I’m just not used to inviting men back to my house. It threw me for a minute.’

She could feel his eyes on her, studying her thoughtfully.

‘Would you rather we did this another time? Perhaps at the hospital?’

‘That would be silly,’ she murmured. ‘Anyway, you’re here now.’

‘It needn’t take long, then I’ll go, if I’m making you uncomfortable. Is it because of this morning?’

She shook her head. ‘No, not really. I’m sorry about that, too. I haven’t really given you a very warm welcome to the hospital, what with one thing and another.’

He laughed. ‘At least it’s going to be memorable!’

She tried to smile, but failed. ‘We haven’t really got off to a good start, have we?’

‘No. No, we haven’t, and at least part of that is my fault. I shouldn’t have asked Oliver——’

‘Then why did you?’ Her question was short, harsher than she had intended, but his reply was quiet, sincere, softly voiced.

‘Because I wanted to know about you. You seem so aloof, but I know you’re not. No one who can blush like you did is aloof—far less an ice maiden.’

She blushed again under his gently teasing regard, and eased out of his grip. ‘I’m not available, Ross. Not for—what was it Oliver called it? Recreational sex?’

He laughed softly. ‘He didn’t imply that you were—or that I was seriously in the market for anything so tasteless.’

Lizzi felt unaccountably relieved. ‘Was she?’

He frowned. ‘Was who what?’

‘The girl who was all over you like a rash—was she in the market for it?’

His face cleared, and his mouth lifted in the now familiar lop-sided smile. ‘I didn’t even notice, to be honest. Sorry to disappoint you.’

Her relief escalated to full-blooded optimism, and she treated him to a broad smile that lit up her face and made her eyes sparkle.

Oh, I’m not disappointed,’ she assured him.

Ross’s smile widened. ‘Good. How about that coffee before we sort out this paperwork?’

Lizzi’s face dropped. She had forgotten why he was here, and she was carrying on like a lovesick teenager!

She led him into the kitchen and they made coffee and then, sitting at the kitchen table, exchanged information about the accident, both making all the necessary notes for the claim form.

Then when all the business was completed he pushed back his chair and stood up.

‘I’ll get out of your hair now.’

‘Oh, you don’t have to go! Have another coffee or something—I didn’t even ask if you’d eaten!’

He grinned. ‘I have, thank you, but if it won’t offend you I’ll take a rain check on the coffee. I’m dying to get to bed. Sunday morning seems a long time ago.’

Filled with remorse, Lizzi retreated into herself. ‘I’m sorry,’ she said quietly, ‘I’d forgotten you’d had such a dreadful night. Of course you must be exhausted. I don’t know what I was thinking about asking you to come here this evening.’

‘I’ll survive. Anyway, it was a good excuse to see where you live—another piece of the jigsaw that’s Lizzi Lovejoy. I intend to unravel you, you know!’

She followed him numbly to the door. She was feeling distinctly unravelled already!

He shrugged into his duffle coat and opened the door, then he turned and dropped a light kiss on her lips just as a car swept into the drive.

He raised an eyebrow in enquiry.

‘My mother,’ Lizzi explained, wondering how she would ever get away with that innocent kiss—not that it had felt innocent. Her lips were still tingling from the explosion of sensation that had occurred as his lips brushed hers, and she felt rocked off her feet. She just hoped her mother hadn’t seen, because she didn’t feel up to the lengthy evasions that would be necessary. In fact, she rather hoped he would go, but of course he couldn’t because his car was blocked in and she was stuck with him at least until her mother was over the threshold!

Td like to meet her,’ Ross murmured.

‘Good, because there’s no way we can avoid it,’ Lizzi muttered under her breath.

He had acute hearing, if the chuckle that came from him was to be relied on.

She glanced at him. Six foot three, and fit as a fiddle, even if he was tired.

‘Come on, then,’ she said, ‘you can make yourself useful getting her out of the car. She’s disabled.’

Ross walked with her to the car, where Lizzi performed the briefest of introductions, and Ross lifted her mother easily out into her wheelchair.

‘Don’t forget to think about it, Mary!’ the driver called.

Lizzi’s mother smiled mischievously. Oh, I will, dear. Good night, and thank you so much.’

They watched the car out of the drive, then Ross wheeled the chair easily to the door and over the slight step.

Thank you, dear,’ she said as the front door closed behind them again. ‘Now, who did you say you were?’

‘Ross Hamilton—I’m working with Lizzi at the hospital. I started today.’

‘How nice. I thought I hadn’t heard your name. Well, it’s lovely to meet you, Dr Hamilton.’

‘Mr, Mum. He’s a surgeon.’

‘How silly that is. Fancy going to all that trouble just to deny your qualifications!’