Page 10 of Prognosis Incompatible

‘I’ll give you a lift home,’ he said, straightening as she approached.

‘I’ll get an Uber,’ she threw over her shoulder as she walked past him.

‘Don’t be silly, Maddy,’ he said, in a voice that made her feel like a disobedient child. ‘You look exhausted. Do you know how long it’s going to take to get an Uber on a Saturday evening?’

She stopped walking and sighed. He was right and she was tired, so very tired. What could it hurt? She nodded her assent. He raised his eyebrows at her, obviously not expecting such easy capitulation, but she was just too exhausted to care.

A few minutes later Madeline eyed the fire-engine red MG convertible doubtfully. ‘This is yours?’

‘Yes,’ he smiled lazily.

‘Hocus-pocus pays, huh?’

‘What did you expect me to drive?’

She looked him up and down. He was still in the same clothes — buttoned this time. She could see the paint in his hair and remembered him flying up off the concrete wall, his skate-board attached to his feet. ‘Something old and beat up.’

He threw back his head and laughed — a rich, throaty noise that weakened her knees. ‘You are a shrew,’ he stated. ‘Get in, Maddy.’

She obeyed, fearing that her knees wouldn’t support her for much longer, sinking into the well-worn soft leather of the bucket seat.

‘Not much room for a child seat in here, Dr Hunt.’

He laughed again. ‘The name is Marcus.’

‘Maybe...but I’m going to call you Dr Hunt,’ she mimicked his earlier words and he laughed again.

‘Touché, Maddy. Touché.’

They rode with the top down and, apart from Madeline giving him directions to her house, they drove in silence. The steady purr of the engine and the caress of the warm night air against her skin lulled Madeline to sleep.

Marcus took the opportunity to study her and felt a stupid little flutter somewhere in the vicinity of his heart. She was utterly gorgeous. Completely intriguing. The diamond on her finger mocked him and he almost sighed out loud.

Pity.

He pulled the car up outside her apartment block in the Valley and switched off the engine. He didn’t want to wake her but felt compelled to touch her at the same time.

‘Maddy,’ he said quietly, lightly stroking her cheek. She wiggled and murmured something unintelligible.

‘Maddy,’ he said, louder this time, and watched with regret as she opened her eyes, pulling abruptly away from his touch.

‘I’m sorry,’ she said, embarrassed. ‘I didn’t mean to fall asleep.’

He shrugged. ‘You were tired.’

They were close in the compact car, Marcus dominating the small space, his blatant sexuality too big for such close confines. And despite her wishes to the contrary, Madeline knew something was happening within her that had never happened with Simon.

Oh, God - that wouldn’t do at all.

He rode a skateboard. He had a child. Okay, maybe he wasn’t married but he had responsibilities.

And she clearly needed sleep.

Clearing her throat, Madeline said, ‘Anyway...thank you...for before. I was rude to you but you came when I called.’

He shrugged. ‘I would never ignore a medical emergency. Some things are bigger than petty differences.’

‘Still, I think I owe you an apology.’

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