Page 29 of Prognosis Incompatible

He cared about what happened to her. The thought of her wasting away in a relationship with an absentee partner was awful. And although there was a line between them that decent guys just didn’t cross, he realised he wanted her for himself.

Fuck! Just what he needed — to develop an obsession with a woman who’d made a promise to another man!

Madeline looked over at him and saw the slight chink in his smile and felt guilty. She was pretending that all was well with her and Simon and, no doubt, rekindling bad memories of his failed marriage. Had she rubbed salt into his wounds?

She touched his elbow lightly. ‘I’m sure there’s someone else out there, Marcus. Just for you.’

‘Oh, God! I hope not,’ he said as he continued walking.

Madeline heard the vehemence in his voice. Boy, his ex had sure done a number on his head. ‘You shouldn’t let one bad experience put you off,’ she persisted, catching him up.

‘Oh, yes. Yes, I should.’

‘But —’

‘Maddy,’ he cut in, ‘it’s okay. I like it this way. I date. I have fun. I keep it light. No promises. I wouldn’t have it any other way.’

It sounded horrible but at least Madeline knew now what an involvement with him would mean, should she be stupid enough to ever contemplate it. Just because the man had given her a fever that no amount of paracetamol would cure, it didn’t mean they were compatible.

‘So, what? It’s just sex? Just flings?’ She shook her head in disgust. ‘I could never get involved with someone like you. What about commitment? Love?’

‘Been there, done that. Paid the lawyers and all I got was a lousy T-shirt.’

She looked at him sharply and saw he was laughing at her. ‘I don’t think this is very funny.’

Marcus smothered his mirth. ‘Sorry.’ He held up his hand. ‘Look, I have a skewed view. I know that. My mother has three divorces to her name, my hardly-ever-there father two and me one. I have two sisters that are divorced and one who’s a single mother. Not good odds. But, hey, I’m sure you and Simon are going to be blissfully happy.’

Why did he make it sound so silly? So quaint? His criticism

of Simon came back to her and his casual attitude to something that deserved more than that, was pissing her off. She stopped walking, suddenly not wanting his negativity anywhere near her.

Veering off to the side of the footpath, she held up her hand at a passing taxi.

‘What are you doing?’

‘I’m tired of this conversation and I don’t want to walk with you anymore.’

The cab on the opposite side of the road indicated it was turning around for her.

‘Very mature,’ he said.

She could hear the smile in his voice but refused to look back at his open shirt and his damn six-pack. ‘I thought so.’

The cab pulled up and Madeline waved at Connor as she opened the door, throwing over her shoulder, ‘Oh, Marcus, talking about mature, I’m sending you a patient called Connie first thing in the morning. Does that suit?’

Marcus eyed her suspiciously, liking how her eyes glittered and her cheeks glowed. ‘She’s a mess, isn’t she?’

She laughed. ‘You’re the one with the crystal ball — you tell me.’ And she slid into the taxi and shut the door.

‘Did you make her mad, Uncle Marcus?’ asked Connor, coming to a sliding stop beside him.

Marcus winced. ‘I think so...’

‘She’ll never be your girlfriend if you make her mad.’

Great. Just what he needed - dating tips from a six-year-old.

‘Don’t you know anything?’ Connor asked, looking at his uncle like he was the village idiot.

Marcus laughed and ruffled his nephew’s hair. He knew two things. One, he loved a challenge. And, two, Madeline Harrington, as unavailable as she was, was completely and utterly delicious.

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