Page 13 of 2 Books in One Bundle

‘If you think I’m going to let you out of my sight for even a second,’ he said, giving her a level look that was disturbingly knowing in an altogether different kind of way, ‘you can think again.’

‘That’s a ridiculous overreaction.’ Mia stepped past him, out into the cold, and shivered as the freezing air hit her cheeks. ‘Anyone would think you don’t trust me.’

‘I don’t. At least, not to put your feet up and rest.’

‘Why not?’

‘Because you’re as ambitious, driven and dedicated as I am,’ he said. ‘In your situation, I might start wondering what the fuss had been about and be planning a quick trip to the office to make sure that everything was all right.’

Despite the cold, her entire body heated. The man was annoyingly perceptive. ‘The idea never crossed my mind.’

‘Didn’t it?’

‘I care as much as you obviously do about the health of this baby, Zander. I’m not going to do anything stupid.’

‘I hope not,’ he said, stamping his feet and blowing on his hands. ‘Which is why you’ll agree to move in with me.’

‘Thatwouldbe stupid.’

‘Who will look after you if you go home alone?’

‘I don’t need looking after. I can rest on my own. I’ll be fine.’

‘I disagree.’

He took her elbow, as if he feared she might slip perhaps, but she wasn’t geriatric and his touch did odd things to her equilibrium so she shook herself free. With a barely concealed huff of exasperation, Zander set off for the car and she followed, her breath condensing into little puffs of clouds as she trotted along beside him.

‘What makes you think you would be the best person for the job anyway?’ she said, nevertheless rather glad when he adjusted his long stride to match her shorter one. ‘Do you have any caring experience?’

‘None at all. But is there anyone else?’

No. But that was beside the point. ‘Wouldn’t you have work to do?’

‘I will work from home,’ he said, as if it were a fait accompli, which it most certainly wasnot. ‘And when I cannot, I will delegate.’

‘Would you be ready to curtail your social life too?’

‘What makes you think it needs curtailing?’

‘You’ve been out practically every night since we—’ she broke off, flushing at the memory of exactly what they’d done together, then finished ‘—created this situation.’

‘How do you know that?’

‘I’ve seen the photos.’

The gleam that flashed in his eyes did all sorts of things it shouldn’t to her insides. ‘Have you been checking up on me?’

Maybe. Because frustratingly, despite removing him from her phone, despiteknowingthat what they’d had had been one night only, she hadn’t been able to get him out of her head. She’d succumbed to temptation irritatingly quickly but googling his name and then being confronted with dozens of images of him at parties and dinners and events, invariably with a beautiful woman hanging off his arm, hadn’t done her any favours so she’d forced herself to stop.

‘Not at all,’ she lied smoothly. ‘The reports of your comings and goings are hard to avoid, that’s all.’

‘Imanage to avoid them,’ he observed dryly as the car lit up like a Christmas tree at their approach.

‘So much for me ruining you for anyone else,’ she said, not that she’d ever believed she had because she wasn’t a complete idiot. ‘But I tell you whatwouldruin you. Or at least your reputation. A flatmate, pregnant with your baby.’

‘Let me worry about that.’

Mia watched Zander stride around the car towards the passenger seat door, and thought, hah. As if. When had she ever let someone else worry about anything? For as long as she could remember the worry had been all hers. Her mother’s rapidly deteriorating health. The threat of social services turning up and taking her away. Money, food, school. Her business, her future, herlife. She couldn’t imagine having nothing to worry about at all.

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