Read Online From Single Mum to Lady by Judy Campbell - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Judy Campbell
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him down towards her!
He placed her gently on a chair and then put a hand on each arm of the chair, preventing her from getting up, and looked down at her with amusement in those beguiling blue eyes. ‘Leave the strong-arm tactics to Security next time, all right?’
‘OK, OK. And, Patrick…thank you very much.’
She spoke lightly but a sudden chill of caution laid its fingers on her heart—she wasn’t a fool. She was being drawn inexorably to Patrick Sinclair. Every time she saw him she longed to touch him, lean against his athletic body. If she wasn’t careful she’d be imagining a happy-ever-after scenario. She knew without a doubt that the attraction she felt towards him was more than a just a mild and diverting flirtation—it was real and powerful. She shivered slightly. She’d allowed one man to rule her heart and dominate her and it had ended in bitter tears because she’d trusted him. She couldn’t allow herself to fall into that trap again.
She stood up resolutely. ‘Back to work,’ she said breathlessly. ‘I’m fine now.’
He shook his head. ‘Not before you’ve had a strong cup of coffee—Tim Vernon suggested it, and you need a breather.’ He shot a look at his watch. ‘Perhaps we’ve time to talk about that property I know about for rent and organise something for our daughters to do together.’
She opened her mouth to say she was quite OK and didn’t need a coffee, but she made the mistake of looking into those blue amused eyes of his. She needed somewhere to live, didn’t she? For Lydia and Abigail’s sake she’d have a coffee with him…
‘That would be lovely,’ she said meekly.
CHAPTER FOUR
T HE canteen had the familiar smell of chips mingled with roast meat, and was teeming with people shuffling along in the queue. The staff sat in a section behind a screen covered with plastic flowers and there were two huge tubs of dusty-looking plastic palms at the entrance.
‘Don’t say I don’t ask you to the most exotic places,’ said Patrick drily to Jandy. ‘Bag two seats in the corner, and I’ll get something wonderfully delicious from the machine to save us queuing up.’
Jandy watched him weaving his way back to her through the tables a couple of minutes later, concentrating on balancing two plastic cups and chocolate bars in his hands. He looked impressively tall and imposing in that sea of people and she could see Tilly pointing him out to the little group of student nurses she was sitting with. No doubt she was telling them that Patrick Sinclair was the greatest thing since sliced bread! Funny, thought Jandy, how she felt like she’d known him for ages, though in reality it had only beena week or so.
‘Right,’ he said, easing himself into his seat. ‘Have a reviver.’ He took a sip of his own coffee and grimaced. ‘Ah—nectar,’ he remarked dourly. ‘Although I’d put more emphasis on the “tar” myself…’
She giggled, feeling a sudden light-heartedness in his company, and he grinned back at her. ‘Now, tell me honestly if you feel OK after that oaf knocked you down,’ he said.
Jandy smiled ruefully. ‘Only slightly shaky. I promise you it was only my pride that was hurt. I’m just annoyed that I let him get to me. I ought to have learned by now.’
‘I take it there’s an assault book to record this sort of thing?’
Jandy nodded. ‘It’s usually full after two weeks. Anyway, I’m glad that you turned up when you did.’
‘So am I. It’s a familiar story, though, isn’t it? Aggression fuelled by drink and drugs.’ Then he shrugged. ‘There’s not much we can do about it apparently. Anyway, to change the subject…’ He reached into his jacket pocket and drew out a piece of paper, unfolding it in front of Jandy. ‘Perhaps you’d like to see the place I was telling you about that’s available for rent.’
She looked with interest at the photo of a small house, unusual in aspect with an octagonal shape and two dormer windows
He placed her gently on a chair and then put a hand on each arm of the chair, preventing her from getting up, and looked down at her with amusement in those beguiling blue eyes. ‘Leave the strong-arm tactics to Security next time, all right?’
‘OK, OK. And, Patrick…thank you very much.’
She spoke lightly but a sudden chill of caution laid its fingers on her heart—she wasn’t a fool. She was being drawn inexorably to Patrick Sinclair. Every time she saw him she longed to touch him, lean against his athletic body. If she wasn’t careful she’d be imagining a happy-ever-after scenario. She knew without a doubt that the attraction she felt towards him was more than a just a mild and diverting flirtation—it was real and powerful. She shivered slightly. She’d allowed one man to rule her heart and dominate her and it had ended in bitter tears because she’d trusted him. She couldn’t allow herself to fall into that trap again.
She stood up resolutely. ‘Back to work,’ she said breathlessly. ‘I’m fine now.’
He shook his head. ‘Not before you’ve had a strong cup of coffee—Tim Vernon suggested it, and you need a breather.’ He shot a look at his watch. ‘Perhaps we’ve time to talk about that property I know about for rent and organise something for our daughters to do together.’
She opened her mouth to say she was quite OK and didn’t need a coffee, but she made the mistake of looking into those blue amused eyes of his. She needed somewhere to live, didn’t she? For Lydia and Abigail’s sake she’d have a coffee with him…
‘That would be lovely,’ she said meekly.
CHAPTER FOUR
T HE canteen had the familiar smell of chips mingled with roast meat, and was teeming with people shuffling along in the queue. The staff sat in a section behind a screen covered with plastic flowers and there were two huge tubs of dusty-looking plastic palms at the entrance.
‘Don’t say I don’t ask you to the most exotic places,’ said Patrick drily to Jandy. ‘Bag two seats in the corner, and I’ll get something wonderfully delicious from the machine to save us queuing up.’
Jandy watched him weaving his way back to her through the tables a couple of minutes later, concentrating on balancing two plastic cups and chocolate bars in his hands. He looked impressively tall and imposing in that sea of people and she could see Tilly pointing him out to the little group of student nurses she was sitting with. No doubt she was telling them that Patrick Sinclair was the greatest thing since sliced bread! Funny, thought Jandy, how she felt like she’d known him for ages, though in reality it had only beena week or so.
‘Right,’ he said, easing himself into his seat. ‘Have a reviver.’ He took a sip of his own coffee and grimaced. ‘Ah—nectar,’ he remarked dourly. ‘Although I’d put more emphasis on the “tar” myself…’
She giggled, feeling a sudden light-heartedness in his company, and he grinned back at her. ‘Now, tell me honestly if you feel OK after that oaf knocked you down,’ he said.
Jandy smiled ruefully. ‘Only slightly shaky. I promise you it was only my pride that was hurt. I’m just annoyed that I let him get to me. I ought to have learned by now.’
‘I take it there’s an assault book to record this sort of thing?’
Jandy nodded. ‘It’s usually full after two weeks. Anyway, I’m glad that you turned up when you did.’
‘So am I. It’s a familiar story, though, isn’t it? Aggression fuelled by drink and drugs.’ Then he shrugged. ‘There’s not much we can do about it apparently. Anyway, to change the subject…’ He reached into his jacket pocket and drew out a piece of paper, unfolding it in front of Jandy. ‘Perhaps you’d like to see the place I was telling you about that’s available for rent.’
She looked with interest at the photo of a small house, unusual in aspect with an octagonal shape and two dormer windows
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