would have noticed a change. It was only Sophie who could be aware that their eye contact was abruptly curtailed and that the cheerful smile seemed to come from behind a clear barrier that filtered out any real warmth. Sophie felt she was being treated like some badly behaved child. She was being punished, very subtly, by a disapproving parent. God! The last thing she needed was another father figure.
Precisely what was she being punished for? she wondered. His suspicion that she wasn't being honest? Or her lack of willingness for not wanting to leap into bed with him whilst—as far as he knew—she was engaged to another man? Maybe he was simply offended that she had turned down the invitation to explore the further delights that the kiss had so convincingly promised. Underneath all that charm Oliver Spencer was probably just like all the rest. Men were all the same. They were only interested in sex.
Maybe that was the problem.
By Friday Sophie's anger at Oliver's uninvited assault on her physical senses had given way to shame that she hadn't wanted him to stop. She was just as bad as he was. Another sleepless night gave her a satisfactory explanation of it all. It had to be due to the relentless workload of medical school and house-surgeon rotations, coupled with the fact that she had made a commitment to someone she'd had little time to be with. Sophie had simply been unaware of a physical requirement her body craved. The change in lifestyle and the unexpected compatibility with a colleague had released hormones she was ill equipped to deal with. Hormones that were turning her brain to mush and convincing her that she could be in love with an arrogant brute like Oliver Spencer.
Greg had never been like that. There had been no question of any meltdowns in their physical relationship. Was that why it had seemed more real? More likely to stay the distance? OK, so it had never been earth-shattering, but it had been...nice. Companionable. Comforting. Like their friendship. A friendship that could never be the same and one that Sophie was missing very badly by Monday morning.
Sophie Bennett felt more alone than she ever had. Cast adrift with nothing substantial to aim towards. Her whole life had been aimed towards the future she had mapped out so clearly. Now that was gone and she had eliminated it by her own choice. Had she given enough thought to dealing with the consequences? Sophie hadn't expected this aftershock of guilt and grief over the termination of her engagement. Had Oliver's kiss been enough to release that as well? Had she tipped her whole life upside down purely because of sex?
How could she possibly have imagined that she was in love with Oliver Spencer? It was just as well he'd stepped behind his invisible barrier. Sophie was in no mood to deal with even another verbal advance. She marched into the medical centre first thing on Monday decidedly out of sorts.
Toni's enthusiastic greeting might have helped if it hadn't been for the huge stack of magazines she excitedly handed over to Sophie. ;
'There are so many articles on weddings and some of the most gorgeous dresses you've ever seen.' The plastic shopping bag Toni presented her with was remarkably heavy. 'If you haven't already finalised all the details, they'll give you some wonderful ideas.'
'Thanks, Toni. You shouldn't have gone to so much trouble.'
Toni gave a dismissive wave at the bag. 'No trouble at all. I was stuck in an armchair all weekend, resting, and I needed to sort out the magazine rack. It took my mind off my eye very nicely, imagining your wedding.'
Sophie grasped the new conversational direction eagerly. 'How was the surgery?'
'A bit scary, but it didn't take that long and the surgeon was very pleased. The pain's virtually gone now. I'll be able to take this eye patch off in a day or two.'
Josh looked very concerned as he arrived for work. 'Toni! What have you done to yourself?'
'Just a bit of corrective laser treatment,' Toni
Precisely what was she being punished for? she wondered. His suspicion that she wasn't being honest? Or her lack of willingness for not wanting to leap into bed with him whilst—as far as he knew—she was engaged to another man? Maybe he was simply offended that she had turned down the invitation to explore the further delights that the kiss had so convincingly promised. Underneath all that charm Oliver Spencer was probably just like all the rest. Men were all the same. They were only interested in sex.
Maybe that was the problem.
By Friday Sophie's anger at Oliver's uninvited assault on her physical senses had given way to shame that she hadn't wanted him to stop. She was just as bad as he was. Another sleepless night gave her a satisfactory explanation of it all. It had to be due to the relentless workload of medical school and house-surgeon rotations, coupled with the fact that she had made a commitment to someone she'd had little time to be with. Sophie had simply been unaware of a physical requirement her body craved. The change in lifestyle and the unexpected compatibility with a colleague had released hormones she was ill equipped to deal with. Hormones that were turning her brain to mush and convincing her that she could be in love with an arrogant brute like Oliver Spencer.
Greg had never been like that. There had been no question of any meltdowns in their physical relationship. Was that why it had seemed more real? More likely to stay the distance? OK, so it had never been earth-shattering, but it had been...nice. Companionable. Comforting. Like their friendship. A friendship that could never be the same and one that Sophie was missing very badly by Monday morning.
Sophie Bennett felt more alone than she ever had. Cast adrift with nothing substantial to aim towards. Her whole life had been aimed towards the future she had mapped out so clearly. Now that was gone and she had eliminated it by her own choice. Had she given enough thought to dealing with the consequences? Sophie hadn't expected this aftershock of guilt and grief over the termination of her engagement. Had Oliver's kiss been enough to release that as well? Had she tipped her whole life upside down purely because of sex?
How could she possibly have imagined that she was in love with Oliver Spencer? It was just as well he'd stepped behind his invisible barrier. Sophie was in no mood to deal with even another verbal advance. She marched into the medical centre first thing on Monday decidedly out of sorts.
Toni's enthusiastic greeting might have helped if it hadn't been for the huge stack of magazines she excitedly handed over to Sophie. ;
'There are so many articles on weddings and some of the most gorgeous dresses you've ever seen.' The plastic shopping bag Toni presented her with was remarkably heavy. 'If you haven't already finalised all the details, they'll give you some wonderful ideas.'
'Thanks, Toni. You shouldn't have gone to so much trouble.'
Toni gave a dismissive wave at the bag. 'No trouble at all. I was stuck in an armchair all weekend, resting, and I needed to sort out the magazine rack. It took my mind off my eye very nicely, imagining your wedding.'
Sophie grasped the new conversational direction eagerly. 'How was the surgery?'
'A bit scary, but it didn't take that long and the surgeon was very pleased. The pain's virtually gone now. I'll be able to take this eye patch off in a day or two.'
Josh looked very concerned as he arrived for work. 'Toni! What have you done to yourself?'
'Just a bit of corrective laser treatment,' Toni
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