Saved By His Cinderella

‘Jane? Can I have a word?’

‘Sure.’

‘Close the door.’

She frowned, but did so.

‘Tell me honestly, do I have a personal hygiene problem?’

She stared at him, puzzled. ‘No. Why on earth would you think that?’

‘Because, unless I’m also suffering from a bad case of paranoia, you seem to be avoiding me.’ He sighed. ‘Jane, I like you. And on Saturday I thought you liked me, too.’

She did. But she didn’t want to risk getting hurt again.

Not knowing what to say, she stayed silent.

‘So do I take it you’ve had time to think about it and you want to be strictly colleagues?’ he asked.

‘Yes.’ She saw the disappointment in his eyes just before he masked it.

Oh. So he did really like her.

‘And, if I’m really honest, no,’ she admitted. ‘Look, I don’t want to go into details right now, but I don’t exactly have a good track record when it comes to relationships.’

‘Join the club. I’m divorced,’ he said, surprising her. From what she’d seen of Ed, he was thoughtful and kind and charming. Not to mention the way he made her feel physically. So why on earth would someone want to break up with him? Unless he, too, had completely lousy judgement when it came to relationships, and had picked someone who really wasn’t suited to him.

‘I won’t pry,’ she promised.

‘There isn’t much to tell. We wanted different things.’

‘I can identify with that,’ she admitted. She’d wanted a family, and Shaun had wanted Jenna. ‘Except I didn’t get quite as far as marriage.’

‘Sounds to me as if we have a lot in common,’ Ed said. ‘Including not wanting to get hurt. So how about it? We go for a pizza, somewhere really crowded with lots of bright lights, and I walk you home and kiss you very chastely goodnight outside your front door?’

‘You actually want to go out with me?’

‘Yes.’

He meant it. OK, so Jane’s track record in judging men was pretty rubbish, but she’d seen the way he was with their patients. Totally sincere, kind, taking the time to listen. Ed Somers was a nice guy, as well as being the hottest man she’d ever met.

‘Pizza, and a chaste kiss goodnight outside my front door,’ she checked.

‘There might be two chaste kisses. But I promise they’ll be chaste. Unless—’ there was a glint of mischief in his eyes ‘—you decide to kiss me unchastely. In which case all promises will be on hold.’

It was tempting. So very tempting.

Dared she trust him, let him get close to her? Maybe her best friend was right and she needed to just get out there, enjoy herself, and put the past behind her. Dating Ed, maybe ending up back in bed with him, didn’t mean that she was going to fall in love with him. He’d been hurt, too. They didn’t have to rush this or make any promises, just see where it took them. They could both enjoy this and keep their hearts intact.

‘OK. I’d love to go for pizza.’

‘Great. Give me five minutes to save this file and shut down the computer, and I’m all yours.’

All yours. Jane rather liked the sound of that. ‘See you in five, then.’

CHAPTER SIX

JANE knew exactly the place to go: a small trattoria that was busy and brightly lit, and the food was fantastic.

‘Excellent choice,’ Ed said after his first taste of the pizza. ‘The food’s fantastic.’

‘I normally come here with Sorcha—my best friend,’ she explained. ‘Because of the food.’

They spent the whole evening talking, discovering that they had similar tastes in music and books and films. And when Jane finished her third coffee and glanced at her watch, her eyes widened in surprise. ‘Blimey! We’ve been here for four hours.’

Ed looked awkward. ‘Sorry—I didn’t mean to keep you that long.’

‘No, I’ve really enjoyed it.’ She was aware how surprised she sounded—and how bad that was. ‘Sorry. I didn’t mean to imply I thought I wouldn’t enjoy your company. Just that it’s been a while since I’ve gone on a date and I thought it might be a bit, well, awkward.’

‘Snap. Except it wasn’t,’ Ed said softly. ‘I’ve enjoyed tonight, too.’

He walked her home, escorted her up the steps to the entrance to her block of flats, and gave her a chaste kiss right at the corner of her mouth.

‘Wasn’t that meant to be my cheek?’ Jane asked.

‘Technically, it is your cheek,’ he pointed out.

‘Hmm.’

He kissed the other cheek, but this time Jane moved slightly and Ed ended up kissing her on the mouth. He pulled back and looked her straight in the eye. ‘Jane, are you going to kiss me?’

‘Would it be a problem?’

He smiled. ‘No. It’d be a delight.’

And it was a delight for her, too. Hot enough to let her know that he found her attractive, but not so pushy that she felt pressured.

Finally, Ed broke the kiss. ‘I’d better go back to the hotel.’ He stroked her cheek. ‘I’m not going to ask you to let me come in, even though I’d like to, because I don’t quite trust myself to behave honourably.’

Was this his way of letting her down gently? she wondered.

He stole a kiss. ‘You know, your face is really expressive. Never play poker, will you?’

Jane could feel her skin heat. ‘Sorry,’ she mumbled.

‘This isn’t because I don’t want to come in, because I do. But we started this all the wrong way round. It might be a good idea to give us time to get to know each other properly, this time,’ he said softly. ‘See where it takes us.’

‘I guess.’

His kiss was sweet and warm. ‘See you tomorrow. Do any of your windows overlook the street?’

‘The kitchen. Second floor, middle window.’

‘Good. Put the light on and wave to me when you’re in, OK?’

‘OK.’ Jane had never dated anyone who was quite that gentlemanly before. And she loved the fact that he actually waited until she was safely indoors and had waved to him before he sketched a salute back and left for his hotel.

‘Mr Somers—do you have a moment?’ Jane asked the following afternoon, leaning against the jamb of Ed’s office door.

‘Sure. Want me to come and see one of your mums?’

‘No. I was just wondering, are you busy tonight?’

‘No.’ He looked pleased that she’d asked. ‘What did you have in mind?’

‘You said yesterday about watching a film. I was wondering, maybe you’d like to come over to my flat and see a film this evening. Say, about eight?’

‘I’d like that,’ he said.

‘Comedy or serious drama?’

‘I’ll leave the choice to you.’

‘You might regret that,’ she warned.

He grinned. ‘You said that about dancing with you. I didn’t have any regrets then, so I doubt I’ll have any regrets tonight, either.’ He winked at her. ‘See you later, Jane.’

At precisely eight o’clock, Ed walked up the steps to Jane’s apartment block and pressed the buzzer.

‘Come up. Second floor, first door on the left next to the stairs.’ Her voice sounded slightly crackly through the intercom.

By the time he reached the second floor, her door was already open and she was waiting for him. ‘Hi.’

‘For you.’ He handed her the flowers he’d bought on the way back to the hotel from the hospital.

‘Oh, they’re lovely, all summery and…’ She buried her nose in them and inhaled deeply. ‘I adore the smell of stocks. Thank you, Ed. They’re gorgeous.’

‘My pleasure.’ He’d thought that roses might be too obvious, and was glad he’d opted for the pretty, scented summer flowers instead.

And he’d also guessed that she’d like crisp white wine. She beamed at him when he handed her the chilled bottle of Chablis. ‘This is my favourite—and you really didn’t have to, you know.’

‘I know. I just wanted to.’

‘Come in. I’m going to put these gorgeous flowers in water—make yourself at home,’ she said. ‘The living room’s through there. I take it you’ll have a glass of wine, too?’

‘Thanks, that’d be lovely.’

Her flat was exactly what he’d expected it to be: small, but warm and homely. The living room had an overstuffed sofa and soft furnishings in rich autumnal colours. He couldn’t resist browsing her bookshelves; there was an eclectic mix of thrillers, poetry and medical textbooks, and another shelf held a selection of films, a mixture of serious dramas and comedies.

On the mantelpiece there were several framed photographs. Ed knew he was snooping and Jane was cagey about her personal life, but he looked anyway. One of the photographs was of Jane on her graduation day with an older couple he guessed were her parents, though they didn’t look much like her; another was of Jane with a bubbly-looking redhead he guessed was her best friend. There was also a photo of a much younger version of Jane with a Springer spaniel draped all over her and the widest, widest smile, and another of Jane with an elderly woman.

‘Gorgeous dog,’ he said when she came into the living room, carrying two glasses of wine.

‘That’s Bertie. He was my great-aunt’s,’ she said. ‘I always wanted a dog, but my mum didn’t really like them. She said they were too messy and she always moaned about dog hair on her clothes whenever we visited Sadie.’ She shrugged. ‘Sadie had a quiet word with me and told me that I could share Bertie with her, and she’d look after him between visits.’

‘And I guess, working hospital hours and living in a flat, you can’t really have a dog here,’ he said.

‘No.’ She looked regretful. ‘I adored Bertie. He was the sweetest, gentlest dog ever.’

‘Is that Sadie?’ he asked, pointing to the photograph of the elderly woman.

She nodded. ‘Sadly, she died last year. But she was lovely. I was privileged to have her in my life.’

‘That’s how I feel about my sisters,’ he said. ‘And George.’

For a moment, he could’ve sworn that she flinched. And her smile didn’t quite reach her eyes when she said, ‘It’s good to have people like that around.’

‘Are these your parents?’ He indicated the picture of her with the older couple.

‘Yes.’

‘And I’m asking too many questions?’

‘No, it’s OK.’ She shrugged. ‘It’s an old picture now, but my mum’s barely changed in the last thirty years. I guess that’s the thing about supermodels—they have wonderful bone structure.’

‘Your mum was a supermodel?’

She nodded. ‘She’s retired now.’

He studied the photograph, and it made him wonder. Jane’s mother was classically beautiful, but there was something remote about her. Plus by Jane’s own admission her mother was fussy about dog hairs and mud. He had the strongest feeling that Jane’s childhood hadn’t been anywhere near as happy as his own. He couldn’t remember that much of his own mother, but his stepmother Frances had always been warm, welcoming and loving—not to mention completely unbothered about the amount of hair their assorted dogs and cats shed. Clearly Jane’s mother wasn’t like that; she didn’t sound like the easiest of people to be close to.

‘I think you have her eyes,’ he said eventually, trying to be diplomatic.

‘Maybe.’ She handed him one of the wine glasses. ‘Here.’

‘Thanks.’ He took the hint and put the photograph down. ‘So what did you pick, in the end? Serious drama or a comedy?’

‘Comedy,’ she said.

‘Sounds good.’

When she sat next to him on the sofa, he slid one arm round her shoulders and she relaxed into him. The film wasn’t bad, but he couldn’t take his attention off Jane. So much for his good intentions. But they’d spent hours talking last night, getting to know each other better. One kiss wouldn’t hurt, would it?

He shifted slightly so he was half-lying on the sofa. When she leaned into him, he shifted further, and moved her so that she was lying on top of him.

‘Hello,’ he said softly, and reached up to kiss her.

He had meant it to be soft and sweet, but then she opened her mouth, letting him deepen the kiss, and his control snapped. His fingers slid under the hem of her T-shirt, moving further up until his hands were splayed against her back. And the way she was lying, she’d be in no doubt of how much she turned him on. He could feel the softness of her breasts against his chest, and also the hardness of her nipples; so he had a pretty good idea that it was the same for her, too.

‘Sorry. That wasn’t meant to happen,’ he said when they surfaced from the kiss. ‘I was trying to be a gentleman. But you leaned into me.’

‘Hmm,’ she said.

But there was a twinkle in her eye, so he grinned back, moving so that he was sitting upright and she was still straddling him.

He wrapped his arms round her. ‘You know what I was saying about taking it slowly and getting to know each other first? I’ve had a rethink.’

‘And?’

‘I reckon we need to do some speed dating.’

She frowned. ‘Speed dating?’

‘So we get to know everything about each other. Like now. And then I can do…’ He paused. ‘What I think you’d like me to do, too.’

He loved the fact that she blushed spectacularly.

‘Before I met you, I never behaved like this. For pity’s sake, we haven’t even known each other for a week,’ she said.

‘No. It’s completely illogical and irrational… and irresistible.’ He kissed her. ‘Your eyes are very green.’

‘What does that mean?’

‘I noticed on Saturday. You know I said your eyes change colour? When you’re turned on, your eyes go green.’

Her blush deepened even further. ‘You make me sound like—I dunno, some kind of siren. I’m ordinary. Plain Jane.’

‘If you were ordinary,’ he said softly, ‘I wouldn’t be reacting like this to you.’ He kissed her again, just to prove it. ‘I was intending to go home. To be gentlemanly.’

‘But?’ Her voice was very, very soft.

‘But what I really want to do right now is carry you to your bed and drive you as crazy as you drive me.’ He shook his head. ‘I don’t do this sort of thing. I’m the serious one in the family, the one who plays by all the rules. But something about you makes me want to be different. To take a chance and follow my feelings instead of my head.’

‘Like James Bond.’ She stroked his face. ‘You already know I think you’d give him a run for his money.’

Actually, he thought wryly, the James Bond-alike would be George, not him. ‘Thank you for the compliment, but hardly.’

‘Come off it. Half the hospital’s swooning over you.’

‘Since when?’

‘I told you, the grapevine works fast at our place.’

He raised an eyebrow. ‘Would you mind very much if they talked about us?’

She grimaced. ‘I don’t like being the hot topic.’

Of course. She’d probably been there after her ex. ‘Did he work at the hospital?’

‘No.’ She sighed. ‘I guess I ought to tell you what happened. Though it’s not pretty. I came home early one day—I’d forgotten to tell him I was on a half-day—and found him in our bed with someone else.’

Ed sucked in a breath. How on earth could the guy have betrayed Jane like that? ‘I’m sorry he hurt you like that. That’s…’ He couldn’t find the words to describe it, but he needed to say something. To let her know he was on her side. ‘That’s a really shoddy way to treat someone.’

She shrugged. ‘I’m over it now.’

‘Are you?’

She nodded. ‘But I will admit that Saturday was the first time I’d felt beautiful since it happened.’

‘How long ago?’

‘Eight months,’ she admitted.

‘Then I’m glad I could do that for you.’ He paused. ‘Just for the record, I don’t believe in cheating. While I’m seeing you, I won’t be seeing anyone else, and that’s a promise.’

‘Same here.’

‘Good.’ He stroked her hair. ‘I don’t know what to say.’

She shrugged. ‘There’s nothing to say. I gave Shaun his ring back and moved out that same day.’

She’d been engaged to the guy when he’d cheated on her? What the hell had been wrong with him?

‘Sorcha was brilliant and let me stay with her until I found this place.’

‘The more you tell me about your best friend, the more I like her.’

Jane smiled. ‘She’s the sister I wish I had.’

‘The best kind of friend. Since we’re sharing difficult stuff, I should tell you…’ He sighed. ‘My family’s, um, fairly well-to-do. And my ex thought she’d have the lifestyle that goes with that kind of family.’ Camilla had come from the same kind of background as his own, and she’d had definite expectations. ‘I don’t think she realised the kind of hours that junior doctors work—or how important my job is to me. I think maybe she expected me to…’ How could he put this without scaring Jane away? ‘To give it up and join the family business,’ he finished. He knew it was selfish of him, but he was truly glad that being the second son meant that he’d never had to face that choice—that he was able to follow his real calling and make a difference to people’s lives, instead of doing his duty and trying not to let his family have any idea how trapped he felt.

He sighed. ‘I guess I’m selfish. Or I didn’t really love my ex enough, because I just couldn’t give up medicine for her. Being a doctor, helping mums through tricky pregnancies and helping make their dreams of a family come true—that’s who I am, not just what I do.’

She kissed him. ‘That’s how I feel about it, too.’

‘But it’s not fair of me to put all the blame on Camilla. I dragged her off to Glasgow because I had the chance to work with a top specialist and I wanted to take the opportunity to learn from him. It didn’t occur to me how cut off she’d feel from London, and I should’ve taken her needs into account a lot more than I did,’ he said. ‘So I’m very, very far from being perfect.’

‘You and me both,’ she said softly. ‘I had this dream and I was so sure that Shaun was the one to make it all come true for me. I expected too much from him. And I guess he couldn’t take the fact that I was never going to be tall and skinny and elegant. So he found someone who was.’

‘Which is incredibly shallow. It’s not what people look like, it’s who they are that’s important. And anyway, not all men want a stick insect. Some men happen to like little, cute, curvy women.’ He punctuated every adjective with a kiss. Just to make sure she knew he meant it. ‘He really doesn’t know what he’s missing.’ He kissed her again, and her hands slid into his hair. He splayed his palms over her spine. ‘Jane. Shall we skip the rest of the film?’

Her eyes were very green. ‘Yes.’ She kissed him back.

He had no idea how they got off the sofa, but the next thing he knew he was on his feet, he’d scooped her into his arms, and he was carrying her out of the living room. ‘Which one’s your room?’

‘First door on the right.’

He nudged the door open and smiled. ‘I’m so glad you have a double bed.’

‘It’s good for spreading papers out on.’

‘True.’ He stole a kiss. ‘But I have other plans.’ He set her down on her feet. ‘Starting here.’ He unbuttoned her jeans, and she sucked in a breath.

‘I was in too much of a rush last time. This time I’m going to enjoy it.’

Her eyes widened. ‘Ed—the curtains.’

‘Wait here—and stop thinking,’ he directed. He swiftly closed the curtains and switched on her bedside lamp, then came back to her side. Gently, he encouraged her to lift up her arms, and drew her T-shirt up over her head.

God, her curves made him ache. He didn’t know whether he wanted to look at her first, touch her, taste her, or all three at once.

He dropped to his knees in front of her and gradually peeled her jeans down, stroking her skin as he bared it. He let her balance on him while he helped her out of the denim completely, then sat back on his haunches to look at her. ‘Wow, you’re gorgeous. All curves.’

She looked shy. ‘Do you think you could take some of your clothes off as well? I’m feeling a bit… well, exposed, here.’

‘I’m in your hands,’ he said, standing up.

She peeled off his own T-shirt, then shyly undid the button of his jeans. He helped her remove them, then traced the lacy edge of her bra. She shivered and tipped her head back in invitation. Smiling, he unsnapped her bra and cupped her breasts. ‘You’re gorgeous. Lush,’ he whispered.

She coloured, but something in her expression told him that he’d pleased her.

Gently, he hooked his thumbs over the edge of her knickers and drew them down. She did the same with his boxers.

He picked her up, loving the feel of her skin against his, and laid her against the pillows. He paused to grab his wallet from his discarded jeans and ripped open the condom packet.

Her hand slid over his. ‘My job, I think.’

It thrilled him that she’d refound her confidence with him—just as he was finding his with her. He shivered as she rolled the latex over his shaft. And then he was right where he wanted to be, kneeling between her thighs and buried deep inside her.

Her pupils widened with pleasure, and her eyes were the clearest green.

He took it as slowly as he could, until finally her body tightened round his, pushing him into his own climax, and his body surged into hers.

Afterwards, Ed went to the bathroom, and returned to see Jane sitting in bed, looking slightly wary.

‘I’m not expecting you to let me stay the night, but leaving right now would feel completely wrong,’ he said. ‘Can I stay for a bit longer?

She smiled. ‘I’d like that.’

‘Thank you.’

He climbed back into the bed and drew her into his arms; she held him close and he relaxed, enjoying the companionable silence and the warmth of her body against his. He waited until she’d fallen asleep, then wriggled out of the bed without waking her and dressed swiftly.

As he left the bedroom, he realised that the DVD player and TV were still on; they’d been so caught up in each other that neither of them had noticed. He turned them off, took their glasses into her kitchen, then took the top sheet from the jotter block next to the phone and left her a scribbled note propped against the kettle.

Hope you slept well. Can’t wait to see you at work this morning. E x

Then he quietly let himself out of her flat.

CHAPTER SEVEN

THE note Ed had left her made Jane smile all the way through her hated early morning run and then all the way in to work.

When she walked into the staff kitchen, Ed was already there, spooning instant coffee into a mug.

‘Good morning.’

He glanced round, gave her a sultry smile, and kissed her swiftly.

‘Ed!’ she said, shocked. ‘Supposing someone had walked in on us?’

‘They didn’t,’ he reassured her. ‘Though would it really matter if they had?’

‘I guess not. I mean, we’re seeing each other, but we’re both professional enough not to let it get in the way at work.’

‘Exactly.’ He smiled again. ‘Good morning. Did you sleep well?’

‘Yes. Did you?’

‘Oh, yeah.’ The expression in his eyes heated her blood. ‘Especially as I had a very, very nice dream.’

‘Funny, that. So did I.’ She glanced at her watch. ‘Rounds in ten minutes?’

‘Suits me fine.’ He gestured to the kettle. ‘Want a coffee?’

‘No, thanks. I’ll pass.’ She gave him a sidelong glance. ‘I’ve already had coffee this morning. With a very nice side order.’

‘You saw the note, then.’

‘Indeed I did, Mr Somers.’ And she loved the fact he couldn’t wait to see her again. ‘See you in ten.’ She winked at him, and sashayed out of the kitchen.

Their rounds were routine; Pippa Duffield’s condition was stable, and Mrs Taylor was responding so well to treatment that Ed planned to let her go home on Monday, provided she managed to continue eating little and often over the weekend.

But the afternoon saw Iris sending Rosie, one of the more junior midwives, to grab them both. ‘Iris says she need a forceps delivery right now,’ Rosie said. ‘Prolapsed cord.’

Rare, and scary, Jane thought.

‘And it’s not a breech or a footling presentation.’

Rarer still. Jane looked at Ed, knowing how serious the situation could be; given that it wasn’t a breech presentation, it meant that the umbilical cord was probably longer than normal and part of it had passed through the entrance to the uterus. There was a real risk of the blood flow being restricted during contractions so the baby wouldn’t get enough oxygen, and the baby could be in distress—or even stillborn.