Wynne couldn’t endure sitting for another moment. She paced the waiting room, hoping the activity would help allay the tension that had her coiling up tighter by the second. In her mind’s eye, all she could see was the excitement stretching across Serena’s face last night as she’d told Wynne all her plans for the baby.
It had made Wynne almost...jealous.
Xavier was gone for twenty minutes.
Wynne paced the waiting room. Please. Please. Please. That one word went round and round in her head like a prayer. There would not be enough comfort in the world for Serena if she lost her baby.
For no reason, all the hairs on her arms lifted. She spun to find Xavier standing in the doorway. Her mouth went dry.
‘Well?’ She couldn’t manage anything above a whisper.
‘At the moment the doctor is optimistic that both Serena and her baby will be okay. Serena may need bed-rest for the remainder of her pregnancy, but...’
Xavier continued, but Wynne barely heard the rest of his words. She just let them wash over her in a comforting rush. She dropped down to one of the padded benches that lined the walls, the strength in her legs giving way.
‘Oh, Xavier.’ She pressed both hands to her chest. ‘That’s great news.’
And to her utter embarrassment she burst into tears.
In two strides he was across the room. A warm arm went about her shoulders, a strong thigh pressed against hers as he took the seat beside her. From shoulder to knee she found herself held against him—he was warm and solid and comforting, and she drew all of that in as she hauled a breath into shuddering lungs and wrangled her emotions back under control.
‘I’m sorry. I know this isn’t very professional of me, but...’
‘But it has been a harrowing morning and it has ended better than you feared. Wynne, your tears are entirely understandable.’
Really?
‘Come.’
He smiled, and she couldn’t find a trace of criticism in those dark eyes of his.
‘It is time I took you home.’
Her heart clenched. She wasn’t sure she even had a home any more.
‘I promised Serena’s sister I’d wait here till she arrived.’
He settled back with a nod.
Shock had her straightening. ‘You don’t have to stay, Xavier.’
He briefly clasped her hand, and heat flooded her. His eyes speared hers and she felt suspended between breaths. And then he edged away slightly, and the tightness about her chest eased a fraction.
‘I’ll wait.’
She wasn’t sure she wanted him to. But nevertheless she found his presence comforting. She told herself it was because while he was here with her he wasn’t at Aggie’s Retreat unsupervised, finding fault with things without her there to explain them in context. But the truth was that she simply appreciated the company.
She swallowed. It was the same way she’d have appreciated Tina or April’s company. Except...
She couldn’t remember Tina or April ever sending unexpected jolts of adrenaline coursing through her and reminding her of what it was like to feel alive—truly alive—rather than worried about everything and running around trying to put out fires.
For the moment, she decided to put the thought of fires and catastrophes out of her mind and simply enjoy the opportunity for some peace and quiet.
* * *
‘This isn’t the way back to the motel.’
Xavier glanced across at Wynne. ‘I’ve instructed Reyes to take us to an Oceanside restaurant. You haven’t had lunch and it is after two. You need to eat.’
She glanced at her watch, and although he had a feeling that she wanted to argue with him, she subsided back against the upholstery of the limousine. She barely seemed to notice the luxury of the large car, but he appreciated the leather seats after spending so long on those hard hospital benches.
Wynne must be worn out. He felt drained and he’d done next to nothing.
‘I have it on good authority that Clementine’s is an excellent restaurant.’
‘Yes, the reviews have been admirable.’
He frowned as the car came to halt in front of one of the Gold Coast’s most exciting new restaurants and Wynne showed not the slightest interest or excitement. He’d wanted to give her a treat for all her quick thinking and kindness to Serena Gladstone, but it appeared this wasn’t the kind of excursion designed to bring a smile to Wynne’s lips.
‘You would rather eat somewhere else?’
She sent him a look that he found difficult to interpret. ‘I’d be just as happy with hot chips on the beach.’ She glanced down at his feet. ‘But you’re not dressed for the beach.’
He too glanced down at his Italian leather shoes and silk blend socks. Before he could stop the words coming out of his mouth he said, ‘That can be fixed. I can take them off.’
She stared at him with so much surprise that he reached down and removed them at once. He met her gaze, defiance threading through him, and raised a deliberately challenging eyebrow. After two beats she gave a laugh and kicked off her own shoes. To see the effervescence and energy return to her eyes was the only reward he needed.
He bought two cones of chips and they ambled along the beach before finding a spot to sit where they could dig their toes into the sand. The beach—all golden sand and blue skies—stretched for miles in both directions, with the Gold Coast skyline stretching behind—mile upon mile of glamorous high-rises. The lightest of breezes touched his face, bringing with it the scent of salt and jasmine—the former from the ocean and the latter from the woman sitting beside him.
‘I want to tell you again that I think you did an extraordinary job today.’
She frowned. ‘You mean I was supposed to take your earlier criticism as a compliment?’
He stiffened. ‘What criticism?’
‘That by ignoring the Do Not Disturb sign I was being unprofessional.’
He glared at her. ‘That is not what I meant!’
She shrugged and stared back out at the surf. ‘It’s what you said.’
He found himself wrestling with a sudden anger. He was her employer. He didn’t need to explain himself to her.
Except...except if he’d given her the impression that he’d been criticising her then perhaps he did.
‘I am sorry if I gave you that impression.’ His words came out stiff, and he could have sworn out loud when her jaw tightened. ‘What I was trying to say was that I admire your understanding of your clients and your attention to their needs. I admire your...vigilance.’
She turned back to him, the smallest of frowns lurking in the depths of her eyes. ‘I work in a people profession. I’m trained to anticipate people’s needs.’
‘I work in a people profession too.’
A laugh shot out of her and she immediately tried to smother it. ‘We may work in the same industry, but we’re worlds apart, Xavier—and I’m not just talking about Northern and Southern hemispheres, here. You’re not the least interested in anticipating anyone’s needs. You hire staff for that. What you’re used to is barking out orders and having them obeyed immediately and without question.’
The moment the words left her she winced, her shoulders edging up towards her ears. ‘I didn’t mean that to sound disrespectful. I