Australian Affairs: Seduced. Carol Marinelli

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      ‘Just as well,’ Marnie said as they climbed into his car. ‘Try getting your lips around that after a night shift.’

      Harry actually laughed. ‘Beach Road?’ he said, because he remembered everything she had ever told him.

      ‘The dodgy end.’ Marnie smiled.

      ‘I can’t believe he won’t get to retire,’ Harry said as they drove out of the hospital. His phone was bleeping away but he just ignored it. ‘Though he’d have hated retirement—even Marjorie said as much—he loved that place.’

      ‘You do too.’

      Emotional blackmail wasn’t going to work on Harry. He never took his eyes off the road. ‘I love my kids. I need to put them first. Charlotte’s becoming more precocious by the minute, Adam…’ He liked it that she didn’t push things, just waited as he voiced a potential problem that he hadn’t discussed with anyone. ‘I think he’s got a speech delay.’ His knuckles were white on the wheel. ‘I’ve been thinking it for months and I haven’t even had time to do a thing about it.’

      ‘Looks like I’ll be ringing Juan to come back from his honeymoon, then.’

      ‘You really aren’t romantic?’

      ‘Not at all,’ Marnie said. ‘Men always have to complicate things.’ She watched as Harry’s tense mouth curved into a smile—his problem was the same, but with women, of course. ‘They say they want an independent woman,’ Marnie continued. ‘They insist they do but then they get all misty-eyed and start to ask strange things like could I possibly iron a shirt? Or they think that just because you had sex last night it means you’re going to be overtaken by this sudden urge to cook for them…’

      Harry laughed, really laughed, for the first time since he’d taken the call about Dr Vermont. It wasn’t the safest conversation to be having right now. He turned and glanced at her. There was a smile on her lips as she looked out of the window, a smile that told him she knew she was flirting. His phone bleeped again. Harry went to get it, but seeing cyclists up ahead knew better than to risk it, but he was worried that it might be work. ‘Can you get it out my pocket?’

      She most certainly could.

      Harry was used to making strange requests such as that one, used to concentrating on stitching, or something similar, as someone found his phone and held it for him to speak into. He could feel her bony fingers against his chest as her hand slipped inside his jacket and Marnie could feel the heat from his skin through his shirt.

      ‘Mind on the road, Harry,’ Marnie said, and he smiled. The air was almost crackling between them. ‘You’ve a text from Cathy.’

      ‘Which means Charlotte,’ Harry translated. ‘At least it isn’t work.’

      ‘What you need,’ Marnie said, ‘is a wife.’

      ‘I’ve got one,’ Harry said, and in a gesture that certainly wasn’t insolent—in fact, for Marnie it was the nicest thing he could have done—Harry held up his ring finger.

      ‘I know,’ Marnie said, because she did know. She had a son. It didn’t go away because time had passed.

      He pulled up at her house and opened up the message.

      ‘So that’s that, then,’ Harry said as he read it.

      ‘Sorry?’

      ‘I wasn’t going to say anything but I was hoping that I might be able to juggle things next week—the incubation period is just about up and there was this tiny window of possibility that the twins could go back to day care on Monday…’ He gave a wry laugh as he read out the text. ‘Charlotte has spots—don’t worry, right now she’s delighted.’

      ‘Poor Atlas,’ Marnie said as she watched the load he was carrying drop just a touch heavier on his shoulders. She looked at his profile and knew she’d miss him.

      A lot.

      ‘Do you need to get back?’

      ‘I’ll call her,’ Harry said. ‘And see how she is.’ Except his phone battery was almost flat. ‘Can I use yours?’

      ‘Sure.’ She went to go in her bag to get it but changed her mind. ‘Use the landline.’

      ‘Marnie…’ Harry started, and then changed his mind. ‘Sure, a coffee would be great.’ It was a long drive to his sister’s after all.

      But Marnie was over playing games.

      ‘Harry, you know we’re going to sleep together. So we can make this all awkward and have a coffee that neither of us wants and then a quick fumble at the door…’ She loved it when he smiled.

      ‘Won’t it complicate things?’

      ‘There’s nothing complicated about sex.’ Marnie smiled. ‘And we don’t work together any more.’

      ‘I think—’

      But she halted him. ‘You’ve done enough thinking for the day.’

      She was possibly the perfect woman for Harry right now, he decided as he tasted her moist, full lips.

      And there was nothing nicer than the warmth of his kiss when you were freezing, Marnie told herself as his arms slid around hers. And could there be anyone better than Harry to get your second wind with? Because suddenly Marnie wasn’t remotely tired.

      ‘Come on,’ Marnie said. ‘Let’s get you to bed!

      But first he called Charlotte and congratulated her on her spots.

      ‘I’ll stop and get some more supplies before I come and get you,’ Harry said. ‘Yep. Don’t worry, I won’t get there till dinner.’ Marnie was taking off her cardigan as Cathy must have come on the phone. ‘She’s worried I’m going to pick her up before she gets to eat your pizza.’ He looked at Marnie as he talked on about how today had gone well. Well, as well as funeral could go. ‘Thanks for this week,’ Harry said. ‘No, Cathy, I get it. I know you can’t take another week off…’ He hesitated. ‘No.’ Harry’s response was firm. ‘Mum and Dad are okay for the odd night, but it’s not fair to ask for a week.’

      They just stared for a very long moment and there was something lovely about no longer working together, something really nice about being two people who were quite comfortable keeping their sex lives separate from the rest of their lives.

      They both knew the other’s rules.

      They’d both wanted the other on sight.

      ‘Come here,’ Harry said, and it took just two words. Marnie stepped into his space and Harry looked down, lingering a moment safe in the knowledge there was no need for holding back now.

      ‘You drove me crazy this morning.’

      ‘I know.’

      ‘You always do.’

      ‘I know.’ Marnie smiled.

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