Australian Affairs: Claimed: Dr Chandler's Sleeping Beauty / Countering His Claim / Australia's Maverick Millionaire. Margaret Way
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squeezed her cousin’s hand. ‘That’s the fairytale, isn’t it? We have to believe, otherwise what hope is there?’
* * *
Jake checked his watch yet again. It wasn’t the first time his brother had stood him up. He had been left waiting on numerous occasions, but he could never bring himself to leave until he was absolutely sure Robbie wasn’t going to show. He always gave him a chance to redeem himself. The psychologists would probably call it enabling behaviour, but what else could he do? Robbie was his flesh and blood. He hated to think of him out on the streets, desperate for food or shelter. He had to do what he could to protect him.
‘Got a dollar, mate?’ A voice spoke from a bundle of rags on the sidewalk.
Jake fished in his pocket for some money. ‘Why are you on the streets?’ he asked, dropping the coins in the tin.
‘Got nowhere else to go,’ the man said, quickly pocketing the money.
‘What about shelters?’
‘Cost money.’
‘What about your family?’
‘Don’t have no family.’
‘Everyone has family,’ Jake said.
‘Not me,’ the guy said. ‘You?’
‘Yeah,’ Jake said. ‘They drive me nuts.’
‘That’s what families do.’
Jake took out his wallet and peeled off a few notes. ‘Here,’ he said, handing them to him. ‘Find yourself a hotel or something. Don’t blow it on drugs or drink.’
* * *
Kitty padded out to her kitchen early the following morning for a glass of water before her shower. She pulled up the blind on the kitchen window and saw Jake in his own kitchen on the opposite side of the courtyard. He was standing in front of his open refrigerator—and he was naked.
Her eyes drank in the sight of him, all bronzed and buffed, every muscle toned and taut with good health and vigour. He looked as if he had just stepped off a marble plinth in a museum. Not a gram of fat on him anywhere, just strong lean planes of hard male flesh.
She gave a little gulp.
He closed the fridge and turned and saw her staring at him. A slow smile spread over his features. He raised the carton of juice he was holding in a salute and mouthed, Good morning.
Kitty pulled the blind back down with more haste than efficiency. She clutched the edge of the sink, breathing hard. What must he think of her, gawping at him like that? Had he done it on purpose? Did he make a habit of wandering around naked in full view of the neighbours? So what if she was the only neighbour residing here just now—he had no right to flaunt himself like that!
Then she remembered his hot little hook-up. He probably had her there, still lying languorously in his bed after a bed-wrecking night of sex.
She stomped off to the shower, but as the water flowed over her in stinging little needles she thought of him having a shower next door, no doubt sharing it with his lover. Was he soaping up her breasts? Was he kissing her neck and décolletage?
‘Grrrrggh.’ Kitty reached for a towel and scrubbed herself dry. ‘I hate that man!’
* * *
Kitty was on her way to her car to drive to work when she remembered Jake had arranged to deliver it to his mate’s workshop. Just as she was about to call a cab on her mobile, he appeared from round the corner.
‘Want a lift?’ he asked.
Kitty couldn’t control her fiery blush. ‘Please don’t put yourself out any further,’ she said. ‘I can easily call a cab.’
‘At this time of the morning?’ he said. ‘It’s bedlam out there. I just fought my way through it with your heap of rust. Only just made it too. I think the radiator’s about to go on it as well.’
‘I’m sorry you’ve had such a trying start to the morning,’ she said.
His dark blue eyes glinted. ‘My morning started out just fine.’
Kitty opened the passenger door and bundled herself inside, cheeks still burning hot. Did he have to embarrass her even further?
‘How did your night on the town go?’ he asked once he was behind the wheel.
She threw him a flinty look. ‘It was probably excruciatingly tedious compared to yours.’
‘I don’t know about that,’ he said, checking for traffic as he pulled into the street. ‘I’ve had better.’
Kitty glanced at him but his expression was unfathomable. ‘Are you going to see her again?’ she asked.
‘Who?’
‘Your hot date last night.’
He changed lanes before he answered. ‘Maybe. It depends.’
‘On what?’
He glanced at her wryly. ‘Why the sudden interest? Are you thinking of joining the queue?’
‘Don’t be daft,’ she scoffed.
His mouth slanted in a smile. ‘Frightened you might get trampled in the rush?’
Kitty pressed her lips together and refused to say another word until he pulled into the hospital car park. ‘Thank you for the lift,’ she said.
‘I’d offer to run you home again, but I have another commitment straight after work,’ he said.
‘I’ll make my own arrangements,’ she said.
‘Here’s my mate’s card,’ he said, reaching for a business card from one of the dashboard compartments.
‘You can give him a call to find out when your car will be ready.’
Kitty felt the brush of his fingers as he handed her the card and her belly gave a little flutter. ‘Thanks…’
His eyes meshed with hers, dark and intense and knowing.
Could he feel the sexual energy she could feel? Did it make his skin ache to feel her touch? Did his lips tingle at the memory of hers moving against them? Did his blood roar through his veins at the thought of holding her in his arms, moulding her to him, making love to her?
‘I like how you had your hair this morning,’ he said.
Kitty put a hand up to her neat chignon. ‘My…hair?’
‘First thing,’ he said. ‘It was down and all tousled. That just-out-of-bed look really suits you.’
‘You caught me by surprise.’
He gave her an indolent smile. ‘Ditto.’
‘I’m going to work,’ she said, swinging her bag over her shoulder. ‘I’ll see you inside.’
‘WAS that Jake Chandler’s car I saw you getting out of this morning?’ Cathy Oxley asked in the locker room.
Kitty put her bag in the locker and closed the door. ‘He gave me a lift to work as my car is being repaired.’
‘What is going on with you two?’ Cathy asked. ‘One of the doctors from Paediatrics said Jake took you to an orchestra rehearsal. Are you or aren’t you an item?’
‘Nothing’s going on,’ Kitty said. ‘Dr Chandler kindly offered to take me to the rehearsal at short notice when my car refused to start. He also kindly offered to deliver my car to his friend’s workshop.’
‘Why