A Life Less Lonely (16 page)

He slowed down. “That’s OK. I’ll just drop you off and turn around.”

“Oh, but surely you’ll come in for a drink,
Keir? Unless you have somewhere else to be?” Those catlike eyes dared him and questioned potential other engagements.

He was about to say he’d work to do.
But how sad that made him sound. Moira was by no means his preferred choice of company but she probably got lonely too. He had a suspicion she’d been in a long-term relationship and its conclusion prompted the relocation to Hartnett. What harm could it do to be sociable and spend half an hour in her company? Without any further thought as to the signal he might be sending, he parked his car in the space she indicated.

***

Josh was in a grumpy mood. He chased his fish fingers round the plate. “Can I have more ketchup, please?” He sneaked a hopeful look at his mother.

“Why don’t you use what’s on your plate first?’ Andrea nursed a mug of tea.

Josh put down his fork and folded his arms.

‘What’s the matter, little mate?’

His lower lip jutted. “I wish my daddy was here. You’re no good at football.”

Ouch. “I know, sweetheart. But when you start at the proper school there’ll be loads of chances to play with other little boys and there’ll be teachers and daddies to help you.”

“I’m a big boy. Uncle Rafa’s ace at football.”

“Well, we’ll be going to see them again soon, so you can have some more coaching.” She reached for the ketchup bottle and brandished it like a trophy. “Do you want to eat up those peas and make room for a bit more tomato sauce? If you’re keen on football, Uncle
Rafa will want to know if you’ve been eating enough to help you grow big and strong.”

It did the trick. Josh even looked more cheerful. Andrea knew there would have been plenty of times when his dad wouldn’t have been around to do all the father and son things the little boy could possibly wish for. But this would have been compensated for when Greg came home on leave. And, if fate hadn’t decreed otherwise, she’d probably have been sitting opposite her husband at this moment, maybe switching off temporarily while the two males discussed whether the back lawn was big enough to erect one of those practice nets like Luis and his father had. It still seemed cruel, having happiness denied, so close to the end of Greg’s final tour.

She pushed the thought away. “Brilliant, Josh. That’s the way to build muscles. Would you like a pudding now?”

Life went on and she needed to remember she was a fortunate woman to have a son and to have such excellent care in place for her mother. Her mind drifted to
Keir, as she watched Josh select a carton of strawberry flavour yoghurt. She wondered how often the consultant managed to spend time with his daughter. Did they have regular contact? Maybe he had the technology in place at home so he spoke to her via Skype each weekend. She knew so little about his private life. It had been a mistake to sleep with him. She knew that now. Because how on earth could they expect to put back the clock, having overstepped that boundary? She could have wept. Instead she listened to Josh gabbling about a playground game. Her hands remained laced round her mug of rapidly cooling tea.

*
**

Moira came back into her pretty sitting room, wine bottle in hand, and wearing,
Keir noticed with a flash of alarm, what appeared to be a black cling film top with tight white jeans.

“Sorry to keep you,” she said. “I like to freshen up after work. Won’t you change your mind and stay for supper,
Keir? It’s no trouble to whip up an omelette. I have to eat anyway and it’s not often I have company these days. Let me top up your glass.”

He felt guilty but still knew he should have dropped her off and run. Fraternising socially with his team on a one to one basis didn’t fit with his personal code and suddenly he regretted having come inside her house. No way should he risk setting himself up for a compromising situation with the nurse some of his colleagues referred to in private as ‘the honey trap’. He guessed they exaggerated but he didn’t want to find out. Worst of all was his awareness of a sophisticated woman on her own ground and doubtless revelling in his discomfiture.
Keir wasn’t used to playing games, couldn’t be bothered to flirt and felt out of his depth and just a tad irritated. He could do without this.

“I’m fine, really, Moira,” he said. “I should be getting off anyway.”

She pouted. “We don’t often have the chance to talk in private and really get to know one another. Why not relax and have some more wine? I certainly intend to.”

He shook his head. “You’re the perfect hostess but I’m driving, don’t forget.”

She leaned forward as if daring him to gaze at her cleavage. “You don’t have to worry about that,’ she whispered. “You could stay here … leave early tomorrow morning. We could enjoy each other’s company tonight. Two single people. No strings, Keir. I don’t cling. Nor will I ever kiss and tell.”

They gazed at one another. This was a quiet cul
-de-sac, he thought. No one would know or care what he got up to. How strange life was. A few weeks ago, he might even have been tempted. He didn’t particularly enjoy all those evenings on his own, nor did he appreciate being invited along to dinner parties as a convenient spare male to balance the numbers. He found making small talk torturous and he never knew half the names of the celebrities whom almost everyone but him seemed to have intimate knowledge of these days.

Moira sat back again and sipped her wine. “Talk to me,
Keir. Am I out of order here? Can I ask if you and Andrea Palmer are becoming an item?”

He sat up straight. “Sorry?”

“I don’t have to spell it out, surely? I do have some knowledge of body language, you know. It’s quite obvious something’s going on between the two of you. I especially noticed it this morning. You were seated side by side but you were both incredibly careful not to make contact with one another. If you’re trying to hide something, it’s not actually working.” Her smile was sly.

“Moira, I really don’t know what you’re talking about. Dr Palmer and I are close colleagues, nothing more. It’s not been all that long since she was widowed, you know. And she has family responsibilities.
Lots of plates to keep spinning.”

“Poor Andrea, yes, I am aware of her predicament. And I can understand how, kind and generous as you are, you can well do without the hassle.” She put down her glass and sat forward in her chair. “You need someone uncomplicated to unwind with – someone who doesn’t have a son to find a replacement father for. You and I are kindred spirits,
Keir. Why not give me a chance? We could be very, very good for each other.” Her voice dropped to a purr.

He’d taken only two sips of wine from the half-glass she insisted on pouring for him. Now he replaced it carefully on the art deco coaster and got to his feet. “Moira, I don’t want to be rude but I really do have to go. I have some calls to make. You’re a very attractive woman
but I respect your professionalism too much to jeopardise it.” He paused but she made no response. “To be honest, I don’t think I’m the right man for you.”

She stood up too and came towards him, lacing her arms around his waist and snuggling against him, pushing her breasts against his chest. He experienced a rush of anger made all the more difficult because she’d succeeded in arousing him. His recent experience with Andrea had awoken his libido and now at this most inconvenient of times, it betrayed him by sending entirely the wrong message.

Moira was not about to let him escape. “That’s better,” she said in that silky, smoky voice of hers. “That’s so very much better.” He felt her slide her left hand down his right thigh, slowly and deliberately.

“Enough!” He pulled away from her. “Can’t you get it into your head, Moira? I’m not interested.”

Her smile was no longer beguiling. “Why, you bastard,” she snapped. “Men don’t turn me down, Keir. You’ve just made a very bad mistake.”

“No, Moira, I think it’s you who’s made the mistake. I don’t involve myself with my colleagues. I’m sorry. Perhaps I should have made that clear before I came into your home.”

“Yes, maybe you should, Dr Harrison.”

He knew she found a certain pleasure in his discomfiture. He also knew he could be on rocky ground. Would she decide he must pay the penalty for doing what he’d considered to be a good turn? This was nothing like that impulsive, urgent kiss between Andrea and himself. This was far more dangerous but for a different reason.

“I think I’d better leave,” he said. “Let’s go back to square one.” Even to his ears the remark sounded incriminating.

She pursed her lips. “OK, fine. Whatever you say,
Keir, but when you get back to that empty house of yours, just take a few minutes to think what you might be missing.” This time her smile was teasing, seductive and very, very knowing.

They walked into the hallway and suddenly she moved in on him again. Her mouth found his lips and she kissed him with a great deal of determination. Caught off guard, for one tense moment, he almost gave in. But the memory of Andrea’s mouth, the taste of her and the smell of her was too recent for him to do what Moira so obviously had in mind.
Keir froze. His arms remained at his sides and after a few moments she broke away and wrenched his jacket from the hallstand.

“OK, have it your own way,” she said. “Goodnight Mr Iceman, it was worth a try, I suppose. Thanks again for the lift.”

“I’m glad I could help,” he said, slinging his coat over one shoulder. “I’m sorry, Moira. It’s not that I find you unattractive, please believe me.”

“Goodbye
Keir,” she said and opened the door. “Our paths will keep crossing. Some things, you just shouldn’t fight. You wait and see if I’m not right …”

***

Keir drove off, knowing he was too rattled to travel far. He left the close where Moira lived and on his way back into town, he pulled into a supermarket car park and drove to the far end. It was a relief to park and cut the engine. He leaned back against the headrest and closed his eyes. The woman was lethal, and obviously jealous of Andrea. It was quite an insult because Moira had a lot going for her too. Without the kind of responsibilities Andrea shouldered, Moira could have a great life.

He grinned as it occurred to him that was probably what she aimed to achieve, though why she’d picked on him was a mystery. He didn’t exactly have the reputation of being a party animal. But he enjoyed the company of an intelligent woman who was on his wavelength as much as he enjoyed discussions with not only his colleagues, but also the tradesmen he needed to employ from time to time.
Keir had neither the expertise nor the time for DIY and had a great deal of respect for people who could hang wallpaper and paint ceilings without changing their hair colour.

He shook his head. Poor Moira, obviously, when she approached him in the car park, he should have had the wit to tell her he was on his way to an important appointment before calling a cab for her on his mobile. The whole incident had been a total embarrassment for both of them. He’d obviously hurt her pride but she’d made the overture. Just because he was single didn’t mean he was constantly on the prowl. That criticism of body language and personal stuff about Andrea had been embarrassingly awful and he could only think Moira had temporarily lost control of her senses.

But hadn’t he noticed her sideways glances rather a lot over the last few months? Ever since she’d taken up nursing at Hartnett and entered his orbit, in fact. Of course she’d done her homework and knew he was single and lived alone. His peers teased him about his so-called eligibility but he believed he came over as uptight. He’d been entirely truthful with Moira though. He had no wish to be anything but her colleague.

At once he thought of Andrea who possessed equally strong opinions about her relationship with him. That situation differed entirely. She and he each recognised the erotic tension each of them created when around each other. He still felt unsettled, still wished he could talk to someone. He wished that someone could be Andrea. But unfortunately the only woman eager
for his company was someone who made him feel he was being eyed up by a predator. The only woman whose company he longed for was one who’d made it painfully clear she wanted to be nothing more than his colleague and friend. Talk about sending in the clowns.

Keir
glanced at his car clock. It was only ten past seven. He dug into his pocket for his phone and searched names beginning with the letter P. It was worth trying. He listened as the ringing tone began.

**
*

Andrea flung herself across the lawn, totally missing the white ball whizzing annoyingly through the air and way beyond her reach.

“Yay,” yelled Josh. “I’ve won! I’ve won!”

“Yep.
You’re a star,” said his mother.

“Another go each?” Josh asked hopefully.

“All right, but then we need to get you in the bath.”

She’d just managed to kick the ball past Josh but with him still having scored twice the number of goals she had, when she heard her phone ringing.

“Bother,” she said. “Josh, can you pick up your toys, please? I’ll just see who that is.”

She ran in through the patio doors and picked up her mobile from the coffee table. “Hello?”