The Secret Between Them Read online

  Things were definitely starting to look up for him and perhaps it was time to take a bigger chance...to see exactly where these strange but exciting emotions he felt for Sunainah took him.

  * * *

  That night, Sunainah looked at herself critically in the mirror, wondering what her friends saw that she did not. She was a woman with a dark complexion, dark eyes and dark hair. She was nothing special. Tonight she had dressed in a pair of three-quarter denim jeans and a loose-fitting cotton shirt that was almost like a dress it was so long. She had released her hair from its usual bun and plaited it in one long plait that hung halfway down her back. She had thought about leaving it loose before she’d remembered that this was technically a business dinner so she should at least look tidy, rather than having hair everywhere.

  At the appointed time she headed to Elliot’s town house, carrying a big bottle of fruit squash and sparkling mineral water as an offering to her host. Her paperwork was in a bag slung over her shoulder. ‘This is business. This is business,’ she repeated to herself as she rang the front door bell.

  ‘Come on in, Sunainah,’ she heard Elliot call, and no sooner had she stepped inside than there was the patter of tiny footsteps heading in her direction.

  ‘Soo-nen-nah!’ Daphne called.

  ‘Nen-nah!’ Joshua joined in.

  Sunainah quickly put her shoulder bag by the door, holding firmly to the drinks as two little people, filled with excited delight, wrapped their chubby arms about her legs.

  ‘Nen-nah. Nen-nah,’ Joshua repeated over and over again.

  ‘Pick me up. Pick me up.’ Daphne let go of Sunainah’s leg but started jumping up and down beside her, her little arms outstretched pleadingly.

  ‘Me, too. Me, too,’ Joshua replied, following his big sister’s actions.

  Sunainah laughed, leaning over to put the drinks onto a nearby table before scooping first Daphne then Joshua into her arms. She hugged them tight, laughing at their infectious exuberance. As she straightened up, one child on each hip, she glanced over to the kitchen doorway, where she saw Elliot, tea towel over his shoulder, leaning against the archway, a wide grin on his face.

  ‘I see you have been successfully welcomed,’ he remarked, and when he noticed the bottles of drink on the table he walked over and picked them up, a quizzical look on his face as though he had no idea how they’d got there.

  ‘A token contribution towards our meal. I was not sure what we would be eating and, besides, I did not want the children to feel left out so I brought something we could all drink.’

  Elliot looked from the drinks back to her, the woman holding his two children, the children who had their arms wrapped tightly about her neck, big smiles on their faces. He ignored a pang of jealousy, wanting to do exactly the same thing. Never had he thought he’d be jealous of his own children! ‘You’re very thoughtful, Sunainah, and clearly understand children.’

  ‘It is my job.’

  ‘No.’ Elliot shook his head and took a few steps closer towards her. ‘Your job,’ he continued, his voice quiet, ‘is to provide medical care for your patients. Everything else you do, the way you relate to the children on their own level, doing jigsaws, colouring in or keeping a necklace made from macaroni is what clearly shows just how much you truly care.’

  He came closer still, into her own personal space, and for a moment Sunainah had no clue what to do. Daphne and Joshua were still holding tightly to her neck, resting their little heads on her shoulders. She could not step back to put some much-needed distance between herself and Elliot because she did not want to accidentally trip over one of the kids’ toys that might be on the floor. Instead, she lifted her chin a little, trying to show that she was not at all uncomfortable with his close proximity.

  ‘You’re a good doctor, a good friend and a really nice person, Sunainah.’ His tone dropped lower. ‘I like that about you. Really like that about you.’ He let the words hang in the air for a moment before his gaze dipped from her eyes to take in the contours of her mouth.

  Sunainah swallowed, her heart pounding wildly against her chest as she tried hard to concentrate on what she was supposed to be doing. How could he say words like that and look at her with such intensity that it truly made her mind go completely blank? If someone had asked for her name, she would not have been able to tell them, such was the effect Elliot had on her cognitive functions.

  ‘Er...’ Her lips parted to release the sound and she watched as Elliot’s gaze dipped to stare at her mouth, taking in the small action. The spicy scent she equated with him wound its way about her senses, helping to keep her focus solely on him and how he was making her feel.

  It was wrong for her to feel this way. To feel happiness and excitement and confusion and uncertainty simply because Elliot did not seem to be able to stop staring at her mouth...and, much to her surprise, and embarrassment, she belatedly realised, she was staring back at him.

  What did it mean? Had Mackenzie been right? Did Elliot find her attractive? His words had implied as much but she had been fed romantic lines before that had turned out to be nothing more than a farce.

  ‘Daddy, Daddy, Daddy.’ Joshua’s little voice pierced the fog surrounding the adults as he lifted his head from Sunainah’s shoulder and held out his hands towards his father. Elliot shook his head, as though to clear it, and immediately put the drinks down and took his son from Sunainah’s arms. Daphne was more than delighted with having Sunainah all to herself but gave her father a pleading look.

  ‘I’m hungry, Daddy.’

  ‘Yes. Yes. Of course.’ Elliot shifted Joshua to one hip and then picked up the bottle of squash, carrying it into the kitchen, glad of the very small respite from Sunainah’s enchanting presence. What was it about this woman that was making him act like a hormonal teenager? He’d practically been leaning in to plant a kiss on her lips while she’d been holding his children. Where was his self-control?

  It wasn’t the first time he’d wanted to kiss her and if he was honest with himself right now it wouldn’t be the last, but as he’d looked at her he couldn’t help but notice the concern and worry evident in her eyes. Didn’t she want his attentions? Had he read the signals wrong? He was certain she felt that same irrepressible tug, that same awareness, that same need that had started to burn through him almost from the first moment they’d met.

  She was exotic, unique and different from any other woman he’d ever known. Perhaps that was his indication that if anything on a deeply personal level was going to happen between himself and Sunainah, he needed to proceed with care.

  As she followed him into the kitchen, Daphne securely in her arms and the bottle of mineral water in hand, he turned and looked at her, his gut tightening at her stunning beauty.

  Proceed with care. Proceed with care.

  The words kept repeating on a loop inside his head and he knew he needed to heed their warning because he had the deep and abiding sensation that Sunainah was not only worthy of his slow and careful attention but also she deserved to be treated as though she was the most precious woman in the world.

  CHAPTER SIX

  ELLIOT WAS JEALOUS of his children and the ease with which they hugged and kissed Sunainah. She reciprocated, cuddling them and making them laugh. Over dinner, she’d asked both children what they would like to do to celebrate Joshua’s birthday.

  Elliot sat back in his chair and watched—it never had occurred to him to actually ask the children. Joshie was only turning two. How could he possibly know what he wanted? Yet by the end of dinner, all of them enjoying the home-made lasagne with crusty bread and salad, it was decided they would spend Joshua’s birthday at the beach, having a barbecue, making sandcastles and splashing in the water.

  Afterwards, while Elliot insisted on clearing up, Sunainah sat on the floor with his children, Daphne fetching cushions for them all, a
nd taught them some cute games with hand claps and singing, challenging the children’s fine motor skills. His daughter surprised him further when she presented Sunainah with a long necklace made from buttons.

  ‘Did you make this for me?’ Sunainah’s eyes were wide with delighted happiness as she put the long chain over her head as Daphne nodded enthusiastically.

  ‘At Grandma Liz’s,’ she told Sunainah proudly.

  ‘I love it.’ Sunainah placed her hand over her chest, over the necklace, her words filled with emotion. Daphne hugged and kissed Sunainah several times, her little face alive with a delight Elliot had never seen before.

  Joshua crawled onto Sunainah’s lap, generally made himself at home, snuggling into her as though it was the one place in the world he was assured of complete security. It was clear that the children loved her.

  ‘I think he’s getting tired,’ Sunainah said ten minutes later. ‘He is starting to get heavier.’

  ‘His eyes are starting to droop,’ Elliot confirmed, rising from the floor. ‘Ouch.’ He laughed as his knee cracked.

  ‘Getting old?’ Sunainah couldn’t help but smile at his antics of putting his hands on his lower back and stretching his cramped muscles.

  The smile quickly slid from her face as she watched him surreptitiously. The way the hem of his cotton shirt rose up, the way his khaki shorts dipped, revealing a strip of perfectly firm abdominal muscles. Sunainah tried her hardest not to stare. She was a doctor, for goodness’ sake. It wasn’t as though she hadn’t seen a man’s abdominal muscles before, but Elliot was not a patient and she could not look upon him in an objective, impartial light.

  Her insides tightened, her mouth went dry and her body zinged to life in a way she had never experienced in her entire life. Elliot had a good body. A good, firm, hard, solid, manly, muscular—

  ‘Sunainah?’ His voice was a soft caress, one that held the slightest hint of male pride. She immediately raised her gaze to meet his and felt her cheeks suffuse with heat at the small, satisfied smirk on his lips and one slightly raised eyebrow.

  ‘Y-yes?’ She closed her eyes for a moment, unable to believe her voice had completely failed her. Clearing her throat, she looked just below his chin, focusing on his throat, but even that was bad enough. The smooth skin revealed beneath his open-necked shirt was almost as tantalising as the rest of his gorgeous body.

  She had never been the type of woman to judge anyone on their looks, let alone a man who was her colleague, but she could not deny the way the slightest glimpse of Elliot’s body had effectively caused her feminine need to zoom into overdrive. It was most improper but at this moment she could not give a thought to propriety. She needed to regroup, to control her wayward emotions, to focus on getting out of his house as soon as possible without appearing rude.

  ‘Here. Let me take Joshua from you.’ Elliot leaned forward and Sunainah instantly held her breath, not wanting to acknowledge the comforting warmth emanating from him or the glorious way he smelled. His hand brushed her arm and she couldn’t stop the audible gasp that left her lips, her eyes widening with surprise. This man was affecting her way too much.

  With his son removed from her lap, Sunainah instantly stood, taking great care to brush a hand down her shirt and jeans and adjust her beautiful necklace, giving them attention they did not require. She was not at all sure what to say or to do next. What did a woman say to a man when he had caught her staring at him as though she wanted nothing more than to cover his body with kisses? Thankfully, little Daphne came to her rescue.

  ‘Soo-nen-nah. Soo-nen-nah!’ Daphne held out her arms towards her, and Sunainah instantly obliged, hugging the child close as though needing her as a shield.

  Elliot’s small smile indicated he knew exactly what she was doing and she realised that whatever had previously existed between her new colleague and herself had dramatically changed within the past minute. How on earth was she supposed to bring the world around her back into alignment?

  ‘Would...?’ She stopped and swallowed again, clearing her throat once more, determined her voice would sound calm and controlled. ‘Would you like me to get Daphne settled while you organise Joshua?’ She still could not completely meet his gaze but instead focused on the small boy resting happily in his father’s arms.

  That was another mistake because man and boy—together—looked wonderful. Good heavens. Two perfect specimens of the male sex. And not only that, the way Elliot clearly loved his son was evident in the way those big, strong arms held the child securely, as if to say he would protect and love him for ever. The sight warmed her heart and she hugged little Daphne closer, wanting to promise the same thing to her.

  ‘Thank you, Sunainah. That would be helpful.’ That satisfied grin was still on his lips but she did her best to ignore it, not wanting to delve into what it might mean. ‘Daphne knows her night-time routine.’

  ‘Yes, I remember.’

  ‘Of course. You put her to bed last week, so the two of you should be fine.’ He looked at his daughter. ‘Daddy will be up soon to read you a story and give you goodnight cuddles.’

  ‘Okey-dokey,’ Daphne replied, making both adults chuckle, the sound doing much to settle Sunainah’s pounding heart. With that, she carried Daphne upstairs, eager for a bit of space between the two of them, while Elliot took his sleeping son to the downstairs bedroom. She followed all Daphne’s instructions again and in record time the little girl was in her nightie and snuggled into the bed, which looked way too large for her.

  ‘What do we do now?’ Sunainah asked her.

  ‘Daddy reads stories but you sing. Sing now, Soo-nen-nah. Sing.’

  ‘Manners?’ Sunainah raised her eyebrows and Daphne immediately looked contrite.

  ‘Please, sing, Soo-nen-nah?’

  ‘Nice manners,’ she praised. ‘What song would you like me to sing? A nursery rhyme?’

  Daphne shook her head. ‘That song. That song.’ Then, when Sunainah continued to frown at her, Daphne tried to say some of the foreign words.

  ‘Oh.’ Realisation dawned on Sunainah. ‘The Indian lullaby?’

  ‘Yes.’ Daphne patted the side of her bed. ‘Ind-an lull-a-ly. Lie down.’

  ‘Manners?’ Sunainah prompted again.

  ‘Lie down, please?’ Daphne corrected herself. She shifted over in the bed to make room for Sunainah, who did as she had been bidden and was delighted when Daphne snuggled into her. Slowly, Sunainah began to sing the lullaby her mother had often sung to her as a little girl, a lullaby that had always made her feel safe and secure, and as she sang it to Daphne, she hoped to evoke the same sensations.

  It was the same song she had sung to herself as a hurt and dejected fourteen-year-old, so alone in such a foreign place. She would curl into a small ball in her bed, singing it almost in a whisper so as not to awaken—

  Sunainah cut the thought off and looked at the little girl beside her, only then realising Daphne’s breathing was measured and calm, indicating she was most likely sound asleep. Sunainah tried to shift, to see whether the little girl’s eyes were open or closed.

  ‘She’s out of it.’ Elliot’s smooth voice spoke quietly from the doorway. ‘That song really is beautiful or perhaps it’s just the way you sing it.’ He came farther into the room as Sunainah carefully extracted herself from Daphne’s hold without waking the child.

  ‘Joshua?’ she asked.

  ‘The same as his sister,’ Elliot whispered as he walked over and brushed a loving hand over Daphne’s forehead, pushing the hair from her face. He bent and kissed his daughter before turning to face Sunainah. ‘You have no idea just how much pressure you’ve taken off me simply by putting her to bed. Thank you.’ With Daphne sleeping soundly, her fairy-princess night-light providing the room with a comforting amber glow, he indicated they should leave the room. ‘After you.’

  Su
nainah nodded and headed down the stairs.

  ‘Ready to get some work done?’ He spoke in his normal voice. ‘That was the deal after all.’

  Sunainah looked at the bag she had left by the door and shook her head. ‘It is later than I anticipated and I will be more than able to get things organised. We do not need to worry about—’ But even as she spoke Elliot had crossed to the door and retrieved the bag, carrying it to the large dining-room table.

  ‘A deal is a deal and it’s only just gone eight o’clock. That’s not late at all and you know it.’

  It would be easier for her to yield rather than argue, so Sunainah sat down at the table, pleased when he seemed to slip into professional mode. She was concerned he would mention the way she had ogled him earlier, the way she could not think straight when he stared deeply into her eyes or when he winked at her.

  Sometimes he would look at her as though he could not wait to press his lips firmly to hers and hold her as close as possible, their bodies firm against each other. She wanted to deny the yearning for his firm, strong arms to be around her, feeling the security they would provide, a security she desperately craved. She did not need him to take over her life but instead to support her, to let her know she was special, that she was worthy of receiving such emotions from another person.

  Instead, he politely offered her a hot drink then set to work. By the time it was half past nine they had made definite progress through the majority of the papers she had brought with her.

  ‘So you just need to check these three files with Bethany tomorrow, wait for reports on these two patients and everything is then shipshape and in order,’ he remarked, leaning back in his chair and stretching his arms above his head. This time Sunainah forced herself to look away, not wanting to be caught once again ogling her colleague.

  ‘Thank you so much, Elliot. It is very clear you have experience in running a busy department.’ She started gathering the papers together, needing to put them back into the bag and get out of his house as soon as possible. His scent was becoming far too intoxicating and now, without the children providing a natural distraction, it was imperative for her to put as much distance between them as possible.