smiling when she shut the door and started on the clean-up in Shirley’s room.
Claire was making the bed, her last chore, when she heard the swing doors open.
‘Hello. Anyone here?’
Campbell’s voice reached out and touched her, even from the other side of the wall. She groaned inwardly. She wasn’t ready to face him just yet. She hadn’t had enough time to work out what to say to him.
She knew what had to be said but hadn’t anticipated how difficult it would be to face him so soon after having seen him naked. After he’d seen her naked. How could you tell someone that one night of mind-blowing sex was it and expect them to believe you? Because that was what she had to say. There could be no more.
Claire contemplated hiding somewhere, quickly scanning the room for a good position, but discarded the idea just as quickly. How juvenile! Never put off till tomorrow what you could do today. Right? She took a deep breath and went out to him.
‘Hi,’ she said quietly, coming to a halt in the doorway. She leaned against the doorframe, feeling weak from her reaction to his presence. He was in casual mode again, looking even more delicious than last night, kind of rumpled and content. Damn her weak body! Claire had to grind her shoes into the floor to stop herself running into his arms.
‘Hi, yourself.’ He smiled.
They stared greedily for the longest time. Campbell moved towards her, reaching out. She very nearly gave in to the temptation. Heaven knew, she wanted to feel his body against hers so badly she ached.
But at the last moment sanity prevailed and she backed away from him into the room. It didn’t matter how much her body ached, she had to think with her head. There were things to say.
She crossed back to the bed and picked up the sheet, busying herself. Claire could feel the intensity of his gaze fill the distance between them.
‘I missed you this morning.’ His quiet voice broke into her activity.
‘Help me with this?’ She nodded for him to get the other side.
He crossed until he was opposite her. One bed and ten years of baggage between them.
‘We need to talk.’ Claire fussed, getting the corners just right as she spoke. ‘I’m really sorry—’
‘Please, don’t say you’re sorry last night happened.’
‘No. Campbell, I don’t mean … I’m not sorry about last night. I should be. I shouldn’t have let it happen, but … it did and, no, I’m not sorry.’
‘Oh, Claire.’ Campbell sat down heavily on the halfmade bed, a sigh of relief escaping his lips. ‘Don’t do that to me.’
‘What I was going to say,’ she said, sitting down on her side, ‘was that I’m sorry but the cat is out of the bag. As far as the hospital grapevine goes anyway.’
‘Already?’ Campbell whistled. ‘How did that happen? Were they looking through the keyhole?’
‘No.’ Claire laughed. ‘William Casey came and did the discharge check on little Davy. He guessed.’
‘Guessed?’
‘Yeah, I know. Crazy, isn’t it? He reckoned I looked different and put two and two together.’
‘Well, you do have that thoroughly kissed look.’
‘I … I do?’ Claire pressed a hand to her mouth.
‘Very much.’
Claire’s eyes dilated as his hungry gaze followed the movement of her hand to her lips. She felt as if a hand had grabbed her insides and was squeezing. She heard the texture of his breathing roughen and felt hers fall into sync.
‘It doesn’t matter anyway, Claire. Let them talk. Our relationship is our business.’
Claire stood up and moved over to the window. He’d just mentioned the R-word. This was what she had feared would happen. She sensed things would get out of hand if she didn’t put a stop to his fanciful thoughts right now. One roll in the hay did not a relationship make. Right?
‘It matters to me, Campbell.’
‘Why?’
‘Because … it was just one night.’ She turned to face him. ‘We don’t have a relationship. Last night was great. But wrong. I’m sorry if us sleeping together led you to believe differently. It shouldn’t have happened and it’s not going to happen again.’
‘How do you know that?’
‘Because I’m not going to let it. I seriously don’t know what came over me last night, Campbell. But it doesn’t negate the reasons I have for not dating or getting involved. They still exist.’
‘So, what was last night, then?’
‘Last night was a serious error in judgement. A very pleasant one but … I guess I just didn’t expect to be so swept away. It’s been such a long time for me …’
‘So you used me last night?’ He stood and paced and Claire didn’t need to look at him to know he was angry.
‘No. It wasn’t like that!’
‘No? Seems to me I was a convenient body to ease years of sexual frustration.’
Claire felt wounded by Campbell’s unfair judgement of her. She had obviously hurt him, but he knew how to wound her just as effectively.
‘Look, we went on a date. I was very attracted to you—’
‘I know the feeling.’
‘I wasn’t thinking about the future. I wasn’t thinking at all. We were kissing and one thing led to another and … I was just feeling, Campbell. I wasn’t thinking. I never promised you a relationship. I never promised you a happily ever after.’
‘Well, pardon me if I assumed certain things while you were half-crazy with lust last night.’ His voice was icy.
‘Lust, Campbell. Lust. You said it.’
‘I didn’t think you were that kind of woman.’
Claire’s head snapped up as his accusation hit home.
‘What? You mean the kind who indiscriminately sleeps with someone and then dumps them the next day? I’m sorry, I forgot that was a man’s prerogative.’
Campbell stopped pacing and pushed his hands through his hair. ‘I’m sorry,’ he said placatingly, rubbing his eyes. ‘That was unforgivable. Claire … I just want to be with you. Let me be with you.’
‘I don’t want to be with you,’ she said, turning away from him so he couldn’t see the lie reflected in her expression.
‘You’re a liar.’ His voice was calm. Emotionless.
‘Just go, Campbell,’ she said quietly.
‘This isn’t over, Claire,’ he warned. ‘Every time your head hits your pillow, you’re going to be thinking about me. About me inside you. I hope it drives you mad. As mad as it’s going drive me.’
Claire heard his footsteps retreat and it took all her willpower to stand her ground. Her arms shook with the effort of keeping them firmly planted on the window-sill. She would not call him back. It was better this way.
* * *
Later that day, Claire found herself back at the birth centre with another of her clients in labour.
The birth stretched into the night and she paged Barbara Willis, the night-shift midwife, to tell her not to bother coming in as she would stay until her patient had delivered.
Finally around three a.m. the tiny baby boy made its entry into the world, much to Claire’s delight and the mother’s relief. Baby Jonathon slept on obliviously as Claire