KATE HARDY lives in Norwich, in the east of England, with her husband, two young children, one bouncy spaniel and too many books to count! When she’s not busy writing romance or researching local history she helps out at her children’s schools. She also loves cooking—spot the recipes sneaked into her books! (They’re also on her website, along with extracts and stories behind the books.) Writing for Mills & Boon® has been a dream come true for Kate—something she wanted to do ever since she was twelve. She’s been writing Medical Romances™ for over ten years now. She says it’s the best of both worlds, because she gets to learn lots of new things when she’s researching the background to a book: add a touch of passion, drama and danger, a new gorgeous hero every time, and it’s the perfect job!

Kate’s always delighted to hear from readers, so do drop in to her website at www.katehardy.com

BOUND BY A BABY by Kate Hardy won the 2014 RoNA (Romantic Novelists’ Association) Rose award!

It Started with
No Strings…
Kate Hardy

www.millsandboon.co.uk

Dear Reader

This book actually started life about five years ago, when the late author Maggie Kingsley and I were chatting about how interesting it would be to have a shaman as a hero.

I haven’t gone quite that far in this book—my heroine is the daughter of an American Indian healer—but I did enjoy the research. And, given that my heroine has been wrapped in cotton wool for her entire life, it makes sense for her to want to work in an area where she gets to do exciting things vicariously, through her patients—hence she works in the department of tropical medicine and infectious diseases.

Then there’s my poor hero, from a family who doesn’t just have a stiff upper lip—they’re practically encased in permafrost. When he ends up falling for my heroine, who has a close family which adores her, he’s like a fish out of water. How is he going to learn to cope with it and get a happy ending?

You’ll have to read on to find out :) And I hope you enjoy their journey.

I’m always delighted to hear from readers, so do come and visit me at www.katehardy.com

With love

Kate Hardy

IT STARTED WITH NO STRINGS … is Kate Hardy’s 60th Mills & Boon® romance

Dedication

To Penni Askew and Scarlet Wilson, with love—

and thanks for the encouragement!

Praise for Kate Hardy:

‘BOUND BY A BABY moved me to tears many times. It is a full-on emotional drama. Author Kate Hardy brought this tale shimmering with emotions. Highly recommended for all lovers of romance.’

—Contemporary Romance Reviews

Table of Contents

Cover

About the Author

Title Page

Dear Reader

Dedication

Praise for Kate Hardy:

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

CHAPTER ELEVEN

CHAPTER TWELVE

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Copyright

CHAPTER ONE

‘WELCOME TO LONDON.’ Aaron lifted his pint in a wry toast to himself.

It was his own fault that he was sitting here on his own at the bar in a salsa club. When Tim had suggested going out to celebrate Aaron’s first weekend in London and catch up, of course he hadn’t meant just going out for a quiet pint. Aaron should’ve remembered their student days: Tim had always been the life and soul of the party, and always ended up surrounded by a crowd of pretty girls. He was still the same in his thirties as he’d been in his late teens; right now, Aaron couldn’t even see him in the crowded club.

So when he’d finished his pint, Aaron decided, he’d try and find Tim, say a quiet goodbye, and go back to the impersonal flat he’d rented near the hospital.

Or maybe he wouldn’t even bother with the rest of the pint. He set the still half-full glass back on the bar and turned away, looking for Tim.

And that was when he saw her.

The woman with the most amazing hair: dark as midnight, flowing down almost to her waist, perfectly straight and shiny. She was wearing a short scarlet dress that set her hair off to perfection and showcased long, beautifully shaped legs. And somehow she was managing to salsa in a pair of seriously high heels.

Aaron blew out a breath. This wasn’t why he was here. He wasn’t looking for any kind of relationship right now, even a temporary one. Not when he was about to start a new job and all his time was going to be taken up with work.

Yet there was something about the woman that drew him.

As he watched her dance, she turned slightly and he saw her face properly for the first time. She was stunning, with a heart-shaped face, dark eyes and the most beautiful mouth he’d ever seen.

Her friend said something to her and she tipped her head back and laughed, revealing even white teeth.

Aaron forgot all about Tim. Forgot why he was here. Forgot about everything except the woman in the red dress. Instead of being the staid, sensible workaholic he’d always been, he found himself walking across the dance floor towards her. Moth to a flame.

And, right at that moment, he didn’t care if he got burned.

‘You are the best friend ever.’ Joni hugged Bailey. ‘And I love you.’

‘I love you, too, sweetie.’ Bailey hugged her right back.

‘You were so right. Dancing and champagne. That’s just what I need tonight.’ It was pretty much what Joni had originally planned to be doing tonight—except it would’ve been a different sort of dancing. A slow, elegant waltz in a floaty, frothy bridal dress to a romantic song; whereas right now the dancing was hot, sweaty, endorphin-boosting salsa and the dress she was wearing had the shortest skirt she’d ever owned, thanks to Bailey’s encouragement.

‘Of course I’m right. I’m a doctor,’ Bailey teased. ‘And exercise is one of the best medicines ever.’

Joni laughed. ‘Says the specialist in sports medicine who’s just a teensy bit biased.’

‘It’s true. I can quote tons of studies.’ Bailey spread her hands. ‘There are links to reduction in the risk of cancer and dementia, it works as well as drugs in curing depression, and it boosts academic progress in teenagers. Wins all round.’

‘So salsa’s the cure for everything?’ Even a broken heart? Though Joni didn’t quite understand why her heart should still feel broken when she’d been the one to call off the wedding, six months before.

‘Endorphins rock. Plus salsa’s fun.’ Bailey grinned. ‘Now, shimmy!’

Joni couldn’t help laughing. And trust her irrepressible best friend to stop her moping on the day she’d been dreading for months: the day of the wedding-that-wasn’t. Bailey specialised in sports medicine and Joni in tropical and infectious diseases; but even though they didn’t actually work together they’d been best friends ever since they’d met on their first day at university. They’d supported each other through the dark times and celebrated the bright ones.

‘Don’t look round,’ Bailey said, ‘but there’s a hot guy who was sitting at the bar. Right now he’s heading in our direction, and he’s looking straight at you.’

‘He’s probably wondering what on earth someone as coordinated as you is doing dancing with someone who keeps doing the steps totally wrong,’ Joni said with a smile.

‘I don’t think so. Try “wow, who’s the hot babe?” Especially as your hair’s down.’ Bailey wound the end of Joni’s hair briefly round her fingertips. ‘You know, every woman in this room would kill for your hair. Including me.’

Hair that Marty had wanted her to cut. Her ex was the latest in a string of men who’d made Joni feel that she wasn’t quite good enough. And she’d vowed after Marty that she’d never make that mistake again—she wouldn’t sacrifice her career or her self-esteem just to please someone else. From now on, it was equal or nothing.

‘Earth to Joni.’ Bailey waved both hands in front of her face. ‘We agreed. No brooding and absolutely no thinking about Marty the Maggot. And I think Hot Guy is about to ask you to dance.’

Joni shook her head. ‘Even if he does—’

‘Then you’re going to say yes,’ Bailey cut in. ‘Doctor’s orders. Dancing with a hot guy is good for you.’

‘So if he asks you to dance—’ Joni began.

‘He’s not going to ask me, sweetie.’ Bailey winked at her. ‘He’s only got eyes for you.’

Aaron stood close enough that she’d be able to hear him over the music, but not close enough to be creepy. ‘Would you like to dance?’ he asked.

‘I, um …’

The blush made her look even prettier. And he liked the fact that she clearly wasn’t aware of how gorgeous she was.

Even though his head told him this was insane, the rest of him most definitely wasn’t listening. And then her friend smiled and said, ‘Dancing’s a great idea. My feet are feeling a bit sore right now and I really need to sit down for a few minutes.’

Aaron knew she was fibbing, because she’d been dancing without even the slightest wince as he’d walked over to them, but he appreciated her tact.

‘Bailey!’ There was the tiniest hint of panic in Ms Drop Dead Gorgeous’s eyes as her friend waved and did a theatrical limp in the direction of the chairs at the bar.

Yeah. There was a fair bit of panic going on inside him, too, right now. He knew from experience that getting involved was a bad idea—emotions just led to pain—but he’d asked her to dance and it was too late to go back. Too late for doubts.

‘Hello. I’m Aaron,’ he said, extending a hand.

‘I’m Joni.’ She took his hand and shook it nervously. ‘Look, I’m sorry about my friend. I—’

‘There’s no need to apologise,’ he said with a smile. ‘Though I might have to apologise to you in advance, as I’m not exactly the world’s best dancer.’

‘Neither am I. Bailey’s the one who can dance, not me,’ she said ruefully. ‘Though I’ll try not to tread on your feet.’

‘Let’s make that a mutual pact,’ he said, and took her hand to dance with her.

Somehow, they muddled through the first half of the next track together; then the awkwardness between them seemed to vanish and the panic seeped away. And Aaron found himself really enjoying the throbbing Latin beat of the music.

Especially when the next song came on and everything slowed down. And then she was in his arms, right where he wanted her to be, all warm and soft and sweet. They swayed together, moving in time to the music; his arms were wrapped round her waist and her arms were wrapped round his neck.

He smiled down at her. Her dark eyes were gorgeous; up close, he could see that she wasn’t wearing much make-up. She didn’t need it. Just the tiniest bit of mascara to emphasise those long, long lashes, and soft red lipstick that made him want to kiss it all off. Even as the thought went through his head, he found himself dipping his head down towards hers. When his mouth brushed against hers, it felt like electricity prickling through every nerve end. Then she kissed him back, and the rest of the room seemed to vanish; there was only the two of them and the music.

But the next track was one with a much faster beat, and they were forced to pull apart. They stood there, just looking at each other, and Aaron wondered if Joni felt as dazed as he did.

This really shouldn’t be happening. He didn’t do this sort of thing.

And yet …

‘Hey. I’m going to get a taxi home,’ her friend said as she joined them.

‘I guess I’d better go, too,’ Joni said.

But Aaron wasn’t ready to let her go. Not yet. ‘Stay just a little bit longer?’ he asked. ‘I’ll make sure you get home safely.’

Bailey leaned in closer so that her mouth was hidden from view and her words were for Joni’s ears only. ‘Stay and have some fun,’ she said. ‘Don’t start thinking or analysing.’ She squeezed Joni’s hand. ‘Just enjoy it for what it is: a bit of a dance with a seriously hot guy. And, before you ask, no, your lipstick isn’t all over your face—even though you were snogging like teenagers just now.’

Joni felt the colour flood through her skin. ‘Oh, God. I’m behaving like a tart,’ she muttered.

‘No, you’re not. You’re just having some fun on a night that would’ve been difficult for you otherwise. Nothing serious, no consequences. Just live for the moment and enjoy it. And, actually, snogging Hot Guy there will be very good for you. It’ll produce more endorphins. We like endorphins. Endorphins are good.’

Trust Bailey to take that tack. Joni couldn’t help smiling. ‘Are you sure you don’t want me to come with you?’

‘I’m sure,’ Bailey confirmed. ‘Stay and have some fun. Call me tomorrow, OK?’

‘I will.’ Joni hugged her goodbye, then carried on dancing with Aaron until her feet were sore.

‘Shall we have a break and get a drink?’ she suggested.

‘Great idea,’ he said.

She liked the way he walked with her towards the bar, with a hand protectively at her back and yet not making her feel helpless and pathetic, the way her exes had always ended up making her feel. Aaron had beautiful manners, and he didn’t seem the sort who would put a woman down to make himself feel better. Not that she trusted her own judgement on that score any more. She’d got it wrong so many times in the past, thanks to the rose-tinted glasses she couldn’t seem to remove.

‘My shout,’ she said as they reached the bar. ‘Bailey and I were drinking champagne, earlier. Would you like to join me?’

‘Are you celebrating something?’ he asked.

She certainly was. The luckiest escape of her life. Though, at the same time, part of her mourned the wreckage of her future plans. It should’ve been so good …

For a second Joni looked sad, and then Aaron wondered if it had just been his imagination because she gave him a broad, broad smile. ‘It’s Saturday night, and that’s always worth celebrating, isn’t it?’

He had a feeling that she didn’t mean anything like that at all, but he didn’t push her to elaborate. He simply smiled and accepted the glass of champagne she’d offered.

Then they danced until most people had either drifted home or gone elsewhere, and the dance floor was almost empty. Aaron noticed that Tim hadn’t bothered trying to find him or say goodnight when he left. But that was Tim all over—a good-time guy who didn’t think too deeply. Maybe he ought to take a leaf out of his old friend’s book.

And he wasn’t quite ready to see Joni home just yet.

‘There probably aren’t any cafés open nearby, so would you like to come back to my place for a coffee?’ he asked.

She looked wary. ‘Thanks for the offer, but—’

‘Hey,’ he cut in softly, ‘when I said coffee, I meant just coffee. I’m not expecting anything else.’

She bit her lip. ‘Sorry, I’m not used to … well …’

She had to be kidding. That gorgeous, and she didn’t date?

Or maybe she’d just come out of a relationship, one that had left her confidence shaky. Making him Rebound Man. Which was fine, because that meant she wouldn’t want forever from him. ‘It’s OK,’ he said. ‘Me, neither.’ He didn’t date much. In between work, studying, work and more work, he simply didn’t have time.

Wanting to lighten the atmosphere, he said, ‘Though I can tell you that my coffee-making skills are a lot better than my dancing.’ He’d worked as a barista to help put himself through university, and his expensive Italian coffee machine was the one gadget he’d never part with.

‘Then thank you,’ she said. ‘I’d love a coffee.’

As they left the club, they were lucky enough to see an empty taxi passing. He hailed the cab, gave the driver his address, and held the door open for her to get in.

Joni was quiet in the back of the cab and Aaron didn’t push her to talk; he simply curled his fingers round hers, and eventually the pressure was returned.

How long was it since he’d held hands with someone in the back of a taxi?

He reminded himself not to think. This relationship wasn’t going anywhere. This was just for tonight; he didn’t do ‘for always’. Never had and never would.

When the taxi stopped outside his flat, he paid the driver and ushered her across to his front door.

She removed her shoes as soon as they were inside the front door. ‘Um, may I borrow your bathroom, please?’

‘Sure.’ He indicated the bathroom door. ‘I’ll be through here in the kitchen when you’re ready.’

She was a while in the bathroom. When she joined him in the kitchen, she said, ‘Can I be immensely rude and cheeky and ask for a glass of orange juice and a sandwich as well as the coffee, please?’

Oh, help. He’d come across this before. Someone who was suddenly hungry and thirsty after going clubbing and then going to the bathroom. If he looked closer, he’d just bet her pupils would be pinpoints.

His thoughts must have shown in his face because she said, ‘Actually, yes, a needle was involved.’

Uh-oh.

‘But not drugs,’ she said crisply.

‘Not drugs.’ He really wasn’t following.

She took something out of her bag to show him. ‘I’m a diabetic and this is a blood glucose monitor. I prick my finger and test the blood on a strip to check my blood sugar levels. Right now, my blood sugar’s a bit out of whack—probably because I had a couple of glasses of champagne tonight and I don’t usually drink very much, plus I’ve spent all night dancing. So right now I could do with some carbs to get my blood sugar stable. I’m not going to pass out on you or anything like that,’ she reassured him swiftly. ‘This just happens sometimes, and a sandwich and some orange juice will sort me out pretty quickly.’

He relaxed, then. Diabetes explained a lot. Joni might still be trouble with a capital T, but at least it wasn’t going to get complicated and he wouldn’t feel responsible for someone else making a bad lifestyle choice. And clearly Joni was very used to looking after herself properly because she’d explained exactly why her blood sugar was a problem right now and how it could be fixed.

He almost told her he was a doctor, but he didn’t want to make her feel awkward. Instead, he poured a glass of juice and handed it to her.

‘Thank you.’

He rummaged in the fridge. It had been years since he’d done a stint on the endocrine ward, but he remembered that a protein and carbohydrate snack was good for someone whose blood sugar was a bit low but not in the unmanageable range. ‘Would a bacon sandwich be OK?’ he asked. And please don’t let him have offended her because she was a vegetarian. He’d already made enough of an idiot of himself.

‘A bacon sandwich would be absolutely fantastic. Thank you so much.’ She gave him another of those sweet, sweet smiles. ‘Is there anything I can do to help?’

‘No, it’s fine. You can sit and chat to me, if you like.’

He put bacon under the grill and grabbed the bread, then turned to face her. ‘What kind of coffee would you like? Cappuccino, latte, flat white?’

She looked surprised. ‘You can really do all those sorts of coffees?’

He gestured to his coffee machine. ‘Yup. My one bit of self-indulgence.’

‘Impressive.’ She smiled. ‘A cappuccino would be lovely—but no chocolate on the top for me, please.’

‘You don’t like chocolate? Or is that a diabetic thing?’

‘A bit of both,’ she said. ‘I’m probably the only woman in the world who doesn’t really like chocolate. My best friend says I’m weird.’

He laughed, and made her a cappuccino.

She took a sip and her eyes widened. ‘This is fabulous. What coffee do you use?’

‘It’s a blend from a deli in Manchester,’ he explained. ‘I’m hoping I’ll find somewhere like it in London.’

‘So you’ve just moved here?’

He nodded. ‘I’m starting a new job.’ Moving on. Moving upwards. Making a difference. The one thing he hadn’t been able to do when it really counted, and he’d vowed to spend the rest of his life making up for it. Not that he wanted to talk about why he’d always been so driven in his career. Especially to someone he’d only just met. So he concentrated on making them both a bacon sandwich, then handed a plate to her.

She took a bite. ‘You are perfect.’ Then she blushed. ‘Sorry.’

Aaron couldn’t resist teasing her. ‘Were you talking to me or the sandwich?’

‘The sandwich,’ she confessed. ‘Though I guess that, as you made it, you’re perfect by association.’ She grimaced. ‘Sorry, my social skills are usually a bit better than this. Blame it on the champagne.’

‘No problem.’ He smiled at her. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d met someone so cute; her warmth and sweetness made him like her instinctively.

And that made Joni exactly the wrong kind of woman for him. The more he talked to her, the more he could tell that she wasn’t the sort who kept relationships short and sweet and didn’t let them get in the way of her life, the way he did. He didn’t want something permanent—and it wouldn’t be fair to lead her on and let her think that he could offer her something he knew he just wasn’t capable of giving.

He managed to make small talk until she’d finished her coffee. ‘I’ll drive you home.’

She looked nervous. ‘That’s very nice of you to offer, but you were drinking at the club.’

‘I had half a pint of beer, plus one glass of champagne with you, and we’ve just eaten. I’m safely under the alcohol limit for driving, but I can call you a taxi if you’d rather.’

‘Thank you, but I think I’ve impinged enough on you. I’ll call one myself.’

He knew he should just let her go—it would be the sensible option. But something made him want to keep her close, just for a last few moments.

‘Dance with me again first?’ he asked.

She looked at him. For a moment he thought she was going to say no; then she nodded. ‘OK.’

He put on an album by a jazz singer with a soft, smoky voice and held out his arms. She walked into them and rested her head against his shoulder. He rested his cheek against her hair; it was as soft and silky against his skin as he’d expected it to be.

This was a bad, bad idea.

But he couldn’t help himself. There was just something about her. Something different. Something that drew him. Something he couldn’t put his finger on.

As they swayed together, he gave in and closed his eyes, letting himself focus on holding her and dancing with her.

He wasn’t sure which of them moved first, but then he was kissing her—really kissing her—and she was kissing him all the way back.

He dragged his mouth from hers. ‘Joni,’ he whispered.

She stroked his face, and he ended up pressing a kiss into her palm. ‘I honestly didn’t ask you back here for anything more than coffee.’

‘I know,’ she said softly.

He was finding it hard to breathe. ‘But now … Will you stay?’ he asked, his voice hoarse.

CHAPTER TWO

WOULD SHE STAY or would she go?

Aaron didn’t have a clue.

Joni was silent for a long, long time. And then she said, ‘I, um, don’t usually do this sort of thing.’

‘I’d already guessed that,’ he said softly. ‘Sorry. I shouldn’t have asked you.’

‘It’s not that,’ she said. ‘I’m flattered. But I’m not looking for a relationship right now.’

‘Neither am I,’ he said. ‘Which makes it even more unforgivable of me to have asked you to stay. It’s totally dishonourable.’

He was about to turn away and grab the phone to call her a taxi when she slid her hand over his and squeezed it. ‘The answer’s yes.’

He knew he ought to give her a chance to change her mind. But right now he wanted this so badly. Needed this so badly. And he had the strongest feeling it was the same for her.

In answer, he kissed her.

Then he lifted her up and carried her to his bedroom. He stood by the bed and let her slide down his body so she was left in no doubt about how much he wanted her.

She looked him in the eye and licked her lower lip.

He took the invitation and kissed her, then lifted her hair so it fell over her shoulder towards the front of her body, turned her round and undid the zip very, very slowly. He caressed her skin as he uncovered it; it was so soft, he couldn’t resist touching his mouth to it and kissing his way down her spine. She made a tiny noise of pleasure, so he unsnapped her bra and continued kissing his way downwards. When he eased the dress over her shoulders so it could slide to the floor, she stepped out of it. Then, once he’d dealt with her bra, he turned her to face him.

‘You’re so beautiful,’ he said softly. She was still wearing her knickers and, with her hair falling to cover her breasts, she looked almost as modest as she would’ve done wearing a bikini at a beach. Yet, at the same time, she was sexy as hell. The ultimate temptress.

‘I need to see you, Joni,’ he said hoarsely. ‘Lift your hair.’

Just as he’d hoped, she pushed her hair back with both hands and lifted them to the back of her head.

‘Like a goddess,’ he whispered.

She blushed. ‘Hardly. I’m just an ordinary woman.’

Did she really have no idea? ‘You’re gorgeous,’ he said. ‘Everything about you. Your hair, your smile, your eyes—just gorgeous.’

This time, she actually smiled. ‘And I’m feeling just a little bit vulnerable here, because you’re wearing an awful lot more than I am.’

It took him less than ten seconds to get naked. ‘Better?’

‘Much better.’ And this time it was his turn to blush as she surveyed him.

She leaned forward and traced a line from his ribcage to his belly button. ‘Very nice abs.’

‘Thank you. But I’m just ord—’ He caught himself as she laughed.

‘You’re not very good at taking compliments,’ she said.

‘That makes two of us,’ he said wryly.

She swallowed. ‘I forgot to ask—do you have, um, protection?’

‘Yeah. Though I guess I ought to check it’s in date.’

She blinked. ‘You’re seriously telling me that a hot guy like you …’ She stopped and clapped her hand over her mouth. ‘Sorry. None of my business. No questions.’

Meaning, he thought, that she didn’t want him to ask questions, either. That moment when she’d looked sad in the salsa club and then claimed that she was celebrating … Whatever the reason, she clearly didn’t want to talk about it.

And it suited him just fine—because he didn’t want to talk about emotional stuff, either.

‘Thank you for the compliment,’ he said, focusing on the bit that wasn’t going to rake across any raw edges. ‘I guess I ought to let you know that I don’t normally invite women I’ve only just met back to my flat.’ He stroked her face. ‘And I’m pretty sure you don’t normally accept invitations from men you’ve only just met.’

‘I don’t.’ She shook her head.

So why him? Why tonight?

No questions.

Ask nothing, and you’ll hear no lies. And you won’t be expected to answer anything, either, he reminded himself.

He rummaged in his bedside drawer and checked the date on the packet of condoms. ‘We’re safe.’ He paused. ‘Though if you’d rather I left the room so you could get dressed while I call you a taxi, that’s fine—I’m not the kind of man who’d ever force a woman to do something she didn’t want to do.’

‘I know,’ she said softly. ‘Or I wouldn’t have agreed to come here with you.’

Funny how her confidence in him warmed him. It almost felt as if something had cracked around the region of his heart. Though he was pretty sure the permafrost would be too deep for that. This was about pleasure, not emotions. He’d make this good for her. Good for himself, too. And then he’d drive her home, they’d say goodbye, and the chances of their paths crossing again in a city of nearly eight million people were pretty remote. They’d just get on with their lives. And he could go back to doing what he always did: getting on just fine with people, fitting in with the crowd on the surface, and not letting himself get too close to anyone.

‘Don’t think,’ she said softly.

Meaning that she didn’t want to think, either? He was pretty sure that she was running from something; and he appreciated that she didn’t want to discuss it. Because he sure as hell didn’t want to discuss what was ricocheting round his head.

‘No thinking,’ he agreed, and kissed her.

And it was easier not to think when he was touching her. Easier just to feel, to lose himself in pleasure.

He pushed the duvet aside, then lifted her up and laid her against the pillows.

She stroked his cheek and smiled at him. ‘Aaron.’

He kissed her again, then hooked his thumbs into the sides of her knickers and drew them down. She lifted her bottom slightly so he could remove them easily.

‘You’re beautiful,’ he said again. ‘And I really want to touch you.’

‘Then do it,’ she commanded softly.

He dipped his head and nuzzled the hollows of her collar bones. She arched back against the bed and he moved lower, taking one nipple into his mouth and sucking hard. She slid her hands into his hair, urging him on.

He kissed his way down over her abdomen, then shifted to kneel between her legs. She dragged in a breath as he took one ankle and slowly stroked his way upwards, letting his mouth follow the path of his fingers; and she was almost hyperventilating when he kissed his way along her inner thigh. Which was just what he wanted; right now he wanted to make them both forget everything except this.

‘Aaron, yes,’ she whispered as his tongue stroked along her sex.

He teased her, flicking the tip of her clitoris with the tip of his tongue, taking it harder and faster until she was almost whimpering in need, then slowing it right down again and letting it build up and up again. He could feel the second that she climaxed, her body tightening beneath his mouth; he held her there for a long, glorious moment, and then ripped open the foil packet, slid on the condom, and pushed into her.

He could still feel the aftershocks of her climax rippling through her. He loved the idea that he’d managed to turn this gorgeous woman to complete mush.

‘Aaron,’ she whispered, and he held still, letting her body adjust to the feel of him inside her.

‘I wanted the first time to be for you,’ he said softly.

Her eyes filled with tears, as if she wasn’t used to being considered like that, and he wanted to punch the guy who’d made her think her feelings weren’t important. Right at that moment he had a pretty good idea what she’d been running from and why her confidence in herself was so low.

Well, he could make her feel better. And at the same time he could make himself feel better, too.

‘No thinking,’ he said, and began to move.

She wrapped her legs round him to draw him deeper and tensed her muscles round him.

‘That’s so good,’ he groaned.

She smiled, and did it again.

‘Do you know what I really want?’ he asked.

‘What?’

‘You on top of me. With that glorious hair falling over both of us.’

She looked slightly shocked. ‘You like my hair?’

How could she not know how glorious her hair was? ‘I love your hair.’

She smiled, and let him roll with her so that he was lying on his back and she was straddling him. Then she moved over him and tipped her head forward so her hair fell over them, just as he’d asked.

And the reality was even better than his fantasy.

‘You’re gorgeous,’ he said. ‘Totally gorgeous.’

She seemed to like being the one in control; she teased him the way he’d teased her earlier, letting the pressure build to almost fever pitch and then easing off just a little, then letting it build again.

By the time he climaxed, he was near to hyperventilating.

He felt her hit the peak again at the same time, so he wrapped his arms round her and held her tightly until it had all ebbed away.

‘I’d better deal with the condom,’ he said finally.

She nodded. ‘And I guess I ought to get dressed and call a cab.’

He glanced at his bedside clock. ‘At this time of the morning?’

She looked at the time, too, and grimaced. ‘I suppose it’s a little late.’

‘Stay,’ he said softly. ‘No pressure. Unless you have to be somewhere?’

‘I can be anywhere I choose,’ she said.

‘Then stay,’ he said, shocking himself. What the hell was he doing? He should be getting dressed and offering to drive her home, not asking her to stay. This was the first step on a very slippery slope towards letting someone into his life. Bad move. He was rubbish at being close to people. Work was fine, but anything emotional made him back off. Every single one of his girlfriends had complained that they needed more emotional commitment than Aaron could give them. But not one of them had made him feel strongly enough to want to change or keep the relationship going—and that reinforced what he’d always known, deep down. Love wasn’t for him.

So he needed to stop this. Right now.

But his mouth clearly wasn’t working with the plan. ‘I can make you breakfast. There’s a patisserie round the corner that does fantastic croissants.’

‘And would that mean more of your coffee?’ she asked.

‘Definitely more of my coffee.’

Where was his common sense? Why wasn’t he pushing her out of here as quickly as he could?

He made a last-ditch effort to put an obstacle in the way. ‘Do you need—well, insulin or anything?’

‘I’m sorted,’ she said.

He could hardly say now that he’d changed his mind and ask her to leave, could he?

OK. This was just for tonight. Spending one night with someone wasn’t the same as a declaration of everlasting love, was it? So it wasn’t as if he was going to screw things up totally. Even he couldn’t manage to do that with a one-night fling.

He went to the bathroom, dealt with the condom and came back to the bedroom. ‘There are fresh towels in the bathroom. Help yourself to whatever you need.’

She gave him an embarrassed smile. ‘I know this is going to sound crazy after what we’ve just done, but do you, um, have a bathrobe or something I could borrow?’

‘Sure.’ He took his bathroom from the hook behind the door and handed it to her. ‘And I’ll close my eyes.’

‘Thank you.’

She returned a few minutes later, smelling of his citrus shower gel and with her skin still slightly damp.

‘Do you want me to close my eyes again?’ he asked when she stood beside the bed.

She nodded. ‘It’s a bit pathetic, I know.’

No. It just meant she really wasn’t used to having a one-night fling.

But maybe this was what both of them needed, right now.

He waited until she’d got into bed and he’d felt the duvet being pulled up on her side, then leaned over and kissed the tip of her nose. ‘Just for the record, it’s not pathetic,’ he said. ‘It’s kind of cute. And I’m very flattered that you chose me to—um, well. Be with you.’

‘Hmm,’ she said, but her eyes crinkled at the corners.

‘Let’s get some sleep,’ he said, and switched off the light.

It had been a long, long time since he’d spent the night with someone. He knew it wasn’t the most sensible decision he’d ever made; but right now it felt good to fall asleep curled round a warm body. So he’d go with it. And tomorrow—tomorrow, they’d have breakfast, they’d smile, they’d say goodbye and they’d walk away.

Joni was warm and comfortable, the body wrapped round hers holding her close.

Then she opened her eyes as the realisation hit her. The body wrapped round hers.

She’d stayed overnight with Aaron.

Uh-oh.

This could be awkward.

Last night was—well, last night. A crazy impulse, one she really shouldn’t have acted on.

Why had she stayed for that last dance? Why had she let him kiss her stupid and then made love with him? Why hadn’t she taken the chances he’d offered her to back away and flee to the safety of her own flat?

Panic seeped through her. What would Aaron expect of her this morning? Last night he’d talked about having breakfast. But would he think that they were now officially a couple because she’d stayed the night? Or would he, too, be having these doubts and panicking that she’d want much more from him than he was prepared to give?

She took a deep breath, held it, and listened.

He was breathing deeply and evenly. OK, so he could be faking it—but his body didn’t feel tense against hers, which it would do if he really was faking it, Joni told herself. His body felt relaxed; so it was pretty safe to assume that he was still asleep, and she might just have a chance of salvaging the situation.

Leaving without saying goodbye was taking the coward’s way out, she knew, but right at that moment she could live with that. All she had to do was get out of the bed without waking him, collect her clothes, dress as quickly as she could, and then let herself quietly out of his flat and out of his life. The chances of them bumping into each other again in a city as big as London were pretty remote, especially as she had no intention of going back to the salsa club. And this way they’d both be left with some good memories and no disappointed expectations.

Tentatively, she lifted the fingers of his hand away from her waist. His breathing remained deep and even, to her relief. Clearly Aaron was one of those people who slept like the dead and it would take a really loud alarm to wake him in the morning.

She hoped.

Moving slowly, she managed to wriggle out of his hold and slide out of the bed.

There was enough light coming through the curtains for her to locate her clothes, and she remembered that she’d left her shoes by the front door. She crept out of the room, hoping that she wouldn’t accidentally stand on a squeaky floorboard and wake him, and closed the door very gently behind her.

From there, it was a matter of seconds to drag her clothes on and find her handbag where she’d left it on the worktop in his kitchen.

Leaving without a word seemed a little harsh. But there was a memo block and a pen next to the phone in his kitchen. She scribbled a brief note and left it pinned down in the corner by one of the clean mugs. Then she collected her shoes and let herself quietly out of his flat.

A passer-by in the street gave her a knowing look; it was Sunday morning, and she was dressed for a Saturday night, so it was obvious that she hadn’t gone back to her own place. She ignored the passer-by and straightened her spine. OK, so her behaviour last night hadn’t been the way she normally acted. But it had been exactly what she’d needed. Aaron, unlike Marty, had made her feel good about herself. He’d taken away the lingering sadness of a day she’d been dreading. So she had no regrets. And now she’d find a taxi, go home, and get on with the rest of her life.

Aaron woke to find the bed beside him stone cold.

Joni had clearly left without waking him.

He knew he ought to feel relieved; he really didn’t want the complication of getting involved with someone. And yet he was shocked to discover that what he actually felt was disappointment. He’d actually been looking forward to waking up beside Joni and having a leisurely breakfast together.

Was he totally crazy?

He shook his head to clear it. He knew nothing about Joni other than her first name. The chances of finding her in a city like London were next to nothing. And that, he reminded himself sharply, was probably for the best.

He showered, dressed, and went to make himself a coffee. Which was when he saw her note: Thank you for everything. J.

Cute. Good manners.

But he also noticed that she hadn’t left him her phone number or any way of contacting her. Which meant that, as far as she was concerned, last night had been a total one-off. She didn’t want to see him again.

‘It’s for the best,’ he said—out loud, this time, to convince himself properly. Though his voice sounded a little bit hollow.

Still, he didn’t have time to brood. He started his new job tomorrow. And that would keep him busy enough to stop him thinking about the gorgeous woman with amazing hair who’d made him see stars and spent the night curled in his arms.

New job. New responsibilities. Part of a new team.

And on his own. Which was the only way that really worked for him.

CHAPTER THREE

‘SO HAVE YOU met our new consultant?’ Nancy, the ward sister, asked as Joni made herself a coffee in the ward kitchen.

‘Not yet. I’ve been in the travel medicine clinic all morning, and this is the first break I’ve had today,’ Joni said. ‘What’s he like?’

‘Here he is now, so you can take a look for yourself,’ Nancy said as the door opened.

Joni turned towards the newcomer, all ready to be friendly and welcoming to a new colleague—then looked at his face and stopped dead.

Of all the wards, in all the hospitals, in all the world, he had to walk into hers.

She could see the immediate recognition in his face, too.

Oh, great. The one and only time in her life when she had a mad, crazy fling with a handsome stranger, and he turned out to be someone who was going to be working with her for the foreseeable future.

How come life ended up being this complicated and awkward?

Eric Flinders, the head of the department, introduced them. ‘This is Mr Hughes, our new consultant—Aaron, you’ve already met Sister Meadows. This is Dr Parker, our specialty reg. She’s going to be working closely with you.’

Awkwarder and awkwarder. If only the ground would open and swallow her now, she thought.

But it didn’t.

She had no choice but to face him.

‘Mr Hughes. Very nice to meet you,’ Joni said politely, and held her hand out to him.

To her relief, he didn’t mention that they’d met before and simply shook her hand. ‘Nice to meet you, too, Dr Parker.’

So much for never seeing his beautiful stranger again, Aaron thought. And now he’d just been told that he was going to be working closely with her.

The high heels, short skirt and amazing hair of Saturday night were all gone. Today, she was wearing trousers and a white coat, teamed with flat shoes, and her hair was neatly plaited into a single braid.

And he also noticed that there was a name tag on her coat. Dr N. Parker. And yet she’d called herself ‘Joni’ on Saturday night. It didn’t stack up. Had the name she’d used been an extra layer of disguise?

She was smiling, but the smile didn’t quite reach her eyes. It wasn’t lack of friendliness he saw there, though, but sheer unadulterated panic. Clearly she was worrying that he was going to mention Saturday night.

Well, he wasn’t going to tell any tales if she didn’t. Because this was just as awkward for him as it was for her. Saturday night had been a moment of craziness; the last thing he wanted right now was to start a new relationship. And he really, really hoped it was the same for her.

‘You’ll be doing the TB clinic together this afternoon,’ Eric Flinders said. He smiled at Joni. ‘Perhaps you’d like to brief Mr Hughes on the clinic and how things work around here?’

‘Of course, Mr Flinders,’ she said.

So they worked on formal terms in the department? Aaron wondered. Or was it just Eric Flinders who insisted on formality?

Joni glanced at her watch. ‘Um, perhaps I could brief you over lunch, Mr Hughes?’

‘That works for me, Dr Parker,’ he said with a smile.

She returned his smile. ‘Good, because then I can show you where the cafeteria is and what have you. A new hospital always feels a bit like a rabbit warren until you get to know where everything is, doesn’t it?’

Now he understood why the head of the department had asked his junior colleague to do the briefing rather than doing it himself. Joni Parker was clearly the sort who took new people under her wing and made them feel part of the team. Which meant she was a sweetheart, as well as being utterly gorgeous. And that made her even more off limits, as far as Aaron was concerned.

‘Thank you,’ he said politely.

‘I’m actually due on ward rounds now,’ she said. ‘So shall I meet you here at half past twelve?’

‘Half past twelve will be fine,’ he said. And the frightening thing was that he was actually looking forward to it. Hell. He had to stop this. Right now. Joni—Dr N. Parker—was his colleague first, last and everything in between. And he’d better keep that in mind.

* * *

She was ten minutes late meeting him. ‘I’m so sorry. The ward round took a bit longer than I th—’

‘That’s fine,’ he cut in gently. ‘I know we have targets for treatment times, but if a patient needs a bit of extra time you can’t just tell them they’ve already had their allotted few minutes and they’ll just have to wait for the next appointment.’

She shot him a grateful glance. ‘Thanks for understanding. I guess we ought to head to the cafeteria right now, or we’ll be late for the TB clinic this afternoon. I’m really sorry to cut your lunch break short.’

‘It’s not a problem,’ he said.

It would’ve taken him twice as long to find the place without her showing him the way, Aaron thought as they reached the hospital café. He wasn’t surprised when Joni chose a super-healthy balanced meal rather than grabbing the nearest sandwich and a chocolate bar, and she was drinking plain water rather than a sugary drink; she was clearly very careful about her blood sugar. Saturday night really had been out of the norm for her, then.

And he really had to stop thinking about Saturday night. About how her skin had felt against his. Any relationship with her other than a working one was completely out of the question.

‘The coffee here isn’t too bad,’ she said—and then blushed, as if remembering the coffee he’d made her. ‘Um. Anyway. I guess our ward works the same as wherever you were before.’

‘Manchester.’

‘OK.’ She smiled at him. ‘So we have the usual ward work and ward rounds, referral meetings, case reviews and research meetings. Then we have the regular clinics—TB, travel medicine, parasitology and general tropical diseases. There’s also a daily walk-in clinic for people who’ve just come back from abroad, so they don’t have to be referred by their GP first. That one tends to be the usual stuff—tummy bugs, rashes and fever. Sometimes we have something a bit rarer, but for the most part it’s gastro symptoms.’

Pretty much what he’d done in Manchester. Though he noticed that Joni went through the entire run-through without actually looking him in the eye. Which didn’t leave him much choice; he was going to have to broach the subject, and they were going to have to deal with it and get it out of the way.

‘Dr Parker,’ he said softly.

She looked nervous. ‘Ye-es.’

‘It might be a good idea if we dealt with the elephant in the room.’

She blew out a breath. ‘I’m sorry. I don’t usually …’ She buried her face in her hands. ‘Arrgh. I said I’d stop apologising all the time, too. Bailey would fine me for that one.’

He knew who Bailey was—the friend who’d been at the salsa club with her—but he really didn’t follow the rest of it. ‘Fine you? Why?’

‘For apologising when I don’t need to.’ She gave him a wry smile. ‘You know how people sometimes have a swear jar if they’re trying to give up swearing, and they put money in it every time they swear? Well, I have a sorry jar. I’m banned from using the s-word more than once a day.’ She bit her lip. ‘And I bet I’ve apologised to you twice already today.’

‘Try three.’ He just about managed to hide a grin. ‘I won’t tell if you won’t,’ he said. ‘And, actually, that was what I was going to say. No telling. What happened at the weekend is just between us and has nothing to do with anyone else.’

‘Thank you.’ She looked relieved. ‘I couldn’t believe it when I saw you. I mean, in a city the size of London—what are the chances of even bumping into you again, let alone finding out that we’re working together?’

‘Pretty small,’ he agreed. ‘Though I guess, given what we both do for a living, we would’ve met again at some point—maybe through a friend of a friend of a friend.’

‘It’s not even as if infectious and tropical diseases is a common speciality,’ she protested.

‘True. But I bet you know everyone in the emergency department.’

‘I guess I do,’ she admitted. ‘If we haven’t worked together on a case, we’ve met at an inter-departmental do.’

‘As I said. Friend of a friend of a friend.’ He shrugged. ‘Maybe we should start again, as if we’ve just met for the first time. Hello. I’m Aaron Hughes, tropical medical specialist. Pleased to meet you.’ He held out his hand.

She shook it, and his skin tingled where she’d touched him. Not good. He really didn’t want to react to her like this. He couldn’t afford any emotional ties.

‘I’m Joni Parker. Also a tropical medical specialist. Pleased to meet you,’ she said.

So she’d been telling the truth about her name on Saturday, then. But ‘Joni’ didn’t start with N, and he was curious. He glanced at her name tag. ‘What does the N stand for?’

‘Nizhoni,’ she said. ‘But my first name’s a bit of a mouthful, so people tend to call me Joni for short.’

‘It’s an unusual name,’ he remarked. Not one he’d ever heard before.

She nodded. ‘It’s a bit exotic.’

‘I guess it goes with your speciality. Also exotic,’ he said. ‘And now I’m going to shut up before I dig myself another hole.’

‘I can’t argue with that. And thank you. For not—well—making a big deal out of it.’ She rewarded him with a real smile. One that made those gorgeous dark eyes light up—and that, in turn, made his blood tingle. Which was a seriously bad idea. He couldn’t afford to let himself get emotionally involved with Joni Parker, no matter how attractive he found her. He’d learned at a young age that keeping his distance was the safe way. The way not to get hurt. Loving someone just led to loss and heartbreak. Keeping your distance was the only way to survive with your heart intact.

‘I guess we both acted out of character,’ he said. ‘And now we’re colleagues. Making a big deal out of what happened is going to make work awkward.’

‘Which is the last thing you need, especially in a new job.’

‘Exactly. And I’m sure you could do without it, too. So today’s the first time we met, OK?’

‘OK,’ she agreed.

‘I think the only difference between here and Manchester,’ he said, ‘is that everyone’s more formal here. I’m used to working on first-name terms with my colleagues.’

‘We do here, too,’ she said. ‘Except for Mr Flinders—he’s a bit of a stickler for formality.’

‘So it’s first-name terms most of the time, and formal around the head of department?’ Aaron asked.

‘Pretty much,’ she said. ‘Nancy’s lovely—she’s the senior sister. Most of the team’s been here longer than I have, but we’ve got a couple of others just started—there’s Mikey, our F1 doctor, who’s not sure if he wants to do tropical medicine or emergency for his specialty, so he’s doing a six-month rotation with us to help him make his mind up, and two newly qualified nurses.’ She filled him in on the rest of the team. ‘Actually, we’re a fairly close bunch. We try to get a team night out at least once a month. We take turns in organising it, and there’s a bit of a competition about who can find the most unusual thing to do.’ She gave him the most mischievous grin. ‘I win, at the moment.’

‘What did you do?’ he asked, intrigued.

‘Pizza night,’ she said.

‘And that’s unusual how exactly?’ he asked, not understanding in the slightest. There was practically a pizzeria on every street.

Her grin broadened. ‘It’s unusual if you have to walk through a rainstorm without getting wet first.’

He looked at her, understanding even less. ‘How does that work? You’re telling me you can predict the weather?’

She took pity on him. ‘No, it was an art installation. It’s finished now, or I’d suggest you go, because it was utterly brilliant and I went four times. Basically there were sensors that picked up your movements and stopped the “rain” falling on you. Though that depended on how you moved and how quickly you moved.’

‘That sounds like fun,’ he said.

‘It was. We were like a bunch of kids, trying to get the sensors to rain on us. We tried hopping through the room, waltzing, moonwalking, doing the samba …’ She laughed, and again Aaron felt his blood heat. Hell. Get with the programme, he reminded his head. She’s off limits.

‘We’ve done ice-skating, had a tango lesson—oh, and there’s always food afterwards, whether it’s fish and chips or pizza or a curry. And then there’s the quarterly quiz night with the emergency department. The losing team keeps the winners in chocolate biscuits for a week. I hope you’re good at general knowledge, because we lost the last three.’ She gave him another of those mischievous grins that made him want to pull her into his arms and kiss her. ‘We could really do with a win this time, just to stop them gloating quite so much.’

‘I’m reasonable at general knowledge, but don’t bet the biscuits on me,’ he said, returning the grin. ‘It’s nice that you’re close to other departments.’

‘We are.’ She sighed. ‘But the new hospital director doesn’t quite see it like that. He’s sending a group of us on a team-building exercise in a couple of weeks, to one of those outdoor course places.’

‘It sounds as if you don’t approve,’ he remarked.

‘I think we do a good enough job on our own. If we really need expert help in building a relationship with our colleagues in other departments, that’d make us a pretty sad bunch. And if we really have to have the experts in, then I’d rather get someone to come in for a morning to do a team-building thing in one of the hospital meeting rooms, and spend the rest of the money on the patients, rather than spend all that cash sending teams of staff out to some expensive place.’ She shrugged. ‘But it’s not my call and I guess we have to do what the hospital director says.’

‘I guess,’ he said. ‘Can I buy you a coffee?’

She looked wary. ‘Why?’

‘Just to say thank you for showing me around and telling me pretty much everything I need to know about how the department works,’ he added swiftly.

She smiled, looking relieved; Joni Parker really was an open book, Aaron thought. What you saw was exactly what you got. Clearly she wasn’t used to hiding her emotions, the way he was.

‘You really don’t have to—I’m always happy to show people round—but thank you, a coffee would be lovely. Cappuccino, please, but no chocolate on the top.’

Yeah. He remembered. And he was glad of the excuse to leave their table before he did something reckless. Like asking her out to dinner. Because that would be a really stupid thing to do. They were colleagues. They didn’t need complications like being attracted to each other. Even if she was the most gorgeous woman he’d ever met. He needed to resist these wild, utterly ridiculous urges.

He had to hide a grimace when he brought their coffee back to their table and took a sip of his espresso. And for once he clearly wasn’t that successful in hiding his thoughts because she said, ‘You hate it, don’t you?’

‘I’m a bit of a coffee geek,’ he said. ‘So I’m not answering that one.’

She smiled. ‘In that case, I should warn you that the stuff in the ward kitchen is instant, and it’s not that posh barista-style instant coffee either. It’s whatever happens to be on special offer in the supermarket when Nancy takes the kitty and tops us up on tea and coffee. And the tea’s usually worse than the coffee.’

‘Warning heeded,’ he said.

‘So how did you get to be a coffee geek?’

It was a personal question, but not an emotional one, so he didn’t mind answering. ‘I worked as a barista while I was a student. And it was at an indie coffee house, not a chain. My boss was a super-geek—the coffee equivalent of a wine buff. I learned a lot from him.’

‘Hence your posh coffee machine.’ Joni blushed. ‘Um. The one I’m only guessing about, that is. I wouldn’t know anything about your kitchen.’

He couldn’t help smiling. ‘Of course.’

She glanced at her watch. ‘We’d better go. Clinic’s in fifteen minutes.’

A convenient excuse, he thought. And one that suited him, too. Because he’d discovered that the more time he spent with Joni Parker, the more he liked her. Which wasn’t what was supposed to happen. And it could be seriously dangerous to his peace of mind.

Bailey had called Aaron ‘Hot Guy’ at the salsa club. But at the hospital Aaron was even more gorgeous, Joni thought. She’d always had a soft spot for geeky guys—she would’ve picked Clark Kent over Superman any day—and, in his white coat and with those narrow-rimmed glasses, Aaron would definitely count as geeky.

Though he was also way, way out of her league.

So remembering the way he’d made her feel on Saturday night was totally stupid. He’d been the one to bring up the subject in the hospital cafeteria, and he’d made it very clear that he had no intention of repeating what had happened between them. And she knew he was making the right call: any kind of relationship between colleagues who worked together, apart from a professional one, could make life way too awkward for the rest of the team.

It would be much more sensible to keep her distance.

And she’d focus on being professional.

Their third patient in the TB clinic that afternoon was a nineteen-year-old girl who’d taken a gap year before starting university and had worked at a school in Borneo.

‘I’ve been home a couple of months,’ Cara said, ‘but for the last month I’ve been coughing a lot. I’ve tried about ten different sorts of cough mixture but none of them works and I just can’t get rid of it.’ She bit her lip. ‘Then last week I started coughing up icky stuff, and there was blood in it. I panicked a bit and Mum dragged me off to the family doctor. He …’ She caught her breath. ‘Mum looked it up on the Internet. It’s a sign of cancer. And so’s losing weight without trying. And I’ve been really hot and sweaty at night.’

‘Have you been eating normally?’ Joni asked, thinking about the weight loss.

‘I haven’t been feeling that hungry,’ Cara admitted. ‘And I’m tired all the time. Mum says that’s a symptom of cancer, too.’

‘Losing your appetite and being tired can be symptoms of a lot of other things, not just cancer,’ Aaron said gently, reaching out to take her hand. ‘It’s good that the Internet is making people aware of their health, but sometimes you can really scare yourself with what you read, so it’s always a good idea to go and check with your doctor to stop yourself worrying unnecessarily.’

‘The doctor sent me for an X-ray. I think he thought it might be cancer, too.’ She shivered. ‘I’m nineteen. I’m too young for this.’

‘As Mr Hughes said, there could be lots of things causing your symptoms,’ Joni said gently. ‘Your family doctor sent you for that X-ray so he could start to rule things out, not because he was sure it was cancer. And I can tell you that as a doctor I normally start by ruling out the nasty stuff, because I don’t want my patients worrying any longer than they need to.’

Cara nodded. ‘The guy who did the X-ray said there weren’t any signs of a tumour. But he said there were white patches on my lungs and it might be TB.’

‘That’s why he sent you to us for the next lot of tests—TB comes under tropical medicine and infectious diseases,’ Joni explained.

Aaron brought up the X-ray file and turned the screen so Cara could see it, too. ‘There is some scarring on your lungs, here and here, and those white patches are a classic symptom of TB. Plus you mentioned those other symptoms—night sweats, loss of appetite and losing weight. That’s all adding up to a picture for me.’ He looked at the screen. ‘I see that your family doctor also sent you for a skin test.’

‘Last week.’ She frowned. ‘But I don’t see how it can be TB. I don’t even know anyone who’s ever had TB. I mean, I didn’t think people even got it any more. How could I get it?’

‘TB is a bacterial infection, and it’s still pretty prevalent in parts of the world,’ Aaron explained. ‘It’s spread by droplets—coughs, sneezes, that sort of thing. It can affect the lungs, which is why it makes people cough and why your doctor sent you for an X-ray to check your lungs, but it can also affect other parts of the body. That’s why we need to check you out here. Not everyone who has TB is infectious, so you won’t catch it by just sitting next to someone on a train—but if you share a room with someone who has TB then there’s much more of a chance of you picking it up. And you said you’ve spent a few months in Borneo, yes?’

She nodded. ‘Three months, working as a teacher.’

‘Borneo has quite a high rate of infection, so if your skin test is positive then I’d guess that’s where you picked it up.’

Cara looked worried. ‘I shared a room with some of the other students working out there. Does that mean they might be infected, too?’

‘Either one of them infected you, or if you picked it up from somewhere else then you might have infected them,’ Joni said. ‘So it would be a good idea to get in touch with them and ask them to go and see their doctor to get themselves checked out.’

‘I don’t have everyone’s number,’ Cara said. ‘But I can call the agency that did the placements and ask them to pass on an urgent message to everyone.’ She bit her lip. ‘Oh, God. I feel so bad that I might’ve passed this on to other people.’

‘It’s not your fault,’ Joni said. ‘You didn’t know you were ill, and TB takes a while to show up.’

‘So you had the skin test on Friday?’ Aaron asked, double-checking her notes. At Cara’s nod, he examined her lower arm. ‘There’s definitely a hard red lump there, so the skin test is positive.’ He measured the lump and Joni updated Cara’s notes with the details. ‘I’ll need you to do a sputum test for me as well, but we have to culture the bacteria so it’ll take a couple of weeks to get the results back.’

‘So what happens while we wait for the results?’ Cara asked.

‘I’m pretty sure from the results of the skin test, plus what I can see on the X-ray and the symptoms you’ve described, that you have TB. So I’d like to start treatment now,’ Aaron said.

‘The good news is that you can be treated at home—you don’t have to stay in hospital,’ Joni added, seeing the flicker of dread on Cara’s face. ‘We’ll give you a course of antibiotics. You need to take two different types to make sure the infection clears up.’

‘You’ll start to feel better after a couple of weeks,’ Aaron said, ‘but it’s really important for you to keep taking the medication for the next six months and don’t stop taking it just because you’re feeling better.’

‘Six months?’ Cara looked shocked.

‘Six months,’ Aaron confirmed. ‘Otherwise the infection won’t clear up and the bacteria might become resistant to the antibiotics we give you. If that happens, it will take even longer to clear up.’

‘OK. I promise I’ll take the medication, even after I feel better,’ Cara said.

‘Good. Sometimes people get side effects from the antibiotics,’ Joni told her. ‘If you do, you need to come back and see us so we can change the medication you’re on to something that will deal with the TB but won’t give you the side effects.’

‘So that’s if you feel nauseous or you’re actually sick, if you get a rash or itching, or you have any numbness or tingling in your hands or feet,’ Aaron said. ‘And I’d want you to come straight back and see us if your skin goes a bit yellow and your urine’s dark, or you start getting blurred vision.’

Cara looked worried. ‘Blurred vision?’

‘It’s one side effect, but we can sort it out. I know it’s a lot to take in, but we’ll give you a leaflet with all this information so you can talk it over with your mum,’ Joni said. ‘As well as a leaflet with advice on how to stop TB spreading to your family, friends or anyone you’re in contact with at work or college. You need to cover your mouth when you cough or sneeze or laugh, and put any used tissues in a sealed plastic bag. And don’t sleep in the same room as anyone else, as you might cough or sneeze in your sleep.’

‘Because that’s how it spreads,’ Cara said.

‘Exactly. For now, you need to stay at home—we’ll see you once a fortnight and keep an eye on you, and we’ll tell you when it’s safe to go back to work or college,’ Aaron said. ‘If you’re worried at any time, just come and see us or give us a call.’ He wrote the prescription while Joni printed off the patient information notes for Cara.

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