About the Authors

SUE MACKAY lives with her husband in New Zealand’s beautiful Marlborough Sounds, with the water at her doorstep and birds and trees at her back door. It is the perfect setting to indulge her passions of entertaining friends by cooking them sumptuous meals, drinking fabulous wine, going for hill walks or kayaking around the bay—and, of course, writing stories.

Born and raised on the outskirts of Toronto, Ontario, AMY RUTTAN fled the big city to settle down with the country boy of her dreams. When she’s not furiously typing away at her computer she’s mum to three wonderful children, who have given her another job as a taxi driver.

A voracious reader, she was given her first romance novel by her grandmother, who shared her penchant for a hot romance. From that moment Amy was hooked by the magical worlds, handsome heroes and sigh-worthy romances contained in the pages, and she knew what she wanted to be when she grew up.

Life got in the way, but after the birth of her second child she decided to pursue her dream of becoming a romance author.

Amy loves to hear from readers. It makes her day, in fact. You can find out more about Amy at her website: www.amyruttan.com

KARIN BAINE lives in Northern Ireland with her husband, two sons and her out-of-control notebook collection. Her mother’s and her grandmother’s vast collections of books inspired her love of reading and her dream of becoming a Mills & Boon author. Now she can tell people she has a proper job! You can follow Karin on Twitter, @karinbaine1, or visit her website for the latest news—www.karinbaine.com.

Heart of Courage

The Army Doc’s Baby Bombshell

Sue MacKay

Taming Her Navy Doc

Amy Ruttan

The Courage to Love Her Army Doc

Karin Baine

www.millsandboon.co.uk

ISBN: 978-1-474-08168-9

HEART OF COURAGE

The Army Doc’s Baby Bombshell © 2016 Sue MacKay Taming Her Navy Doc © 2015 Amy Ruttan The Courage To Love Her Army Doc © 2016 Karin Baine

Published in Great Britain 2018

by Mills & Boon, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF

All rights reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. This edition is published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, locations and incidents are purely fictional and bear no relationship to any real life individuals, living or dead, or to any actual places, business establishments, locations, events or incidents. Any resemblance is entirely coincidental.

By payment of the required fees, you are granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right and licence to download and install this e-book on your personal computer, tablet computer, smart phone or other electronic reading device only (each a “Licensed Device”) and to access, display and read the text of this e-book on-screen on your Licensed Device. Except to the extent any of these acts shall be permitted pursuant to any mandatory provision of applicable law but no further, no part of this e-book or its text or images may be reproduced, transmitted, distributed, translated, converted or adapted for use on another file format, communicated to the public, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of publisher.

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Version: 2020-03-02

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Table of Contents

Cover

About the Authors

Title Page

Copyright

The Army Doc’s Baby Bombshell

Back Cover Text

Dedication

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

CHAPTER ELEVEN

EPILOGUE

Taming Her Navy Doc

Back Cover Text

Dedication

PROLOGUE

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

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

EPILOGUE

The Courage to Love Her Army Doc

Back Cover Text

Dedication

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

CHAPTER ELEVEN

CHAPTER TWELVE

EPILOGUE

About the Publisher

The Army Doc’s Baby Bombshell

Sue MacKay

From one night...to baby surprise!

Surviving a bomb blast together led to an explosive night of passion between army docs Cooper Daniels and Sophie Ingram. But the next day Cooper shipped out, leaving Sophie with a lasting reminder of their desire!

Cooper hasn’t been able to forget Sophie, but commitment isn’t an option for this lone wolf. So when the army throws them back together, her baby secret stuns him! The captain will give anything to protect his new family...but can he offer Sophie his heart?

This one’s for my man,

for always supporting me even when the writing

turns to custard. And to my girl, her partner and their

two beautiful children because they are special.

Also to the Blenheim girls,

without whom I’d go bonkers more often than I

already do. Iona King, Barb Deleo, Louisa George,

Deborah Shattock, Nadine Taylor and Kate David.

You guys rock, and are so special. The best move

I ever made was to the Marlborough district,

where I hooked up with you.

To Laura,

the most helpful, wonderful editor I could wish for.

I love you all.

Hugs,

Sue

CHAPTER ONE

‘WOULD YOU LOOK at that? Sex in hard boots will do it for me every time.’ The female sergeant at Captain Sophie Ingram’s side ogled Captain Daniels striding across the dusty compound in their direction.

He was drop-dead gorgeous, Sophie admitted to herself as she tried to ignore the spark of arousal low in her body. A sensation she needed to shove aside. Working in Afghanistan was not the right time or place for liaisons. On a disappointed sigh, she told the military nurse, ‘I’m off sex, hunk or no hunk available.’

Kelly’s jaw dropped. ‘You’re kidding, right?’

‘Not at all.’

‘I mean, look at him,’ Kelly spluttered.

She did. He was built.

The Kiwi captain, who’d arrived in camp late last night, widened his eyes as his gaze cruised over her. That delectable mouth lifted at one corner. Guess that meant he’d heard her blunt statement.

So what? It was best put out there. Saved time and misunderstanding. He could think what he liked. She wouldn’t be hanging onto his every word in the hope of scoring during the three days he was in camp, helping out in the army hospital. Her last sexual experience had been something she didn’t want to remember—or repeat—and had started her considering celibacy. Except it seemed some parts of her body hadn’t got that message if the tightening in her belly and beyond was any indication.

‘Captain Ingram?’ The overly confident man stood in front of her, his hand outstretched in a friendly, yet provocative, manner.

Sophie nodded. ‘Yes.’ She took his hand to shake it but ignored the challenge staring out at her from the deepest pewter eyes she’d ever encountered. Neither would she acknowledge the rising tempo of her arousal. Sex was off the menu for the duration of her posting, no matter what. In her first weeks here a certain officer—now back home, thank goodness—had wooed her, then shown exactly what he thought the role of female personnel really was. Degrading didn’t come close. Joining the army for an adventure was one thing, being treated disrespectfully was another. She’d since seen enough other liaisons end messily to know sex was best avoided on tour.

But she groaned. Captain Daniels with his dark, cropped hair and knowing eyes would tempt her every time. ‘Welcome to Bamiyan NZ base.’

His eyebrow lifted in an ironic fashion. ‘This is my third—’

The air exploded. The rock-hard ground heaved upward, shoving Sophie’s feet up to her throat. Then she was airborne, her arms flailing uselessly, her head whipping back and forth. Slam. She hit the ground, landing on her back, the air punched out of her lungs, her limbs spread in all directions.

Stones pelted her. Dust filled her eyes and mouth. Breathing became impossible. Whizz. Bang. The air around her was alive, splintering as objects sped past her. Bullets? Fear gripped her. Who was firing at her? A heavy weight crashed over her, pinning her down. A human weight. What was happening? What had caused that explosion? Her heart beat so fast it was going to detonate out of her chest. Her ribcage rose higher and higher as she strained to fill her lungs with something purer than sand and dust. Her airway hurt. Her head hurt. Every single thing hurt.

‘Stay down,’ a deep, dark voice snapped.

She daren’t open her eyes to see who the man protecting her with his body was. Gulp. Cough. Dust scratched the back of her throat. Strong arms were on either side of her vulnerable head. Muscular legs held down her softer ones. The one and only Captain Daniels.

Around them the gunfire was sharp and loud, and dangerous. Then suddenly it stopped. But the shouting and yelling continued. Orders were barked. Screams curdled her blood. Racing footsteps slapped the ground. Fear flew up her throat, filled her mouth. Was this it? The end? Lying on a piece of dry, barren dirt in some place she’d barely heard of growing up in lush green New Zealand? No way. She’d fight to the last, would not die lying here defenceless and useless. Flattening her hands on the ground, she tensed, ready to push upward, to remove her human shield.

‘Easy.’ That voice was right beside her ear, lifting the hairs on the back of her neck. Almost seductive—if she hadn’t been terrified for her life.

Sophie squirmed, felt the muscles covering her body tighten.

‘Easy,’ he repeated a little desperately.

‘Let me up.’ She’d aimed for nonchalant, got light and squeaky. Damn. She was a soldier, supposed to be fearless. A little bit, anyway.

‘Wait.’

Sophie needed to know what was going on. Apart from flying bullets and a bomb exploding. Needed to assess the situation, see if she could move, find shelter, help someone. As a doctor she’d be required in the hospital unit. Squinting, she looked around to see if it was safe to move. And came eyeball to eyeball with Cooper Daniels.

Her heart stopped its wild pounding, stopped trying to bash its way out of her chest. Went completely still. Her lungs gave up trying to inhale as that intense grey gaze bored right into her, deep into places no one had been before. Places where she hid the vulnerability that directed her life. Shock ripped through her. Every muscle in her body seemed to twitch, tighten, loosen. Had she died? Been taken out by one of those bullets?

‘Captains, move. Now. Sir. Ma’am.’ Someone, somewhere above them, roared in a strained shout, ‘Get up off the ground. We’ve got you both covered.’

I’m definitely alive. Sophie pushed at Cooper, desperate to get away from him, to find safety, to regain her composure and see what needed to be done. There’d be casualties for sure.

The weight lifted from her body, a hand snatched at hers, hauled her upright in one swift, clumsy jerk. ‘Run towards the officers’ quarters,’ Cooper yelled in her ear as he tightened his grip on her hand. ‘The hospital’s a target.’

She ran, trusting him completely. But even as she ran she looked around, and gasped. Where the ground had been flat moments ago there was now a deep crater. An enormous dust cloud hovered above, blocking the sun’s intense heat. Otherwise everything looked weirdly normal—apart from the troops stationed on the perimeter, facing outwards with machine guns at the ready.

Forget normal. A body lay against the wall of the hospital block. Sophie shouted, ‘Kelly,’ and veered left around the destruction, aiming for the nurse.

Cooper pulled at her, tried to prevent her going in that direction. ‘Wait. It’s more exposed that way. Snipers will see you.’

Sophie got it. And wasn’t having a bar of it. She paused to lock her gaze on him, her heart rate steady, her lungs finally doing their job. ‘We need to get to Sergeant Brooks ASAP. Move her to safety.’ She had no idea where the calmness now taking over came from, but she was in control, able to do something for someone, and not be a victim being protected by this man.

His eyes widened and he shook his head as though to get rid of something. ‘You’re right. Let’s go.’

‘Kelly was standing beside me when that bomb went off,’ she muttered as they reached the nurse sprawled with blood pouring from a head wound and her legs at odd angles to her body. Dropping to her knees, Sophie reached to find a pulse, holding her breath as she tried to find any sign of life. Dread rose, and she quickly swallowed on it. Now was the time to step up and be professional; not let emotions override everything else. ‘Come on, Kelly. Don’t do this to me.’

A faint throb under her fingertip. ‘Yes.’ She slumped with relief. Her friend didn’t deserve to die. Sophie kept her finger in place for a few more beats, to be absolutely sure, and looked at Cooper, who was crouched beside her, gently probing Kelly’s head. ‘She’s alive. Get a stretcher out here. We’re going into surgery.’ Those legs looked in need of some serious work, as did the head injury. Blood also seeped into the ground from under Kelly’s right shoulder. They’d have to do a thorough assessment but she wasn’t hanging around out here for some sniper to pick them off.

‘Yes, Captain.’ Cooper was on his feet and racing towards the hospital unit, now all business, the challenging male no longer visible. Neither was the captain, aka general surgeon. He was just one of the battalion, doing the job of an orderly because she’d told him to. Impressive.

The man who’d thrown himself over her to protect her from those bullets. Very impressive. Sophie bit down on the flare of yearning and astonishment suddenly touching her again in that place she’d thought so well hidden. What was it about him that exposed her weak side far too easily?

‘Captain Ingram, we’ve got two casualties from the other side of the perimeter,’ a soldier called above the noise of troops clearing the area and checking on one another. ‘They’ve been taken into the medical unit for assessment. That unit’s now clear of danger.’

Nothing, nobody was ever completely out of danger, but she’d keep that gem to herself. Glancing up, she acknowledged the young man who was on his first stint overseas with the NZ Army and sometimes dropped into the hospital to talk or read to patients.

‘Thank you, Corporal.’ His face was chalk white. ‘Did you sustain any injuries, George?’

‘No, Captain.’

‘Right. Captain Daniels is bringing a stretcher so we can shift Sergeant Nurse Brooks. I’d like you to help with moving her.’ Shifting Kelly without doing more damage to her broken body was going to be a nightmare. Even if the unconscious woman couldn’t feel a thing, Sophie knew she’d wince at every single movement. She hated inflicting any pain whatsoever on someone. Her fellow surgeons often gave her grief about that, pointing out that any surgery was followed by some degree of pain.

‘Yes, Ma’am.’

Cooper skidded to a halt by their patient and lowered the stretcher carefully, as close as possible to her body. ‘It’s chaos inside. Injuries all over the place.’

Sophie swore quietly. Why? Who? How could anyone do this to another human being?

Get real, her inner voice snarled. You’re in a war zone. This is what you’re here for.

She knew all that, but reality sucked, brought everything into focus in full colour. On a ragged indrawn breath, she began organising the removal of Kelly from the hot, dusty outdoors and into the relative safety of the medical unit.

‘I’ll be operating with you,’ Cooper informed her as they carried the laden stretcher towards the theatre section.

Sophie glanced at him. ‘Surely you’re needed elsewhere.’

‘Orders. Kelly’s the worst off by far.’ Then he added, sotto voce, ‘If you don’t count the two deceased.’

Sophie’s stomach dropped. She’d been refusing to consider some of the soldiers might’ve been killed. ‘Do we know who they are?’

‘Not yet.’ Cooper locked his eyes on her. ‘If you want to go find out I can take over here.’

She shook her head. ‘No. Getting Kelly stable so we can evacuate her is more important.’

‘I agree.’ He gave her a smile that blew her heart rate into disarray again.

Suddenly Sophie felt light-headed, swaying on her feet as she stared at the floor. Reaching out for balance, her hand found Cooper’s shirt sleeve and gripped tight.

‘You okay?’ he asked, concern flooding his voice.

Dropping her hand as though it had been scalded, she growled, ‘Guess it’s the shock catching up.’

‘It does that.’

She was showing her inexperience in conflict situations. The past two months had been relatively quiet on the war front—near this base anyway. She’d been kept busy with small surgeries but nothing like this. Reaching Kelly, she started appraising the injuries more thoroughly.

‘Multiple fractures of both legs and the pelvis. As well as that dislocated shoulder and fractured skull.’ Sophie straightened up from the bed Kelly lay on, and looked at Cooper. ‘She needs an orthopaedic surgeon,’ which they didn’t have. ‘How much experience have you got in that field?’

‘Enough to do the basics, but the sooner we can get her back to Darwin the better.’ Cooper looked glum. ‘It’s going to be touch and go for her.’

‘Right. Let’s scrub up and do what we can.’ Sophie looked around the ordered chaos, saw the commanding medical officer on the far side of the room and made a beeline for him to explain the situation.

‘We’ve got two others needing evacuation back to Australia too,’ she was told. ‘A flight’s being arranged for two hundred hours. Do what you can in the meantime.’

At the sink Sophie scrubbed and scrubbed her fingers, her palms, the backs of her hands. Sand and dirt and blood stained her skin and had got beneath her nails. Anger at what had happened had her compressing her mouth to hold back a torrent of expletives that’d do no good for anybody. But how could people attack others like that? Used to fixing people, making them better, it was impossible to comprehend the opposite. Her muscles quivered, whether in rage or shock she wasn’t sure, but she needed to get them under control if she was going to be any use to her friend.

‘Easy.’ Cooper’s word of the day, apparently. A firm hand gripped her shoulder briefly. ‘Save the anger for later.’

Turning, she locked her eyes on those grey ones she was coming to recognise as special, or was that the man behind them? ‘There’s plenty of it, believe me.’

He nodded and dropped his hand to his side. ‘I know. It gets me going every time.’

‘Yet you keep coming back.’ She’d heard that Captain Daniels was on his third tour of duty over here. Then she saw the gleam in his gaze and knew he’d picked up on the fact she’d taken note of details about him. Telling him she hadn’t gone out of her way to ask anyone would only stroke his ego further so she spun away to dry her hands before holding them out to the assistant to put gloves on for her.

This whole sexual distraction was ludicrous when they were in the middle of an emergency. ‘Do we even know if the attack is completely finished?’ she asked no one in particular.

‘Apparently so,’ Cooper replied as he began scrubbing up, a smug look on his face.

He could get over whatever was causing that. They had surgery to perform, which left no room for anything else. Sexual tension included.

* * *

Uncountable hours later Sophie smothered a yawn as she leaned back against the outside wall of their little hospital and watched Kelly being transferred to the medic truck that would take her to the airfield. ‘Thank goodness she’s survived her first round of surgery,’ she murmured to herself, suddenly wanting to hear her voice in the rare stillness of the night.

‘She’s got a long way to go yet.’ Cooper loomed up beside her.

So much for talking to herself. ‘I’m worried about her left leg. I suspect she’s in for an amputation despite everything we did.’

‘That patella wasn’t broken, it was pulverised,’ Cooper agreed.

‘Kelly’s a fitness freak, runs marathons for fun.’ Not any more. Or not for a long time and after a lot of hard rehab. Tears threatened. ‘It’s so darned unfair.’

‘That’s war.’ His tone brooked no argument and suggested she needed to get used to the idea.

‘I know. But I’m hurting for a friend. Okay?’ Sophie straightened her back, hauled her shoulder off the wall, took a step away. She’d had enough of Mr Confidence, didn’t need reminding why she was here.

‘Don’t go. Not yet.’ Cooper’s voice was low and, strangely, almost pleading.

She hesitated. Going inside where everyone was still talking and crying and laughing as they finally came down off the high caused by shock over the attack and continual hours of urgent surgery turned her cold. But staying here, talking to Cooper Daniels, held more danger, and she’d had her fill of that already. ‘Think I’ll go to my bunk.’

‘I’ll walk you across the compound.’ When she opened her mouth to say no he talked over her. ‘We don’t have to talk. I’d like your company for a few minutes, that’s all.’

There were no arguments to that. None that she could find without sounding like she was making a run for it to put space between them. Anyway, she suddenly felt in need of company too. Talk about being all over the place. ‘Sure.’ She stepped away to put space between them and rammed her hands into the pockets of her fatigues. Then tripped on a small rock.

Cooper caught her, held her until she righted herself. Left his hand on her elbow as they slowly made their way through the throng of personnel wandering almost aimlessly back and forth on the parade ground they were crossing.

Out of the blue came the need to keep Cooper with her. His hand was reassuring against her unease. Leaning into him, absorbing the warmth of being with someone as tension held her in its grip, was a tonic.

Thump. She jerked around, staring into the night, seeing nothing more than she’d been gazing at a moment earlier.

‘It’s okay. Some clown tossed a metal bucket at the fence.’ Cooper slipped his arm over her shoulders, drew her in closer.

‘I thought...’

‘Yeah. Me too.’

‘Have you ever experienced anything like what went down here?’ She’d known signing up to the army, even as a medic, had its dangers, but this was the first time she’d been confronted with the truth of living and working as an army officer in Afghanistan. She needed to toughen up and put it behind her, not let every little sound or bang have her leaping out of her skin.

Tension tightened the muscles in the arm draped across her shoulders. ‘Once. Near Kabul.’

‘Why do you keep coming back?’ She’d signed up for one year and now she wondered how she’d make it through without turning into a freaked-out wreck.

‘Army orders.’

So he wasn’t up for personal conversation. ‘Of course.’ She pulled away, put distance between them again. Wrapping her arms around her body, she stared ahead at the officers’ quarters. Lights blazed out over the compound and the idea of going inside to be surrounded by her colleagues became repugnant.

‘Want to keep walking for a bit?’ So he could mind-read. Probably as well as he could twist a dislocated clavicle back into place, as he’d done for Kelly. Or as easily as he had most upright females drooling over him without a word.

Including her, she realised. He had to be the most sexy, gorgeous, mouth-watering man she’d met in a long time. Had she drooled when Kelly had pointed him out? Couldn’t have or he wouldn’t have come over to see her, dribble on the chin being highly unattractive.

‘I’ll take that as a yes, then.’

Huh? Oh, right. Unused to women not gushing out answers to his questions? ‘I won’t be able to sleep. My head’s spinning and my body aches from being tossed through the air.’

‘That was some landing you made.’

‘Didn’t you get thrown down?’ she asked, suddenly remembering how quickly he’d seemed to be with her, covering her as bullets had flown past. ‘Thank you for protecting me. That was incredibly brave.’

‘Honestly? It’s something I did without considering the consequences. You looked vulnerable and I just fell over you.’

Sophie sighed. ‘That’s how brave people act. They don’t weigh up the consequences. Wasn’t it random how the three of us standing together ended up in different places? Kelly copped the worst of the explosion and was thrown in the opposite direction from us. We’re relatively unscathed.’

‘Be grateful. We were needed in Theatre afterwards.’

‘True.’ They were heading behind the officers’ quarters into comparative quiet and some darkness. Sophie looked around, saw no one in the shadows, and stopped. ‘Maybe I should go back.’

‘Afraid to be with me?’ That earlier challenge was back, deepening the huskiness in his voice.

‘Not at all,’ she snapped, even as awareness of him teased her. He was large; tall and broad. It would be so easy to lay her head on that chest and wrap her arms around his waist. She knew she’d feel safe for as long as she held onto him. Shock made her gasp.

But she didn’t pull away from that tiny touch of his hand brushing against her thigh as he waited to see what she’d do. She couldn’t move. Hell, she didn’t even want to. Right this moment she needed him. Needed reassurance that she’d survived her first bombing alive and well. Needed to get close to another human, to share the horror and the recovery from the shock. Wanted more than to be held. Wanted to feel alive in his arms.

‘Sophie?’ Cooper growled.

She stepped closer, so near her breasts brushed his chest. Her nipples pebbled, throbbing with longing, echoing the sensations moistening her at the apex of her legs. She had never wanted a man so badly. Never. The afternoon’s attack definitely had a lot to answer for. ‘Cooper,’ she whispered in reply. ‘Please take me.’

‘Are you sure?’ he asked, the softness of his voice surprising her.

‘Absolutely,’ she told him fiercely. ‘Absolutely.’ Now. Not in five minutes. Now. She leaned closer, spreading the length of her body up the length of his. She immediately felt his hardness, knew his reciprocating need in an instant. Winding her arms around his neck, she raised her mouth to capture his.

Cooper took over. His hands spanned her waist, pulling her firmly against his body, so close they’d become one. His tongue pushed through to taste her, delving deep, taking charge.

Sophie lost herself in his kiss, his scent, his strength. Her hands grappled with tugging his shirt free. The need to touch his skin, to feel his heat against her palms was urgent. So urgent she slid her hands beneath the waistband of his fatigues, her fingers seeking that throbbing heat pressing into her belly. Wrapping her hands around him, she heard his groan by her ear.

‘Sophie, you are driving me over the edge too fast.’

‘I want fast.’ Huh? Who was this wanton woman in her skin?

Cooper obliged, shoving at her trousers until they slid to her thighs, and then he cupped her.

All the air in her lungs whooshed across her lips as his finger found her hot, moist pulse. One slide of that finger and she was clinging to him, losing all sense of reality. Or was this reality? Another slide and her legs were trembling, losing the ability to hold her upright.

So she wrapped them around Cooper, holding herself over that wondrous finger, ready for his next muscle-tightening touch. But instead Cooper slid two fingers inside her and a scream flew up her throat, caught by his mouth. Since when had she become a screamer?

And then for the second time in twenty-four hours her world exploded. Shock waves hit her. Her body was racked with spasms, her head tipped backwards, and she was only vaguely aware of where she was. Again Cooper’s strong body was plastered to hers, only this time it was her weight on him, her legs around his body. Then he moved to lift her higher and she was feeling him enter her, inch by excruciating inch until he filled her.

Then he withdrew to plunge in deep again. And again. And again.

Sophie completely lost her mind as her body responded to Cooper’s. All she knew was she’d died and gone to some wondrous place she’d never experienced. All energy drained from her as her response overtook her.

And afterwards somehow she made it back to her bunk and slept the sleep of the completely sated.

CHAPTER TWO

Seven and a half months later...

COOPER SWIPED AT his forehead. The Aussie heat was relentless. Darwin did not come cold. Not even cool. And this was winter. Two hours since the troop carrier had touched down and he’d already had enough, felt in need of a cold shower despite showering and changing into clean clothes less than thirty minutes ago.

He entered the Australian Army’s busy medical unit and looked around for her. Sophie Ingram. No doubt she’d be another reason for a cold shower as soon as he set eyes on her. He’d never been able to exorcise the woman completely from his brain. One night, one hot act, and she now ruled his thought processes far too often. Face it, once was one time too many. But the times that really bugged him were those in the middle of the night when he was tossing and turning in desperate need of sleep. She’d sneak in, reminding him of her amazing body and that off-the-scale sex they’d shared. Only once, and yet it had been the best he’d experienced in a life of experience.

There. Leaning over a table in the far corner, reading a file, seemingly oblivious to the hustle going on around her. The breath stalled in his lungs as he drank in the sight of that tall, slight figure with perfect butt curves that even fatigues did nothing to hide. Or was that his memory filling in the details? Her coppery brown hair hung in a long ponytail down her spine. He hadn’t had a chance to run his hands through that silk, hadn’t kissed her as often as he’d have liked. Both things he’d regretted even when the opportunity hadn’t been there. If he had, would he still be feeling there was so much more to be enjoyed? It wasn’t as if he wanted anything other than a rerun of that one act. If it didn’t happen it wouldn’t be the end of the world, but there was no harm in finding out if she was willing while he was here.

Sophie looked as cool as an iced beer as she straightened to turn side on to place the file in a tray.

Cooper gasped, the air exploding out of his lungs. His head spun so fast he closed his eyes tight in an attempt to stop it, to remain upright. Opening them again, the picture was exactly the same. He went hot, then cold, hot again. Thud, thud, thud slammed his heart. He swallowed—hard—but the sourness remained in his mouth. His hands clenched at his sides as he stared at the sexy woman he’d come to see with the idea of having a meal somewhere off base, hopefully followed by an evening in the sack. He had not come to be delivered a hand grenade that the pin had been pulled from.

‘Cooper?’ She was coming towards him, colour spilling into her cheeks. No longer cool. Shocked. Surprised. No. Make that uneasy. Which made perfect sense given the situation. She said, ‘I heard you were stopping off for a couple of days on your way home.’

He fought the urge to back away. A coward he was not, but this was...enormous. Wrong word. He could even be wrong about what he saw. No, not about that, but about his role in the situation.

‘I’ve just flown in from the east, landed a couple of hours ago.’

Her eyes widened. So she’d picked up on the fact he hadn’t wasted any time dropping in on her.

‘I heard you were still here and thought I’d say hello.’

Getting yourself in deeper, bud.

She’d reached him and stood staring, hands on hips, caution darkening those emerald eyes that had haunted him in the deep of the night. Her voice wavered as she said, ‘This is my last week here before I’m shipped back home to finish my contract in Auckland.’

She was going to Auckland? So was he. The day after tomorrow. Auckland was big. They’d never cross paths. Coward. That’s what phones were for. Contacting people. ‘I guess you’re looking forward to that. The heat must be playing havoc with you.’ He nodded abruptly at her very pregnant belly.

She’s carrying a baby. He bit down on the expletives spewing across his tongue. Dread was cranking up from deep within. He had an awful feeling about this. A dreadful sensation that his world was rolling sideways and would never be the same again.

Sophie rubbed her lower back while her gaze was fixed on some spot behind him. ‘Yes, the heat’s exhausting, but it’s more that I want to be home before this baby makes her entrance.’ Now both her hands moved onto her belly in a protective gesture, as though she was afraid of, or warding off, something. Or someone.

Him? His reaction? He strove to be calm, barely held onto the question hovering on the tip of his tongue. When he thought it safe to open his mouth he asked, ‘You don’t want a little Aussie?’ Who cared? Avoiding asking what he desperately needed to know and yet was afraid to find out was only stalling, not solving a thing.

‘I’d prefer to be with my friends.’

Friends, not family. Showed how little he knew about her. ‘How far along are you?’ His breath caught in the back of his throat as he waited for her answer. It had been over seven months since the bombing in Bamiyan, since they’d found solace in each other’s bodies. Was the baby his? If it was, why hadn’t she told him about it? But why should she? What would she want from him? Apparently nothing, if it was his. There’d been no contact from her since that night, which in itself was unusual in his experience of women. If the baby wasn’t his, then whose?

Sophie lifted her head, her chin jutting out as she said quietly, firmly, ‘Seven and a half months. She’s yours.’

He reeled back on his heels. Her direct reply knocked the air out of him and had his stomach sucking in on itself. It was one thing to wonder if he was the father; completely different to learn he actually was. Again heat flooded him. ‘I see.’

Huh? I do?

Goosebumps lifted his skin. According to this woman he’d spent barely half a dozen hours with in total he’d made her pregnant. Should he believe her without question? Just accept her word for it without DNA testing? They’d had sex once. Once. What were the odds? How could he trust her to be telling the truth when he knew next to nothing about her?

Sophie was standing tall, her arms now at her sides, her hands fisted, her chin jutting out further, her eyes daring him to challenge her statement.

And just like that he knew she hadn’t lied, wasn’t trying to tie him into anything he didn’t want. The tension left him. Then it was back, gripping him harder, tightening the muscles in his gut, his legs, his arms.

I don’t want to be a father.

Did Sophie want to be a mother? Obviously she did or she’d have terminated the pregnancy, wouldn’t she? She didn’t know he never intended being a parent, or getting into a long-term relationship. That he played the field because he was just like his father, an expert at moving on from woman to woman. Where was the relief? Why wasn’t he falling over backwards in gratitude for her not involving him in this baby’s life? But now she had. There was no avoiding it. ‘We need to talk.’

‘Why?’

‘Don’t play games, Sophie. I’d like to know more about this baby, and how you’re keeping. What I can do for you.’ There. Responsibility kicked in even before he’d thought things through. Thanks to his dad for another lesson he’d learned well. As long as it didn’t backfire on him.

‘That’s easy. Baby and I are healthy, and there’s absolutely nothing I expect from you.’ Despite her determined attitude, a flicker of doubt crossed that intense gaze, and her fists clenched tighter.

Unease rattled him. She did want something. Despite her statement to the contrary, there were things she’d want from him. He’d do the right thing. Stand by her and the baby. But that was the beginning and end of it. He wouldn’t be tied down. Not for the sake of a child. It wouldn’t work. He and Sophie didn’t know anything about each other.

You know the sex can be out of this world.

One great bonk in extenuating circumstances didn’t make a long-lasting relationship. Anyway, it probably wouldn’t be the same again. Want to put that theory to the test? Yeah, he did. But wasn’t going to now.

Another thing against further involvement was that he didn’t do love. Didn’t believe in it. He’d got this far without it. One too many times watching his father’s latest girlfriend pack her bags and leave when he’d been a boy had taught him that getting involved with anyone led to nothing but anguish. It’d hurt every time, watching them walk away after he’d become close and begun to think they might be there as he grew up. Sometimes it had broken him. At first he’d had to learn not to cry, then he’d learned to be stoic, and finally gruff and rude. Love wasn’t anything like it was cracked up to be. Not even the mother of his unborn child was getting a look in. Telling Sophie any of that wasn’t happening, though he still needed to talk to her. ‘What time are you taking a break?’ he snapped, louder than he’d intended.

Sophie stared at him as though searching for something.

He only hoped he could provide whatever it was. All the more reason to go somewhere private before she said anything. ‘Well?’

Looking around the busy room, where heads had lifted at his question, she shrugged, which set his teeth on edge. ‘I can go to lunch any time I like. Despite how it looks I don’t exactly get rushed off my feet. Unless there’s a forced march in the wind,’ she added with a tentative smile.

‘Then you get queues of soldiers with all sorts of maladies that show no symptoms.’ He wanted to smile back but was all out of them right now. ‘Seen it all too often.’ That caution on Sophie’s face was unexpected, given how she’d thrown herself at him in Bamiyan, and again underlined how little he knew her. It also softened his stance the smallest of bits.

Toughen up. Don’t go all soft over this. A baby, huh? A huge responsibility even if he only kept to the outskirts of the child’s life. But...he was going to be a dad.

I am not ready for this. Will never be ready. This changes everything.

He and Sophie were now tied together in some way for ever. He turned for the entrance, his legs tensing, ready to run, hard and fast, as far away as possible, to outrun this crazy situation.

The only thing holding him back was that he’d always taken his responsibilities seriously.

Haven’t been dealt this hand before.

True. It was as terrifying as that bomb in Bamiyan, and the consequences were going to last a lot longer. He had another mark to step up to, one he was not prepared for and had absolutely no idea how to manage.

‘We need somewhere quiet for this discussion.’ Sophie probably had similar concerns. Her sympathetic tone felt like a caress even if the intent of her words was a harsh reminder of what was ahead.

How could she remain so calm? He could hate her for that. No, not fair. She’d had months to prepare for today. And his anger was directed at the shock she’d delivered, not at her personally. But she should’ve told him. Then he’d have been prepared. A shudder rocked him. Really? Would he ever be able to look back at this moment and say it was a good thing to have happened? His hands clenched. Not likely.

‘Is there somewhere we won’t be interrupted?’ Cooper demanded. There were a few personnel on this base he knew and would enjoy catching up with—some other time. His best mate would have to wait too. Right now he wanted this upcoming conversation done and dusted in one sitting, though he somehow doubted it was ever going to finish, that there’d always be things to discuss about their child. Their daughter. Sophie had said, she’s yours. Oh, hell. A wee girl. His throat clogged. His daughter. This would take some getting used to. If he even wanted to, and right now he didn’t. How could a guy whose mother had committed suicide when he was six and a father who’d had an endless stream of women moving through their lives grasp the basics of good parenting?

‘We could go to my quarters.’ Then Sophie hesitated. ‘No, we’ll go off base. There’s a place a couple of kilometres south where I can get a sandwich and you can have whatever you might want.’

An ice-cold beer would go down just fine about now. Sweat was rolling down his back. From the temperature or his turmoil, he wasn’t sure. Probably both. ‘You got a car?’

She nodded. ‘I do.’

‘Let’s go.’ The idea of that beer had his mouth watering, while the idea of talking about the baby and their future wasn’t doing his stomach any favours, instead causing a tightness he couldn’t loosen. So much for a quick visit and maybe a bit of sex. Sometimes life threw curveballs. Big suckers. He needed to learn how to catch them without doing any damage.

* * *

Sophie drove as fast as legally possible. Which said a lot about her state of mind. Lately she’d become ultra-cautious about a lot of things, like she was afraid to create further havoc in her life. But Cooper’s sudden appearance in the medical unit had floored her. Knowing he was turning up had done nothing to prepare her for the sight of this man. None of her memories of that hot body had been exaggerated. No wonder she’d thrown herself at him in Bamiyan. But would she have if the situation hadn’t been so explosive? Ha. She had to ask that when Cooper was involved?

She should’ve told him the moment she’d found out she was pregnant, but what would’ve been the point? She didn’t want him thinking he had to become a part of her life. It wasn’t as though they knew each other or were in love. Getting hitched or involved in any way whatsoever with a man because she was pregnant was not on the agenda. Marriage had never been something she wanted, and pregnancy hadn’t changed her mind. She could support her own child, didn’t need to do someone else’s washing or clean up after him for the rest of her life so that her daughter could see her father every day.

Three days ago when Alistair had told her Cooper was coming he’d given her a chance to prepare what to say, yet her mind had remained blank.

She got on well with the lieutenant colonel, had managed to ignore the fact he was Cooper’s close friend until now. She suspected he’d guessed who the father of her baby was right from the moment she said she’d met Cooper in Bamiyan at the time of the attack. He’d have done the sums. Was that why he looked out for her, made her life as easy as possible? Because of his friend?

The sooner they got to Harry’s Place the sooner she could tell Cooper the little there was to say and then she could get away from his brooding presence. At least he hadn’t erupted when she’d said the baby was his. He’d come close at one point but had managed to haul the brakes on his temper. Told her something about the man, didn’t it? Controlled under fire. But of course she’d seen that before, knew how he reacted when being attacked.

‘I don’t suppose this rust bucket runs to air-conditioning?’ Cooper looked decidedly uncomfortable as he tried to move his large body in the not-so-large car.

‘See that handle? It’s for the window.’

His sigh was filled with frustration, and probably had nothing to do with their mode of transport. ‘I figured.’

Then use it. ‘The tyres are near new, and the motor hums. It’s all I need.’ It wasn’t as though she took it on trips out into the desert or across state.

His head tipped back against the skewed head rest. He seemed to be drawing a deep, calming breath. ‘Whatever possessed you to buy it in the first place? There must’ve been better vehicles available in town,’ he snapped. The deep breathing was apparently a fail.

She ignored the temper and its cause. Plenty of time to talk about their baby once they got to Harry’s Place. ‘It’s a hand-me-down that goes from medical officer to medical officer.’ When his eyebrows rose she explained, liking the safer subject. ‘A couple of years back some guy bought it and when he was shipped out he handed it to the incoming medic, said he wouldn’t get much for it if he sold it and as most medics are never here for long it might as well become a fixture.’

For a moment Cooper was quiet and she hoped that was the end of any conversation. Silence was better than questions she found herself looking for barbs in.

But no. That was wishful thinking. ‘How long have you got to run on your contract with the army?’

‘Ten weeks, but I’m only going to be on call for those weeks. I don’t expect to be called up. What about you?’

‘I’m done. For this contract anyway.’

‘You’re going to sign up again?’ She didn’t know how she felt about that. It wasn’t as though they would want to spend time together, yet he was the father of her baby. Despite her own reservations about Cooper, her daughter deserved to know her dad, to spend time with him. It would never be her fault her parents weren’t together, and therefore she shouldn’t suffer the consequences.

The irony had her pressing her lips together. She’d grown up having it rammed down her throat with monotonous regularity that she was the only reason her parents had married. Mum had been pregnant so they’d done the right thing and tied the knot. Unfortunately they hadn’t liked each other and the numerous arguments had been monumental, always ending with the blame landing firmly at Sophie’s feet. They’d certainly put her off getting hitched. Why bother when she was happy and free? Becoming trapped and miserable would be a rerun of her childhood. So—no tying the knot in her future. Unless she found a man she loved unconditionally and who returned the sentiment. As she hadn’t been looking, she didn’t know if such a beast existed.

‘I think I’m over the military.’ Cooper stared ahead as he answered her question.

‘What next, then?’

‘Hospital contract.’

‘Where?’ she persisted.

‘Auckland.’

So he wasn’t just visiting, he was stopping. Guess she should be glad they’d be in the same city. Shouldn’t she? That depended on lots of things. ‘That’s where you come from?’ When he nodded abruptly she commented, ‘You’re not happy with my questions.’ It was like pulling teeth.

‘Not particularly.’

Fair enough. ‘But I know next to nothing about you.’

‘That’s how I like it,’ he snapped.

With all his relationships? Or just the one involving her that he’d have to adjust to? Could be he thought she was working out how much she could ask for child support. She contemplated letting him stew for a while, then realised how bitchy that was. Not so long ago he’d been sucker-punched with most men’s worst nightmare. Her memories of the day she’d learned about the baby were still sharp, and that had been months ago. Shock followed by excitement, followed by fear. Those emotions still rocked her some days. ‘For what it’s worth, I have no intention of demanding money from you to raise my daughter.’

‘Our daughter.’

Kapow! So he’d accepted the fact he was a father. Or had he? Was this just a hiccup as he processed everything? Her head spun. It seemed too easy. Far too easy to be true. What was the catch? When no answers came to mind she focused on driving safely and getting to Harry’s Place in one piece.

Wonder of wonders, there was a parking space right outside the main entrance. With her usual efficiency—baby brain on hold for once—she backed into it and turned off the engine.

Our daughter.

The knob came off the handle as she wound hard to close her window. ‘Stupid car. Something’s always falling off.’ Opening the door to allow some air flow through, she couldn’t stop her mind running away on her.

My baby. Our baby.

A knot formed in her gut, dread cramping her muscles. ‘I don’t expect anything of you.’

‘I’m starting to get the picture. Why didn’t you contact me about this? Apart from wanting nothing of me, wasn’t I entitled to know?’ His hand waved between them, sort of in the direction of her extended belly. As though he was struggling with the whole concept after all. Which made more sense and was a lot closer to the reaction she’d expected.

The heat was building up rapidly and making her feel very light-headed. Shoving out of the car, she slammed the door, leant against it until her balance returned. Stepping onto the pavement, she told him, ‘It’s not like we knew each other.’ It was hard not to yell at him, to ram her words in his face.

‘Which gave you the right to decide I shouldn’t have anything to do with my child?’ The pewter of his eyes was now cold steel. His mouth had become a flat line that dragged his face down, making her realise it was the first time she’d seen him without a hint of a smile softening his expression. No, that wasn’t right. He’d looked stunned and shocked when he’d first seen her in the medical unit. No smile then either.

‘I always intended telling you after the birth.’ Her cheeks were getting hotter by the second, and not from the heat slamming up from the pavement.

‘Why not before?’ He stepped up beside her, dwarfing her with his size as he glared down at her.

‘It’s personal. Private.’ She so did not want Cooper hanging around for midwife appointments and examinations. No, thank you.

‘That’s it? Personal? Private?’ When she continued to watch him, he snapped, ‘It took two to tango in the first place. You can’t just kick me into touch and then haul me back as it suits you.’

She gasped. She wasn’t doing that. ‘It’s not like that. I wanted this time to myself to get used to the fact my life’s changed irrevocably.’ She couldn’t tell him that every time she’d thought of emailing him vivid memories of being piggy in the middle of her parents’ disastrous marriage rolled in, and had her shutting down her good intentions. She’d been afraid to include Cooper in case her daughter had to grow up with the same pressures. Bad enough she knew next to nothing about good parenting, let alone adding Cooper to the mix. Tossing the hand grenade back at him, she asked, ‘What could you have done these past months?’

‘Supported you.’

How? Money? Marriage? They were in the army, unable to move to be with someone even if they wanted to. She shuddered. ‘I don’t need that from you.’ Her friends would be there for her if—when—she asked. Her head spun. Happened a lot lately. The sun pounded her from above. Then the ground was rushing up to meet her.

‘Hey, easy.’ Strong arms wrapped around her, held her safe. Too safe. She liked these arms, remembered them holding her as they’d...made a baby.

Sophie struggled to free herself of Cooper. This was another reason she hadn’t wanted him on the scene throughout her pregnancy. There’d been days when she’d gone into panic mode, wondering what on earth she was doing, going through with the pregnancy. But it wasn’t like there’d been any alternative. She’d never have an abortion. But the thought of raising a child was frightening. On those bad days she’d been vulnerable, and if Cooper had been around she might’ve clung to him, relative stranger or not. There was something about him that could easily undermine her resolve to go it alone and that was dangerous—for the three of them.

Cooper kept his hand on her waist, and began walking her inside. ‘Let’s get out of this sun. It’s debilitating.’

‘It sure is.’

So are the spikes of heat in my blood brought on by your touch.

Her knees felt as firm as a piece of string, and her breathing was shallow.

Sex in hard boots.

Kelly’s words from that fateful day ricocheted around her skull. There’d been an instant attraction back then, one she’d fully intended ignoring. Seemed bombs could blow up more than the earth and buildings and people. All thoughts of staying clear of Cooper had gone AWOL when she’d leapt into his arms behind the accommodation block. Now he was with her, doing the same job to her internally as the sun was doing externally. Pregnancy had made her emotional, and this was just another example. Less than seven weeks to go and then she’d again be in charge of her hormones and everything they upset. Fingers crossed.

First there was a conversation to be had. How could she have got pregnant to a man she’d known a few hours and never seen again? A man she knew zilch about—being a sexy hunk didn’t count. Except that’s what had got her into this situation in the first place.

‘Are you looking forward to becoming a mum?’ Cooper asked as he sat down opposite her at a small table inside, after ordering their drinks and some sandwiches.

Sophie nodded slowly. ‘I am now.’ When she’d first seen the blue line on the stick she’d gone into denial. Being a mother had not been on her to-do list. That had ideas on it like climbing the Sydney Harbour Bridge, hiking in Greece, going to Iceland to see the Northern Lights. This...her hand touched her belly...was something she’d thought she’d consider later if and when she found the right man. Or if her biological clock switched on.

‘But not in the beginning.’ Cooper was studying her too intently for comfort. Looking for what? A history of madness or irresponsibility?

‘I’ve never been inclined to settle down.’ Too many things to see and do in this world to want to disappear behind a picket fence. Except that theory had slapped her across the face recently. Avoiding life was no longer an option. But Cooper wasn’t going to take advantage of these uncertainties. ‘Now I’m ready.’ Despite the panic that occasionally overwhelmed her, she could say, Bring it on. She couldn’t wait to meet her daughter.

Their daughter.

Eek, but this was awkward.

Thankfully her phone rang just then. Ignoring Cooper’s scowl of disapproval, she answered. ‘Yes, Corporal?’

‘Captain, can you come back? One of the Unimogs went off a bank during the exercise and they’re bringing the men in to be checked over.’

Instantly Sophie was on her feet. ‘Any reports of serious casualties?’

At her question Cooper also stood up. ‘I’m available if needed,’ he said quietly.

‘So far only two probable fractures have been reported, but we’re to see all the personnel who were on board,’ the corporal informed her. ‘ETA is thirteen hundred hours.’

Less than an hour away. She had to head back and make ready for the soldiers. It was a lucky escape from the conversation she wasn’t ready for. ‘I’m on my way.’ Sliding her phone into a pocket, she turned to Cooper. ‘A Unimog tipped off a bank. So far we’ve got a couple of likely fractures. The rest of the crew is to be given the once-over. I’ve got the staff to cover it.’

‘In other words, you don’t need me.’ Was that disappointment behind his question?

‘I’d have thought after a long-haul flight you wouldn’t want to work.’

‘You were expecting me, weren’t you?’

‘Yes.’ She turned to the guy behind the counter. ‘Can you put my sandwich in a bag? I’ve got to go.’

‘No problem, Sophie. How’s that baby doing?’

‘Like a gymnast training for the Olympics.’ She grinned, then saw Cooper scowling again. Didn’t he like her being friendly to the locals? Tough, he was out of luck. She did friendly. Plus guys like the one behind the counter had been a part of her life for the last few months. Cooper hadn’t.

The baby kicked hard.

She sucked in a breath. Her hand automatically went to the spot and rubbed gently. It was as though the baby knew her dad was here and needed to remind Sophie he’d been a part of her life ever since Bamiyan.

Cooper was staring at her hand, his throat working hard. Awe filled his eyes and softened his mouth.

‘You want to feel the movement?’ she asked before she had put her brain in gear.

‘No.’

Relief speared her, quickly followed by disappointment. Of course he didn’t, stupid. ‘Fine.’ She turned away.

‘Sophie? I’m still getting my head around all this.’

‘Sure. I understand.’

I think.

She probably wasn’t being fair. The guy would be tired from that flight squashed in the back of the transport plane with a load of other men. Throw in the shock of learning about the baby and he was allowed time to accept everything, wasn’t he? ‘Just trying to involve you a little bit.’ She turned for the exit.

‘Um, can I touch? Feel her?’ The new look in his eyes held hope and excitement, and stopped short her sudden need to step away from him and run.

As if running was an option with a barrel sticking out from her stomach. ‘Here.’ On an indrawn breath she reached for his hand and placed it where her baby was kicking. She ignored the spike of warmth that stole up her arm from where she touched him, and the sense of rightness having his hand on her belly gave her. Because it wasn’t right. Never would be. They didn’t belong together and this was a very intimate moment. Even if they were standing in a café full of strangers.

When ignoring Cooper proved impossible she gave in and leaned closer, breathed in his scent. Hot male with a hint of musk. Her tongue lapped her lips. This was crazy. They’d spent less time together than most people had with their dentist and yet now they were having a child and her hormones were in a spin every time he came within breathing distance.

‘Wow...’ Awe drew out that single word and filled his eyes so that they glittered with amazement.

Danger.

The warning flashed into Sophie’s brain.

He’s not going to walk away and leave you to get on with having your baby. He’s hooked. Whether he knows it or not.

Pushing at his hand, she stepped backwards. ‘I need to get back to base.’

‘I’m coming with you.’ Cooper’s tone told her not to argue. He changed his moods rapidly and often. Something to remember. Now all that amazement had gone; filed away, no doubt for him to take out at his leisure.

Which worried her. Yes, he was the father. Yes, she wanted him to be a part of their daughter’s life. No, he was not welcome at the birth, or any midwife sessions beforehand. He was most definitely not going to take part in deciding where she’d live, or how many hours a week she’d work, or how to bring up her daughter. Those were her decisions to make.

But there was no avoiding the fact they were inextricably tied together for the rest of their lives.

‘Can’t you find something to entertain yourself in town for the rest of the afternoon?’ she asked, even knowing his answer. Being crammed into the car together again made her throat dry and her head spin. Cooper frightened her. Simply by demanding his rights he could destroy her independence, which was her safe haven.

‘I’m coming with you, Sophie.’ He already had her door open and was waiting patiently for her to clamber in, an activity no longer done with ease now that she had an enormous stomach to squeeze behind the steering wheel. ‘Maybe I should drive,’ he said as he watched her awkward movements.

‘No way,’ she shouted, and grabbed the door to slam it shut. It was so tempting to throw the car into gear and race away, leaving him on the roadside. Childish, yes. Would it relieve some of the tension tightening her muscles? Absolutely.

Cooper must’ve seen something in her expression because he was around the car and sliding into the passenger seat even before the key was in the ignition. Worse, he grinned at her. ‘Didn’t know you had a temper.’

Which cranked her temper higher. ‘There’s a lot you don’t know, Captain, and I intend keeping it that way.’ The car jerked onto the road as she touched the accelerator.

A hand covered her thigh, squeezed lightly. ‘Easy, Sophie. Let’s take this one step at a time. First being to get back to base in one piece.’

Boy. Did he know how to wind her up or what? Her first reaction was to slam on the brakes and kick him out. Literally. Her second was to slam on the brakes and ask nicely if he’d mind getting out. Finally she wound down her window for much-needed air and drove carefully, and silently, back to work. But her teeth were clenched, and her jaw ached by the time she got there.

Why had she had sex with this man in the first place?

Sex in hard boots.

CHAPTER THREE

COOPER COULDN’T CONCENTRATE. On anything. Sophie. Baby. Both had stomped through his mind, destroying his renowned ease with most things.

She’d relented and made him part of the team to examine the men from the Unimog. He’d managed to be thorough and professional, but he was glad he’d been assigned the cases where the men said they were okay except for bruising. A matter of verification before signing them off that even he could manage while dealing with the bewilderment swamping him since Sophie’s announcement about the baby.

‘Get dressed, soldier,’ Cooper told the musclebound specimen standing before him. ‘You’re in good shape.’

‘Yes, Sir.’ The guy might’ve answered him but his focus was on the woman on the other side of the room.

Sophie was busy, reading an X-ray plate of one of the less fortunate men’s ribs and talking on the phone. She hung up. ‘Three fractures on your right side, Corporal. With those, along with the torn ligaments in the same site, you’re going to be very sore.’

Downplaying the pain earned her a grin. ‘Yes, Ma’am.’ He could’ve had his arm sawn off and he’d be happy as long as Sophie was dealing to him. It was no secret the soldiers adored her. Each and every one of them had eyes for no one else, even those in pain.

Cooper sighed. They weren’t on their own. He struggled to keep his eyes away from her. She was gorgeous. Not only physically but in her style, her kindness to everyone without being overpowering, her quietness. The first time they’d been together he hadn’t noticed any of these characteristics. There’d been too much going on with bombs and bullets and sex.

‘Are you finished with patients, Captain Daniels?’ Sophie had crossed the room to stand in front of him.

‘The last soldier has gone. A few bruises to grizzle about is his lot.’

‘Thank goodness we didn’t get anything too serious, broken bones notwithstanding.’ She was doing that belly-rubbing thing again.

‘Are you aware how often you do that?’ he asked thoughtlessly, and got a shy smile in return.

‘Probably not. It’s almost a habit.’

A cute, caring habit. ‘I admit feeling the baby kick against my hand was...’ A life-changing moment. Another one. The second in a matter of hours. Seemed anything to do with Sophie Ingram happened fast. Like that night in Bamiyan. Though that had made some kind of sense, given the attack and how they’d had to fight their own fears in order to help others so the moment they’d relaxed all hell had broken loose between them.

But the moment he’d seen Sophie today his world had tipped sideways. That was before he’d noticed her pregnancy. Everything he believed in as far as women and relationships went had been suspended while he’d struggled to get his head around the fact he was responsible for that bump Sophie carried so beautifully, if not a little awkwardly at times.

When she’d placed his hand on her belly and he’d felt his daughter kick, he’d known the baby was real and not just an idea to grapple with. Scary. What he hadn’t counted on was the awe that had gripped him and the instant connection with the baby—and therefore with Sophie.

Forget scary. Try terrifying.

What was he going to do? Walk away? Man up? Find a middle line that worked for both of them? The three of them, growled a pesky voice in his head, reminding him he hadn’t really got the hang of all this yet. He wouldn’t be walking away. That much he did know. He wanted to. No point denying that. But he wouldn’t.

‘Captain Daniels?’ A corporal stood beside Sophie. ‘Lieutenant Colonel Shuker requests your presence.’

‘Thank you, Corporal. Can you tell me where I’ll find him?’ Yay, someone to talk to who had nothing to do with his dilemma.

But as he followed the soldier across the parade ground his elation deflated quicker than it had risen. Alistair Shuker, aka ‘List’ to his mates, was going to ask him what his plans were for the future. He was going to wave that Australian Army contract under his nose and tease him with money and a soft posting.

‘Coop, good to see you, man.’ List punched him lightly on the shoulder. ‘How was the flight?’

‘Rough, hot and boring.’ Cooper returned the punch and studied his friend. They’d been together on some hairy forays in joint exercises with their respective armies. List was a man a guy could rely on to get them out of a tight spot. He was also the only man who knew him well. They’d done a lot of talking in the deep of the night while waiting for situations to go down in Afghanistan. Too much. There was nothing List didn’t know about him, and vice versa. Except that was wrong. There was one snippet of information List had no idea about. One Cooper wasn’t about to share.

‘That why you disappeared off base with our lovely doctor? Needed a cold drink? Or great company?’ List was watching him so closely he had to be able to count his whiskers even though he’d shaved that morning.

Uh-oh. Did he know about the baby after all? As in who the father was? Had known before him? Cooper shivered. He didn’t like the idea. Not one little bit. The baby had nothing to do with anyone else except him and Sophie. ‘You’re friends with Sophie?’ And that idea made him squirm with something alien—jealousy. A nasty reaction he was ashamed to admit and yet found hard to squash. Why be jealous when he had no intention of settling down with any woman? Not even an auburn-haired, svelte beauty, who right now probably needed someone in her life to support her.

‘Everyone’s friends with Sophie. People adore her. No one wants to see her hurt.’ The warning couldn’t be louder—or clearer.

All the emotions of the day balled into anger and he took it out on List. ‘Don’t threaten me, mate. Whatever’s going on in that head of yours is way off the mark, so shut up. If you haven’t got anything better to say then I’m heading over to the mess where hopefully I’ll get some peace and quiet.’ And the very cold beer he’d missed out on at Harry’s Place due to Sophie being called back. His blood was boiling as he spun around to head for the door.

‘Coop, stop right there.’ List wasn’t quite pulling rank. The words were those of a commanding officer but the tone was that of a friend. Being a New Zealand officer didn’t quite let Cooper walk away in a huff from an Australian counterpart.

As much as Cooper wanted to storm off, he knew his reaction wasn’t only about his friend but a combination of everything that’d gone down since landing in Darwin. Stopping his retreat, he slowly turned round. ‘You wanted to talk about me signing up with your lot?’

Keep off the taboo topic, mate.

He was subjected to a long and deep perusal before List finally shrugged and sat down. ‘Yes.’ He nodded at the vacant chair on the other side of his desk. ‘You thought about it?’

Cooper elected to remain standing, still on edge. ‘A lot.’

‘And?’

‘I admit to not knowing what I want to do. I’m sort over soldiering, and yet going back to Civvy Street seems too tame.’ Restless didn’t begin to describe him. There had to be a lot more out there waiting for him, but what? Something was missing in his life. That much he got. What, how, where and why were yet to be answered. A challenge of some sort might fix whatever it was that ailed him.

A baby had to be up there as one of the biggest challenges possible.

List leaned back in his chair and placed his feet on the desk. ‘Sit down, man. It’s me you’re talking to.’

‘Yeah, I know.’ All too well. As quickly as it had risen, all the tension grabbing him evaporated. This was his best pal, the guy who knew far too much about him for him to be getting antsy. Cooper dropped onto the chair and propped his feet on the opposite end of the desk, rank forgotten for now. ‘So how’s life treating you?’

‘Can’t complain.’ List grinned. ‘Back on the mainland where it’s relatively safe, lots of women hanging around, my folks just down the road.’

‘I forgot you came from these parts.’

‘Born and bred Northern Territory guy. Mum and dad still live in the house I grew up in.’

‘I can’t begin to imagine what that’s like.’ Cooper again felt a spurt of jealousy. What was wrong with him today? Never before had he thought other people, especially his pal, were better off than him. While his father was constantly on the move with work and women, never settling down with anyone for more than a year at most, Cooper felt he didn’t have a home as such, but he’d got used to that. Dad always had his back and that meant a lot. He accepted that’s how it was for him and that he was happier doing the same as his father than trying to be someone else. Stopping in one place with one woman for the rest of his life? He shivered. Not something he knew much about, and would probably screw up if he even tried.

Sophie sneaked into his head. Rubbing his palm where he’d felt the baby kick, he remembered the wonder that’d filled him at the thought his baby was in there. Not just a baby—his baby. What was he going to do now?

‘You should try settling down some place,’ List commented dryly. ‘You never know. You might like owning a home, not a house. Having a family to come back to at the end of the day or a tour of duty.’

His house was just fine, thanks very much. ‘Says the man who plays the field even harder than I do.’ He’d ignore the barb List had delivered.

Or so he thought. ‘Sure I do, but I’m looking, man. I want the wife and kids, the whole nine yards of snotty noses and nappies. The football in the back yard. The romantic nights under the stars when the kids are asleep in bed.’

Cooper rubbed his hands over his head. ‘Thought I knew you. When did you get so staid?’

His pal laughed. ‘When the plane landed here six months ago. I climbed down onto home turf and knew I was ready to settle down. I’ve had enough running around with the boys and not having anyone special to come home to after a particularly messy tour.’

‘You’re going to quit the army? And you’re aiming to convince me to join up with your lot?’

‘Don’t put words in my mouth. I’m merely trying to get you to think things through clearly, make the right decisions with all the facts.’

There was that nudge again. This time like a bulldozer. List did know something about him and Sophie. He’d swear it. But he wasn’t going to ask. A barrage of questions would follow. Questions he had yet to work out the answers to. ‘Is there any other way?’ he asked acerbically. Then shrugged. ‘Up for a beer when you’re done here?’ Thinking could be highly overrated and right now he’d had more than his share of it. ‘I could do with a distraction—and something cold and wet.’

And I do not want any innuendo about Sophie.

‘Let’s go. I’m not even meant to be here today, only came on so as I could give you a hard time.’

‘Got my uses, then.’ Cooper followed his mate out into the glaring sun, looking forward to catching up properly with him.

‘How close are you to Sophie?’ List tossed over his shoulder.

Cancel that. He should never have suggested a beer. ‘Who says I am?’ What had Sophie told List?

‘No one. The fact that she was the first person you went to see on arrival speaks volumes. Usually it’s me you’re plaguing with your presence.’

Why hadn’t he thought of that? ‘There’s no hiding anything from you, is there?’

List smirked. ‘Don’t forget it. One last thing and then I’ll shut up.’

List didn’t do shutting up very well, but what could he say? ‘Go on.’

‘I’d like to swap you onto the same flight out as Sophie’s taking early next week. It’s a long haul back to Auckland and I’d hate for something to happen and there be no medic to help.’

Worry lifted bumps on Cooper’s skin. ‘Is she having problems?’ Please, anything but that.

‘A couple of short bouts of sharp pain. She calls them some funny name, says they’re false labour pains, but I don’t know. Seems strange to me.’

The worry backed off. ‘Braxton Hicks contractions. They’re quite normal.’ He could still leave on his planned flight.

‘That’s them. Normal, eh? Fair enough, but I’d still like you on that plane.’

‘She’ll be fine.’

And I’ll be at home, getting on with my next career move.

‘And if she’s not? What if she goes into labour between here and NZ?’

There’d be people to help her, to deliver the baby and take care of them. ‘I’ll be on that flight.’

* * *

Stretching out on her bunk twenty-four hours later, Sophie put her hands over her stomach and stared up at the ceiling. The heat had drained the energy out of her once again.

Kick.

‘You take your toll too, little one.’ Little one. Soon she’d have to decide on a name. There was a list in her drawer. Lots of names she liked but none that grabbed her. It wasn’t as easy to choose as she’d have believed. A name was for life. She didn’t want anything that could be shortened into an awful nickname, or something odd that might get her girl teased, but she didn’t want plain and ordinary either. Her friends on base were constantly teasing her about her inability to make up her mind. Said it was a prime example of baby brain in someone who usually knew exactly what she wanted.

But then this whole pregnancy thing had been a brain mess. It shouldn’t have happened in the first place, and would probably keep her celibate for a lot longer than she’d planned on.

Could just buy condoms by the ton.

Yep. That’d work.

Ha. She was only weeks away from becoming a mother. There wasn’t going to be time for having fun with men. Junior here would need all her attention, and any spare time would be taken up with work. If she could find a part-time position after baby arrived. She had to. How else would they live? Babies didn’t come free, and she wanted the best for hers. A cosy home—read a tiny but cheery flat. A loving mother—read one who’d never blame her daughter for holding her back from her career.

Somehow she’d find the balance between parenting and working, because one wouldn’t happen without the other.

Knock, knock. ‘Sophie?’

Cooper. The last person she wanted to see right now. But not acknowledging him mightn’t work. He appeared to be the kind of man who’d walk right on in, and that would only make her look stupid. Struggling up off the bed, she reached to tug the door wide. ‘Yes?’

Oh, but he looked good. More than good. Make that breathtaking. His white T-shirt accentuated his biceps and as for those pecs... Her cheeks reddened. They were out of this world. If she’d had to make a mistake then she’d made it with a seriously built guy. Her glance slid lower, took in the knee-length shorts that sat snugly on his slim hips.

‘Sophie, can we spend some time together?’

‘We worked in the same room all day.’ She’d deliberately kept any conversation focused on patients or upcoming health programmes. Last night she’d seen him leave base with Alistair so had relaxed about eating in the mess, knowing he wouldn’t suddenly appear at her side, full of awkward questions.

‘I’d like to get to know you a little better,’ he insisted.

Why so reasonable? At least she could argue with the angry version. ‘It’s hard to find privacy around here.’ Did she really want to be alone with him when all she could think about was the outstanding features of that body his clothes did nothing to hide? A body she’d seen little of yet had known intimately.

‘We could go somewhere there’s air-conditioning,’ he said with a tempting smile.

She made up her mind, hoping she wouldn’t regret it. ‘Air-con will get me every time. It’s stuffy in here.’ Learning more about Cooper couldn’t hurt. As long as she kept it all in perspective and didn’t start thinking they could have a future together. She hadn’t forgotten his reputation as a playboy. Or her mum and dad’s style of parenting. Which was what her baby would have if they got together. Very off-putting for her as well.

‘I do have another idea. Want to go for a swim? I hear there’s a nature park not far away that’s safe from crocs. We could take a picnic.’

She knew exactly where he meant. ‘You’d risk going that far in my car?’ What would she use for a swimsuit?

Cooper swung some keys from his finger. ‘Air con, remember?’

‘Who have you stolen that off?’

‘List.’ She must’ve gaped at him because he explained, ‘Alistair.’

‘Of course.’ Alistair would lend his vehicle to his mate.

Cooper jiggled the keys at her. ‘Your choice. Swim or bar. Which is it to be?’

As her skin was moist with sweat due to the soaring temperatures and the additional weight she carried the idea of slipping into cold water was impossible to let pass. ‘I’ll change into an old shirt and some shorts.’

‘Bring warmer clothes for later in case it gets chilly. I’ll go get a couple of things and meet you back here in ten.’

The heat wouldn’t cool down that much, and neither would she. Sophie watched him stride away, those long, muscular legs giving her heart palpitations. How could anyone be so perfect?

Aha, that’s physically.

What about his personality? Couldn’t be perfect as well. Probably not, but so far she hadn’t found anything to make her dislike him or even be wary of him. Right now she didn’t care. She was too busy enjoying the view.

Cooper waved over his shoulder at her without turning round. So he knew she was ogling him. Ego. He was so used to women falling all over him it would never occur otherwise.

Didn’t help that she’d proven him right.

* * *

The water was cool and immediately brought down the heat that had plagued her all day. ‘This is bliss.’

She was glad she’d come. Forget looking like a beached whale. For the first time in ages she was comfortable in the hot northern state. Auckland could be warm and muggy, but never did the temperatures reach the thirties. Which had to be a plus for when she got home.

‘You’re happy?’ Water splashed over her as Cooper dropped down beside her.

‘Very.’ She sighed her pleasure.

‘You’re easily pleased.’

Sometimes. ‘Where did you do your training?’

He went with the change of subject. ‘Auckland. Qualified as a surgeon four years ago and signed up for a short stint with the army straight away. You?’

‘Otago.’ She’d been in a hurry to get away from home. Nothing to keep her there. ‘I was four years behind you.’

‘Why did you sign up for the military?’

‘I love travelling and they were wanting surgeons for places I’d never been and was unlikely to visit on my own.’ Travelling kept her focused and didn’t allow time for the doubts and insecurities to creep in. If she didn’t stay in one place for long she wasn’t in danger of getting close to people.

‘You wanted to see Afghanistan?’

‘Why not?’ It hadn’t been her first pick but she’d signed up for an adventure. Not the army’s fault she’d got more than she’d bargained for. ‘Thank goodness it was only a twelve-month contract.’ She shuddered as vivid memories of that attack in Bamiyan struck.

‘Got more than you bargained for?’

‘I still have nightmares about that bomb blast. Do you?’

‘Often.’ Cooper traced a finger over her chin. ‘There are some good memories about what followed.’

Sophie’s head jerked back. She had those memories too. But that had been then, while now was a whole new deal. ‘I was incredibly naïve to think nothing would happen while I was there.’

I’m thinking bombs, not babies.

‘I reckon every soldier who signs up is guilty of that. By the way, have you heard how Kelly’s doing?’

‘Really well, despite losing her leg.’ They talked regularly. ‘She’s planning on returning to nursing on a part-time basis as soon as she gets the hang of her prosthesis. She’s fallen in love with one of the medics who evacuated her to Darwin, and they’ve set up house together in Perth.’

‘The strange twists of fate.’

Yeah. Look what fate had done for her. ‘It’s stopped me in my tracks, and made me reassess what’s important. Before Bamiyan my life was all about surgery and travel. Now I’ve got someone else to think about.’

And I still have no idea what I’m doing.

‘Are you going to continue working after the baby’s born?’

‘I’m hoping for part time at first.’ The money she’d saved while in the army would see her through till the New Year if she was careful.

‘You’ll employ a nanny?’

She blew air over her lips. ‘Not sure yet. I don’t like that idea, but I do have to earn a living.’

Cooper pushed away and began swimming. His arms cut through the water, his strength pulling him along quickly and efficiently. What had she said? It was the truth. She didn’t have a wealthy family to fall back on. She didn’t have any sort of family to turn to really. Mum and Dad wouldn’t want a bar of her and her baby, which was why she hadn’t found the courage to tell them they were about to become grandparents. She couldn’t face their scorn at having made the same mistake they had. But there was a difference. She wasn’t getting married for the sake of her reputation, as her parents had done.

Sophie flipped onto her back to float on the current, but the bulge that was her belly poked up at the sky and she immediately dropped back onto her feet. Sinking until the water reached her chin she relaxed into the coolness and pushed aside all her doubts for another day. It was strange how that now she’d told Cooper about the baby everything else she’d been avoiding was filling her head. Finding somewhere to live, getting furniture, baby clothes and a bassinet. Then there was telling her parents about the mistake she’d made with Cooper. Time was running out and once she was home there would be no excuse for not sorting everything out. Including the doubts and fears that followed her into sleep every night.

‘Can I see you when we get back to Auckland?’ Cooper appeared from behind her.

She’d been so tied up in her own thoughts she hadn’t heard him splashing through the water. ‘I did say I wouldn’t stop you from having a part in the baby’s life.’ Even with his now slightly longer hair plastered to his skull he looked good. Too darned good for her heart rate, which had risen too high in a blink.

‘Just checking.’

‘Cooper, if I say something like that I mean it and am not going to retract it.’

He nodded slowly. ‘It’s weird, being brought together over something so important with someone I know next to nothing about. Allow me the odd left-field question. I’m sure you’ve got plenty of your own.’

‘Here’s one.’ But not so left field. Her T-shirt clung to her outline like a second, wrinkled skin, and left nothing to the imagination. ‘Will you refrain from staring at me as I waddle out of the water and wrap a towel around my waist?’ Except she didn’t have a waist any more.

He should’ve laughed at that. He didn’t. Instead, he put an arm around her and began walking them towards the water’s edge. ‘Don’t talk like that. You’re beautiful and your pregnancy makes you glow: it does not make you ugly or fat or ungainly. It suits you. Please, believe me.’

How could she not when he sounded so sincere? Looked at her like she was beautiful? Special even. Tears sprang to her eyes. ‘You say the nicest things.’

Damn you.

But of course he did. He was a playboy. A charmer. But... She’d swear his words were genuine. Not meant just to stroke her ego and win him a few brownie points. She was vulnerable at the moment. Doing this on her own was bound to make her susceptible to whatever Cooper said. Wasn’t it?

Actually, no, she didn’t believe that. She was strong, and, despite baby hormones tearing into things, she was managing just fine—if she didn’t think about everything that could go wrong before, during and after the birth. After would be a lifetime. A lifetime of hoping she got her role as a parent right, never hurt her girl, never let her down, loved her unconditionally. How could she do that when she’d never experienced it? One thing she knew for certain—she’d never needed a man to tell her she was beautiful before, and she wasn’t starting now. She’d accept Cooper’s compliment for what it was, and enjoy it. ‘Thanks.’

‘I mean every word.’

A warm glow that had nothing to do with the sun made her skin tingle. Could be that it might help, having him around occasionally. He’d lift her spirits on the down days.

Cooper flicked a blanket out over the grass and opened a chilly bag to produce cold water for her and a beer for him. ‘We’ve got chicken and focaccia for dinner. Basic but the best I could find in that small grocery shop down the road from the base. I didn’t want to waste time going into town. You might’ve changed your mind about coming out with me before I got back.’

‘Once the idea of a swim was lodged in my mind nothing would’ve stopped me coming.’

‘My fatal charm had nothing to do with it, then?’ He grinned at her like he couldn’t care less what she thought.

Grinning back, she said, ‘Nope.’ This easy banter between them was good, and fun, and helped her relax a little bit more. Wrapping her towel around her, she tucked it under her breasts and ignored the steady gaze Cooper directed at her. Ignored the urgent need cranking up in the pit of her belly, tightening muscles that hadn’t had a workout for more than seven months. Sinking down onto the blanket, she stretched her legs out, leaned back on her elbows to look upward and tried to ignore how he was gazing at the baby bump with something like dread in his expression.

‘It will all work out, Cooper.’

‘You think?’ Thankfully he shrugged into a shirt.

‘I hope,’ she said with a rueful smile, missing the view but hoping her internal heat would cool now.

‘You have doubts?’

‘Who doesn’t at this stage?’ He didn’t need to know what hers were. He’d probably hightail it out of the country without a backward glance. Despite common sense and the self-preservation she usually relied on, she wanted to spend time with him.

Cooper threw her a curveball. ‘What does it feel like to be carrying a baby?’

Where to start? ‘Awkward. Cumbersome. Wonderful. Exciting. Frightening.’ Ouch. Why tell him that? He’d have a multitude of questions, along with doubts about her ability to be a good mother.

Cooper parked his butt beside her and reached for one of her hands, wrapped it in his larger one, making her feel delicate. ‘Tell me about frightening.’

Her heart lurched. She shouldn’t have said that word but he had an uncanny knack of making her say things she never intended to. If only she had the strength to pull her hand free and forget the yearning his touch evoked. ‘Oh, you know. Am I going to be a good mother? How will I handle the birth? All the usual things expectant mothers apparently think about.’

‘Why wouldn’t you be a great mum?’ His thumb stroked the back of her hand.

This was the problem with knowing nothing about each other. She had to expose herself, her vulnerabilities as well as her needs and concerns. But not all of them, or with any depth. ‘I didn’t have great role models growing up.’

‘That could be a benefit. You’ll be determined to do better, not make whatever mistakes your parents made with you.’ He sounded so sure of himself, so at ease with it all. And so right.

Which annoyed her. ‘Easy to say if you’ve had the perfect upbringing.’

‘Does that even happen?’ he growled, and moved to put space between them, leaving her hand cold. Delving into the bag, he passed her some crisps. ‘Here.’

Seemed like she’d touched a taboo subject. He’d wanted to know about her life, so he should be prepared to reciprocate with details about his. They’d come out for some time together and she didn’t want to spoil it with an argument. Her annoyance backed off too easily as she munched on a handful of crisps. It wasn’t often she got off base for some fun. Fun with a man she’d never quite got over, and knew would always hold a special place in her heart for giving her a child.

While devouring bulging triangles of focaccia and chicken, they talked about things that had nothing to do with the baby—army life, their medical careers, travel. For the first time since that blue line had appeared on the stick Sophie felt completely at ease and was just thinking she could do this every day for the rest of her time in Darwin when Cooper blew the evening apart.

‘Sophie.’ His voice was husky and thick. ‘I’ve been thinking. Let’s get married. I can support you if you want to be a full-time mum. That way I’d always be a part of our daughter’s life and you wouldn’t have to take all the responsibility. What do you think?’

CHAPTER FOUR

‘MARRY YOU?’ BUT... ‘I can’t.’ But... Sophie spluttered water over her front. They didn’t know each other. There was certainly no love between them. But...

Cooper looked startled. ‘Can’t? You’re not already married?’

Sophie shoved awkwardly to her feet as hurt lanced her. ‘How dare you? You think I’d have had sex with you if I was married? Even in the circumstances you believe I’d be unfaithful? Thanks a million, buster.’ She was shouting and couldn’t care less that people on the other side of the grove were staring. Cooper had handed her the biggest insult he could find. Then her stomach tightened, sending pains shooting in all directions. ‘Ah.’ She wrapped her arms around her belly and held her breath. This hurt, big time.

‘You okay?’ Cooper had risen to his feet too. ‘Sophie, talk to me.’

Breathe. One. Two. Three. Another Braxton Hicks contraction. Fingers crossed. She wasn’t ready for the real deal. Way too soon. The pain in her belly softened, backed off. But not the hurt Cooper had inflicted. She snapped her head up and glared at him. ‘No, I’m not okay.’

‘Easy.’

‘That’s all you ever say when things get heated. Easy. I’m telling you I am not going easy on you. Not after that bombshell you just delivered.’

‘Which one?’ His hands gripped his hips. Under his T-shirt his chest was rising and falling rapidly, like he’d run a marathon. But his gaze softened as it settled on her belly.

He was seriously disrupting all her carefully laid plans. No wonder she hadn’t wanted him in on the pregnancy until after the birth. ‘Both.’

‘Tell me why we can’t...’ he flicked fingers in the air ‘...get married. It makes a lot of sense. We’re having a child and she deserves a family to grow up in.’

‘She’ll have one. Mummy in one house, Daddy in another.’ That sounded awful, but not as awful as Mummy and Daddy screaming that they hated each other and their daughter was the only reason they lived under the same roof. ‘That’s the way it’s going to be. No argument.’ Her lungs expelled air so fast her head spun.

Go away, Cooper.

‘I don’t get any say in this?’ Cooper’s voice was deceptively calm; that chest still moving too quickly being the giveaway to his real emotions.

Shaking her head at him, she said, ‘About getting married, no.’

Why did that tug at her heart? Going solo wasn’t how she’d ever envisioned raising a child, but that didn’t mean she’d grab the first offer that came along. Sexy hunk making the offer or not. Sex in hard boots or not. Which made it difficult not to give in to Cooper when he turned those winning smiles on her. She fell for them every time, but so far, thank goodness, she hadn’t made any major mistakes since he’d turned up on her patch yesterday.

‘So we agree to live in the same city at least?’ He ground out the question.

‘We haven’t agreed to anything yet,’ she snapped back. Where had the usual calm, happy Sophie gone? ‘I’m going home to Auckland. You say you might be stopping there, or you might be going back overseas with the army. Where would you want me living if you choose to do that, huh? I’m not following you around military bases.’ As if.

Calm down, girl. This is not the way to solve the differences between us.

What was the right way? Seemed they got on just fine if they kept off the subject of their child, but the moment anything to do with her and her future arose they were at loggerheads. ‘Cooper...’ She tried for a reconciliatory tone. It wasn’t easy. ‘Thank you for asking me but I will not do this for our child’s sake. That’s no way to start a marriage. I am open to discussions on where I live and how to raise our daughter.’

How come he was suddenly talking marriage? Alistair had warned her in an offhand way about his friend’s reputation of love ’em and leave ’em. Would he be faithful when there was no love between them? And, seriously, why should he be? Another reason to stick to her guns. ‘Why get hitched at all?’ she asked.

Uncertainty flickered through his eyes briefly and then he was in control again. ‘It’s the right thing to do.’

Oh, no, it’s not. Believe me.

‘No one gets married because they’re having a baby any more.’

‘Maybe they should. I’m thinking about our child here, and how it’s going to affect her, living in a single-parent family.’

‘It’s not uncommon these days. Not by a long shot.’ If only she’d lived with one parent and visited the other she might be making a better job of her own life. Following through on his comment, she said, ‘You don’t really want to be married. Why should you? It would cramp your style.’ When his mouth tightened she continued. ‘We’re all but strangers to each other. The worst possible grounds for settling down together, don’t you think?’

He barked a laugh. ‘To think the first time I propose I’m having to justify myself.’ His fingers whitened as his grip tightened. There’d an interesting line of bruises on his hips later. ‘What would make you reconsider your decision?’

‘Nothing.’ When he stared at her as though she’d hurt him deeply she relented. ‘It’s not about you. I was the only reason my parents married and I’ve paid for it all my life.’

The hurt dulled a little. ‘That’s sad.’

‘It was downright cruel.’ She bit on her bottom lip to prevent any more unnecessary words spilling out. She also held her breath in an attempt to hold back the tears that threatened. She never cried about her childhood. Never. The back of her hand came away from her face wet. Maybe it was time she did. Oh, sure. That would solve a whole heap of problems.

‘It doesn’t have to be like that between us and our girl.’

A sledgehammer might work better. ‘Cooper. Listen to me. You haven’t thought this through. Getting married will cramp your lifestyle so much you’ll soon become frustrated and angry and want out. Then who pays? Our daughter for one.’

And me for another.

Her mouth dropped open.

Why would I care? It’s not as though I love him. I mightn’t have been able to forget him but that’s because I’m carrying his child. I do not, could not love him.

‘Sophie? You okay?’ The man totally wrecking her day stood in front of her, concern plastered all over his face.

Blink. ‘Yes.’ Blink. No.

Sure, he’s hot and gorgeous and even fun to be around when he’s not talking about our futures, but live with him as his wife? Not likely, sunshine.

‘You’ve gone pale.’ He was studying her thoroughly. When her hand automatically rubbed her stomach his eyes dropped to watch. ‘You’re not having another pain?’

She shook her head. ‘Let’s go back to base. I’m tired.’

Annoyance replaced his concern, but he didn’t argue, just began packing up their picnic. ‘Fine.’

Being tired was quite normal these days for Sophie. But being bemused by the thought Cooper might mean something to her was new. How could he after so little time together? It didn’t make sense but, then, none of this did. Admittedly she’d feel a little less irresponsible if she could believe she had some feelings for him. Getting pregnant by a complete stranger did not sit well when she knew how much pain an unwanted pregnancy caused those involved. Justifying it by acknowledging she might’ve felt something for him that night would lighten the guilt. Sometimes she wondered what she was going to say when her daughter asked about her father. Hardly going to build confidence in her when her mother told her it had been a brief encounter of the sexual kind that had carried no other meaning than to satisfy an urge brought on by a bomb exploding metres from them.

But if Cooper hung around and became a part of his girl’s life then no explanations would be necessary. Would they?

* * *

The silence was thick enough to cut as Cooper drove back to the base. He was stunned at his offer of marriage. Where had that come from? Getting married would be totally wrong. It went against everything he believed in. He’d never stay in a relationship for long, even one involving a marriage certificate. He was his father’s son in that respect. Unfair. True. Dad had never left his wife, just all the women that had come afterwards. Mum had opted to leave them—by tying a noose around her neck and hanging herself from the garage rafter.

He shivered as the hated memory slapped him. Dad’s hoarse shout coming from the garage. Mandy, don’t leave me. Was that why his dad never settled for long? He’d often wondered but had never asked. Too much hurt to be raised if he did.

Yet none of that explained why the moment Sophie had turned him down he’d hurt bad. Really bad. No one had ever turned him down for anything quite so abruptly, and his proposal had been serious, a handing over of part of himself. Her reply had been a hot lance spearing him. He hadn’t planned on asking her, hadn’t given it much thought except to toss the idea aside as ludicrous. Still, the words had spilled out. Gratitude should be his response to Sophie’s answer. It wasn’t. ‘Now what?’

‘We swap contact details.’

He hadn’t realised he’d spoken out loud. ‘You know we’re on the same military flight out of here on Monday?’

‘I thought you were going tomorrow.’ Was that dread in her voice?

Please, no. He didn’t want her keeping him at a distance. ‘List changed my arrangements.’

‘You’re telling me you didn’t have any say in the matter? You’re in different armies.’

‘He can be bossy at times.’ Now was not the time to tell Sophie that List was concerned about her, and it especially was not the moment to be saying he agreed. That Braxton Hicks contraction had been sharp and hard, had turned her face white and her eyes wary. He wanted to be with her on the flight in case she had more or, worse, went into early labour. He did not want other men on that plane delivering their baby.

Sophie huffed something like a strangled laugh. ‘You’re not telling me anything new.’ Then she gasped. ‘He’s not done that so I’ve got a doctor on hand? He’s been nagging at me to stay here until after the birth.’

Bang on, Sophie girl. ‘You got it.’ But not all of it. He’d already figured that List was interfering, pushing them together as much as possible.

‘Fingers crossed I won’t be needing you. I’m sorry if Alistair has put you out.’

He wasn’t exactly up to speed on delivering babies so couldn’t argue with Sophie on that one. ‘I prefer the arrangements anyway. No stopping in Sydney on that flight, just straight through to Whenuapai. Home sweet home.’ Five days late meant less time getting his house sorted before taking up the temporary position at Auckland Hospital he’d signed up for while sorting out what he was really going to do.

‘Have you got your own place?’ she asked wistfully.

‘A house in Parnell. My dad house-sat for me this trip.’ And supposedly met the next great love of his life while there. Cooper’s teeth slid back and forth, grinding hard. When was Dad going to learn that none of the women he thought he’d fallen in love with were right for him?

‘I’ve got to make appointments to look at apartments to rent as soon as I get home.’ She nibbled at a fingernail. ‘I’ve never cared too much about where I lived before.’

But apparently now she did. That spoke volumes about her determination to do things right for her baby. ‘Where will you go until you find somewhere suitable?’ He reached across and gently tugged her hand away from her mouth. ‘Don’t do that. You’ll regret it in the morning.’ Her nails were always immaculate, resplendent in shockingly bright shades that she’d changed twice in the time he’d been here. He preferred the red to yesterday’s orange.

Sophie turned her head to stare out at the passing scenery. ‘I could go to my parents’.’

Her lack of enthusiasm for that idea dripped off each word. Who could blame her? After her brief revelation about her childhood he certainly couldn’t. ‘They’ll welcome you?’

‘I guess.’ Then she straightened up in her seat and turned to face him. ‘Of course they will. It’d only be a temporary arrangement.’

An idea was slowly creeping into his mind. An idea that needed thinking through, required looking at from all angles before he spilled it out to Sophie. He wasn’t going to blurt it out like he’d done with that marriage suggestion. Once was stupid, twice was really dumb.

But... ‘You could stay with me. My house is big enough that we wouldn’t be tripping over each other,’ he blurted.

Damn it, Sophie. What have you done to me? I go and say the craziest things without any consideration to the consequences when I’m around you. I’ve never acted so impulsively in my life. Not since I was eight and told Dad’s live-in girlfriend number two that I loved her and that I wanted her to stay with us for ever. That she could be my mother if she wanted.

Again silence reigned. Sophie hadn’t answered and seemed to be intent on the passing scenery, dry and boring as it was. Might be for the best. Like his marriage offer—if she didn’t say yes to moving in with him then he didn’t have to worry about anything. Didn’t have to consider that they’d be sharing his space, which wouldn’t be straightforward given his reaction to her whenever they were together. She was easily the most tantalising woman he’d known. Even now his blood heated and they weren’t exactly cosy with each other. His groin had been aching since arriving yesterday, and that had started before he’d set eyes on her. Anticipation had a lot to answer for. Yeah, he still wanted her, needed to make love with her again. Maybe then he’d get past this annoying niggle.

Because that’s what she was to him. A persistent itch. To think he’d invited her to stay with him.

Sophie’s carrying my baby.

Which gave him responsibilities, if nothing else. He’d stepped up and offered some solutions for the future, and she wasn’t barrelling him over with her acceptances. Still, he had to help her in every way possible, whether she liked it or not. There were a lot of things he could do to make life easier for her as she settled into becoming a mother. Whether he liked it or not.

He’d spent his adult life playing the field with women, but he’d never been a brute or deliberately hurtful, and now he would not walk away from Sophie. Her point about a loveless marriage was valid, and in some ways he was thankful for her turning him down. It was all for the best. He wasn’t the kind of guy who’d be able to live like a monk for the rest of his life, and if Sophie kept him at arm’s length it could get tricky. It was doubtful that Sophie would want to stay clear of men either, but he doubted he’d be her first pick. She’d been hot for him that night in Bamiyan, had pretty much thrown herself at him. No denying he’d been ready and waiting to catch her, though. But here in Darwin she’d been a lot more circumspect around him.

Cooper pulled up outside the barracks and hauled on the handbrake. ‘You’ve gone awfully quiet. You okay?’

‘You keep knocking me sideways. First marriage, now the offer of staying with you. I never expected any of that. Thank you. Please don’t think I’m ungrateful. I just happen to be a pig-headed woman who puts her independence before anything else. Except my baby, something I’m only just realising.’ She finally smiled at him.

The warmth went straight to his heart, and any problems he might’ve thought up about sharing his home with her dissolved. ‘I wouldn’t take that away from you. I start at the hospital in a few days and won’t be around the house very much anyway.’

Sophie shook her head at him. ‘I intend finding my own place. Your home would always be yours. I wouldn’t be able to change things or spread out all over the show as I’m exceptionally good at doing.’ There was that smile again. ‘Definitely not a tidy creature, me.’

‘Don’t write my suggestion off so quickly. You’ve got a few days before we fly out of here. Think about it.’ Next he’d be begging. Did he want her living with him so badly? No. But the idea of her in a poky flat in some rank suburb was equally unbearable. She’d be comfortable in his place. He’d be able to get to know her and most likely get over the things about her that were bugging him. Living under the same roof wouldn’t only show the good aspects of her character but the not-so-good ones, the things he’d struggle to put up with day in, day out. Likewise for Sophie about him.

‘Cooper, you’re warring with yourself, so how can I take what you say as the right thing to do? You may be trying to persuade me your way is right but you’re not sure about it. It’s there in your eyes every time you try to convince me you’ve got the perfect solution.’

Already she could read him. He found her a smile. ‘Can you see that I don’t give up easily when it’s important to me?’

‘Saw that seven months ago, pal.’ She was laughing at him.

Cooper reached to draw her into his arms and held her against his chest where she fitted perfectly. His breath hitched at the back of his throat and for a moment he couldn’t utter a word, so he just enjoyed the moment. What would she do if he kissed her? It would be a risk to find out. He didn’t want her rejecting him completely. Not when they were having a baby.

Finally he managed, ‘Crazy woman. I’m starting to really like you.’ Liking her was okay. Anything stronger wouldn’t work, but as that was as implausible as flying to Saturn he was safe.

‘Now, there’s a novel idea,’ she quipped as she snuggled closer.

He swallowed hard and lowered his chin to the top of her head, breathed deep to absorb the scent of sunscreen and flowers, and relaxed against her. Felt her breasts rising and falling softly, not hard points pressing against him like last time he’d held her. Her short breaths against his shirt, her hands on his chest, everything about her made him feel complete. She took away some of the doubts that had been niggling him since he’d first seen that baby bump. Whatever the difficulties ahead, they’d manage, would sort out how to go about raising a child between them in less-than-perfect circumstances. He wasn’t worried on that score. He also wasn’t giving up trying to convince her to move into his house. Not yet. Though he should be. Because becoming a father still didn’t sit easily with him. And having a woman on his patch permanently had him in a hot sweat of the worst kind. Yet—this was Sophie. The one woman he’d never forgotten; remembered her body as hot satin in his hands that night that had led to this situation.

Sophie pulled back, smoothed her already smooth shirt over her breasts. Then she locked her eyes on him and drew in a deep breath. ‘I’ve got something to show you. Can you wait here?’ It must be important, going by the way she held herself.

‘Of course.’ Glad of the distraction, he switched the ignition off and got out to open her door. Leaning back against the car, he watched her walk slowly into the building. Exhaustion tugged her shoulders downward and made her head droop. What was so important that she had to show him tonight? His mind came up blank, so he stopped trying to work it out and waited for her to return.

Then she was back, handing him a large envelope. ‘This is yours to keep. If you want,’ she added with uncertainty.

Which only intrigued him more. ‘What is it?’

‘Take a look. I kept a copy for you.’

He opened the tab and shook the contents out into his hand. One sheet of heavy paper. A photo. No, a scan. His mouth dried. His heart went into overdrive, sending his blood thudding around his body. His hand shook as he held the picture out to study. ‘Our baby?’ he croaked.

Sophie stepped closer. ‘Yes. Look, there are her legs, and one arm. Isn’t that amazing?’

He was incapable of speech. His chin jerked downward once, abruptly. Wow. His daughter. Amazing didn’t begin to describe the overwhelming love for this tiny being flattening him. It filled his heart. It would be easier to chop his arm off than to walk away now. He was a goner. Over a baby. A baby he hadn’t met yet. Who’d have thought?

‘Gorgeous, huh?’ An arm slid around his waist. Sophie. She must feel exactly as he did. Smitten.

He blinked as tears threatened to spill down his face. ‘Yeah. Gorgeous.’ And still downright terrifying. And so not what he’d wanted for his life, but he would not, could not give up now.

‘Stop fighting it.’ Sophie grinned up at him before stretching to place a soft kiss on his mouth. ‘Goodnight, Cooper. Sleep well.’ Then she walked inside, closing the door behind her.

He wasn’t going to sleep. Not tonight. Staring at the scan, he shook his head at the enormity of what had befallen him. Yesterday he’d thought it’d take a long time to accept his upcoming fatherhood. He’d never factored in the love, the instant need to protect, the expectations of watching her grow up that were gripping him. He hadn’t had a clue. Not one.

Sliding into the car, Cooper drove slowly across to the accommodation block he was staying in, barely taking his eyes off that photo long enough to see where he was going.

Sleep well, Sophie had said. Not likely. He was going to put the scan back in the envelope and store it safely in his bag, then he’d go for a run. Pound the road and try to settle the beating in his chest and find some reason for all the turmoil going on in his head.

CHAPTER FIVE

AFTER TAKING FOR ever to go to sleep, Sophie was woken by banging on her door and someone calling out. ‘Captain, wake up. You’re needed in the medical hut.’

Two-twenty in the morning. Must be urgent. ‘Coming.’ Rolling out of bed, she grimaced. Her back ached. Her head was full of cotton wool. And the baby was dancing nonstop. As for the thoughts about her baby’s father that had followed her right into sleep, she was about ready to forget she’d ever met him if it meant some peace. The pillow beneath her hand was wet. Her cheeks below her eyes were puffy. She’d been crying? In her sleep? Never.

Shrugging into a shirt and pulling up her fatigue trousers, she opened the door. ‘Hey, Simone, what’s the problem?’

‘Some of the guys have been in a brawl with civilians,’ Simone told her. ‘Down at McGregor’s Bar.’

‘So we’ve got drunks to contend with.’ Great. ‘Where did I put my boots?’ She looked all around her room, came up empty-handed.

‘Want me to look?’ Simone grinned.

‘Go ahead. Oh, no, there they are.’ Feeling unsteady, she held onto the bed end as she leaned down to pull the offending boots out from under a chair.

Simone was at her elbow immediately. ‘Are you all right?’

‘Must’ve leapt out of bed too fast.’

‘Captain Daniels is already at the unit, trying to quieten some of the noisier of the idiots.’ The nurse was not known for her patience with soldiers who’d overindulged and got themselves into trouble.

‘Who asked Coop—Captain Daniels to lend a hand?’

That grin widened. ‘Your friend Cooper?’

‘That one.’ Of course everyone on base would know she and Cooper had spent a few hours together.

‘Seems he was out running when he came across the guys fighting with two locals outside the pub. Pulverising them was his summation. Something about the soldiers defending a young woman.’

Why was Cooper running in the middle of the night? Sophie shut her door and led the way outside. ‘The police involved?’

‘Our MPs and the state troopers. The troopers have taken the civilians to their hospital. We’ve got our morons to deal to.’

‘Maybe not morons if they were looking out for a woman.’ Any male who could go past a woman, or any one, in trouble wasn’t worthy of being called a man. Unlike Cooper. Even now she could feel his body covering hers in that dirt as the air had exploded around them.

‘Huh,’ grunted Simone.

‘Nothing too serious reported in the way of injuries, though we have a minor knife wound and a couple of black eyes,’ Cooper informed Sophie the moment she stepped inside the medical unit and noted the four men waiting to be checked over. ‘Noisy but not drunk,’ he added.

Two MPs were trying to hold one of the men upright but he seemed determined not to use his legs for some reason.

‘Wonderful,’ she muttered.

I got up for this?

‘I told Simone not to bother you but she wouldn’t listen.’ Cooper was peeved about something. Being ignored by her nurse probably. Well, Simone was never going to look at him twice. He was a male.

The noise level was rising. Standing to attention, she yelled in her best parade-ground voice, ‘Soldiers, quiet.’

The room instantly became silent. Sheepish men in various states of disarray froze on the spot.

‘Stand up straight. Including you.’ She nodded at the man the MPs were holding. She didn’t lower the decibels. Only one way to treat the soldiers when they were in this state, and that was to remind them who and what they were. Pointing to a table, she snapped, ‘Form a line over there.’

‘Want me to take the stab wound?’ Cooper asked into the quiet.

Sophie nodded. ‘All yours. Simone, who’s next?’

Simone led a man across and pushed him onto a chair. ‘Sergeant Dexter took a direct hit in the eye and another on the back of the head, Captain.’

Sergeants were supposed to prevent their men getting into trouble, not be in the thick of it. Unless he’d been trying to stop the fight. ‘What happened, Sergeant?’

‘Looking out for my men, Captain.’ His mouth was a flat line.

‘I meant your injuries.’

‘Took a fist in the face, twice. Hit the back of my head on the kerb when I went down, ma’am.’

Sophie tilted the man’s head forward and examined the wound at the back. The bleeding had stopped. ‘I’m going to put some stitches in here.’

‘Thank you, ma’am.’

‘How’s your vision? Any blurriness?’

He shook his head and winced. ‘No, ma’am.’

This was not the time to be brave, but Sophie knew better than to say so. He had a reputation to uphold in front of his men. She held out a penlight torch. ‘Hold this for me.’

His reaction was swift and firm.

‘Good. Headache?’

‘No.’ Again he winced.

‘Care to rethink your answer?’ She stared at him for a long moment but got nothing back. His head would be thumping. Male pride could be plain stupid. ‘Sergeant, you’ve taken a hard hit on your skull, which could’ve shaken your brain, resulting in a concussion.’

‘I understand.’

She’d give him a concussion herself if he didn’t start answering her questions honestly. Retrieving the torch, she shone it into the corner of his good eye. The man blinked rapidly. ‘Sure there’s no fogginess in your sight? Or your head?’

‘I can see you clearly.’

Guess that was something. ‘What about the other side of the room? Can you read the top line on the notice-board?’

One side of his mouth lifted in a wry smile. ‘Staff rosters for August.’

She gave up. Being stubborn was something she understood all too well. ‘I want you to come and see me the moment you feel any nausea, have blurred vision or a strong headache. Understand?’ When he nodded, she continued. ‘About this other eye...’

It was swollen shut. Not a lot she could do until the swelling went down. After cleaning his grazed cheek and forehead with disinfectant in case he got an infection, she picked up a needle and syringe. ‘I’m giving you a local anaesthetic so I can suture the back of your head. Ready?’

The sergeant turned whiter. ‘Yes.’

Within minutes she’d finished and was tugging her gloves off to toss in the bin. Then she unlocked the drugs cabinet and put a few antibiotic tablets in a bottle. ‘Here you go. One every twelve hours until they’re finished. And some analgesics.’

Reluctantly he took them, and quickly shoved them in his pocket. ‘Thank you, ma’am.’ And he was gone.

Shaking her head, she called, ‘Who’s next?’

‘Bruised ribs and a punch to the gut,’ Simone informed her as she nodded to a lance corporal to approach.

‘I’ll check those ribs,’ Sophie said. He might need an X-ray. Pressing carefully over the reddened, swollen area, she judged the lad’s reactions and with what she could feel decided he’d been lucky. ‘Take it easy for the next couple days.’

Cooper was finishing up suturing a corporal’s knife wound, and glanced up as Sophie approached. ‘This man won’t be holding a rifle for a few days. The knife went nearly through to the other side at one place.’

A commotion at the unit’s door had Sophie whipping around to see what was going on. The room spun. Grabbing at the nearby table, she held on until her head returned to normal.

‘Sophie? Captain Ingram?’ Cooper was before her, reaching for her arms.

She stepped back on shaky legs. ‘I’m fine, Captain.’ There was no air in the room. Her feet were leaden. ‘I’m fine,’ she repeated more forcefully.

‘I’ll see what the racket is about.’ His lips were tight and his eyes were shooting daggers in her direction.

Just then an MP and a soldier pushed inside, the sergeant she’d released held between them, his head lolling forward.

‘Put him on the bed,’ she ordered as she focused on work and not the pounding behind her eyes. ‘What happened?’

Someone told her, ‘He was halfway back to his quarters when he dropped. Out cold, he is.’

Cooper lifted the man’s legs and helped manoeuvre him onto the bed. ‘This the guy who hit his head on the kerb?’ he asked her.

Nodding, she picked up the sergeant’s arm to check his pulse. ‘Concussion for sure. He was denying any symptoms, and I couldn’t nail any, apart from his obvious headache. I want him sent into the city hospital for a scan. Simone?’

‘Onto it,’ was the reply.

Silly man. Why did he let pride get in the way of receiving the correct treatment? Even if she hadn’t foreseen him losing consciousness she’d have been better prepared to treat his symptoms.

Cooper nudged her shoulder lightly with his. ‘You did your best.’

‘Pulse is low.’ She raised the eyelid on the man’s good eye. No one home.

‘Respiration rate is low,’ Cooper commented.

It felt good having him working beside her. ‘He’s coming round. Sergeant, can you hear me?’

The sergeant’s eyes opened briefly.

Thank goodness. It was a start in the right direction. ‘You blacked out. We’re going to send you for a scan.’ She spoke slowly and clearly.

He opened his eyes for a little longer.

‘That knock on your head is more serious than I first thought.’ Not that she’d had much to go on. ‘Has your headache got worse?’

He nodded once, then put his hand up to his mouth.

‘Bucket,’ Cooper called loudly.

Simone returned to say the ambulance was backing up to the door.

Since Cooper was dealing with her patient Sophie filled out a form for the hospital ED. ‘Simone, I want you accompanying him after we’ve finished checking him over.’

‘No problem.’

Fifteen minutes later the unit was quiet, empty of everyone except Sophie and Cooper, who was putting the kettle on to boil.

‘Want a cup of tea? Or hot milk?’ he asked.

Sinking onto a stool, she felt shattered. So not up to speed. The heat and her pregnancy were taking their toll. ‘I made a mistake not insisting he tell me his symptoms.’

‘I heard some of your conversation. He was never going to admit things in front of his men.’ Cooper dropped teabags into two mugs. ‘Tea it is.’

‘I should’ve known to take him into another room.’

‘He should’ve known to talk to you. Are you on parade at zero seven hundred?’

The thought made her feel even more tired. ‘Yes.’ Four more days to go. ‘Never thought I’d say this but I’m looking forward to stopping work, and I haven’t even been busy in here.’ She glanced at the stack of notes from their earlier patients. ‘Most of the time, at any rate.’

‘You could ask to be stood down.’

She raised one eye brow at him in reply.

‘I figured,’ was Cooper’s only comment.

While she drank her tea she cruised the internet for places to rent in Auckland.

‘Can’t that wait?’ Cooper asked with his usual bluntness.

‘The sooner I set up appointments the sooner I’ll find somewhere and can get my mess sorted.’

‘There is an alternative, Sophie. You can bunk down at my place for a few days if you’re still determined to find your own place.’ He was frustrated with her. It showed in his tone and the tightness of the hand holding his mug.

It was more than she needed right now. Shutting down the laptop, she took her tea and headed for the door. ‘See you after parade.’

* * *

‘Attention,’ shouted the sergeant leading the parade.

Boots slapped the tarmac as rows of soldiers stood straighter than straight.

Cooper was to the side of the ground, standing at attention but not part of any unit. Sophie was at the front of the medical corps, eyes to the front. She hadn’t said a word to him over a hurried breakfast in the canteen. Exhaustion had rippled off her like heat waves in the desert. Her fatigues needed straightening and her hair could do with being tied tighter but far be it for him to point that out. Someone on the parade ground would do it and cop her wrath for their effort.

List stood at the front, ready to talk to the troops. He glanced Cooper’s way, and then at Sophie. A frown appeared on his brow, and he dipped his head at Sophie.

What? Cooper’s gaze returned to her. She seemed to be struggling to stay upright, swaying on her feet. Her chin was pushed forward as though she was willing herself to stand erect. As he made to step out and head to her she slumped in a heap.

Cooper ran. ‘Sophie.’ Instantly dropping to his knees, he reached for her, felt for a pulse. It was slow but at least it was there.

Simone had been standing two away and was as quick to reach her as he’d been. ‘Sophie, what’s happening? Did you faint?’

‘Let’s get you inside out of this heat. I need to check your BP.’ Low blood pressure would explain what had happened. Might explain a few incidents where she’d appeared to lose focus briefly. Like when she’d lost her balance outside Harry’s on the day he’d arrived. It made Cooper think he was on the right track.

Sophie flopped against him, blinking and trying to rub her head. ‘What happened?’

Cooper held her gently and looked up to growl at the man next in line. ‘Get a stretcher. Now.’

‘Yes, sir.’

‘Sophie, can you hear me?’

‘Yes. I’m fine.’

‘You’re not fine. When did you last have your BP checked?’

Simone answered for her. ‘I did it two weeks ago. It was normal.’

‘Two weeks and you haven’t had a reading since?’ No wonder he needed to keep an eye on her. She wasn’t doing a good job of looking after herself. ‘What about blood sugar?’

‘Shouldn’t we talk about this inside?’ Simone glared at him before tilting her head towards nearby troops. ‘Sir.’

List appeared, saving him having to answer. Simone was right. ‘Captain Ingram? Are you all right?’

She nodded. ‘I’m fine. Please continue with the parade. With your permission, Sir, I’ll go to the medical unit.’

‘Permission granted,’ List snapped. Then he leaned down and said quietly, ‘Take the morning off, Sophie. You’ve got to look after yourself.’

Whatever she’d been about to say was forgotten, instead her eyes widening as the soldier arrived with a stretcher. ‘That had better not be for me. I’ll walk, thank you very much.’ Instantly she struggled to stand up.

Cooper put a restraining hand on her arm. ‘No, you don’t. You’ve just taken a tumble, and before you say a word, think about the baby.’

The look she sent him should’ve frozen him to the spot for eternity. At least she sank back down to the ground and muttered, ‘All right.’

Cooper sighed. She had landed on her knees and tipped forward but had gone sideways just before her baby tummy could hit the ground. Still, he wanted to check her over, make sure Sophie and the baby were fine. And find the cause of these light-headed incidents she was having. This definitely wasn’t the first, and he doubted it’d be the last until they knew more.

Above them List pressed his lips together, no doubt smothering a smile at Sophie’s reluctant concession to Cooper’s order. ‘Right, soldiers.’ He nodded to Simone and the soldier who’d brought the stretcher. ‘Take Captain Ingram inside.’

Cooper felt for the two as they reached down to lift the stretcher once Sophie had slid across onto it. She had plenty more of those icy glares and wasn’t worried about sharing them around.

List leaned close to murmur, ‘Go with her. Make sure she’s all right.’ Then he marched back to the front of the parade.

Cooper muttered, ‘Try and stop me, mate,’ and strode after the stretcher bearers. Now the fun would really start.

Except Sophie surprised him. ‘I’m feeling stupid. There’ve been a few times when I’ve experienced light-headedness but I put it down to the heat and lack of sleep. What sort of doctor does that make me? It’s not a good start to motherhood, is it?’ Her eyes lifted to him, imploring him to go easy on her.

She didn’t have to ask. He wasn’t about to rip into her, only wanted to make sure she and baby were safe. The sadness and worry blinking out of those green eyes hit him hard. She wasn’t as confident as she made out. Yet she insisted on going it alone. Not on his watch she wasn’t. Not now, not ever. They were in this together. Even if not living under the same roof, he’d make absolutely certain he was always there for her. ‘I heard doctors usually made the worst mothers, always thinking of all the horrific things that can go wrong. It’s cool that you’re not like that.’

Suspicion clouded her eyes. ‘You don’t think I’m too casual?’

‘No, Sophie, I don’t. You look fit and healthy. I haven’t seen you do anything you shouldn’t, like go jogging in the heat or drink alcohol. Our baby is in perfect hands.’

She gasped.

So did Simone.

Cooper slapped a hand on his forehead. ‘Sorry.’ He’d forgotten they weren’t alone. ‘I shouldn’t have said that.’

Simone was smiling as she looked at Sophie. ‘Don’t worry. I know nothing.’ Then she leaned over to give Sophie a hug. ‘Knew you were more than friends.’

Sophie looked surprised. ‘Actually, we’re not. Not really.’

Time he was out of there. Partaking in a discussion with the hard-nosed sergeant about their relationship was not happening. ‘I’ll get the sphygmomanometer and phlebotomy kit.’ And some air that wasn’t laced with Sophie scent and filled with words he wanted to refute. They weren’t friends, not in the true sense of the word, yet he wanted to be. More than anything. He wanted to be able to spend time with Sophie and say anything he liked, help her without wondering how she’d interpret his actions. At the moment they were leery of each other, and he was past putting up with that.

Neither woman tried to stop him going, but when he returned with the equipment needed to take a BP reading and some bloods to send to the lab Sophie was on her own, looking glum.

‘Hey, you’re doing fine.’ Cooper ran a hand over her shoulder.

Tears glittered out of the eyes she raised to him. ‘You think? I’m feeling so hopeless.’

Pressure built in his chest, and the need to be there for her expanded further. This wasn’t just about his responsibility towards her and the baby. This was about that friendship they didn’t have yet. ‘There’s not a hopeless bone in your body.’

‘I’d say thanks but, really, you don’t know me at all.’

‘I know you’re stubborn, kind, fun, sexy...’ Now, why had he added that? Friends and sex were a mismatch. Except sex had led to them being tied together with a child. Now the friendship had to start. Which meant sex was off the list. ‘Did I mention annoying and adorable?’

Now she looked disappointed. ‘It’s been said before: you’re a charmer.’

He’d meant every word and hadn’t been trying to get his own way about anything. He’d been wanting to make her relax and stop fretting about how she was coping. That wasn’t good for her or the infant. ‘Let’s find out what’s going on.’ He held up the BP cuff.

Holding out her arm, she told him, ‘You can’t do a glucose test. I ate breakfast.’

‘We’ll start with a non-fasting and if that’s even slightly raised we’ll follow up with a fasting blood tomorrow.’ No more stalling.

Sophie sagged, her chin hitting her sternum. ‘Get on with it.’ There was no strength in her words, just defeat.

That unsettled him further. He preferred the fighting, stubborn Sophie to this one. Watching the monitor until it beeped, he felt out of his depth. Sure, reading BPs and taking bloods was basic medicine, but cheering up his patient when he was so involved was more complicated than he’d expected. And he was about to add to her gloom. ‘BP’s too low.’

‘I figured.’ She shook her head. ‘Gestational diabetes is looking more likely by the minute.’

‘They don’t necessarily go hand in hand,’ he argued.

‘I know.’ She held her arm out again and watched quietly while he drew some blood.

* * *

Three hours later Cooper found Sophie munching on a healthy salad and reading files in her office. ‘Your glucose is a little too high.’

‘So tomorrow I’d do a glucose tolerance test. Can we start early? I get hungry all the time.’

‘I’ll take the fasting sample twelve hours after your dinner tonight.’ And fingers crossed the final results would be normal.

They weren’t. ‘I’ve got gestational diabetes.’ Sophie put the phone down the following afternoon and stared at Cooper.

‘I was hoping otherwise.’ But he wasn’t surprised at the result.

‘You and me both. Guess I’m off the ice cream.’

‘They can relax in the canteen. There’ll be enough left to go round everyone from now on.’

Her smile was tired. ‘Home is looking better and better all the time.’

Home meant a lot to do, if what he’d gleaned from their conversations was true. ‘You made those appointments for viewing properties yet?’

‘I’ve got four lined up the day after we touch down.’

Of course she had. Tired she may be, inefficient she wasn’t. ‘Anything that really excites you?’ Would it be wrong to hope not? He might’ve got off the hook when she’d turned down his offer to live with him for a while, but more and more the need to be there with her for these weeks leading up to the birth was dominating his thoughts. She needed pampering. He was going to pamper Sophie? Yep, and why not?

‘Yes, all of them,’ she replied in the flattest voice he’d heard in a long time.

‘Better than nothing you like.’

She didn’t answer.

CHAPTER SIX

THE TEMPERATURES FINALLY EASED, for which Sophie was grateful. The heat had been all-consuming. By the time she boarded the air force plane bound for home she was almost sorry to be leaving.

‘Thanks for everything you’ve done for me,’ she told Alistair as she stepped up to kiss his cheek. ‘You’ve been a pal.’

He wrapped her in a bear hug. ‘Keep me posted on junior, and take care of yourself. I want a photo as soon as she arrives.’

‘You’ll get one.’

She was surprised to see his eyes glistening before he turned away to Cooper and said, ‘Hey, man.’

Sophie watched them do the man hug and thump on the back thing, and almost laughed out loud. Guys. These two were close. She’d been a part of their camaraderie over the past few days, going with them to the pub for dinner twice. Theirs was an easy friendship grown out of hard times during active duty. She’d have liked that with someone. The closest friend she’d made in the army was Kelly, and she’d missed her every day since she’d been evacuated from Bamiyan.

‘Come on, let’s get on board the tin can.’ Cooper took her elbow.

Sophie promptly pulled free. ‘I’m not an invalid,’ she said, but there was no annoyance in her words. She seemed to have run out of steam since her collapse on parade. Learning about the diabetes had knocked her sideways too, and made her ultra-careful about everything she ate.

‘But you are proud.’ Cooper grinned. ‘Don’t want anyone to see you being helped up that ramp, do you?’

She glanced across the shimmering tarmac to the plane. ‘It’s not Everest.’ Not quite. When she got home she was not going to go for power walks ever again. Neither would she do press-ups or sit-ups or take up running once her baby was born. She was so over exercise. Though she did quite like her sculpted figure—if it was still there.

The aircraft interior was stifling. Sweat prickled her back instantly. ‘Can you leave the ramp open on the flight?’ she asked the young girl overseeing the last crates being loaded.

‘No, Captain. That would be dangerous.’

‘Fair enough.’ She laughed and turned away from the serious face staring at her as though she was crazy.

Cooper led the way to two empty bucket seats. ‘These’ll do. I’ll stow our rucksacks.’

Kick. Laying her hand on the spot, she rubbed. Kick.

We’re going home, sweetheart.

Home. A foreign word in her vocabulary. Home was apparently where the heart was. So whatever flat or apartment she rented, her heart would be there for her baby. She hadn’t experienced making a home for herself, had usually rented a room in a house filled with colleagues and got on with working until the next trip. As for furniture and kitchen utensils, there was a lot of shopping coming up.

It wasn’t easy lowering her butt all the way down to the seat almost on the floor.

‘Hey.’ Cooper was there, holding her elbow to prevent her from sprawling on her face.

‘Thanks.’ Kick, kick. ‘I think little miss is aware we’re off on an adventure. She’s not letting me forget her.’ As long as she didn’t decide to make her grand entrance in mid-air. Shoving aside that fear, she asked herself if that would make her daughter an Australian or a Kiwi.

‘What’s causing that confused look on your face?’ Cooper asked.

‘When did you last deliver a baby?’ Why had she asked? It wasn’t what she’d been thinking at all, and she didn’t really want to know the answer if Cooper hadn’t delivered for a long time.

‘A while ago.’ He still sounded confident, but he’d been a surgeon for four years and surgeons always sounded confident.

‘Define a while.’

‘Sophie, are you having pains? We can get off now, but you’ll have to be quick. We’re due to take off in five.’ He started to get out of his seat.

‘Easy,’ she gave back to him. ‘Just passing the time with inane conversation.’ But all her fingers were crossed. Having a baby on the plane, surrounded with air force personnel, was not her idea of fun. Probably wasn’t Cooper’s either, she realised as she shifted her butt to get comfortable.

Behave, little one.

* * *

Cooper held his breath all the way across Australia and the Tasman Sea, not letting it out until the west coast of New Zealand came into sight. Even if the ridiculous happened and Sophie started labour now they’d be on the ground within a very short time and there’d an ambulance and midwives and a hospital in case their baby needed special attention.

But even as those thoughts zipped through his head he couldn’t help wondering what it would be like to be there when his daughter was delivered. He crossed his fingers he wasn’t tempting fate. Sophie would hate to have her baby thirty thousand feet up in the air surrounded with people she’d never met before. She’d also intimated she wasn’t having him anywhere close during the birth. Somehow he had to persuade her to change her mind.

Shock jerked him. Being at the birth would be very intimate. She’d told him a friend was planning on being there for her. That irked. He should be there. He’d got her pregnant, hadn’t denied his role, so surely he could see it through to the end? The more Cooper thought about it the more he knew he had to be at the birth. Would it make her more comfortable with his presence if he promised to stay at the top end of the bed? He’d hold her hands and give her water, wipe her brow. Yeah, right. He’d never make a good nurse. But this was Sophie. A woman he was beginning to treasure: to care for as a special friend.

Friends didn’t have the kind of hot sex he’d been imagining with Sophie every night in his room at Darwin.

‘You’d finally relaxed, and now you’re all tense again. What’s up? Are we nearly home?’ Sophie mumbled against his chest, where she’d been sleeping for the last couple of hours.

‘There’s land beneath us.’ His arm had gone numb ages ago, but he hadn’t moved in case he woke her. Those grey smudges under her eyes had been a dead giveaway. She was exhausted. Which meant she was in no shape to take a taxi home to her parents’ and deal with explaining her situation. As far as he knew, they weren’t expecting her, which could add to her problems, given there wasn’t a strong bond between them all. Neither did they know they were about to become grandparents.

Nor did his father. Cooper was saving that for when they got together over a beer and played catch up. The old man would be okay with it. Might even be ecstatic. Then again he might roar with laughter and ask what Cooper had been thinking to get a woman pregnant. The straight answer was there hadn’t been any thinking going on at the time.

Sophie sat up and stretched her legs in front of her. ‘You heading for your house as soon as you’re through quarantine?’

‘That’s the plan. What about you?’

‘I’m staying on the base for the night.’

No way. What if she went into labour? She’d be alone, no friends, no midwife that she’d got to know. ‘Why?’

‘Easier. I’ll head into the city for those appointments tomorrow and decide what I’m doing after that. Probably visit Mum and Dad, suss out their reaction.’

Cooper was shaking his head at her. ‘You’re coming home with me.’

‘No, I’m not.’ But there was no substance to her words, and hope had briefly flicked through her eyes.

‘No argument. It’s a done deal. One night, if that’s all you want. Then you can sort things out and decide what you’re doing. But today, after this long, uncomfortable flight, you need a hot shower and a decent meal and then a good night’s uninterrupted sleep. Something that’s not guaranteed on base.’ Now he was sounding condescending. But he cared, all right? Someone needed to be looking out for Sophie, and at the moment he was the only person on hand.

‘Put it like that and I’m finding it hard to turn you down. One night only, right? That’s the deal. I’ll be out of your hair tomorrow.’

‘If that’s what you want.’ It was for the best. They couldn’t live under the same roof permanently. How could he bring a woman home knowing Sophie slept down the hall? If he wanted to, that was. Huh? Since when didn’t he bring females home?

You haven’t even looked at another woman since landing in Darwin and seeking out Sophie.

Get real. Sex had been non-existent since Sophie. Not even a casual hook-up. Opportunities had been endless. It had been his own interest that had been lacking. Captain Ingram had spoiled him for other women.

But that didn’t mean he was making Sophie the centre of his attention. She might be gorgeous and fun, and pregnant with his child, but she wasn’t the love of his life. Would never be. No one would. He enjoyed, preferred, being single and he wasn’t prepared to give that up. Not even for Sophie and his child? Especially for them. They had the power to hold him down. Every decision he made would be tempered with what was best for them. While that wasn’t so bad, his unreliability as a father and partner was.

He had a lot to be grateful to Sophie for. Turning him down had shocked him but she was right. They wouldn’t be able to sustain an enjoyable relationship, platonic or otherwise, under the same roof for ever. It would certainly be unfair on their daughter.

His mother had opted to desert him by taking her own life, and while that was different it had set him to becoming independent, and he’d started closing his heart to loving with abandon. He and Dad had been lost without his mother, and he wasn’t prepared to go through that again with anyone else, or inflict a similar loss on someone.

So thank you, Sophie, for being strong and turning me down.

The woman putting him through the wringer these days flicked him a tired smile. ‘You sure there’ll be hot water? Your dad won’t have forgotten to leave it on?’

‘If he has we’ll pay him a visit.’ Cooper dropped an arm over her shoulders and tucked her close. ‘Everything will be just fine. You’ll see.’

‘I’m looking forward to it.’

He wasn’t sure what she was looking forward to, but he was happy to be taking her to his place for the night. It felt kind of right. She belonged in his life now, she and the baby. Just how much had yet to be debated. But he didn’t want them there as the complete family he’d never had.

Or did he? Cooper shivered. It wouldn’t work, went against everything he’d believed about himself.

* * *

Sophie stretched and rubbed her aching back as she waited for the kettle to boil in Cooper’s kitchen. Yesterday’s flight, sitting in that seat that had done nothing to hold her properly, had taken its toll. As for sleeping through the night in cooler temperatures? Forget it. She’d tossed and turned for hours, sleeping fitfully when her eyes had finally closed.

Kick.

‘Hey, little one. You didn’t get much sleep either, did you?’ She rubbed her belly. At least they were home. Her daughter would be born a Kiwi.

‘I like it when you do that.’

She turned to find Cooper leaning against the door jamb, his hair a ruffled mess and stubble darkening his jaw. Now her stomach tightened for reasons other than her baby pushing on it. She still hadn’t been able to get past the fact she found Cooper sexy and desirable. If only she wasn’t so enormous she might contemplate leaping on him and having wild sex again.

Whoa. What was she thinking? Gripping the bench, she held on and waited for that dumb idea to disappear.

‘You all right?’ Cooper was right there, his hand on her upper arm, his eyes full of concern.

No, not at all. What would he think if he knew what had been going through her mind? Not once over the past few days had she seen desire or lust for her in his face. Which told her exactly what she needed to know, and must hold onto—he wasn’t interested in her except as the concerned father of the baby she was carrying. ‘Couldn’t be better,’ she lied, pulling away.

Cooper’s pewter eyes locked on her. ‘Really?’ When she said nothing, he added, ‘I don’t think so.’

‘I’m not going into labour if that’s what you’re thinking.’

‘I wasn’t. There was something in your eyes that makes me wonder what’s going on in that sharp mind of yours.’

Wonder all you like.

But her cheeks were heating, giving her away. ‘I’ll have a shower.’

‘What time’s your first viewing appointment?’ Cooper was still watching her closely.

All her skin was hot, not only on her face. There was an ache deep down, sending her blood racing and her heart thudding too loudly. He must be able to hear that. Aiming for the door, she threw over her shoulder, ‘Ten o’clock in Newmarket.’ Just up the road, but as it was bucketing down outside she wouldn’t be walking.

‘I’ll be ready.’

That stopped her in her tracks. ‘No need for you to come. I’ve ordered a taxi.’

Irritation tightened his usually tempting mouth. ‘Cancel it.’

‘I’m not in the army now.’

At least not where you can order me around.

‘I’ll drive you to all your appointments.’ When she scowled at him he added, ‘I’ve got nothing else on this morning.’

‘Thought you were going to see your father and then check in with the hospital.’

He shrugged. ‘Nothing that can’t wait.’

Slapping her hands on her waist, or where her waist used to be, she growled, ‘This is why I couldn’t live here. You’re so bossy and think you should have the upper hand all the time. Is this how you act when your charm doesn’t work?’

He didn’t say a word.

Which goaded her into saying, ‘You think I can’t cope? That I’m not up to looking out for myself? Next you’ll be saying I can’t raise my daughter on my own.’

Cooper was in front of her, in her face, instantly. ‘Our daughter.’

True. But, ‘Nothing’s changed, Cooper. I am looking for an apartment to move into the moment it’s available. I will not live with you for any longer than necessary.’

‘So you’re not moving in with your parents at the end of the day?’

She’d walked into that one. Losing her temper had been a mistake. ‘Excuse me.’ She stepped around him, careful not to let her stomach brush against him. She didn’t trust her body not to get in a lather even when she was angry at him.

‘Don’t forget to cancel that taxi.’

Plenty of words spilled into her mind, but somehow she managed to hold onto them. Silence was best. Sometimes.

* * *

Sophie turned to the letting agent. ‘How soon can I move in?’ Judging by the stacks of packed cartons the current tenants were already on the move.

‘A week from tomorrow.’

Her heart sank. A week living with Cooper. Or having to front up and ask her parents if she could stay with them. They’d say yes. That wasn’t the issue. Being told over and over what a fool she’d turned out to be was. She hadn’t learned anything from them, they’d say. Well, yes, she had. She wasn’t getting married for the sake of it. A loveless marriage was never in her plans. But, then, neither had been having a baby. ‘I’ll take it.’

‘You can’t,’ Cooper snapped from across the dog-kennel-sized lounge.

‘Of course I can.’ But she understood the shock on his face. The apartment was tiny, dark and in a less-than-desirable suburb. She was tired, and fed up with looking at places. ‘It’s available weeks sooner than the others I’ve looked at.’ And it was affordable. She found a smile for the agent. ‘Shall we do the paperwork?’

‘I need a bond and a deposit on the first fortnight to hold it for you.’ The woman dug through her bag for a key. ‘I’ll get the forms from my car.’

‘Not a problem.’ Tick. One job on her long list sorted. Tomorrow she’d start looking for furniture. Or should she buy a car first? Then she’d be independent of Cooper. She delved into her handbag for a credit card. An appointment with her new midwife came before anything else.

‘Can we talk about this before you sign up?’ Cooper parked his tidy backside against the bench next to her.

‘No.’ Why wasn’t she feeling happy to have found somewhere to live? Probably something to do with it being an unexciting place. But she had to suck it up and make the most of everything. She was planning on staying put for the next year at least, and starting out miserable wouldn’t be clever.

‘Sophie. Are you sure? Can’t we look at more places tomorrow?’

‘There aren’t any others. I went through the agencies’ lists again this morning.’ There’d been two she’d nearly asked to see but what would be the point? They were out of her price bracket and wandering around them would only increase her frustration level. That did not need any help. Not when she had Cooper driving her mad with need at the least convenient moments.

He didn’t bother to hide his impatience. ‘All right. What’s wrong with the first one we saw?’

The steep rent. ‘I didn’t like it.’ The large, sunny rooms, the modern kitchen, the small yard out the back, and the easy drive to the hospital once she went back to work: all added up to a perfect package. If she had loads in the bank.

‘Sometimes I don’t understand you.’

Neither do I.

‘You’re not meant to. Anyway, I’d swear I heard a sigh of relief when I turned it down.’

Guilt flushed his cheeks a light shade of pink. ‘Even so, I’d prefer you there than here, if you still insist on finding your own place.’

So that’s what all the less-than-helpful comments and questions at each apartment she’d viewed had been about. He’d been trying to deflect her from renting a property. Should’ve known. ‘I get it that you want to help me—’ in ways that suit you and not me ‘—and you can. By backing my decisions. If I get it wrong I’ll even agree to you laughing and giving me some stick.’ Lifting up onto her toes, she brushed a kiss across his mouth. ‘Thank you for caring.’ Whatever had precipitated that move she instantly regretted it while wanting more. Wanted to seal her lips on Cooper’s, to savour him, breathe him in. To shut him up. To get a taste of what she’d known that wild night in Bamiyan.

Warning. Danger. This is Cooper.

She jerked backwards.

Hard, hot hands caught her around her middle, pulled her hungry body close to that chest she’d been ogling on and off all morning. Had he noticed? Did he understand she still wanted him? Even in her balloon-sized, less than desirable shape?

Stop with the questions. Make the most of being sprawled against him.

Good idea.

‘Don’t you ever forget I do care about you.’ And then his mouth covered hers, possessed hers. Cooper took charge. As his tongue slid inside her mouth, the sensations caused by that hot thrust sent her mind into orbit so that all she was aware of was Cooper, holding onto him.

That hint of the outdoors that was his trademark scent. His full, masculine mouth. His firm muscles pressing against her softer ones. His erection pushing into her belly. Gulp. His erection. She moved against him, the long, hard length causing her lower muscles to contract with tension, with need, with memory.

‘Oh, excuse me.’ The woman was back.

Sophie leapt out of Cooper’s arms, but he quickly caught her and held her in front of him. Hiding his reaction to her? Her face was flushed and no doubt her eyes would be slumberous with desire. Great. Now she’d probably have to find a new rental agent. ‘S-sorry. We... It’s just...’ None of the woman’s business.

‘I understand,’ the agent said, glancing at Cooper.

Any woman would, Sophie thought as she held out a shaking hand to take the forms from the amused woman. ‘Let me fill these in and we can all get on our way.’

Before you decide I can’t have the place.

‘It’s not too late to change your mind,’ Cooper growled beside her ear, lifting the skin on the side of her neck in a delicious, tingling sensation.

It wasn’t only her skin having a meltdown. All parts south of her baby bump were in disarray, hot and tight. Ready, willing and wanting. Why had she kissed Cooper? Why wouldn’t she? It’d been a chaste touching of her lips on his, not a hot, deep kiss. No, not until he’d taken over and turned it into something off the radar. The man was so sexy it was impossible to ignore the feelings he evoked in her any longer.

And he wasn’t even wearing boots of any kind.

‘Have you changed your mind?’ the woman asked, a hint of annoyance in her voice.

Sophie shook her head to clear the images of Cooper that had taken over her brain. ‘No. I haven’t,’ she said, putting determination in her tone. She would not be side-tracked by anyone, least of all Cooper. She needed a home for her baby, and she needed it now so there was time to fit it out properly. Scribbling her signature across the bottom of each form placed in front of her, she waited for the calm to come at having achieved finding her future home.

But instead she found herself staring around the gloomy room, wondering what she was doing there. There was a good offer on the table if only she’d swallow her pride and take up the challenge. Cooper’s house was all the things this place wasn’t.

The agent was quick to put the signed papers in her bag. ‘I’ll be in touch when the current tenants have moved out.’

And that was that. ‘I have somewhere to live,’ she muttered as she sank into the front seat of Cooper’s car.

‘You already had somewhere if only you weren’t so stubborn,’ she was told sharply.

Couldn’t argue with being stubborn. She’d warned him about that. ‘You’ll thank me for this later.’

Cooper said nothing as he drove away from the apartment.

Thank goodness, Sophie thought. She’d done enough talking to the agent that morning to last all day. Quiet was exactly what she wanted. Her hand hovered over her belly where the baby was also quiet. Too quiet? ‘Baby?’ Automatically her hand rubbed her tummy. Nothing. ‘Move, will you?’ The panic was rising in her chest, up her throat. ‘Come on.’

‘What’s happening?’ Cooper asked, already pulling off the road to stop the car. ‘When did you last feel movement?’

‘Not for a while.’ When? She racked her brain. ‘I don’t know when. Before we got to the last apartment.’

‘You’re sure?’ The worry in his eyes did nothing to allay her fears.

‘No. I’m not. But she’s lying very still now. She never stops moving for long. Cooper, what if...?’

‘Don’t go there.’ His hand caught hers, squeezed gently. ‘Easy, Sophie. I’m sure everything’s all right. Can I try to feel some movement?’

‘Yes.’ She jerked her top up to expose her belly, and couldn’t care less when Cooper’s eyes widened. ‘Hurry.’

His hand was cool on her skin, but his touch was so gentle she calmed a little. Until he stopped touching her and tugged her shirt down again. Taking both her hands in his, he said quietly, firmly, ‘We should get this checked out to be on the safe side. Can you ring your midwife and tell her we’re coming in?’

‘I haven’t made an appointment with one yet. We only got home yesterday.’ The panic became a full-blown roar in her head. ‘My baby. Something’s wrong. I know it.’

Cooper pulled out into the traffic. ‘Auckland Hospital’s just down the road. We’ll go to the ED.’

‘Whatever. Just hurry.’ Her hands clutched at her belly, while silently she begged the baby to kick as hard as she could. ‘I don’t care how much you hurt Mummy, I just have to know you’re all right.’

Nothing.

She wanted to bang her stomach in the hope of jarring baby into action, but common sense won out—just. It wouldn’t work, and might even give the baby a shock. If she was all right. ‘Hurry up,’ she yelled to Cooper.

He wasn’t exactly going slowly, but right now a racing car at full throttle would be too slow. Too bad if there was a cop lurking in the area. If he tried to stop them he’d get an earful from her. Or he could escort them to the hospital, flashing lights and all.

‘Hold on,’ Cooper snapped as he took a corner too fast.

A glance at the speedo told her they weren’t going as fast as it felt—or as she’d like. But there was nothing they could do in the heavy traffic except go with the flow. Of course there was no parking outside the emergency department. Murphy’s Law was working overtime today.

‘Let me out,’ she all but shouted. ‘You can find parking without me.’

‘Okay, okay. Take it easy.’ Cooper pulled up beside a parked car and flicked his hazard lights on.

She wanted to shout at him for using the ‘easy’ word but when she jerked her head around to argue with him she saw nothing but concern and worry looking back at her. Pulling the brake on her temper, she said, ‘I’m trying, believe me.’

‘I know.’ His smile was strained, but the finger he ran down her cheek was gentle and soft, and made her heart tighten. ‘Go on. I’ll catch you up ASAP. Hang on. There’s a car three spaces up pulling out. Quick, out you get.’

She gritted her teeth in exasperation as she struggled to extricate herself. Infuriating how moving wasn’t the same as it used to be before baby. Baby. Her hand flattened on her stomach. Baby.

Please, don’t let us be too late. Please let them find a heartbeat. Please, please, please.

Sophie shoved out of the car, lurched as she fought to keep her balance.

Cooper called after her, ‘Be careful. I don’t want you slipping in all that water covering the path. You’ll hurt yourself and that won’t do baby any favours.’

He sounded so sure baby was going to be all right, but she’d seen the worry shadowing his eyes, turning his cheeks pale. Despite everything she felt a moment of gratitude for his presence. If not for Cooper she’d still be back at the apartment, freaking out, not knowing what to do. ‘Hurry.’

I need you.

Sophie ran.

Every second counted. Losing her baby was not an option.

‘Hang in there, sweetheart. Mummy’s getting you help.’

She skidded on the smooth concrete at the ED entrance. Teetered on one foot, regained her balance, her heart pounding.

Slow down.

She couldn’t, beat the doors with her fist when they took for ever to slide open.

Bang-bang-bang.

The shots cracked through the air.

Sophie dropped to the ground hard, the air ripping out of her lungs, her shoulder taking the brunt of her fall. She cried out as pain snagged her. Rolling onto her side she curled up as tight as possible, making herself small so the shooter wouldn’t have an easy target.

‘Sophie,’ Cooper shouted.

‘Get down,’ she yelled back. ‘You’ll be shot.’

‘Sophie, it’s all right.’ He was there, kneeling beside her, reaching for her. ‘There’re no terrorists here.’

‘Get down,’ she repeated, stronger this time. ‘There’s gunfire.’

‘No, Sophie, listen. That was a car backfiring. You’re safe. We’re safe. We’re in Auckland. Not Bamiyan.’

‘How can you be sure?’ Her heart was thumping. How did he know no one wanted to kill them?

Cooper stood up and looked around. ‘Nothing out of the ordinary going down, I promise.’ He reached a hand down to her, ready to haul her to her feet. ‘Do you think I’d risk your life if I had the tiniest suspicion everything wasn’t all right?’

The fear backed off as she glanced left, then right. No one was running for their life. There were no shouts or screams. In fact, no one seemed worried about anything. Not even the small group gathering around them.

‘Does the lady need this?’ An orderly with an empty wheelchair paused beside them.

Starting to feel a little stupid, Sophie gripped Cooper’s hand to pull herself upright. ‘I’m fine. Just took a tumble. Thank you for your concern.’

‘You’re welcome,’ the man said, before his gaze landed on her belly. ‘You went down hard.’

‘That’s why I want to get her to a doctor. Now.’ Cooper tucked her against his side. ‘Ready?’

She nodded and took a step, wincing as her ankle protested. ‘Think I pulled a muscle.’ She tried again, tentatively this time, and was relieved to be able to stand on the foot. ‘What an idiot. I seriously thought someone was firing at me.’ Looking up at Cooper, she tried to explain, knowing he’d think she was a sandwich short of a picnic. ‘For a moment there I was back in Bamiyan.’

‘I figured. I’ve seen the same reaction in some of the guys after they’ve been in a battle. I’m just surprised it hasn’t happened to you before.’

‘It did once. But that was on base in Bamiyan. Thought I was over all that now.’ Then her reason for being here slammed into her nightmare. ‘The baby. I still can’t feel any movement. I need to find out what’s happening.’ Or not happening. Sophie’s heart slowed. This was turning out to be the day from hell.

Taking her hand in his, Cooper said, ‘I’m with you all the way.’

Together they headed inside to the receptionist who’d stood up the moment they appeared. ‘Are you all right?’ she asked.

No. My baby’s in trouble.

‘I’m Sophie Ingram. My baby’s stopped moving.’ The words gushed out at about the same rate her heart was beating. She drew a breath, dug deep for calm. Felt dizzy instead. She grabbed at Cooper’s arm for support, felt relief when he wound that strong arm around her again. She sank against him and drew from his strength.

‘We need an urgent scan,’ Cooper backed her up. ‘It’s been over an hour since Sophie felt the last movement.’

That long? Her heart slowed. Too long. Her knees knocked, and if Cooper hadn’t been holding her she’d be in a heap on the floor. Again. ‘Please, get me help,’ she begged.

Within minutes Sophie heard the wonderful sound of the security door buzzing open, allowing them access to the emergency room.

A woman in blue scrubs approached. ‘Hello, Sophie. I’m Dr Kate Wynn. I understand you haven’t felt baby move for a while. How far along are you?’

As Sophie answered the doctor’s questions they were led into a cubicle. She wanted to relax. This gripping tension would not be good for her baby. But her muscles were as tight as ever.

‘You’re doing great,’ Cooper told her quietly.

‘What if...?’

‘Let’s wait until we know what’s going on before looking for the worst-case scenario,’ he suggested with the tiniest of hitches in his voice.

‘You’re right.’ But, but what if?

Kate told them, ‘I’m getting a Doppler sent down so I can listen for a heartbeat. That way we’ll know more about what’s going on.’

Sophie wished she could feel half as relaxed and professional as Kate appeared, but today her doctoring persona had taken a hike. ‘Hurry, please,’ she whispered as Cooper helped her onto the bed.

‘What’s happened? You’ve got fresh grazes on your leg and arm.’

‘Sophie slipped on the wet path outside.’ At least he hadn’t said she’d thrown herself on the ground and put her baby at risk of being hurt. ‘I don’t think she did any damage. We are both doctors,’ he added with a grimace.

Being a doctor wasn’t helping her baby right now. ‘I’m fine, unless I’ve hurt my baby.’

Kate said, ‘I doubt it. She’s got a lot of protection surrounding her in there. Unless you landed belly first?’

‘No.’ One thing she’d done right. Twisting to land on her hip and shoulder had hurt her but protected her daughter.

The curtain opened to admit an orderly. ‘One Doppler as required.’

‘Right, let’s get started.’ Kate took the instrument and nodded to the orderly to leave.

Kick.

Sophie gasped. ‘Oh. Ow! Do that again.’

Kate looked surprised. ‘I haven’t done anything yet.’

Kick.

Sophie spread her hands over her extended stomach. ‘Cooper, put your hand there. She’s alive and kicking harder than ever.’

His large hand slid under one of hers, and his eyes filled with relief and wonder. ‘Go, girl.’ His voice cracked and he stopped talking.

‘Me? Or baby?’ she teased through the tears now clogging her throat.

‘I’ll check baby’s heart before giving you two a few minutes alone.’ Kate smiled and said moments later, ‘Listen to that. Nothing wrong with that heartbeat. Be back shortly for a full examination.’ Putting the Doppler aside, she slipped out and closed the curtains tight behind her.

Cooper’s hand splayed across Sophie’s stomach was so large, and strong, yet gentle. So right. Like he was laying a claim on her.

What?

The question screamed into her head. It was not right. Cooper didn’t have a place in her life, only that of her daughter’s. But she couldn’t push him away, liked the strength and warmth of his hand. Needed him at her side for now. Had needed him ever since she’d thought something was wrong with their baby. All her strength and determination to do everything properly had gone, leaving her like a jelly on the inside. But having Cooper at her side settled her jitters a little at least.

Reaching around his arm, she placed her hand over his. ‘She’s a busy girl in there. I’m never going to tell her to take a rest again.’

‘You probably woke her up from a lovely sleep when you dived to the ground and now she’s paying you back.’ His smile was lopsided, filled with concern as he stared at her baby bump.

That concern would be for the baby, she acknowledged to herself. Not her. He had no reason to be worried about her. Apart from her crazy reaction to a car going past, that was. She wasn’t important to him, wasn’t the love of his life. Her shoulders slumped. If only they were in love and expecting their first child, together on all fronts. Not dodging around each other, trying to get along without too many arguments.

Thinking like that was dumb. She didn’t love Cooper—never had, probably never would. Any feelings like that would be due to baby brain. Besides, it wouldn’t work if she did. He wasn’t going to fall in love with her, and a one-way relationship was as bad as her parents’ hateful one.

‘Right.’ Cooper straightened up, stepped away from the bed. ‘Let’s get you sorted and then we can go home. You look whacked.’

Thanks for the compliment.

She snatched her shirt down over baby and growled, ‘Tell Kate I’m ready.’

And stay out there so I don’t have to see you get all excited when we get to hear baby’s heartbeat again.

But she knew she could never do that. So much for keeping Cooper on the other side of the door every time she went to see the midwife. After this he was involved, and it would be petty to tell him otherwise.

Horror struck her. Did that mean he’d be there during the birth? She so wasn’t ready for that.

‘Let’s go home,’ Cooper said thirty minutes later.

Home. Yes. She needed that—somewhere to relax, unwind, forget the fears that had blitzed her today. ‘Let’s,’ she agreed.

Then she stumbled. Home? With Cooper? No. She was going back to his house for a few days until she had her apartment fixed up. That would be home. Not Cooper’s place.

‘You okay?’ he asked warily.

‘Yes,’ she snapped.

‘I’ll drop you off and head into the hospital. I need to touch base with the unit before I start.’

‘I’ll get a taxi.’ When his eyebrows rose and his mouth tightened she added, ‘I’ll visit Mum and Dad.’ Ask for a room.

‘No, Sophie, You need to rest and put today’s scare behind you, not go getting uptight about your parents.’

He was right. Of course. One more night at his house couldn’t hurt. Could it?

CHAPTER SEVEN

COOPER STRODE DOWN the corridor towards the surgical unit, relieved to have left Sophie at home.

As long as she stayed there. Though he doubted she was in any hurry to see her parents. What really was going on in that family? The less Sophie told him about herself the more he wanted to know.

Talk about getting under his skin. He needed to put space between them. Needed to get back on track with being a support person for the mother of his child, no more, no less. Needed to remember he didn’t do relationships of the close and personal kind, and to do so would be to the detriment of Sophie and the baby. And him.

What was he afraid of? That he’d take them in then send them packing when they got too close, and demanded more of him than he had to give? Turn Sophie into one of those women Dad had coming and going? She couldn’t get close if he kept the barriers up. Couldn’t hurt him if he didn’t allow her in.

Under your skin already, remember?

Then there was the baby. A whole other story. He’d never walk away from his daughter. Which meant he’d never walk away from Sophie. He wouldn’t feel incapable of looking after them and opt out for ever, as his mother had. The only thing he was incapable of was loving Sophie. Oh, and making up his mind about how far to press her to stay under his roof where he could do a better job of looking out for them.

When she’d dropped to the ground earlier his heart had stopped. Throw in her fears about the baby not moving and he’d come up with a dreadful scenario. Stroke or, worse, a fatal heart attack. His hands had been shaking as he’d touched her, reached to find a pulse. Even when he’d felt the steady thump, thump of blood pounding through her body it’d taken minutes for his panic to back off. He didn’t want to lose Sophie. Not now. Not ever.

He wasn’t making a lot of sense with this. Who would in the circumstances? If only Sophie would get out of his head, give him quiet time when he wasn’t actually with her. But no. She was in there, tap-tapping away at his resolve to remain uninvolved, making him resent her for getting him in a lather over everything. She was forcing him to face up to his mother’s suicide and how he hadn’t forgiven her for deserting him.

If his mum had got help for her obsessive, compulsive excessive disorder his life would’ve been so different. All their lives would’ve been different. He might even be able to fall in love without thinking up a hundred reasons why that was bad for him and the other person involved.

Cooper stopped to stare out a window onto the motorway below. What if he stopped fighting this? Gave up and took things as they occurred? Dealt with imagined shootings and lack of kicks systematically? Helped Sophie move into that grot box of an apartment instead of trying to talk her out of it? Surely then he’d get past these feelings of need, of wanting to spend more time with her. Emotions that came from his desire to do the right thing, nothing else.

Get it? Nothing else.

‘Cooper? That you?’ a woman called from somewhere further down the corridor.

He recognised the sultry voice instantly. ‘Svetlana, good to see you.’ The last person he wanted right this minute.

She reached him and wrapped her arms around him. ‘Where have you been? I’ve missed you.’

‘Oh, you know. Offshore with the army.’ He shrugged out of the hug. ‘You’re looking as lovely as ever.’ Yuk. How crass. That speculative gleam in Svetlana’s eyes needed a dose of cold reality fast, not encouragement. He knew how she operated, had been a willing participant in the past, but was not interested now.

Her smile widened and her tongue peeked out at the corner of her mouth. ‘Army life has been good for you.’ She squeezed his biceps.

Cooper took another step back. What had he seen in her? Uncomplicated sex. The only answer. They’d had some fun encounters, yet now he felt nothing, no frisson of excitement. Nothing. Just an image of Sophie shimmering in his mind. ‘Can’t complain.’

Svetlana followed, stepping closer, her cloying sweet perfume a thick cloud around her. ‘Want to have some fun tonight, or one night this week?’

‘Thanks, but I’m tied up all week.’ Come on. ‘In fact, I’m busy most of the time.’

She blinked rapidly. ‘You haven’t gone and got yourself all hooked up with a little wifey, now, have you?’ Her smirk suggested she knew full well what his answer would be.

No, he hadn’t. Wasn’t ever likely to. But that didn’t mean he was available for a quick romp either.

You always have been in the past.

Exactly. In the past. Not now. Not since—Sophie.

‘Nice catching up, Svetlana.’ He deliberately glanced at his watch. ‘I’m running late for an appointment. See you around.’

Cooper strode away, feeling guilty for his abrupt dismissal but also relieved to be away from the woman. Unfortunately there’d be no avoiding her completely since her white coat with the stethoscope hanging from the pocket suggested she worked here. Obviously she still overdid wearing the gear even when not required so as to show who and what she was.

Unlike Dr Ingram. Happy to wear fatigues or shorts and T-shirt, Sophie preferred casual in her approach to doctoring. Until she was with a patient, and then everyone knew her role. That day in Bamiyan she’d taken charge of caring for Kelly, calm despite her shock, completely cognisant of the medical details despite the fear in her eyes. Everyone who had worked on Kelly had settled into doing their jobs quickly—all because of Sophie’s professional and quiet manner.

Even him. For a moment after the explosion when the bullets had started to fly he’d been terrified for his life, and for that of the beautiful woman he’d met only minutes earlier. He’d leapt to cover her body, fearful of either of them taking a direct hit, and once they had been back on their feet the shakes had set in. If not for Sophie he might’ve run screaming for the hills. Okay, maybe not. But it would’ve taken him a lot longer to settle down enough to help the wounded without leaping into the air at every loud noise.

He turned into the surgical unit and went to find Shaun Langford, the head of department and former mentor from his years specialising right here.

‘Hi, Cooper. We’re looking forward to working with you again,’ a nurse told him, and the receptionist nodded in agreement.

‘Thanks, ladies. It’s good to be back.’ It really was. So much so there was a spring in his step as he reached Shaun’s office. He was coming home, back to a place he’d enjoyed, where people he’d liked still worked, where he knew his role and gave it his all. Yeah, could be he’d made the right decision for his future without being aware of it.

So career move sorted. That only left his personal life.

* * *

Sophie sat back on her heels to admire the stacks of carefully folded baby clothes on her bedroom floor. ‘Not bad, if I say so myself.’

‘Talking to yourself is not a good sign.’

Cooper. Her skin heated at the sound of that gravelly voice. ‘You’re home early.’ There went her quiet time. Over the last two days she’d spent the afternoons pottering around his house, pretending she lived here, as in permanently, and loving every moment of it. Cooper had an eclectic collection of furniture that made her smile. There was endless redecorating required, yet it didn’t matter. The house was warm and cosy, like no place she’d lived in before.

As for all those images of the good-looking hunk standing beside her right now, they’d be the bane of her life, appearing too easily, often doing her head in. She needed to be getting her A into G and making the apartment ready to move into, but it seemed too much of an effort. Staying with Cooper was the soft option. And more exciting. There was also a certain closeness between them in the way he took her BP every morning, noted what she ate. He’d soon drive her crazy with all the attention and then she’d leave.

If she could. The sense of belonging that wrapped around her every time she came through the front door would be hard to walk away from. The essence of this house was Cooper. It said, Take me as I am. If that wasn’t Cooper Daniels, then what was?

Right now he was reaching a hand down to help her up off her haunches. ‘I haven’t officially started yet.’

Pushing to her feet, not an easy or pretty manoeuvre these days, she said, ‘So you go to the hospital first thing every day because I’m under your feet?’ If he stayed at home she might’ve got to work on her list. Baby furniture was an urgent requirement. If baby made her appearance now she’d be sorely in need of just about everything. Except clothes.

His hand fell away from her elbow. ‘Thought I’d go with you to the car yard, see if you can’t find something half-decent to get around in.’

‘That’s not necessary.’ She could find her own car—with the help of an Automobile Association mechanic. If she ever got around to arranging that.

‘You don’t want a car?’ He was being deliberately obtuse.

She could be likewise, hopefully keep him a little distant. ‘I’m aiming for a SUV.’

‘Then let’s go find you one.’

‘No, Cooper. This is mine to do.’ She was quite capable of finding her own vehicle, just not of doing it right away.

‘Fine. Then let’s go look at cots and beds and tables. At the moment your baby will be sleeping on the floor, and so will her mother.’

‘Again, my problem.’ Why was she being belligerent? Cooper was only trying to help. She should be pleased. In fact, why was she so reluctant to do any of the things she’d been busting to do while waiting in Darwin to come home? ‘I did book an appointment with a midwife for tomorrow.’ One thing off the list.

‘What’s up, Sophie?’

‘Nothing. I bought clothes, nappies by the carton, and some cute little toys this morning.’ Three hours in the mall had had her staggering under all the bags of goodies. Not practical things but adorable baby things in every colour of the rainbow. They were all that interested her at the moment. So unlike her not to be charging through the stores, picking out what she needed and getting them delivered fast.

‘You bought loads of all of those yesterday.’ Amusement lightened his eyes to that pewter shade she adored and turned her insides to mush.

‘True.’ There wasn’t much space to move in this room, the floor being covered in bags from every baby outlet within a five-kilometre radius. ‘Leave it, Cooper. I’m having fun.’

I am? Shopping till I drop, getting so many baby outfits that most of them will never be worn, by this baby at least, is fun?

‘Think about it. I haven’t been near malls since I left New Zealand nearly eleven months ago. I didn’t bother in Darwin, not needing much because I wore a uniform.’

‘We’re going out.’ His amusement had vanished.

‘To the car dealer or the furniture shops?’ she called after him, letting annoyance flare up. It was easier to deal with his high-handed attitude that way, and it pushed aside the sudden yearning to rip their clothes off and make wild, passionate love.

He was back at the doorway. ‘My baby is not sleeping on the floor. Neither is she going without a safe car to ride in. We’ll start with the furniture.’

‘There’s nowhere to store it until I get the keys to the apartment.’ Her desire was rapidly abating.

‘Then we’ll put it all in my third bedroom.’

‘You’re taking charge,’ she growled. Though it made sense. Someone had to since her baby brain was obviously incapable. But she wasn’t telling him that.

‘Too right I am.’

* * *

‘Who’d have thought there were so many choices?’ Sophie muttered as she strolled down yet another aisle in the baby furniture warehouse. ‘Here I’d been thinking a bassinet was just a bassinet.’

‘You hadn’t figured on choosing between turned, stained wood or plain, painted wood; between pink, blue, white or every other colour under the sun. Or one with a shelf at the bottom or not.’ Cooper grinned at her. His mood had lifted since they’d arrived at the massive outlet. ‘And that’s only the actual bassinet. Which mattress and flounces do you like?’

But she was distracted. ‘How about those cute bunnies to string across the top for baby to look at?’

‘She’s supposed to sleep in this thing, not lie awake, staring at plastic baubles.’ His grin widened, and excitement crept into his eyes.

‘Right, then we’ll go for the basic, no-frills version.’ Not likely, but she could pull his strings. That excitement was tightening her belly and turning this into an adventure.

‘I’m having the classy, stained wood one, with that pink flounce that has elephants cavorting over it.’

‘You’re buying a bassinet?’ That had not been part of today’s excursion.

‘Of course I am. Where else will baby sleep when she’s with me?’ The excitement dimmed, and his mouth tightened. ‘I need to duplicate everything you get.’

‘She can’t stay with you. I’ll be breastfeeding.’ Why hadn’t that occurred to her? Of course Cooper would want his daughter to stay with him sometimes. She’d even suggested it. But that had been in the future, not until their daughter was on a bottle and no longer brand-new.

A warm hand descended on her shoulder. ‘You’re winding yourself up over nothing. I just want to be prepared for when my daughter does spend time with me.’

And she had promised he’d have input in her life, which meant the baby would stay with him. ‘We’d better buy lots of feeding bottles, then.’

The tension instantly evaporated from his face. ‘So let’s really get into this. Two of everything.’

‘Everything?’ She choked as unexpected laughter rolled up her throat. ‘You’re serious, aren’t you?’

‘Yep.’ The excitement was back, and she was glad. Then Cooper grinned. ‘Starting with bassinets. I’m taking that one.’ He tapped the one he’d nodded at earlier.

‘But I like that one.’ She laughed. ‘Though not as keen on the elephants as the butterflies.’

‘It’s mine. I saw it first.’ Then he locked his gaze on hers. ‘Unless you really, really want it.’

She shook her head. ‘It’s yours. I’ve just seen another one I like better. Which baby bath do you think?’

‘We need help here.’ Cooper looked around for a shop assistant and soon had people following them, writing down everything they selected so that deliveries could be made to their respective homes next week.

But slowly Sophie’s enthusiasm died. Why were they doing this? Sure, she needed to set up for her baby, but Cooper? He didn’t need quite as many things as her. It was as though he intended having the baby living with him a lot, not for some weekends when he wasn’t working.

‘I see an in-depth discussion coming on.’ Cooper nudged her as he slid his credit card back into his wallet after paying for everything, against her wishes. ‘What’s up? You not happy with me decking my house out for my daughter?’

She hadn’t thought it through properly when she’d said she’d never prevent him being a part of their child’s life. ‘She’s going to be living with me.’

‘Most of the time, sure. I’m making her comfortable when she visits me, though.’ His mouth tightened. ‘You’re not reneging on your promise of allowing me to be a part of her life?’

‘No, I wouldn’t do that. Never. Not after the way my parents treated me.’ But... ‘We need to draw up legal papers covering custody and what comes about in the event of something happening to me. Or you.’ Sophie wanted to slap her forehead. She’d been very remiss not thinking about this sooner.

‘You are right. We should see a lawyer.’ Taking her elbow, he led her outside to his car. ‘Talk about deflating the moment.’

‘I’m sorry,’ she snapped. ‘Actually, no, I’m not. We were having fun when this is serious. We haven’t thought everything through. There’re so many legal ramifications about being parents it’s terrifying. I’ve been completely irresponsible.’

‘Don’t go blaming yourself, Sophie. I admit none of this had occurred to me either. It would’ve, eventually.’ His sigh was loud and despondent. ‘Why today when I was enjoying myself?’

Her stance softened. ‘Yeah, that was fun, wasn’t it?’ Then she got wound up again. ‘This goes to show how unprepared to be a good mother I am.’

‘We’re not going there. For now we agree we’ll sort out the legal stuff ASAP. In the meantime let’s go home.’

Home. Again that word sank into her like a ball of warmth. If only. ‘Let’s,’ was all she said.

‘How’s the body? I bet you’ve got some major bruises after throwing yourself on the ground.’

‘One or two.’ She ached in a lot of places.

‘You don’t think you need to talk to someone about your reaction to a backfiring car?’ A load of caution laced his question, like he wasn’t sure of her reaction. ‘I’m thinking of the baby and what harm you could cause her throwing yourself down like that. Once she’s born she’ll be more vulnerable if you’re holding her.’

She’d presume he cared, and wasn’t about to tell her she was incompetent to be his daughter’s mother. She also got that he was only concerned about the baby. Fair enough. That’s how she was supposed to want it. A timely reminder that she was still on her own. ‘I saw the shrink in Darwin when I first got there, and was told I did not have PTSD, or if I did it was very mild.’ Despite the annoyance winding up tight inside her, she conceded, ‘But a second time after eight months is concerning.’

‘Maybe you need to talk to someone again. Another opinion won’t hurt.’

Did that count when it came to her ability to be a good mother? ‘I’ll look into it.’

‘I know a good guy. We were in the army together one tour. I’ll give him a ring tomorrow, get you an appointment.’

Forget annoyed. Anger burst out of her mouth. ‘Stop bossing me around. I’ll make my own arrangements, thank you very much.’ She seethed. ‘Who do you think you are? Telling me what to do, who to see, where to shop? It’s got to stop. Now. I was perfectly capable of looking after myself before I met you. Nothing’s changed.’ She was yelling, but seriously? The guy needed a bash over the head.

‘No problem. Just thought I could help, take some of the strain away from you.’

What strain? Babies were delivered every day and no one suffered badly. A yawn ripped through her. She was exhausted, and Cooper wasn’t helping by adding pressure to her already mounting worries. But he was here, had given her a place to stay, and helped organise furniture delivery. Tears spilled down her cheeks. What a mess she was. At sixes and sevens over everything. Another yawn dragged at her. A tired mess.

Yet the moment she walked inside Cooper’s house the tension plaguing her instantly fell away.

Yes, this house was a haven. A home. The kind of place she’d love to come back to at the end of a busy day, or stay put in on days her baby was grizzly.

Her hands splayed across her belly. This had to stop. It was imperative she move into her own place—fast. Turn the apartment into something as comforting as Cooper’s home, without him there. Of course she’d delayed. She didn’t know where to start, how to create a home that she and baby would be safe and secure in. She’d never known that for herself. Growing up, home had been the place where she’d slept and eaten and done her homework and listened to her parents arguing. Her bedroom the sanctuary she’d hidden in when the arguing had escalated into a full-scale war. Not once had she ever walked in the front door and sighed with contentment. As she did here. Talk about being in big trouble.

‘Sophie? Are you all right? You’re not having pains, are you?’ Cooper hovered over her, anxiety replacing the cool demeanour he’d shown since they’d talked about her supposed PTSD.

‘I’m fine. No pains.’ Just a crazy revelation that she had to deal with. She was not staying here permanently. Like to or not, she had to move on, set up her own life. Just as she’d planned since learning she was pregnant.

So get on with it.

‘You’d tell me?’ The anxiety hung between them.

‘Yes.’ Locking eyes with Cooper, she said with all the force she could muster, ‘I will let you know the moment I think I’m in labour.’ She couldn’t keep him out of the picture on that score. When she’d gone into meltdown over the lack of movement from the baby Cooper had given her strength when she’d needed someone to cling to. She couldn’t push him away over this.

‘Good.’ He tossed his car keys up in the air, snatched them and repeated the action. ‘So tomorrow we’ll find you a suitable car.’ He wasn’t easily diverted.

Something she’d be wise to remember. ‘I’ll do that in the morning.’ While he was at the hospital.

He shook his head. ‘Uh-uh. I’ll do some research on the net while you tell me why you want an SUV instead of a car.’

‘You can stop looking so smug. It doesn’t suit you,’ she growled, trying hard not to smile at him. He’d won and yet she couldn’t find it in her to be cross. Not really. He had a way about him that made her feel more and more at ease. When he wasn’t reminding her that there were lots more problems to add to her list than she had to tick off. Lawyers, a midwife, and now a psychologist had to be dealt with.

In the meantime, Cooper merely laughed and booted up his laptop.

* * *

‘Three more ticks on my list,’ Sophie sighed late the next afternoon. Things were starting to come together nicely. ‘I like my new midwife. She’s so enthusiastic.’ When Cooper’s eyebrows rose, she added, ‘And professional, and competent.’

‘What else is on that list?’ Cooper asked as he drove through the rush-hour traffic in Newmarket on their way home from a car dealer. ‘Apart from a vehicle, which it looks like we’ve got sorted now.’

‘Dinner. Can we swing by the supermarket? I feel like pasta tonight.’

‘What’s with all this pasta? Seems you’re always eating it. You’re not of Italian extraction, are you?’

‘Irish. Except I’m not fussed about spuds.’ She smacked her lips, her stomach sitting up in anticipation. ‘Can’t go past the sauces that go with linguine, and then there’s ravioli and the delicious fillings.’

‘You been to Italy?’

Nodding, she explained, ‘I spent four months there after completing my internship in London. I didn’t want to leave.’ Not only was the food divine, the men were just as mouth-watering. Though not as delectable as the man in the driver’s seat beside her. Only the car’s seat? Or was he driving her life now? He definitely played havoc with her focus, which should be entirely on preparing for the baby, not on kisses. Hot kisses that swamped her mind with memories of his body against her, diverting pictures that had her longing for more.

‘Why didn’t you stay on in Italy?’

‘I couldn’t get a work permit so I returned home and saved up for the next adventure, which was in Chile.’

‘We’re not going to eat Chilean food, then?’

‘They eat a lot of potatoes. But having said that, I did enjoy most things. Lots of seafood and meat. Pastel do chocio was my all-time favourite, sort of like a shepherd’s pie. Haven’t seen that in the supermarkets here.’

Cooper turned into the supermarket parking building. ‘You might have to go back to Chile for that. From things you’ve said, it sounds as though you’ve done a lot of travelling. You got a thing against staying at home?’

More like a thing about staying still. ‘My travelling days are on hold for a few years.’

‘I suppose they are. But that’s not what I asked.’

As a diversion she’d missed the gate. ‘Travel’s exciting and opens your eyes to so much more than we’ve grown up with here.’ And it had kept her from spending time wondering if she’d ever be able to settle down in one place for long. Every time she thought about finding a place of her own she’d think about how uncomfortable her parents’ home had been and known she’d had no idea how to make hers any different. Except that had bitten her on the backside this year. Settling down was her current goal.

As they walked inside Cooper mused, ‘I haven’t seen much of the world. Only the out-of-the-way and often inhospitable places the army sent me to.’

Sophie shivered. ‘I’m over those. Not going back to dangerous areas again.’

‘Cuts out quite a lot of the world at the moment. Hideous.’ Cooper swung a shopping basket between them.

‘There are definitely places to stay away from. I can’t believe some of the things going on at the moment.’ She paused, listening hard. Had she heard a cry? But nothing untoward reached her. Must’ve been imagining it. Snapping off a plastic bag, she began selecting tomatoes. ‘Need some mushrooms too.’

‘I’ll get them.’

There it was again. A low cry, almost a groan. ‘Something’s not right.’ Dropping the tomatoes in the basket, she headed for the next aisle.

‘What have you heard?’ Cooper was right with her, the empty mushroom bag still in his hand.

‘Like someone’s in pain.’ She stared down the next aisle. Nothing out of the ordinary. Was her imagination overacting? No. There it was again. ‘Hear that?’ She headed for the next aisle and raced down it. Sitting the floor was a heavily pregnant girl, her face contorted with pain. Sophie reached for her hand. ‘Hi. My name’s Sophie. I’m a doctor. What’s happening?’

‘I think my baby’s coming.’ The young face scrunched up tight as a contraction gripped her.

The cry of pain that accompanied it cut through Sophie. ‘Breathe deep, go with the pain, don’t fight it.’ She tried to remember everything she’d heard in antenatal classes in Darwin.

‘Easy for you to say,’ grunted the girl.

Cooper knelt on the other side of the distressed girl. ‘Has anyone called an ambulance?’ he asked the gathering onlookers.

‘Yes,’ replied an older woman dressed in the store’s uniform. ‘Just now.’

‘Good. What’s your name?’ he asked the girl, adding, ‘I’m Cooper, another doctor.’

‘Melanie. It’s coming,’ she cried as another contraction caught her.

She might be right, Sophie conceded. Those contractions were very close. ‘We need to examine her,’ she said quietly so only Cooper heard. ‘But it’s hardly ideal here.’

‘Not a lot of choice.’ He stood up. ‘Can you all give us a bit of privacy? Carry on with your shopping and leave us to help this girl.’

‘I want some tinned corn for my fritters,’ a woman said. ‘If you can just step out of my way.’

Cooper sounded calm, too calm. ‘Do you have to have it today?’

‘It’s my son’s favourite dinner.’

‘Make him something else,’ Cooper snapped, no long holding onto his temper. ‘This young lady’s situation is more important.’

Sophie held onto a smile and concentrated on talking to Melanie. ‘How far along are you?’

‘Thirty-six weeks.’

Too early. Thirty-seven was considered safe. ‘Cooper, we might need the paediatric ambulance.’

‘Onto it.’

Sophie turned back to Melanie. ‘Has your pregnancy been normal so far?’

She nodded. ‘Blood pressure fine. No diabetes. Not even Braxton Hicks pains.’

Better than me, then.

‘Have you called your...’ Sophie paused to glance at Melanie’s left hand ‘...partner?’

‘He’s busy.’

Really? Too busy to be here for Melanie and his baby? ‘Want Cooper to talk to him?’

Melanie’s face shut down. ‘No.’

Something was definitely off key here, but it wasn’t her place to ask questions that were obviously awkward. Not wanting to upset the younger woman any more, Sophie changed the subject slightly. ‘Can I examine you?’

‘Not with those people gawping at me.’

‘Fair enough. Cooper?’

‘Onto it.’ Striding up to the nearest person still standing watching the fun, he said in a very firm tone, ‘Move, sunshine. Out of this aisle. Now. And the rest of you. Where is the store manager?’

‘Coming,’ called a young man, scurrying towards them.

‘Clear this lot out of here right now.’ Did he just add under his breath, ‘The guy’s still wet behind the ears’?

Sophie felt her smile widen. Almost immediately they had the aisle to themselves. Cooper on the rampage was something to admire. His tone brooked no argument, like he was on the parade ground again.

‘How’s that?’ she asked Melanie. ‘We’re alone.’

A contraction rippled through the girl and she didn’t, or couldn’t, hold back a scream.

Sophie reached for her nearest hand and held on. ‘Breathe, in one, two, three, out one, two, three. And before you say anything, I’m pregnant too.’

Melanie’s eyes popped open. ‘So you know what this is like.’

Ah. Caught. ‘No. My first time.’ She squeezed Melanie’s hand. ‘Sorry. I’ll shut up with the advice.’

‘Do you want your baby?’

‘Absolutely. Don’t you?’

‘No. Yes. I’m not ready.’ Tears oozed slowly from the corners of Melanie’s eyes. ‘It’s not fair.’

Sophie knew all about that, but it seemed she’d come to terms with her deal better than this young woman. ‘I’d like to check what’s going on. We’re on our own now.’ Where was that ambulance?

Cooper placed himself between them and the end of the aisle while Sophie took a discreet look. Melanie wasn’t wrong. ‘Your baby’s very nearly here.’

‘So I’m going to have him in the supermarket.’ Her expression was wry. ‘Guess that goes with everything else that’s gone wrong.’

The rising and falling sound of an approaching siren reached them. ‘You might get lucky and have the baby in the ambulance.’

Even before she’d finished saying that Melanie bent over her stomach, snatching for Sophie’s hand as pain hit her.

Sophie used her free hand to rub Melanie’s back. ‘You’re doing great.’

‘So are you,’ Cooper said from behind her. ‘Like the pro you are.’

Warmth stole through her. ‘Thanks.’ Then she shook her head. ‘Watch this space. It’ll be very different when it’s my turn.’

‘I’ll be there to rub your back. And hold your hand.’

She nodded. ‘Yeah, you will be.’ Decision made. She wouldn’t go back on it. She’d need someone there and while a girlfriend had volunteered she knew it had to be Cooper with her. For the baby. And for him. He needed to be a part of the birth. It was his daughter she’d be bringing into the world and she wanted to be able to tell their child that Daddy had been there when she’d arrived.

A paramedic squatted down beside them. ‘Hi, there. I’ve been told there’s a baby in a hurry to make an appearance.’

‘A big hurry,’ Sophie told him. ‘The baby’s nearly here.’

‘You’re a doctor?’

She nodded. ‘We’ve got minutes, so I don’t know if you want to remove Melanie to the privacy of your ambulance or carry on here.’ She had to hand over. It was how the system worked. But she could stick with Melanie. ‘You want to try and make it out to the ambulance? There’s a stretcher ready.’

‘Ambulance,’ Melanie grunted as she sucked in a breath and squeezed Sophie’s hand. ‘If there’s time.’

There wasn’t. Melanie’s baby rushed into the world seconds later. The paramedic was instantly busy clearing the wee boy’s air passage and checking his reflexes.

When the baby cried Melanie smiled and held her arms out. ‘Can I hold him?’

Sophie let go the breath she’d been holding. This girl did want her baby. Whatever the situation she was facing, her baby was welcome despite her earlier denial. ‘The paramedics need to take care of him for now. Let’s get you onto that stretcher and shifted to the ambulance. You both need to go to hospital.’

‘Will you come with me?’ Melanie locked her eyes on Sophie. ‘Please,’ she begged. ‘I don’t want to be on my own.’

‘Is there anyone I can call?’

The girl’s head moved slowly from side to side. ‘No. My parents have disowned me, and the baby’s father doesn’t want a bar of him.’

‘Of course I’ll come with you.’ How could she not? Raising her eyes to Cooper, she was relieved to see his approval beaming out at her. When did she need Cooper’s approval for anything? Worse, why did it feel so good? Just something else to worry about in the middle of the night.

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