Tempted by Dr. Daisy by Catherine Anderson Page A

Bears three times.’
    â€˜Oh, Ben, you have to learn to say no.’
    â€˜No, I don’t. I have to make her happy and bond with her, so she feels secure with me. We spent too much timeapart before I moved up here, and I’ve got ground to make up. Anyway, reading to her isn’t exactly a hardship.’
    She nodded, then as he was leaving she said carefully, ‘So, are you planning on sleeping here this weekend?’
    â€˜Yes, if that’s all right, otherwise I won’t be here when she wakes up, so she’ll disturb you and that’s not fair.’ And he’d miss that lovely morning snuggle. ‘I can’t have her at the house for ages, but if it’s a problem I can maybe sort something out.’
    â€˜No, it’s not a problem. I was just wondering—if you’re going to be staying over anyway, do you mind if I’m not here on Saturday night? Well, from Saturday morning to Sunday evening, really.’
    There was definitely something different about her. She looked—what? Happier? He shrugged. Why should he mind? It was easier than feeling guilty about ruining her life, and he resisted the urge to ask where she was going. It was none of his business, unless it affected Florence—and it didn’t. ‘That’s fine. Do whatever. I might bring some washing over to do, if it’s OK?’
    â€˜Of course it is—you pay the bills, Ben. And I might have got a job lined up, by the way, which should make things easier. It’s not certain yet, but—who knows?’
    She smiled, and he realised she did look happy—maybe because of the job, or maybe not. And he also realised he’d never really seen her look this happy before.
    What a sad indictment of their marriage. No wonder it had failed so spectacularly.
    â€˜Well, I hope it works out for you,’ he said, fishing for his keys in his pocket. ‘Right, I’m off, I’ll see you on Friday.’
    He drove home, his heart aching at leaving his little daughter behind. He hated not being part of her everyday routine—not sharing her bathtime and bedtime, her breakfast, taking her to nursery, not being there to cuddle her when she woke in the night.
    Just not being there for her.
    Still, he’d have the weekend alone with her, or most of it, and they’d be able to stay at the house and just chill out together. Maybe he’d buy her a swing and put it up in the garden—or maybe he’d do that at his own house in a few weeks’ time, once it was a bit more sorted. Then she’d have a proper home with him here, too, with toys and things, and maybe she’d be a bit more settled.
    He pulled up outside, cut the engine and stared longingly at Daisy’s house.
    The lights were on, and he was so tempted. He hesitated by his front door, debated stepping over the silly little fence and going to see her, and crushed the urge. He couldn’t keep going round there. It was self-indulgent and intrusive, not to mention downright dangerous. He was drawn to her like a moth to a flame, and the last thing he needed was another woman on the rebound.
    And he needed to find something more mentally involving to do at work than have Daisy assist him in Theatre. It gave him too much time to think about her while he operated on auto-pilot.
    He’d let her lead tomorrow. He’d have to teach her, then, and there were some interesting cases on his gynae list.
    And maybe it would keep his mind a little more firmly on the job and off his obsessive preoccupation with his registrar…

CHAPTER FOUR
    I T WAS odd not seeing him after work on Wednesday. Wednesdays were his night for Florence, he said, and he’d be back late.
    She didn’t miss him. Of course she didn’t! She’d only just met him, so how could the house feel empty if he wasn’t there? She was just bored, and catching up with the washing—never her favourite task but she needed her