sold my flat. What you really mean is that you donât want a woman with an opinion.â
â An opinion?â He laughed. âYouâve got so many opinions, honey, that talking to you is like negotiating an obstacle course.â
âOh, for goodnessâ sake.â She frowned in irritation. âItâll be a treat for you to hang around with someone who isnât a bimbo for a while. If you get really lucky I might talk to you from time to time about something other than facials and pedicures. And donât call me honey. Itâs completely demeaning and it winds me up.â
âThatâs why I do it.â He smiled smugly and strolled past her towards the kitchen. âAll right, this once Iâll cook for you. But donât get used to it. If weâre going to live together, youâll have to contribute. If you like, you can wash my socks.â
âShame the camera isnât running,â Anna said tartly. âI would have liked my response to that suggestion recorded for the nationâs entertainment. And talking of cameras, if youâre seriously going to stay and try and make this thing work, we need to talk.â
âMore ground rules?â
âJust a few observations about the way things are going to be. Iâll dump these journals in my room and Iâll meet you in the kitchen. We can go through a few things.â
âWill you be wearing black leather and carrying a whip? I love it when youâre dominating.â He unzipped the neck of his wet suit and Anna felt her breath catch and something slow and dangerous un-curl low in her pelvis.
Damn. Immediately she turned on her heel and strode out of the room, cursing her female hormones.
How could you react to a man that you didnât even like?
She of all people, who was so much more interested in the human mind than the human body.
She dumped the magazines on the bed with an impatient sigh. Unfortunately for her, Sam had an incredible body. And he knew it. But fortunately for her, she didnât like the man. So she was safe.
She sucked in a breath, gathered her thoughts back on track and mentally sketched out a few plans for how they could work together most efficiently. How they could work together with minimum contact.
When she marched into the kitchen fifteen minutes later she was armed with a notepad and determination not to let him unsettle her otherwise perfectly ordered life.
Despite the fact that sheâd been quick, heâd already showered and changed and was dressed in a pair of cut-off jeans and a T-shirt which clung lovingly to the muscles of his broad shoulders. He was standing at the granite work surface, chopping vegetables with the speed and skill of a surgeon. For a moment she stood still, fascinated by those long, strong fingers and his sure touch.
Then she pulled herself together, dropped onto the nearest kitchen chair and blew a strand of hair out of her eyes. âItâs hot.â
âYeahâstuffy. Good night for skinny-dipping.â
Anna sighed. âWill you ever grow up?â
âIf growing up means coming down here with a notepad and an official expression then I sincerely hope not.â He tossed slices of spring onion and ginger into a wok and waited while they sizzled. âOK, Captain Riggs. Letâs have it. Outline the plan of attack.â
Just being in the same room as him made her temper sizzle.
âYou can mock all you like.â Her hair fell forward, brushing the table. âBut how do you think weâre ever going to work together and deliver a reasonable standard of care for our patients if we donât do some planning?â
He added chicken to the wok. âDo you plan with Dad?â
âWeâd have meetings, yes.â She tapped her pen on the pad. âBut he and I have worked together for a long time. We know each other.â
Sam lowered the heat. âWe know each other, too,
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