Playboy Doctor to Doting Dad (12 page)

‘You want to go and get something before relieving Robyn?’

‘On my way.’ Abby snagged the note from his fingers and smiled at Kieran. ‘You’ve got the right instincts when it comes to children. You know that?’

‘Not a clue, but with you enlightening me all the time I’m sure I’ll catch on eventually.’

Cheeky so-and-so. His smile warmed her to her toes, and she nearly whistled as she hurried to the café, all thoughts of Joey’s situation momentarily on hold. Once again her mind returned to Kieran’s kiss. A toe-tingling, spine-bending kiss that had blanked her mind and teased her body.

Idiot. She grinned to herself as she bagged a chocolate cake in the café. Idiot, idiot. She was supposed to be keeping Kieran at arm’s length. But it was getting harder by the minute to ignore the effect he had on her. She felt more alive than she had in years. Perhaps she should just enjoy Kieran, have some fun, and make the most of whatever happened between them. The problem with that brainwave would be how to get over him when he left again. But her grin stretched further. She couldn’t even get over last night’s kiss.

Dale Carlisle, Joey’s mother, and the social worker arrived simultaneously, the mother causing pandemonium as she ranted and raved at the top of her voice about neighbours poking their noses where they shouldn’t. Kieran offered his office to the social worker but Dale refused to accompany her, insisting on staying with her son, then verbally abusing Abby when she tried to take Joey to Radiology.

Kieran intervened, standing between Abby and Joey’s
mother. ‘Dale, please don’t talk to my staff like that. We’re only looking after Joey.’

Abby appreciated the protection, although she didn’t need it. Having Kieran stand up for her felt good.

Dale sagged into the chair beside Joey’s bed and tipped her head back. The hood of her sweatshirt slid off her face, revealing bruises on her forehead and cheek. So Joey hadn’t been the only one to take a beating last night.

Abby shivered. It was impossible for her to imagine living with a thug. She knew she wouldn’t stand for it but, then, she hadn’t been ground down by a lifetime of beatings and bullying.

Kieran tried again. ‘Joey needs X-rays. Then he’s going to have a cast put on that arm before being admitted to the paediatric ward for a few days.’

‘You can’t keep him here. His dad’ll go ballistic. The kid’s coming home with me.’ Dale’s eyes flicked left and right, left and right, her agitation growing. ‘I want to take Joey home
now.
He’s not seeing no social worker.’

The little boy curled up tighter than ever on the bed, one small hand clutching at Abby’s uniform. Her heart squeezed for him. His gaze seemed fixed on a spot on the wall behind her, as though his mind had gone somewhere that didn’t include anyone in this room.

Kieran remained calm in the face of the woman’s tirade about hospitals and busybody social workers who didn’t have lives of their own so had to interfere in everyone else’s. But Abby could see his fingers tightening by his sides. He waited quietly until Dale stopped for air, and then said, ‘Listen to me. Nurse Brown is taking Joey to Radiology now.’

Abby swallowed her angst at the young mother. After all, Dale was a victim, too. ‘Dale, I’ll stay with Joey until the X-rays are taken. He’ll be fine with me, I promise.’

Dale muttered something under her breath as an orderly pushed the bed out of the cubicle, but she didn’t prevent them going.

When Abby returned from Radiology she looked around for Kieran.

‘He’s taken a five-minute break,’ Sally told her.

‘That’s not like him.’ Abby wondered where he’d gone. He never left his post.

At least the department was quiet so he’d chosen a good time to disappear. Had the Joey incident affected him more than he’d let on? She wasn’t going to find out standing here, so she’d make everyone a drink. ‘Coffee, anyone?’

Stirring mugs of coffee, she was so absorbed in wondering about Kieran that she didn’t hear him approaching until he said, ‘Is one of those for me?’

The teaspoon rattled against a mug. ‘Gees, you’re doing that creeping thing again.’ She turned, her breath catching in her throat. He was that close. If she just leaned forward a little, her lips would touch his. Like that. A soft touch. A loving kiss.

A loving kiss? She jerked away, turned back to the coffees. Reached for another mug to make one for Kieran. Anything to concentrate on other than the effect he had on her. Sugar spilled over the bench. She bit her lip. Hard.

Kieran reached for her hand, took the spoon and shovelled sugar into the mug while his other hand rested on her shoulder. If he couldn’t feel her trembling then he had to be dead.

‘I went down to the crèche,’ he murmured. ‘I needed to check on the children. Something inside me had to see them, touch them.’

Again she turned, only to find herself within the circle of his arms. ‘Because of Joey.’

‘I mightn’t think I’m any good at parenting but I’d never, ever hit my son. Or my niece. Or anyone’s child.’

She touched his lips, this time with her forefinger. ‘You’re not telling me anything I didn’t already know. But I’m glad you felt compelled to go see them. It shows you’re thinking like a parent.’

Kieran’s pager beeped before he had a chance to answer her. Disappointment warred with common sense. They were at work, and any moment now someone would come to see what had happened to the coffee. Abby sighed and picked up three of the mugs. ‘Want to grab the others?’

‘Sure. There’s a call for me from Radiology. Probably about Joey.’

At the nurses’ station, Abby pulled up a chair beside Kieran as he dialled the number on his pager.

‘Two fractures in Joey’s arm, but nothing else,’ Kieran informed her when he’d hung up.

‘Well, at least his head’s okay.’

Time to change the subject. Abby said to Kieran, ‘Did you bring togs with you from Dublin? Or do you have to go shopping before Saturday’s barbeque?’ She tamped down hard on the image of Kieran naked apart from swimming shorts.

‘Togs?’ His forehead creased in puzzlement.

‘Swimming gear. Shorts.’

‘Swimming? Me? I don’t think so.’

‘You can’t go to the beach with children and not get in the water.’ She grinned wickedly. ‘Plenty of surf shops in town where you’ll find something.’
Please don’t buy skimpy Speedos.
Her tongue flicked across her bottom lip. There’d be no accounting for her reaction if he did.

Kieran grinned back at her. ‘You’ve got a very expressive face.’

Then he headed toward a cubicle where an elderly lady was being admitted with chest pains, leaving her staring after him in amazement, her cheeks blazing. He couldn’t have read her mind. She crossed her fingers.

At the curtain Kieran turned and winked at her. Obviously he had. Picking up their mugs, she went to rinse them, determined her face would have stopped glowing by the time she got back.

‘U
NCLE KIERAN,
why’s it called Rabbit Island?’ Olivia bounced around his legs, her face and body liberally smothered in sunscreen lotion. Her cute yellow swimsuit accentuated her black hair and blue eyes. So like her mother. His eyes switched to Seamus. Again the dark hair and blue eyes. His heart lurched.

So like his dad.

‘Uncle Kieran, are you listening?’ She sounded just like her aunt.

He crouched down on his haunches. ‘Yes, Princess, I am. Now, about this island that’s not really an island. I’m sure it’s called that because there are lots of rabbits here.’

Olivia spun around. ‘I can’t see them.’

‘They’re hiding in their burrows, away from little girls who’d want to pat them.’

‘What’s a burrow?’

‘A rabbit’s house. They dig holes in the ground to race down when there’s danger about.’

Olivia’s eyes widened. ‘Show me.’

A sweet chuckle caught his attention, stirred his blood. Abby knelt on a blanket spread on the sand, plastering sunscreen on Seamus. ‘You’ll have to find one now.’

Dressed in cut-off denim shorts and a bright red singlet top that barely covered her midriff, her hair swinging in a
short ponytail, she looked like a teenager. The compassionate face of the exceptional nurse he knew her for had been replaced by that of a carefree, happy mother. He felt a tug at his heartstrings. The sort of tug any attractive woman caused. Yeah, right. Abby wasn’t just any woman. She was beautiful, on the inside and outside.

Abby appeared so confident in everything she did, but he had seen that flicker of discomfort when he’d suggested dessert the other night. Did she believe she had to watch her weight? When her figure was superb? It didn’t make sense. Someone had to have made her think like that. Someone who had hurt her. Why would anyone want to hurt Abby? His teeth clenched. He’d like a moment with that person.

‘Ah, hello, Kieran?’ The woman in his mind waved at him. ‘We’re looking for a burrow, remember?’

‘Shouldn’t be too hard to find one close by. I’ve got reinforcements if I need them.’ He waved a hand at the staff members and their families sprawled over this area of the park, resting after an energetic game of cricket followed by an enormous barbeque lunch. He shook his head at how easily Abby distracted him.

Seamus pushed Abby’s hand away and struggled to his feet. With arms outstretched, he stumbled towards Kieran. ‘Raabb.’ His foot tripped over a stick and he plonked down on his bottom. ‘Raabb.’ He put his hands down to push himself back on his feet.

A piercing shriek filled the air. Kieran jumped. ‘Seamus?’ He reached for the boy, caught him up just as Abby got there. Immediately Kieran handed Seamus to her, but she shook her head.

‘Hold him still while I check him over.’

‘Abby.’ Panic rose in his throat. What had happened? One moment Seamus was fine, the next screaming his lungs out. Why? ‘I’m the doctor. You’re his mother. Take him and I’ll
look him over.’ How was he supposed to sooth a screaming little boy? How did he calm his son? ‘Abby, take him.’

‘You’re doing fine. Just hold on.’ She gave him a tight smile.

Was that supposed to reassure him? ‘Thanks a bunch.’

‘I think he’s had a bee sting.’ Abby took one arm, carefully searched the skin, turned his hand over, checked his palm.

‘A bee sting? Has he had one before? Is he allergic?’ Anaphylactic shock could kill Seamus, he was so tiny. Kieran stared around at his colleagues and shouted, ‘Have we got a first-aid kit with us?’

‘I’ll get it from my car.’ Pete bounded away, a slightly bemused look on his face.

Kieran glared after him. Didn’t the idiot understand what could go wrong here? Seamus tensed in his arms. Kieran dropped his gaze to his son. Seamus’s face scrunched up as he sucked air for another scream. His eyes registered fury more than anything. His feet pushed hard into Kieran’s abdomen, giving him leverage to stretch his body.

Kieran’s heart thumped. His boy was hurting, and Abby wouldn’t let him do anything about it. ‘Abby,’ he ground out. ‘Hold Seamus. I’ll look for the sting. He’ll calm down a lot quicker with you holding him.’ Seamus was never going to calm down for him.

By now a circle of staff had gathered around them, all offering helpful advice. How much advice did anyone need to find a bee sting? Pete returned with the kit.

‘Found it. Hold him still,’ Abby muttered.

Damn it, he was trying but who would’ve known how strong the little guy was?

Abby raised her head. ‘There, the sting’s out. All better, sweetheart.’ And she plonked a kiss on Seamus’s cheek. ‘Now we’ll put some cream on to take away the itch.’

I could do with one of those kisses. I deserve one, too.
Kieran held Seamus out to her. ‘I’ll do that.’

But Abby took the tube of cream Pete handed her and quickly smeared the red spot on Seamus’s hand with a good dollop. ‘No need. All done.’ And after another kiss on her son’s cheek, she looked directly at Kieran. ‘Just jiggle him up and down, give him a few kisses, and he’ll be right in no time.’

‘But I can’t.’ She’d turned away. ‘Abby.’

Abby looked over her shoulder. ‘Yeah, you can. You’ve been brilliant so far.’ She lowered her voice so that no one else would hear her. ‘For the record you just acted like a parent and not a doctor.’ She winked at him. Then, damn it, she walked away.

He stared after her. A parent? Him? No, she’d got it wrong. He was a doctor. What was she doing to him? Seamus twisted in his arms and Kieran peered down at him. Soothing a child was definitely not his territory.

Seamus was hiccuping. Taking great gulps of air and building up to another shriek. Kieran felt a weird lurch in the region of his heart again. ‘Hey, little man. Take it easy.’

Kieran jiggled his bundle as Abby had suggested, made soothing noises, and began walking around. ‘Come on, my boy. We can do this. We’ll show your mum we can put smiles back on our faces.’

Doing exactly what she’d intended.
Kieran knew that. Knew he was jerking on the end of her string. But, hey, what else could he do? Charge after her and shove Seamus into her arms, crying and distressed? No way. He’d prove he could manage.

Just as she wanted. Cunning woman, he’d give her that. Then he stopped, looked down at his son gurgling and waving his hands around.
Hell. I’ve done it. Quieted the boy. Made him smile again.
Warm love, pure and simple, spread through
Kieran and he sank to the ground, staring into the young eyes watching him. He glanced around and his eyes clashed with Abby’s. Triumph glinted back at him.

Abby clapped and did a jig on the spot. She’d forced Kieran to look out for Seamus as a father, not as the doctor he automatically reverted to. And it had worked out perfectly. Another step towards being a parent achieved. The proud look on his face was worth the uncertainty she’d seen moments earlier, and which had had her wondering if she’d done the right thing. She had. End of story.

A deep laugh had Abby turning her head.

‘I saw that, Miss Clever Clogs.’ Kieran stood beside her, so close she could smell the soap on his skin, see the flecks of black in his blue eyes. His mouth was mere inches away. She yearned to lean closer to kiss those lips. What was it about Kieran’s mouth that made her act out of character? Those lips sent heat flaring along her veins and scorched her heart. Her cheeks flamed. She scrambled backwards.