Mario handed the pen and memo back, his signature scrawled across the bottom. ‘There you go.’

As her secretary scuttled away Alex damped down the sudden fear brought on by her own stupid insecurities and rounded on Mr Forelli to demand some answers. The words dried on her tongue when her eyes clashed with his.

‘Averill wasn’t going over your head to get me to sign that. It was a letter from me to the board about my tenure.’ When she again tried to speak he held his hand up. ‘We’ll talk as soon as we get our patients sorted. Okay?’

‘Oh, fine, thanks.’ What was she thanking him for? Flustered she looked away. If she went home and started her day again would it get any better? Another glance in his direction didn’t clear anything up. Instead his open face and friendly eyes beguiled her. And his practical approach undermined her concerns, told her she had nothing to worry about.

‘One hour.’ He waved at her as he headed down the ward. ‘Hopefully.’

Did she mention how he stole her breath away?

Kay stopped on her way past and joined her in watching Forelli’s progress down the ward. ‘Delectable, don’t you think?’

‘No, I don’t.’ He’s the most beautiful man I’ve ever met. Just standing in front of him makes me feel tiny and delicate.

‘You’re the only woman on the ward to think so. He’s charmed every female within miles.’ Kay chuckled. ‘He’s got the staff falling over one another to help him out.’

Why am I not surprised? Those smiles alone would get him anything he wanted. But not from her. No, she was here to work, not play. Disappointment flared. Playing with Mr Forelli after hours might be fun, exciting even. ‘How long’s he been working here?’

When her head nurse didn’t answer Alex turned around to see Kay quickly disappearing behind the nurses’ station, her gaze intent on the file in her hand. Right. Alex followed, wondering how she could wait a whole hour to learn more about Mr Forelli.

Suddenly it dawned on her she was letting everything get out of control. She still hadn’t caught up on the patients. Mr Forelli’s presence had knocked her sideways. Since when did she let these things faze her? Come on. You worry too much. There were bound to be some changes made during your absence. Hospitals don’t stand still.

Little more than one hour back on the ward and she was shattered. And she’d thought touring was hard work.

‘Welcome home, Alex,’ she muttered. Would anyone notice if she walked away, grabbed a flight to anywhere and buried her head in the clouds for another day? Probably not if what she’d seen of Mr Forelli was anything to go by. He was definitely in charge—of her department.

‘SO THAT’S THE wonderful Miss Prendergast.’ Mario’s hands clenched and unclenched at his sides. Imperious despite being as confused as all be it. Did she honestly think the whole ward had been waiting, going nowhere, achieving nothing, until she returned to the helm?

She hadn’t exactly rushed him with her enthusiasm at his presence. What she had done was disturb him deep inside where he hid his emotions. Right now that pool of feelings was swirling, putting him on high alert. If she could do this to him in such a short time she was dangerous to his equilibrium. Very dangerous. He needed to exercise caution. But how when just being near all that loveliness tied up in a mouth-watering package made him feel drunk. She was a neat package that reminded him of what he’d been missing out on for nearly a year, and what he did not have the time for now—a sex life.

His teeth ground hard as he cursed under his breath. He really enjoyed this job, but today it was shaping up to be a pain in the butt. Or a tickle in his hormone department.

Worse, like an ungainly teen, he’d struggled to stop ogling at her exquisite features: high cheekbones, pert nose, flawless skin. Not to mention that gleaming auburn hair locked up in a knot so tight not one strand could escape. ‘She’s so tiny. Yet her reputation is huge.’ A powerhouse on heels.

As he continued to study her it dawned on him that he’d been expecting an Amazon woman to match the stories he’d heard about her—a demanding, punishing doctor who expected unsurpassed devotion towards the patients from each and every member of her staff, who accepted nothing but the finest care and treatment for every child entering this ward, and would do whatever it took to get it. Including, so he’d been told, reading stories to wee tots at all hours of the night and day. So he had that much in common with her. He’d also heard she cared a lot for her staff.

Those amazing green eyes, filled with angry questions, had sizzled at him, bursting with frustration because she didn’t know what was going on in her domain. Never mind she’d been away a third of the year. Admittedly he fully understood her feelings. He’d be the same in a similar situation. Scema.

He’d expected it. Even in Italy he’d heard of Alexandra Prendergast and her groundbreaking theories on dealing with premature infants. He’d read the paper she’d written and had been keen to meet her, to work with her. Who hadn’t?

Why hadn’t she taken up a grand position in a large hospital overseas? Mistakes in her past? Something had rattled her in Tommy’s room. There’d been a fear lurking in her eyes until the boy’s heart restarted. Whatever caused it had tugged at his heartstrings, had made him want to wrap her up in a hug and protect her. As if she’d let him even try. As if he had time for another female, another broken soul, to look out for.

Because right now his focus had to be totally on Sophia. Which left no room in his life for anything, anyone, else. Sophia ruled everything including his heart. Getting his wee daughter’s life back on track, making her happy and, hopefully, finally winning spontaneous smiles from her sweet cupid’s mouth was paramount. Everything else was on hold for as long as it took and beyond.

He shrugged. Enough conjecturing. His first move would be to explain his presence without going into any personal details. Was it too much to hope she wouldn’t notice the six-month gap in his CV? The CV the board’s chairman insisted he show Alexandra, even though the job was his. Maybe he could forestall too many questions by talking about the reason for Liz’s abrupt departure from the department.

Sighing, Mario finally managed to stop staring and instead called to her. ‘Do you want to join me when I talk to Carla Jenkins?’

Her eyes lightened and that tautness in her shoulders relaxed. ‘Yes. I should meet her.’

Just then a distressed woman in her thirties burst out of the lift and shot straight towards him, tears streaming down her cheeks. ‘Mario, what’s happened? Is Tommy all right?’ Carla rushed at him. ‘Kay told me to come in immediately. What’s wrong?’

Mario looked into Carla’s imploring eyes and had one of those moments when he hated his job. He understood her fears. Really understood them. He’d be absolutely terrified if Sophia’s heart had stopped. ‘Tommy’s fine now but his heart stopped for a while.’ He paused to let his words sink in. When Carla’s eyes widened and her bottom lip trembled, he pressed her shoulder gently, and repeated, ‘He’s all right now.’

‘I have to see him.’ Fear and despair laced Carla’s voice. ‘I shouldn’t have moved here, but it was so hard dealing with this on my own after everything else.’

‘Tommy’s no worse off being here. His heart would’ve stopped if he’d been in Auckland.’ Taking Carla’s elbow Mario gently led her into a visitors’ room. ‘The nurses are staying with him and you can see him once I’ve explained what happened.’

Alexandra followed and shut the door firmly. Then she reiterated his first statement. ‘Tommy’s heart is beating fine now.’

‘Who are you? Why did it stop? Are you sure he’s all right?’ Carla stopped the torrent of words and swallowed hard. Tears gleamed at the corners of her eyes as she stared at the door as though wishing Tommy would walk through and hug her. Her fingers were tightly interlaced against her stomach, her elbows taut and awkward at her sides. ‘Sorry. I freaked when Kay phoned.’