Was it his imagination or had she sounded a little disappointed if he decided not to come and help with the grape picking? She did make a valid point, though. Networking in a less formal atmosphere would help him to build relationships with his new colleagues. Donna was a partner in the medical practice and it sounded as though several of the staff from both hospitals would be there. Ethan knew the importance of networking and reluctantly admitted CJ had been right to suggest he attend.
When he glanced over at her, it was to discover she was asleep. Her head was at a slight angle but they weren’t too far from her house. He drove a little more carefully, ensuring he didn’t take the corners too quickly.
‘We’re here,’ he announced after he’d stopped the car in her driveway. He gently placed a hand on her shoulder to wake her but he couldn’t. ‘CJ?’ Nothing. ‘Claudia-Jean?’ Still nothing. She was out for the count. He climbed from the car and opened the door to the house with the keys she’d given him yesterday. There was no way he could let her sleep in such an uncomfortable position because it wouldn’t do her or the baby any good.
Ethan slowly and carefully helped her from the car but still she didn’t wake up completely. He placed an arm about her shoulders to help, but when she sagged against him, he did the only thing possible—he swung her into his arms.
She was surprisingly light, and placed a lethargic arm about his neck before snuggling in. ‘You smell nice,’ she murmured sleepily.
He carried her through her part of the house and into her room, placing her on top of the bed. There, she pulled off the sunglasses and scarf before snuggling into the pillows. ‘Thank you.’ The words were hardly audible but he appreciated them all the same.
He stood there, watching her sleep. She still looked about eighteen years old and he smiled to himself. Her hair had come loose from one of the pigtails and was half over her face. Ethan reached out and smoothed it back behind her ear, then jerked his hand away as though unsure why he’d even performed the action. What was wrong with him?
She was beautiful, no doubt about that. There was something different about her...something unique that was drawing him in, making him want to spend time with her. Relaxing. That was it. He found being in her presence very relaxing and once again, as he breathed in, he was able to fill his lungs. It felt good...and at the same time confusing. Why was it he found her so compelling?
He raked a hand through his hair, exhaling slowly. She liked vintage cars, she liked driving in them, she liked chatting with people and being a part of a community. He could see some similarities. When restoring a car, you needed to take your time, to choose wisely. Was that how CJ lived her life? Taking her time to make long and lasting friendships? If today was any indication, he would say that was a resounding ‘yes’. Did he?
As soon as the thought came, Ethan pushed it away. He had a life—a life in Sydney that he would return to in six months’ time. He would be cleared to go back to work and that would be that. He had close relationships with his sister, his brother and his parents...at least, he used to have a close relationship with them. The past six years had blurred from one day to the next and on each of those days, work had been his only constant.
‘Make new friendships,’ both Leo and Melody had told him. ‘Take your time with things. Live in the moment. Try new experiences.’ Wasn’t that what he was doing? What he’d done today? What he was planning to do tomorrow? He could feel the world of CJ Nicholls starting to envelop him and he wasn’t sure whether it was good or bad.
‘Hmm... Ethan.’ The word was whispered from CJ’s lips as she sighed and shifted slightly on the pillows.
His eyes widened at the sound. Why was she moaning his name in such a way? And why did he like it so much? He riffled his fingers through his hair again and forced himself to leave her room...immediately.
This woman was dangerous. She was making him feel things he didn’t want to, and it was starting to get to him.
CHAPTER FOUR
ETHAN HEARD CJ wake during the night but he stayed in his room. There was no way he was going through a repeat of the previous early morning rendezvous when CJ had made him smile, had made him relax his guard. He was still trying to understand his reaction to his new colleague, still trying to figure out whether he should move out of her home or...
‘Or what?’ He whispered the words into the quiet room, lacing his fingers behind his head as he stared at the ceiling. ‘Stay around and help her when she has the baby?’ It wasn’t as though she didn’t have a lot of help being proffered from her friends and colleagues. Everyone he’d met since arriving in the district seemed to accept CJ’s unborn child as part of their family. In the beginning it had confused him a little but he had to admit it was definite testament to CJ’s easy-going personality. She was both respected and loved by the people of this little town. In fact, he’d never seen such loyalty before.
‘That’s because you locked yourself away. Your heart and your emotions.’ He sat up, swinging his legs over the
