Bedmates Soulmates

Him Of All People

He appeared in front of her like a dream.

His offer, if she was clear-headed enough to think it through, was too good to be true.

But a drowning man would clutch at any straw.

Her father would receive the best care money could buy.

All she had to do was become Mrs McCarthy.

Kira was ready to sign before he finished talking

Austyn was not an easy man to live with, and there were times his domineering ways drove her up the

wall.

But the price was well worth it.

Kira popped by the hospital every day.

Each time she saw her father's peaceful, though gaunt, face, she thanked her lucky stars that Austyn.

Kira's finger hovered over the phone screen.

Austyn's name was the first on her contact list.

Should she call him?

Could she ask him to come to the hospital?

He didn't have to do anything.

His presence alone was enough to galvanise the doctors into action.

They would bend over backwards to save her father.

But...

she met

'He won't come, will he?' she said to herself. "He's always so busy with work. This is not something he would concern himself with." Besides, she was in no position to make demands on his time.

Her father

was Austyn's father-in-law, in name only.

Kira didn't want to risk calling him and then getting hung up on.

No expectations, no disappointments.

Just thinking about Austyn spurning her plea gave her a lump in her throat.

'I don't think I can handle that."

Kira put her phone back in her pocket.

Twenty minutes later, Kira jumped out of the taxi before it stopped completely.

Keep the change!' che yelled without looking back.

The elevator was agonisingly slow on the way up.

Kira shot out of it and dashed towards Dr Morrison's office, almost colliding with him as the doctor

24

happened to be coming out.

'Dr Morrison, my father..." she panted.

'He's fine. Don't worry.' The avuncular neurologist patted her arm gently.

Phew.

Kira almost collapsed from the flood of sudden relief sweeping over her.

Her legs were shaking..

'Come, take a seat.' Dr Morrison led her to a bench in the corridor. The doctors are running some tests on your father right now. I'll send a nurse for you when they're done." 'Okay.' Kira nodded.

"I'll be back in a minute. Don't worry, it'll be all right."

"Thank you, Doctor."

Kira sank onto the chair, spent.

Her heart was still in her mouth.

What kind of tests were they running on her father?

Did his condition deteriorate?

Kira wanted to stand up and pace, but her legs wouldn't allow her.

Please don't let anything happen to him, she prayed silently..

He was all she had in this world.

If he was taken away from her, Kira wasn't sure she would want to continue living.

Her mother abandoned her and her father for another man.

And Gideon...

Kira ignored the crushing pain that had become familiar every time she thought of her first love.

It felt like they would be together forever.

But he left her as well.

Every person close to her had cast her aside.

Kira buried her face in her knees.

She was suddenly painfully aware of how powerless she was.

Her father's life was held in the fickle finger of fate, and there was nothing she could do,

Suddenly, Kira felt a warm hand on her shoulder.

*Are you okay?' A deep voice resonated above her.

Kira's head snapped up.

She blinked when she saw the man standing in front of her.

He wore a nonchalant smile, which went with his rakish, debonair look.

But his eyes were full of concern.

'Are you crying? Liam asked solicitously, looking at her red-rimmed eyes. 'What's wrong?"

"Wh...what are you doing here?" Kira murmured.

He, of all people, appeared when she desperately needed company.

Liam tapped a finger against his thigh. To redress the wound. I was walking past the corridor when I spotted you. What are the odds, huh?" Kira nodded.

What were the odds, indeed.

His

cheery demeanour brought a smile to her lips.

He was like a ray of sunshine breaking through the storm clouds which threatened to engulf her.

Kira never expected he would be the one to reach out to her when she was feeling all alone.

"Sit down, please.' She pointed to his leg. 'How are you doing?"

He was stabbed by the mugger because he was trying to help her.

Liam didn't miss the apologetic look on her face.

He smiled, 'Much better now."

'That's good."

You haven't answered my question-why were you crying?

137

Kira stared at the floor. 'My dad's in the hospital. Doctors are running tests on him. I don't know what's going to happen to him. I was just...overwhelmed."

'Did the doctors tell you what's wrong with him?"

'No. They're still in there.' She glanced to her father's ward. They asked me to wait."

'Okay, then let's wait.'

Liam leaned against the whitewashed wall and stretched out his long legs, looking completely at ease. Kira turned back to look at him, incredulous. 'You're staying here? To wait with me? "Sure, why not?' He flashed another smile at her. 'My business here is done. And you look like you could use some company."

'But don't...don't you have other things to do? Kira stammered. "You run a business. I don't want to keep you from anything." Liam gave her a charming grin. 'You're worth it.'

Kira's heart skipped a beat.

Liam watched, with satisfaction, a touch of red slowly creeping onto her cheeks.

She was a woman, after all.

Alone and vulnerable.

How could she not be flattered by the attention from a man, especially a man like himself?

It was a small step from gratitude to fondness.

Liam was a veteran at this strategy.

Before either of them had a chance to say anything. Dr Morrison came out of the ward.

Ham of Al People

'Doctor. Kira sprang up from her seat.

"You father's fine. Nothing serious."

Her nerves, taut as the strings of a bow, suddenly relaxed.

Her legs turned to jelly.

Before she fell, Liam quickly reached out and pulled her into his arms.

Her back was pressed against his chest.

The top of her head reached just under his chin.

Liam couldn't help taking a sniff of her hair.

na

She smelled like...peonies.

Fresh, bright, and lovely.novelbin

Furtively, he inhaled again.

Kira didn't notice.

Her eyes were on the neurologist. 'Dr Morrison, could you please tell me what's going on?"

Spin to Claim Your Surprise Reward!