Chapter One

Print this Page

It took her twelve minutes to do her makeup.

It looked like it must have taken hours, but Aiden knew that it took her only twelve
because, on his morning commute, he noticed her.

On a surgical rotation at Princess Catherine Hospital, Aiden's hours were not regular but,
if he was on an early shift, he made sure that he caught the 7:02 train. For close to six
months now he had enjoyed watching her, invariably running to the platform, coat open,
scarf trailing, coffee in hand, just making the train and sitting breathless for a couple of
moments, before she'd delve in her handbag and start to skillfully apply her makeup.

He knew that she did her mascara only when the train was in a station. He knew she was
stunning and that her long blonde hair would be neatly tied back by 7:10 and Aiden also
knew that he preferred her without makeup more than with.

There were three things different about her this freezing Monday morning though.

Firstly, she was making no attempt to do her face.

Instead she sat with her coat open, revealing her immaculate grey suit, staring into space,
her very pretty face void of makeup and, if anything, rather strained.

Secondly, on her ring finger there was a very sparkly engagement ring that, without real
reason, given that they'd never spoken a single word to the other, brought a curious sense
of disappointment to Aiden.

His colleague, Jed, had been teasing him and had told Aiden to finally do something
about the mystery woman on the train.

Aiden was glad that he hadn't now because, given she was clearly seeing someone, he'd
have just made a fool of himself.

The third thing that was different though was that, unlike other mornings, where they
occasionally made eye contact and either looked away and pretended they hadn't or
would give the other a brief smile, although lately, a less than brief smile, this morning
she was completely lost in her own world.

Aiden glanced up from the news he was reading on his phone and saw that her blue eyes
were filling with tears. She scrabbled in her handbag and came up with a serviette and
loudly blew her nose.
Yes, it was very different this morning because she was seriously starting to cry. Aiden
could almost feel her absolute sense of horror and panic as she started to break down in a
very public place.

He pretended not to notice of course.

Just as everyone on the train did.

The train stopped at a station, where it generally paused for a while. There were three
more stops to go before she usually got off but Aiden watched as she hitched up her
handbag and fled from the train. She stood on the platform taking deep breaths and then,
giving into her tears, slumped against the wall and cried.

It was none of his business.

Had the train not still sat idling Aiden might just have carried on to work but he couldn't
simply sit there and watch her cry.

Aiden got off.

Chapter Two
Print this Page

Helen jumped as a hand came down on her shoulder and a deep voice asked if she was
okay.

She turned and saw that the delicious stranger who made her morning commute just a
little bit nicer had actually got off the train to check on her, when she knew that this
wasn't his stop.

'Go,' she said, 'the train might leave'

'There'll be another one,' he said. 'Actually, given we're talking British Rail, we might
even have time for breakfast'

He made her laugh amidst the tears that she was desperately trying to stop, and stop they
briefly did as she became more aware of his hand that was still on her shoulder. Their
eyes met again, only this time with contact between them.

God but he was even better looking close up, Helen thought.

He was not her usual typehe was a bit scruffy and unshaven and his black hair could do
with a cut but his eyes, on closer inspection, weren't green, more hazel and they were
seriously kind.
What was her type? Helen wondered and then remembered she had just got engagedoh
that's right, she wasn't allowed to do that anymore.

She'd said yes to a man who, of late, she had found out really wasn't her type at all.

'I'm Aiden,' he said and watched as she struggled to make conversation and wondered
then if she'd prefer if he left.

'I see you some mornings' Helen gulped.

'Not for much longer, I finish work next week, I'm heading overseas in the New Year'
Still they looked at each other and he saw the flicker of disappointment in her eyes. Much
the same as he had felt when he had seen her ring. 'Is there anything I can do to help?'
Aiden didn't have tissues but he had his own supply of take-away napkins in his coat
pocket and offered her one, which she took.

'Not really,' Helen let out a breath. 'No.'

Only she could get herself out of the situation she had found herself in.

Helen just didn't know how.

The train hissed into life and it was either get back on or wait for the next one.

'Better?' Aiden checked because she seemed a bit calmer.

'Better,' Helen said. 'Though the whole carriage is staring at me.'

'Who cares?' Aiden said.

Not she, Helen thought. Who cared about people who could only be bothered to gawk but
would look away the second she returned? Aiden had actually had the kindness to get out.

'Thanks,' Helen said. 'I'm fine now.'

They walked back to the train together and when Helen sat down she wondered if Aiden
might sit with her.

Aiden would have liked to but there was a ring on her finger and if there was one thing
Aiden loathed it was cheating. He had no intention of resuming the little smiles and
glances they had shared, especially in the last couple of weeks.

As the train moved out of the station he got back to the news on his phone, trying to tell
himself that it didn't matter.

He still didn't know her name.

Chapter Three
Print this Page

Helen let herself into the Hunter Clinic at 200 Harley Street and turned on the lights and
started to set up, wishing that today, of all days, wasn't the one where she couldn't wear
makeup.

'Good morning!'

She heard Leo Hunter's smooth call before he came into the treatment room where she
was checking the autoclave and he gave a slightly wide-eyed look when he saw her red
and swollen eyes.

'Remind me to never wake up next to you in the morning!' Leo said. 'I'd be terribly
disappointed.'

Helen actually smiled.

Leo was teasing her about her swollen eyes, not the fact that she wasn't wearing makeup.
He teased her all the time but he was never nasty. It never hurt, it never made her clench
in a place just a little higher than her stomach, as it did when Edward teased.

Leo was very handsome and he made sure to use his good looks to his advantage. The
only reason that Helen had survived as Head Nurse at the exclusive cosmetic surgery
clinic was that they didn't fancy each other even a little bit, instead enjoying a laugh as
well as the occasional row.

Helen just wasn't up to laughing this morning, especially when Leo glanced to the
engagement ring on her finger.

'Are you allergic to diamonds?' Leo asked. 'Is that why your eyes have been streaming?'

'I don't want to talk about it, Leo.'

'Fine,' Leo said, 'but I suggest that you take that rock off your finger and put it in the safe
in my office or you're going to have everyone congratulating you and wondering why the
hell you've been crying when you've just got engaged.'

She did just that.

'Right,' Leo smiled. 'Time to inject some fun into your day.'

Or rather, Botox and fillers.

Each year he gave his staff the option of having a free procedure, for themselves or a
family member.

Helen took her seat in the patient's chair in his office and Leo gave her a very nice smile.

'Tell me what you want again,' Leo said, handing her the mirror to hold and Helen looked
at her reflection.

Edward had said she should perhaps do something with her lips for his Christmas work
do that was coming up at the weekend, and perhaps a little bit of filler in her cheeks.
Then he'd said how he'd never really noticed her frown lines before, but now that he'd
seen them.

She was sick of this. What had happened to the old Helen who would have laughed in his
face had he spoken to her like that?

It was time to get the old Helen back.

'Nothing,' Helen said, putting the mirror down. 'I don't want anything done.'

'Good,' Leo smiled, 'because you were about to get The Lecture.'

She'd heard Leo give the What The Hell For lecture more than a few times. Yes, they
were a very exclusive cosmetic surgery practice but they were also very ethical and
unless the doctors here were absolutely certain that the patient themselves wanted a
vanity procedure there was no way they would perform it.

Helen left Leo's office, grateful for the very busy day ahead. But she had a slightly sick
feeling when she returned to his safe at the end of the day to put her ring back on.

'I'm confused,' Leo said, watching her replace the ring.

'Leave it.'

'Only I thought you were about to dump Edward and maybe even do something about
Train Man.'

'He's called Aiden,' Helen said.

'And?'

'That's all I know,' Helen said. 'Oh, and he's heading overseas in the New Year.'

'Progress!' Leo smiled and wished her goodnight as she headed out to the cold outside.

Progress.
Helen knew that she needed to make some.

It was time to tell Edward the terrible mistake she had made in saying yes.

hapter Four
Print this Page

'You have no idea how lucky you are' Edward said to the anaesthetized patient who lay
on the operating table. Aiden's jaw gritted as Edward continued talking, because he knew
what was coming next, 'that I'm the surgeon operating this morning.'

At first Aiden had considered him brilliant.

Now he considered him a brilliant surgeon and an absolute arrogant prick of a man.
Aiden was in no doubt that Edward would tell the patient's kidney that it was lucky he
was the operating surgeon this morning whilst he removed it, too.

Over the last six months he'd heard it all many times.

'Good weekend?' Edward asked Aiden as the operation commenced.

'I did. Not such a good morning, though,' Aiden glanced over to Jed the anesthetist. 'She's
just got'

'I had a good weekend too,' Edward interrupted. 'Helen said yes.'

There was a murmur of congratulations around the theatre.

'Of course she did,' Jed said and he caught Aiden's eye and, behind their masks, both
tongues were in cheek, as the real meaning of Jed's words flew over Edward's swollen
head. 'Did you have any doubt that she would?'

'Not really.' Edward answered, 'It was my parents' wedding anniversary so all the family
were gathered together. I was giving a speech and I just worked the proposal in really
well. I said that seeing how well my parents' marriage had worked had got me to thinking
and then I pulled out the ring.'

'She couldn't really say no, then.' Aiden wasn't as subtle as Jed and for a brief second he
and Edward's eyes met but, like all bullies when confronted, Edward chose not to press.

Aiden was past caring.

Two weeks and he would be out of here, two more weeks and he'd never have to listen to
that ego speaking out loud again.
Aiden's dig had been noticed by Jed, too. 'You've only got a fortnight left,' Jed warned
him in the changing rooms at the end of a very long day operating, 'don't lose your
temper with him now.'

'It's hard not to.'

'Tell me about it,' Jed said. 'At least you'll be off to your orphanage soon, I'll still be
sitting here on a Monday morning listening to that prick. Hey' Jed happily changed the
subject. 'About your morningno luck with her, then?'

'She just got engaged.'

The two men looked at each other and both frowned.

'It can't be her,' Jed said. 'I mean, how many people in London would have got engaged
this weekend?'

'She was crying,' Aiden said and they both grinned but then quickly pretended that they
were talking about the football when Edward came in to change.

'Congratulations, again,' Jed said. 'I don't think I've met Helen.'

'You shall on Saturday,' Edward said. 'At the Christmas do.'

'Does she work here?' Jed pressed and Aiden smothered a smile as his colleague went
fishing for more information about Edward's fiance.

'No, she works in Harley Street, at a cosmetic clinic. Though she brings patients here now
and then, when something goes wrong and it's up to me to fix their botched work.'

'Is she a doctor, as well?' Jed checked.

'A nurse,' Edward interrupted. 'Still, as I said to Helen, we can't all be perfect.'

Edward walked out of the changing room and Aiden let out a breath.

Whether Helen was the woman on the train or someone else, Aiden could very cheerfully
have hit Edward for her.

Chapter Five
Print this Page

Aiden was running late on Friday and so he missed his regular train, which wasn't just
annoying because it meant that he'd get in late for work but because he hadn't seen her
since Monday.
She's engaged, Aiden reminded himself, not that he'd been able to forget it.

Anyway he was going overseas, so nothing could ever come of it.

Aiden wasn't really into one-night stands and he didn't have that many nights left in
England anyway.

For once he didn't read the news on his phone and looked out at the dark morning trying
not to think about the Christmas do that he was expected to attend tomorrow. Instead, he
thought about the hot African sun and finally keeping that promise he'd made to himself
and to his aunt.

As the train pulled into her station Aiden saw her. He knew she had seen him too because
she gave a slight start as she stepped into their usual carriage and saw him there. Aiden
frowned just a little at her reaction to him. Clearly she hadn't been in a rush this morning
because all her makeup was on.

Had she been avoiding him?

Possibly.

She might be embarrassed about her tears, Aiden guessed.

He glanced at her finger as she took her seat.

The engagement ring was still on.

Maybe she'd been crying about something else other than getting engaged that morning.

What the hell did it have to do with him anyway?

He caught her eye and she gave him a tentative smile. In return, he gave her a very brief
one and then, very deliberately, Aiden pulled out his phone and didn't glance up even
once.

No way was he flirting.

Aiden was so engrossed in his phone that Helen managed a slightly closer look than she
usually managed. He wasn't so much scruffy, more that he clearly hadn't spent ages in the
mirror preening.

She wondered what he'd look like fresh shaven.

Wondered more than perhaps she should about him.

Yes, she'd been avoiding him but, given that the last couple of days had been particularly
hellish, she'd also been late for work a couple of times. Now though, having seen him,
she wanted to thank him for his kindness on Monday. Perhaps even explain a little what
was going on.

Not that he could possibly be interested, but then he'd been thoughtful enough to get off
the train.

How was it possible to fancy someone, to be so curious about someone you knew
absolutely nothing about?

Look up, Helen thought, but he didn't.

Perhaps he felt her eyes on him, or perhaps he was just checking what stop they were
nearing, but as the train started to slow he looked up, straight into her eyes, and it was
now or neverHelen wanted to get to know him some more.

Helen gave him a smile, not a brief one this time, more of a friendly one. A smile she
hoped might encourage conversation the next time they met.

A smile that, as she looked into his eyes, changed from friendly to inviting.

He didn't RSVP.

She received a frown and then her face turned to fire as his eyes moved down to her ring
finger and then he got back to his phone.

I'm not really engaged, she wanted to tell him as she lifted her bag and went to stand.

Why the hell had she agreed to keep up the charade for Edward until after Christmas?

Aiden would be long gone by then.

Helen didn't even get his usual smile when the train stopped and she missed that.

All the rest of the way to work she missed it.

Chapter Six
Print this Page

'Helen?' Leo asked as she opened the safe to put her ring in. 'Can I ask a stupid question?'

'No.'

'Are you wearing the ring everywhere else but here?'

'Leo'

'I'm just bemused,' Leo said. Helen turned around and couldn't help smiling because, for
once, Leo actually looked it. 'Shouldn't you have thrown it back at him by now?'

'I tried.'

'It's really not that hard' Leo said.

'What isn't?' Declan, Leo's second-in-command, entered the office.

'Saying no,' Leo continued. 'Do you know how to do it, Declan?'

'Actually I don't,' Declan said and then grinned. 'She was amazing, though.'

'We're talking about saying no to things that you don't want, not about what happened last
night.'

'I have no trouble saying no then,' Declan shrugged.

'Helen?' Leo said and she turned to face him. 'Would you like to come out for dinner with
me tonight.'

'No.

'I'm serious,' Leo smiled. 'I've always had a bit of a thing for you.'

'No thank you, Leo.'

'See, it's easy.'

'Helen,' Declan said, taking the opportunity to tease Leo. 'Would you like to come out
tonight with me'

'Maybe,' Helen smiled.

'Oi,' Leo said and then looked at Declan. 'Out.' When the door closed, for a moment
Helen's eyes did too, before she took a seat and finally told Leo what had happened this
week.

'I told Edward on Monday night that we were over and he didn't take it very well.' A
shaking hand went up to her lips as she recalled the blistering, caustic row that had
ensued when, for perhaps the first time in his life, Edward didn't get his own way. 'He
wants to keep the engagement going till after Christmas.' She tried not to notice Leo's
incredulous expression. 'I didn't just agree to keep things going for Edward's sakemy
family will be upset that I've ended it too!'
'So?'

Leo was right, Helen knew that. She went along with her family's wishes for her far more
than she should. In fact, much to her parents' horror, she had intended to take a year off to
go travelling, but instead she had listened to their advice and taken the job at the Hunter
Clinic. Not long after that, she had met Edward.

'We're hardly going to be seeing each other,' Helen said, trying to defend her decision.
'I've agreed to go to his work do with him this weekend and then there are a few family
things to attend, then, after Christmas, we're going to say to our families that it didn't
work out, that Edward didn't think I should work full-time and'

'Hold on,' Leo said. 'So you go to his work do and he gets to dump you? God, I'd love to
meet this guy! I know I'm no angel, I'm a bastard in fact, but at least I tell women up
front.'

'Have you told Flora?' Helen asked because his latest beauty was getting terribly keen and
starting to pop in and out the clinic all the time. 'She seems to think that she's going
skiing with you.'

'We're discussing your issues not mine,' Leo said. But then he sighed, 'You're right, Flora
is becoming an issue but I'm going to sort that out'

'Good!' Helen stood, effectively ending the discussion although she could see that Leo
was still concerned. 'I really can do this, Leo,' Helen said. 'I feel I ought to, not just
because I said yes to his proposal when I should have said no, but because I suggested
that people bring a gift for the Lighthouse or to make a donation.'

Leo rolled his eyes. The Lighthouse was a Children's Hospital and Helen was always
organizing such things, frequently passing on his old surgical equipment to overseas
charities or similar hospitals in-need. 'You and your bloody charities.'

'You and your lack of yours,' Helen confronted him.

'We do some charitable work,' Leo said but he knew it could be more. 'I told you, I'm
trying to get Ethan on board. Unlike me, my brother has a social conscience.' He looked
over to Helen. 'Can I help make the next couple of weeks a bit easier on you?'

'I don't see how.'

'You're not sleeping with him are you?'

'Leo!' Helen snapped, and then shrugged. 'Of course not.'

'And it's going to stay that way?' Leo said, a small smile playing on his lips, and Helen
knew he was up to something.
'Believe me, Leo, after the row we had, I will have no trouble saying no to that. No
trouble at all.'

'Good,' Leo said, opening his drawer. 'You can have your Christmas present early.'

Leo was a generous boss.

An extremely generous boss!

'A spa day!' Helen blinked as she opened the envelope. It wasn't just a spa day, it was at
one of the most exclusive spas in London. Not only had he paid for massages and other
luxurious treats, but also organized for her to get her hair and makeup done. 'Leo, this is
far too much!'

'I didn't know what else to get you and you didn't want Botox. Flora goes there and they
do something, I'm not sure what, but she comes outwell, it's a bit like a car wash, you
come out all shiny and sexy.' That wicked smile was back. 'Let's make Edward see what
he's missing out on this Saturday.'

Helen didn't really approve of Leo's way of thinking, but then she rarely approved of his
morals. Still, the thought of getting the knots of tension out of her neck, the thought of
simply relaxing before facing the horrible night ahead, was just too good to pass up.

'I'll never get in for tomorrow.'

'I'll make the booking for you. Helen, you're not just going to look fantastic for that work
do on Saturday night, you're going to feel it,' Leo smiled. 'Who knows, you might even
enjoy yourself!

Chapter Seven
Print this Page

Leo was surely pushing things if he thought she might enjoy herself tonight but certainly
a day at the spa had worked its magic.

Helen didn't think she'd ever had a better haircut and her skin was glowing, not just from
the fantastic makeup but more from a day of being pampered and perhaps knowing that
the end of the charade with Edward was in sight.

Helen headed to the kitchen and poured a glass of water, attempting to calm her nerves.

She could tick today off soon, Helen reminded herself, looking at the calendar on her
fridge.
Helen looked at the exclamation marks on December 31st, the date she could officially
declare herself free.

It seemed ages away.

She was going to have to seriously think if she could keep it up over Christmas.

Why should she? Helen thought, topping up her lipstick and pausing to smile.

The old Helen was coming back!

Her dress was silver and Edward would no doubt tell her that she was showing off too
much cleavage but, what the hell, Helen thought, strapping killer heels onto newly pretty
feet.

It wasn't exactly a fun drive to the Christmas do with Edward. Yes, apparently she was
showing far too much cleavage for the soon-to-be wife of a consultant! But instead of
reminding Edward that she wasn't ever going to be his wife, Helen took a big breath and
walked in with him.

She'd agreed to this and she would play her part but she just wanted the night to be over
and done with as soon as possible.

So did Aiden.

A night at the boss's table did not appeal to him in the least, especially as Edward had
been particularly poisonous all week.

He hadn't forgotten the woman on the train, but Aiden had almost forgotten that she
might just be Edwards's fiance

Until now!

She was laughing as she placed her gift for the Lighthouse Hospital under the tree and
then Edward introduced her to someone.

She looked fantastic.

Confident.

Happy.

Until she saw Aiden!

Helen's acting wasn't that good. She actually froze when she saw Aiden standing there in
a suit, practically scowling at her. If they had been on the train she might have pressed the
emergency bell, or at the very least jumped out at the next station.

Although this time, it would just be for air

It was suddenly very hot.

Sell-out, Aiden thought.

He was being unusually savage but surely she couldn't be with Edward for any other
reason except his money and title.

A very, very sexy sell-out though, Aiden thought, gritting his teeth as he caught the scent
of Helen's perfume as the introductions began.

'This is Jed and his wife' Edward started.

'Annabelle,' said Jeds wife.

'Of course,' Edward nodded and then gestured to Aiden. 'This is my senior house officer.'

'Aiden,' Aiden said and shook her manicured hand. 'You must be Helen.'

Even Helen's hand was blushing but Aiden's was very cool as he briefly shook hers.

He was annoyed but he knew he had no right to be, given that until the other day, they'd
never even spoken to one another.

But they had flirted.

Just a bit, but obviously enough to have her guilty face on fire. What the hell was she
doing flirting with him when she was seeing someone?

It was a very hot button of Aiden's.

'It's her, isn't it?' Jed asked under his breath to Aiden a moment or so later as Edward and
Helen made their way to their seats.

Aiden said nothing but Jed started to laugh.

'To think I wasn't looking forward to tonight. Annabelle' he turned to his wife, 'I can't
wait to get you home!'

'Jed' Aiden started.

'It's okay,' Jed beamed. 'I won't tell her here, Anabelle's not as discreet as I am, are you
darling? Aiden you'd better get over to the table. Guess who you're sitting next to'

'How would you even know who I'm sitting with?'

'Well, just in case we were right,' Jed said, 'I decided to have a little play with the seating
arrangements. My Christmas present to you,' Jed laughed and then walked off with his
wife as Aiden made his way to his seat.

His seat next to Helen.

Joy!

Chapter Eight
Print this Page

Aiden Danaher.

Hopefully there were two Aidens at their table, Helen hoped desperately. But no, he made
his way over and sat down right next to her.

'No date?' Edward said to Aiden as he took his seat.

'Destiny already had plans for tonight,' Aiden said and Edward frowned, confused by why
Aiden was smiling at his response.

Helen understood though.

She wanted to turn to him and smile and roll her eyes at the impossible situation that they
had found themselves in. Helen could actually feel him next to her. She was sitting next
to the sexiest man in the room, only it wasn't his ring that she was wearing.

When Edward turned to speak with his registrar Aiden made reference to the train.

'Side-to-side for once,' Aiden said.

'Well, face-to-face gets boring after a while, it's nice to spice it up' Immediately Helen
regretted her response, not just the words but the provocative, teasing note to her lips. It
had happened so naturally, yet with Edward she did everything she could to avoid teasing
or provoking him.

This was different. This was flirting, and it had come from her base but Aiden looked less
than impressed.
'I'm sorry, I' She didn't get to finish. Aiden just turned and spoke with the woman on
his left.

It was excruciating.

So much so that when Helen dropped her knife, she had to eat her starter with only a fork
because she was too terrified to retrieve it from under Aiden's chair.

'If you ask the waitress she'll bring you another,' Aiden said but Helen just reached for her
wine.

'Careful darling,' Edward said and Helen frowned.

Was that Edward's game, she thought, taking a sip of her drink. Would he tell everyone he
dumped her because she had a drinking problem? She was tempted to stab him in the leg
with her fork but instead she breathed her way through the rest of the meal, although she
could feel the heat from Aiden's thigh next to her as if there was a plug-in radiator
beneath the table, calling her hands to warm.

Aiden wasn't faring much better.

He had never been more attracted to anyone.

Physically attracted.

The fact she was engaged, and especially to that creep, should be enough to put him off.
The fact there had been more than a few shared glances and smiles on the train, so much
so that he had been working his way up to asking her out, should serve a warning to his
aching, tumescent cock that wanted to play footsies beneath the table, to feel her skin
against his and stirred every time her head turned and he caught her scent.

Just the speeches to get through now, Aiden thought, and then he was out of here.

It didn't help that Edward was the first to speak.

Aiden pointedly signaled for his glass to be refilled as Helen fiddled with the stem of hers
but now that Edward was gone she nodded for champagne.

'Careful darling,' Aiden smirked.

She looked over to where Edward was speaking and tried to pay attention as a good
fiance should, but it was terribly hard to pay attention when her nipples could emit
signals to mars, there was a warm throb between her legs and cool champagne on her
tongue.
'Maybe I don't want to be careful.' She meant Edward, her parents, the many, many
opportunities she had wasted by always doing the right thing.

He took it as sex.

Maybe she meant that, too.

'That's some diamond,' Aiden said.

'Thank you.'

'It wasn't a compliment.'

Helen turned and met his eyes properly for the first time that night. So this is what he
looked like clean-shaven, she thought, her eyes roaming his face and then flicking back to
meet his cool gaze.

'Look,' Helen licked her lips. 'I don't know what your issue with me is but I'm'

'You don't know?'

'No.'

'For the first time I actually feel a bit sorry for your fianc.'

'Why?'

His response was as brutal as it was direct.

'I can't abide cheats.'

Chapter Nine
Print this Page

There was no chance of continuing the conversation, Edward was making his way back
and, after struggling to listen to the rest of the speeches, Helen excused herself.

'Don't be long.' Edward said as if she wasn't doing him a massive favour just by being
here.

'I need some air,' Helen said, 'and I'll be as long as it takes.'

She needed some cool water on her wrists first though. A part of Helen didn't understand
why Aiden was so angry with her but as she looked up at the mirror and saw her glittering
eyes and pink cheeks and saw the pulse leaping in her neck she knew she must look like a
bitch on heat.

God! She actually laughed out loud and a couple of ladies washing their hands gave her a
strange look.

As she walked through the foyer Helen could hear that the dancing had started but it
wasn't the thought of dancing with Edward that had her stomach suddenly fluttering.
Aiden was walking towards her.

'I don't appreciate how you spoke to me back there,' Helen said.

'Would you like to discuss it outside?'

It was freezing outside but her bare arms and flaming cheeks were grateful for the cool.

'I've done nothing to merit your anger,' Helen flared.

'Perhaps,' Aiden shrugged. 'Still, I wonder how Mrs Edward will get her kicks? Maybe a
little flirting on the train'

'I didn't flirt on the train.'

'Oh, so it was just me, was it?' Aiden demanded and Helen simply couldn't deny it again.
'Look, sorry, Helen, I've completely misread you.' His face was close, just enough that
she could hardly breathe, because she was cold now and his mouth, his arms, his body,
looked terribly warm. 'You don't fancy me in the least?' Aiden asked.

'No.'

'So you don't want me to kiss you?'

'No,' she lied.

'You're not turned on?' Aiden checked.

'No!'

'You don't want me to take you to bed and'

'Stop!' Helen screwed her eyes closed but all she could see was them naked together.

'I doubt if you could.' Aiden said, running a finger down her cheek and then pulling it
away, 'Lucky I'm not your postman!'
Helen actually laughed. 'I'm not some raging.' God how could she explain that the eyes
she had been fervently trying not to make weren't for any available man?

Inexplicably, they were just for him.

'That morning, when I was crying' she opened her mouth and she remembered the
hopelessness she'd felt then and just how kind Aiden had been to get off and check she
was okay. 'He's your boss,' Helen said, because surely it was wrong to discuss this with
him, even though she wanted Aiden to know the real herand how the real Helen would
never cheat. 'It's not fair on Edward to'

'I won't breathe a word,' Aiden said. 'Ever, to anyone. Anyway, I finish on Friday.'

Somehow, she just knew she could trust him and so she took a deep breath, and then told
him the truth. 'I was crying because I knew that I should have said no when he asked me
to marry him.'

'Okay.'

'The proposal was a huge family affair, his parents, his brothers and sisters, even my
parents were there. I just didn't know what to do. Before that night I was actually about to
break up with him. He's changed so much, he didn't start out like this'

'They rarely do,' Aiden said. 'Are you going to tell him you've made a mistake?'

'I already have.'

'Oh.' His sympathetic look changed to one of admiration.

'He insisted that I came here tonight, I'd pushed for the charitable side to the evening
and'

'So this is a duty dance?'

'Very much so.' Helen said.

'So you're single, just not technically.'

'Yes.' Helen said. 'I'm going to get dumped over Christmas.'

'It's a shame that I won't be here to buy you a glass of champagne to celebrate.'

'It is,' Helen gave a pensive smile but then she forced a brighter one. 'I'd better get back in
there.' She put on a Texas accent. 'Sometimes you gotta dance with the one that brung ya.'

Aiden smiled at the saying, and it was his smile that did it, tipping her over the edge.
'Oh, and I lied before,' Helen called over her shoulder as she headed back inside. 'The
questions you asked beforeit was yes to everything.'

Chapter Ten
Print this Page

Helen was, by Monday, mortified at her own boldness.

So much so that again she deliberately missed her train.

And she missed it again on the Tuesday.

But by Wednesday she was desperate to see him yet, when she caught her usual train, he
wasn't there. It dawned on her that this might be it, that she might never see him again,
after all she knew he finished on Friday.

But on Thursday?

Helen saw him as the train pulled into the platform. She took her usual seat on the train
and started to do her makeup. When she glanced up in Aiden's direction he was openly
watching her, a smile on his face, which she returned and then returned to applying her
foundation, which practically evaporated on contact her cheeks were so red.

Next, she put on her eye shadow, which was unusually difficult because Helen could still
feel his eyes on her and, rather than avoiding them, she now wanted to meet Aiden's gaze.

At the station she added mascara and then went to put on her lipstick but she halted when
he said just one word.

'Why?'

Helen put the lid back on her lipstick. She knew he wasn't talking about how much
makeup she wore, rather how they both knew that any minute now he'd be kissing it off.

Still they sat staring at each other and then he glanced down at her ring.

She took it off and put it in the zip part of her bag.

'Do you want to spice things up and sit next to me?'

'I do.'

Helen joined him but still they resisted contact.

'Just keep staring ahead,' Aiden said, because if they turned, they both knew that would
be it and they'd be all over each other.

Between seats their fingers met and their feet and legs started to do what they had wanted
to on Saturday night.

They were playing footsies.

'Helen,' Aiden turned, 'look at me.'

'I can't,' Helen almost squeaked, 'It's okay for you, you'll be gone soonbut I have to get
this train every day.'

She had never been more turned on.

Morning sex had never looked so delicious.

How though?

They pulled into the next station, the one where the train idled, and Helen looked out to
the spot where he had stepped out to check if she was okay when she had broken down in
tears. So did Aiden.

At the very same second they both rose from their seats and almost ran off the train.

'They're all watching.'

'I don't care, I don't care,' Aiden said.

'Neither do I now.'

She was up against the wall and pinned by his mouth. He mustn't have shaved since
Saturday because his kiss was so rough, so hot that on this cold December morning,
watched by morning commuters, she simply wanted to strip.

Aiden held her down by the hips and she'd never been held down before, had never
needed to be held down, yet she was arching into him, feeling his straining erection,
forgetting to breathe as hungrily she kissed him back until she dragged her face from his.
'We're going to be bad aren't we?'

'Really bad,' Aiden said. 'Come on,' he took her hand and it was the second sprint of the
morning as they crossed the bridge to get the train homeward bound.

'Yours or mine?' Aiden asked.

'My stop's closer.' Helen answered.

That settled that then.

Chapter Eleven
Print this Page

It was simply irrelevant that the flat was untidy and freezing.

They burst through the door, lips locked as they shrugged their coats off but,
unfortunately for Helen, her skirt was too tight to wrap her legs around him.

Aiden soon solved that, hitching it up and she leapt onto his hips, her booted ankles
locking as they made their frantic way through the apartment.

'Condoms.' Aiden said. 'We should have stopped'

'Left' Helen said and they made it to a very cramped bathroom and he could have had
her there, except it was Aiden who slowed things down and lowered her to the floor.

'I've waited a long time for this,' Aiden said.

'And me.'

She led him to her bedroom as bold and as brave as that and when she went to turn to
face him he halted her.

Stay there.

He slipped her jacket over her shoulders and she let out a little shiver as it fell to the
floor, not because her bedroom was freezing but because his fingers were lifting her
blouse and she raised her arms. As Aiden removed it over her head she got the bliss of his
lips on her shoulder, as he slid the zipper down on her skirt then turned her to him as it
fell to the floor.

Surely she should feel awful, dressed only in a bra, tights and boots but she felt like she
was on the dance floor as he took her hand and she stepped out of her skirt.

'Your turn to freeze,' Helen said and she undid the buttons on his un-ironed shirt and she
would have persisted, would have taken more time, had it been at all possible, but she
was toppling back onto the bed by his hand.

Aiden removed her boots far more easily than she ever could and peeled off her tights
and panties in one go.

His eyes roamed her body as he hastily undressed and such was the approval in his eyes it
only served to warm her, to provoke her to remove her bra for him. Helen tried to sit up
just to get to where he stood over her, for his body did that, it had her ache for contact in
a way she never had before. So raw and basic was the passion it took a herculean effort
from Aiden to undo the condom, yet it was Helen who levered herself up enough for the
pleasure of holding him.

'Hurry,' Aiden said.

'No,' Helen said, giving his thick length two slow strokes, then three.

'Helen'

She could have come just from looking at it, watching the warning trickle and feeling him
swelling further in her hand.

He slapped her hand away, which made Helen laugh and she was still laughing as he
rolled down the condom and then she lay back as he dragged her body to the edge of the
bed and lifted her hips and seared inside her.

Who knew sex could be fun?

Chapter Twelve
Print this Page

He must be a runner.

She knew so little about him but he was so lithe, so fit and the stomach that was between
her legs was flat and toned and the arms that held her up were strong enough to do so
easily. He wasn't even breathless.

Helen was.

She was having great difficulty remembering to get air into her lungs and had to actually
remind herself to breathe a couple of times. She started to come, a real come, not a
pretend one this time! The abracadabra moan that usually, hopefully, signaled the end,
didn't work on Aiden. Thank God, Helen thought as she throbbed around him, her legs
tightening around his hips as he rode her through it and then toppled on to her.

'Aiden,' she said, trying to summon a request for a minute to get her breath but instead he
slowed the tempo down, delivering long, deep thrusts that should come with a cervical
warning.

'Aiden,' she said again, only it wasn't her breath she wanted this time, it was for the drawn
out tease to please never end. His feet were on the floor and his weight on his forearms
and his mouth delivered wet kisses and compliments that matched her emerging mood
sexy.
'You're beautiful,' Aiden said and finally she felt she was.

'You too,' Helen breathed, between kissing him back and not even trying to come up with
something else, because simply he was beautiful and more pointedly, she was in bed with
the truth. 'I've wanted you'

'And me'

Helen's body had never been more honest and there was no filter required between
thoughts and words. Her hands pushed at his chest in a contrary move, for the barrage of
sensations rippling through her were new and raw and beyond intense.

Aiden ignored her hand's brief protest and smothered her with his welcome weight. His
rapid thrusts returned and feeling the tension build in him tipped Helen into an orgasm so
intense that it demanded his release. Aiden delivered deeply and then slowly. Every last
thrust Helen savored until they ended as they had begun, a slightly shocked laugh coming
from Helen as she lay there beneath him.

'You looked like butter wouldn't melt in your mouth on the train.' Aiden said pulling out
and, lying on his side, properly looking at her. Waxed to the nth, toes painted, her skin
glowing with a light tan, his fingers traced her skin and then down to her intimate pink
lips with just the teeniest blond bush. 'I could go again, just looking at you.'

'Well, in the interest of full disclosure, I'm not usually so sex ready.' Helen admitted. 'My
boss sent me on a spa day on Saturday.'

'Thank him for me.' Aiden said.

'No way!' Helen laughed.

No way would Leo find out about this.

She'd never hear the end of it if he did!

Chapter Thirteen
Print this Page

'It's going to be really awkward on the train now,' Helen turned and smiled. 'Because you
won't be there anymore and they'll all think that you're avoiding me.'

'Sorry about that.'

Neither could stop smiling.

Helen just lay, never more comfortable in her own skin.

'Where abouts overseas are you going?'

'Africa,' Aiden said. 'My aunt is a nun'

'Your aunt is a nun?'

'If you knew my mother you'd know how unbelievable that is.' Aiden said. 'Anyway, she
wanted me to go there when I finished school for a year but when I got into study
medicine she suggested I do it later. I'd be more use to her apparently.'

'So you're going as a doctor?'

'No, I'm just going to help out for a year and yes, probably help out medically at times.'

'It sounds wonderful,' Helen sighed. 'I always wanted to take a year out and travel'

'Why didn't you?'

'Because I worry about other people's opinions way too much. My parents were against it,
so instead I used the money to buy this place' Helen looked up at the ceiling. 'My job
comes with a luxury flat but instead of living the high life in Marylebone I took the cash
option to get ahead on my mortgage.'

'That's very sensible.' Aiden nudged.

'I should have just rented this out' Helen said, 'I should have just gone overseas or at
least taken the luxury flat.'

'Then we would never have had this morning.' He looked over. 'Are your parents strict?'

'Not strict so much,' Helen said, 'you just know when they don't approve. What about
your parents?'

'The other way round,' Aiden said, 'I'm the one who's disapproving.' He saw her frown.
'It's affair central in my familynot that I was supposed to know, of course.'

'But you did?'

'How much makeup and perfume do you need to pop to the shops,' he shrugged, 'she had
an affair with my teacher once.' Aiden rolled his eyes. 'One of many.'

'Your dad?'

'Just as bad,' he said. 'Sorry about my postman dig, can you see where it was coming
from?'
'Yep.'

His phone buzzed. 'I'm going to have to go,' Aiden said.

'And me.'

He rose from the bed and gave her a lingering kiss. 'Your ex is going to give me hell for
being late.'

Aiden headed for the shower and Helen lay there, still trying to take this morning in. It
was the most impulsive thing she had ever done in her life.

Would she soon regret it?

She lay there daydreaming for far too long but then, glancing over to the clock,
remembered she had been on her way to work when insanity had struck and she reached
for her phone. 'Hi, Leo,' Helen said. 'Look, I'm sorry, there's a problem with the trains and
I'

'Hey, Helen, do you want to stop somewhere for breakfast?' Aiden called as he walked
back into the bedroom.

'Caught!' Leo said.

'God' Helen groaned but Leo didn't give her a chance to explain, not that she'd know
how to!

'Tell him that you won't be stopping for breakfast, your boss wants you here now.'

'Leo'

'Now!' Leo snapped and hung up.

As nice as Leo was, Helen was in no position to argue with him.

Chapter Fourteen
Print this Page

'Have I got you in trouble?' Aiden asked.

'A bit.' Helen grimaced. 'And no, as much as I'd love to, I won't be joining you for
breakfast, Leo wants me to go straight into work.'
Aiden's phone was buzzing again and, glancing down, he saw that it was Jed. No doubt to
ask, rather more nicely than Edward would, where the hell he was. The real world was
starting to invade, for both of them.

Aiden dressed as Helen took a quick shower and then he headed out to the kitchen to
make them two very quick coffees.

Only he had no idea how she took hers.

Presumably black because there wasn't any milk in her fridge.

There was so much about her that he didn't know and now there was no time to get to
know her either.

It was his last day at work tomorrow, his flights were booked for the New Year. Aiden
looked around the kitchen and at Helen's calendar hung on the fridge, it was incredibly
full, drinks with a Katie and Emily, Christmas shopping with Gus on Saturday and a
whole lot of exclamation marks lighting up December 31st.

It seemed terribly close all of a sudden.

Helen was trying to pull on her boots in the bedroom and wondering how she should play
this when she walked outside.

'That was lovely, thank you!' she mouthed to the mirror with a big smile, or, in a very
casual voice, should she say'would you like to get together for the twenty seven seconds I
can squeeze you in between now and the new year?'

She wasn't brave enough to say either.

'I forgot to get milk on the way home again,' Helen settled for, screwing up her face and
taking a gulp of black coffee. 'I'll get a drink on the way in.'

'My treat!' Aiden said.

'Oh, I'm a cheap date.'

It was all just a bit prickly and a touch awkward as they made their way to the station.

It wasn't coffee she drank, Aiden found out, but hot chocolate.

'You won't say' Helen started as they sat side-by-side on the train, but Aiden halted her
before she'd even finished.

'As if I'm going to say anything.'

'I know.'

'End it with him,' Aiden said and Helen nodded. 'If he wants to keep pretending the two
of you are together, then that's up to him.'

'I'm going to.'

'Good.'

'I wish I'd done something about this when I first started taking the train,' Aiden said.

'I remember the first time I saw you,' Helen admitted. 'You were asleep.'

'And you had sunburn on the top of your arms.'

Helen laughed. 'I did!'

'And the back of your neck.' Aiden smiled because he'd been so entranced he'd watched
her get off the train.

Aiden leant back in his seat, wondering why the hell he hadn't done something about it
sooner.

They could have had the end of summer, autumn too and then half of winter.

Perhaps that was why he hadn't made a move, somehow maybe he'd known that she
might make it terribly easy to change his plans.

'Thank you,' he turned towards Helen at the sound of her voice. 'This morning was
extremely unusual for me but very, very pleasant.'

'You should try it more often,' Aiden said and then winced a touch at his own choice of
words. 'I mean, being spontaneous not'

'I know,' Helen picked her bag. 'It's my stop.'

'I know.'

Just one little kiss and as she went to pull back they both changed their minds and kissed
just a little deeper but then they had no choice but to let the other go.

It had been the most wonderful morning of her life, yet she was close to tears as she
walked to work.

Was that it?

Chapter Fifteen
Print this Page

'Good of you to put in an appearance!' Edward said as Aiden arrived in the theatre and the
scrub nurse went to help him into a gown. 'There's no need to scrub in now,' Edward said,
'I managed to survive this far without you.'

Aiden glanced over to Jed who just rolled his eyes.

The tension in theatre was palpable, the nurses were all on edge, and between patients
Aiden found out that Edward's mood this morning had been so poisonous that one of the
nursing staff had left the theater mid-operation in tears.

'How was Saturday?' Jed asked as they grabbed a coffee.

'Fine.'

'Are you going to do something about it?'

'About what?' Aiden snapped.

'You could practically see the sparks coming off the two of you the other night.'

'She's engaged.'

'Did you see her this morning?'

'Excuse me?'

'Every time you lift your arm I want to kiss you but now I've realised that Annabelle
wears the same deodorant.' Jed even named the brand.

'It keeps me in touch with my feminine side,' Aiden gave a tight smile. 'I overslept this
morning, I was rushing, I must have picked up an ex's.' If Jed ever wanted to leave go
anesthetics, Aiden couldn't help thinking that a career as a detective might be a good
choice for him to consider.

Aiden would never tell Jed or anyone what had happened this morning, he couldn't do
that to Helen, yet, as they headed to ICU with Edward to assess a patient, so too did
Aiden's disquiet. Not for what had taken place, but for the way things had been left this
morning.

He didn't have her phone number, he didn't even know where she worked. If he did, he
could try and call her.
Maybe he could go over to hers, but then Aiden remembered he was covering for a friend
tonight.

'It was a good night on Saturday,' Jed commented as they walked through the corridor. 'It
was lovely to meet Helen.'

Aiden wished Jed would just leave it.

'Well, I'm not sure if you'll be meeting her again,' came Edward's tart response. 'I
practically had to carry her home. I apologise if she offended anyone.'

'She was delightful,' Jed said and he looked over to Aiden who's face was as black as
thunder as Edward did his best to sew the seeds that would discredit his fiance.

'Do you know' Aiden said and then halted.

He only had today and tomorrow to get through, he reminded himself, as they walked
into ICU. As much as he loathed the man, there was no doubt as to his brilliance.

'Thank you!' Laura Mitchell, the patient's wife, was effusive as she thanked Edward. 'I
thought we were going to lose him.'

'He's got a way to go yet,' Edward said, 'but I'm quietly confident that he's going to be
fine.' They were barely out of the door before Edward added, for his entourage's benefit,
'It's lucky for Mr. Mitchell that I was the one on-call when he came in.'

Would nothing bring Edward down? Aiden thought, arching his neck in an attempt to get
rid of the tension.

He just hoped Helen's day at work was going better.

Chapter Sixteen
Print this Page

Leo was less than impressed when the usually immaculate Helen arrived late, although,
unlike Edward had been to Aiden, he wasn't scathing, more concerned.

'Sorry I'm late.'

'No you're not,' Leo said. 'What the hell's going on?'

'Leave it, Leo.'

'No I will not leave it.' Leo snapped. 'I'm only supposed to use my powers for good, I'll be
sent back to wizard school if you're back with Edward.'
'I'm not back with Edward.'

'Helen? I distinctly heard his voice'

'That wasn't Edward.' She had no real choice but to tell him. 'It turns out that Aiden works
with him, he was there on Saturday night and this morning on the train'

'You and Train Man!' Leo thought it was completely hilarious. 'So, he's late for work too,
ha ha, "sorry I'm late, Edward!"'

'Stop it.'

'Oh please. It's fantastic. He deserves it. I have watched you change from happy and
funny to simply plain miserable these past few months. If you had said who you were
with you could have had the whole day off!'

'Don't police my life, Leo.'

'Oh I will,' Leo said. 'In fact, I'll speak up sooner next time if you go out with a complete
bastard again. Now, I'd like to do some work, go and call in Camille.'

Leo was just looking out for Helen but he just didn't get it. He assumed that she could
move on from Aiden as easily as he did from his women. That it wasn't going to hurt,
when in fact, it was already hurting.

Would he get in touch, would she see him again, or was this it?

Helen had to push all those thoughts aside as she brought Camille through to see Leo.

'I don't want them too big,' Camille explained, once she had changed into a gown so that
Leo could examine her suitability for breast augmentation. 'Just a bit less saggy.'

'Let's have a look then,' Leo said.

'I even hate Gordon seeming them.'

'They've fed three of his children,' Leo said. 'I'd like to see how his would look after that.
A bit more volume' he pressed in gently. 'Okay,' Leo said 'first things first let me
properly examine you.'

It was just a fraction sooner than he would usually say it.

'Lift up your arm,' Leo said and started examining her but he kept returning to the same
spot.

'Is something wrong?' Camille said.

'I'm not sure at this stage,' Leo said and helped her back on with the gown as Camille
started to cry. He was very nice to her and when Camille had calmed down Leo made a
couple of phone calls. 'I've got you in to see Mary at Princess Catherine's now'

'Now?' Camille frowned. 'Is it that serious?'

'Mary's seeing you so quickly as a favour to me,' Leo said. 'Do you want to call Gordon to
go with you?'

'No.'

'Then Helen will take you there.Mary is a fantastic doctor you'll be in the best possible
hands.'

'Thank you.'

Helen called for a taxi but as they went to leave Leo halted her. 'Aren't you missing
something' he gestured to the safe. 'You might see him.'

Helen went to the safe and took out her ring.

If she did see Edward at the hospital then there was a very good chance he would be with
Aiden.

Please no!

Chapter Seventeen
Print this Page

'What a beautiful ring,' Camille commented.

'Thank you,' Helen gave a tight smile.

'So why weren't you wearing it?' Camille asked as they got in the taxi, desperate to talk
about anything other than where they were heading.

'You really don't need to hear my stuff now,' Helen said.

'Oh, so we'll talk about my breast lump instead, what fun.'

Helen's lips twitched into a smile. 'I can't wait to get rid of this ring. Worst mistake of my
life.' She rolled her eyes. 'He asked me at his parents' wedding anniversary'

'Yuck!' Camille got it in one.

'I was actually just about to end things when he proposed.'

'He'd have known that,' Camille said. 'He was just closing the stable door before you
bolted.'

'Do you think so?'

'I know so! Gordon's my second husband, I had a complete bastard before him.'

'Well, we're just keeping up appearances till Christmas,' Helen said.

'Why waste a Christmas on him do it now,' Camille said and then pulled out her phone.
'I'm going to ring Gordon.'

'Good.'

By the time Camille was off the phone they were at the hospital.

'He's leaving work now, I've told him it's probably a false alarm but he said he'd take me
for lunch' Camille sighed. 'We used to go out for lunch all the time. Do you know I've
made more of an effort today for Leo than I do for Gordon.'

'Trust me,' Helen says. 'Every woman does. Leo only ever sees new underwear!'

They laughed and chatted as they walked through the corridors and up towards Mary's
consultation room.

'How lucky am I to have Leo,' Camille said, 'instead of waiting for weeks for an
appointment' her voice trailed off as she felt Helen tense beside her as her worst
nightmare came true.

Edward was walking towards her with Aiden and the lovely Jed that she had briefly met
on Saturday night, and a couple of others.

'Helen!' Edward called. 'What are you bringing me? Another botched job from the Hunter
Clinic'

Oh!

The words that came from Edward's lips were so horrible and inappropriate, that there
wasn't just a clench above her stomach now in response to his words, but a bubble of
anger. And for once, instead of quashing it down she let it rise.

'How dare you! I'm angry enough that I could ever let you speak to me like that, but the
fact that you'd talk like that in front of a patient?' Helen just looked at him in disgust and
then pulled off her ring and, rather than throwing it at him, she simply dropped it on the
floor and carried on walking.

'I'm so sorry for that.' Helen said to Camille when they were a suitable distance away.

'S-sorry?' Camille was in fits! 'Oh, I bless the day I found 200 Harley Street. I never
thought I'd be meeting the doctor today laughing.'

'We're here,' Helen said, 'I'll just introduce you to the receptionist. You'll be okay?'

'I will,' Camille said. 'And so will you.'

She would be, Helen decided, making her way back to Harley Street. Although it wasn't
her ex-fianc she had to get over.

It was Aiden.

Chapter Eighteen
Print this Page

Near the end of the day Leo knocked at her door and came in. 'Mary called and said that
she's pleased with what she saw on the ultrasound. She's done a biopsy on Camille but
she doesn't expect it to be a problem.'

'That's good.'

'Oh, and Train Man is in the foyer asking to speak with you and he's brought flowers.
Have you already left or should I send him through?'

'Send him in!'

'These are for you.' Aiden said. 'I just wanted to tell you that today was possibly the best
day of my life on so many levels.'

'How was Edward?' Helen cringed as she replayed it for the hundredth time.

'Oh, Helen, the entire surgical team would like to thank you, along with several
anaethatists and the whole of Emergency. If I had done a whip round in your honour I'd
be bringing you a lot more than flowers.'

'I feel awful for doing it so publicly but to hear him speak like that in front of a patient'

'He deserved it. And one of the other best parts of my day' He smiled at Helen, 'I'm
sorry we couldn't make breakfast and I'd love to take you to dinner but I'm covering for a
friend tonight, I owe him a favour.'
'So I shan't see you on the train in the morning?'

'No.' Aiden said and then took a deep breath. 'There was another best part of today too
afterwards.'

Helen swallowed.

'Talking to you.' He said simply. 'I don't know what happened but I told you some stuff
I've never spoken about much before. I really want to see more of you.'

'You go away soon.' Helen said.

'Well, about that'

'I don't want to have any part in changing your plans,' Helen interrupted.

'I don't need to change my plans if you come with me.'

'Aiden?'

'You said you'd always wanted to travel'

'I have but' Helen thought of her flat, her job, her life, her family freaking out, she
thought of everything impossible instead of listening to her heart. 'It's all a bit much.'

'I get that.' Aiden said. 'The very last thing I want is for you to feel pushed into anything,
especially given' he gave a helpless shrug. 'Look, if we're there and we don't work out,
you could go and do that travelling you've always wanted to'His voice trailed off as
Helen did what she hadn't been able to do with Edward.

'No.' She shook her head. 'Aiden, I can't.'

'Fair enough.' He blew out a breath 'I don't blame you for saying no it was just a crazy
idea that I had.'

'It was nice to be asked.'

'I have to get back to work,' Aiden said. 'Thank you for brightening up my mornings.'

'Thank you for brightening up mine.'

Chapter Nineteen
Print this Page

The train felt very different this Friday morning.

Oh, she didn't see Jed every day but just knowing there was a chance that he'd be there
when she took her seat had made the mornings so much nicer.

This was how it would be every morning from now on.

It was freezing and cold and Christmas was just around the corner. The clinic was so busy
at the moment, everyone getting little touch ups for Christmas and New Year but it would
soon close for a couple of weeks.

Not even the thought of two weeks holiday could cheer Helen up as she opened and set
up Leo's office.

'Good morning, Leo,' Helen called out as she heard the door open.

'No it isn't,' Leo said, taking off his coat. 'Last night Flora asked if she could come skiing
and I said yes.'

'I thought you had no trouble saying no.'

'She chose a very delicate time to ask me.'

'Too much information, Leo.'

'God, what have I done?' Leo groaned.

'It's a two week holiday,' Helen pointed out and then giggled, two weeks was an eternity
for Leo. 'Could you and Flora possibly be going anywhere?'

'Nope.'

'That sounds very definite.'

'When you know you know and I know that we won't be going anywhere,' Leo said. 'I'm
not stringing her along, I told her from the start' he turned and saw Helen's pensive
expression.

When you know, you know.

Maybe she did know, maybe Aiden did too.

Could she simply deny them that chance?

'How's Train Man?' Leo asked.

'Aiden,' she corrected, 'his name is Aiden.'

'He didn't stay long.'

"He had to get back to work.' Helen took a breath. 'The thing is, when he was here.'

Leo waited.

'The thing is,' Helen attempted again, but how on earth could she admit that she was
considering handing in her notice, that she was thinking of throwing caution to the wind
and, even though her parents would go crazy, just taking this chance.

'You want to hand in your notice?' Leo said

Helen blinked at Leo's perception.

'Well? Am I right?'

'Aiden's asked me to go overseas with him,' Helen admitted. 'Are you going to tell me I'm
mad if I say that I'm thinking of saying yes.'

'No,' Leo said, 'I'm going to tell you that you'd be mad if you said no.'

'Seriously' Helen's mouth was agape.

'You look happy,' Leo said, 'even with the difficult couple of weeks you've had, you've
still managed to look happy. You didn't before.'

'I can't just walk out now; it will be impossible to interview over Christmas and New
Year.

'I've already got your replacement.'

'What?'

'One of the things that has been stalling Ethan from coming on board is that he insists I
employ this nurse called Lizzie, but in a very senior role. She must be his lover. Ethan
wanted this Lizzie to have your role but I told him I'm fully staffed.'

'You said no to your brother for me.'

'I said no to my brother because I'm not going to be pushed around by him, I built this
clinic up from nothing'

Helen waited, she knew that there was a lot of history to the Hunter Clinic but no-one
dared to pry and Leo chose not to elaborate.
'So, if that's what's holding you back then don't let it.' He smiled then. 'Helen, if Flora
asked me to ditch everything and travel the world with her, how much consideration do
you think I'd give it? I mean I'm having enough trouble with us going skiing. How much
consideration would I'

'None.'

'There's your answer then.'

Chapter Twenty
Print this Page

The best day of Aiden's life was followed by the longest night.

For once it was quiet.

He could have slept, except he hadn't been able to, instead over and over he berated
himself for his handling of things

Imagine pushing Helen that hard.

Given all she had been through, how stupid had he been to put her on the spot like that.

It had made sense at the time.

It still did.

To Aiden.

By five the next day he was bone weary.

There was going to be a small leaving do for him tomorrow but for now all he wanted
was home. Instead he stopped by Emergency for a chat with Jed.

A serious one this time.

Helen stood on the freezing train platform, scanning each train that pulled in. He was
always on the second carriage. Always. If they had been able to hold out for one more
stop yesterday morning then they'd have gone back to his and she'd at least know where
he lived.

Instead she stood on the platform shivering and waiting but then she remembered it was
his last day at work.

She was going to be here till the last train!

Or he'd get a cab.

She was never going to see him again.

Helen sat on the bench and there was only one more thing she could do.

She already had the hospital number in her phone from calling Edward but it wasn't him
who she asked switchboard to page tonight.

'Can I speak with Dr Danaher, please?'

Doctor Danaher had left the building.

It was hopeless.

'Did you miss your stop?' She jumped at the sound of Aiden's voice

'Where were you?'

'I got stuck at work.' Then he realised what she meant as she pointed to their carriage as
the train pulled out. 'I can't be quite as OCD about my choice of carriage on the way
home, but I try, just on the off chance of seeing you again. Do you remember that one
time we were both on our way home.'

'Yes.'

He sat beside her and took her cold hand.

'I just tried to call you at work, I don't know where you live,' she was very close to crying.
'I thought I might never see you again.

'Do you really think I'd let that happen?' Aiden asked. 'Do you really think I'd not try and
sort something out if the woman I'd just asked to travel the world with said that she
couldn't ditch her life with only two minutes notice?' He gave her a kiss. 'You'd have seen
me on Monday.'

'Monday?'

'I've just been talking to Jed and I'm doing a locum shift in Emergency on Monday. They
are really short of staff. I enjoyed working there, I wouldn't mind doing it for another six
months and we can see if we're going anywhere'

'Your aunt,' Helen said. 'You can't let her down.'

'I won't let her down I'll get there one day. She'll understand if I tell her the reason.'
'Would she be okay with me being there, I mean us'

'You are allowed to say it.

'How would the nun be with us sleeping together'

'She's got more on her mind than policing to me. She's amazing.' Aiden smiled.

That he would change his life for her at two minutes notice made it so much easier to do
the same.

'You don't have to wait six months,' Helen said. 'I've just handed in my notice.'

'Oh my!'

It was huge, it was scary but Leo was right, Helen thought when you know, you know.

'You're sure?' Aiden checked and Helen nodded.

'Are you?'

'Absolutely.' Aiden said but Helen could still scarcely take it all in.

'We've known each other for.' Her math's was terrible, however she quickly worked it
out.'A morning!'

'Perhaps,' Aiden said and then she looked into the eyes that would now continue to
brighten her mornings. 'But we've been seeing each other for six months.'

'I guess.'

Aiden stood and offered his hand.'Your place or mine?'

'Yours,' Helen said and they started walking together. 'Oh, I've got a friend coming over
in the morning, I'm going Christmas shopping'

'With Gus,' Aiden said, remembering the tiny glimpses of her life detailed on her calendar
and thrilled at the thought of starting a new year with Helen. 'I'll get you back in time.'

They headed for his home.

It was time to get better acquainted.

Neither could wait a second more.

THE END