Blair didn’t meet his eyes. ‘Dr Carter thought it would be for the best.’
‘Really?’
His instant reaction was anger. She’d dumped him? She hadn’t mentioned this when they’d been in bed together last night.
Then the rational part of his brain started to kick in. She’d transferred him. That didn’t mean she’d dumped him. It meant that she didn’t want either of them to get into trouble regarding their relationship.
Just about everyone knew they were seeing each other by now.
And he got that. He understood. But he didn’t understand why she hadn’t discussed it with him first. How long would it have taken? Ten seconds. A roll over in bed. Oh, by the way, Austin, I don’t want to get accused of special treatment. You getting it, and me giving it. I’ve transferred your care to another doctor. Easy.
Blair was still staring at him. There was an amused expression on his face. It was almost as if he was waiting to see how Austin would react.
He gritted his teeth. ‘It will be a pleasure working with you, Doc,’ he muttered before turning on his heel and walking out.
His phone rang almost instantly. He pulled it from his flight suit. ‘Yeah?’
He hadn’t even looked at the screen. ‘Austin?’
Darn it. It was his father. The most astute man on the planet. ‘Oh, sorry, hi, Dad.’
‘What’s wrong?’
‘Nothing.’ He started striding down the corridor, glancing in rooms as he passed, looking for her blonde hair.
‘Tell that to someone who believes it.’
His footsteps halted. It had been more than thirty years but he’d never been able to pull the wool over his father’s eyes.
‘Is it problems with the astronaut training?’ He could hear the tension in his father’s voice. The last thing he wanted to do was upset him.
‘Of course not. There’re no problems at all.’
‘You’re still going to Kazakhstan tomorrow?’
He let out a sigh. ‘Yes. I’m still going.’ It was the next part of the training. They had to learn to pilot the shuttles with the Russian crew as that was currently the only mode of transport to the space station. The training was intense. He would spend the next four weeks speaking only Russian and learning to fly a new spacecraft. It wasn’t for the faint-hearted.
Or those who were having mixed feelings.
‘Well, that’s fine, then. With your piloting skills I expect you to ace everything.’
No pressure, then. Austin drew in a breath. The family traditions had always been there, hanging over his head like a goal he had to meet. Up until this point it had pretty much been his dream too—he’d never really thought about anything else. He’d never even had a discussion with his father about any other possibilities. He spoke before he changed his mind.
‘I’ve been offered another job. A real opportunity.’
There was silence at the end of the phone. He couldn’t really blame his dad. This must be a real bolt from the blue.
‘Oh.’
He kept talking. It was easier to fill the silence. ‘It’s research into cancer. All about cell growth in certain cancers and whether we can actually switch those cells off.’
His father’s voice was steady. ‘But why would you want to be stuck in a lab? You’re just about to head off into space. It’s been your dream since you were a boy. We still have the stars stuck to the ceiling in your bedroom.’
Austin felt his stomach plummet. Of course they did. His parents had always encouraged his ambitions and he’d never let them know that he might have others. They’d been so taken by him carrying on the family tradition of flying, then trying for the space programme, that there had hardly been room to acknowledge or talk about his microbiology research. He’d always been so focused. So sure about what he wanted to do.
Or was he?
He was trying not to acknowledge the fact that a tiny fire had been lit inside him when he’d been asked to head the cancer research team. It was an honour. A privilege. Not that anyone would blame him if he chose to be an astronaut instead—well, no one except his family. Potentially cure cancer or go to space: they were two totally different but completely fantastic opportunities.
But then there was something else—something much more overwhelming. Corrine. The feelings he was having...the doubts. If Corrine ever met his parents he wanted them to love her, embrace her into the family. If his father thought for a second that he’d given up his dream of being an astronaut for a woman...
No. He just couldn’t go there. He wouldn’t let her be the focus of any bitterness. Much better to plant the seed in his father’s mind about another job.
He didn’t need to know the real reason Austin was having second thoughts.
He kept his voice low. ‘Imagine the difference to the world, Dad, if I found a way to switch off the cancer cells. Imagine the lives that could be saved.’
There were a few more seconds of silence. He’d never laid this out on the line before. He wasn’t even thinking about himself. Chances were, research like this could mean a Nobel Prize. But he was thinking about all the other people—people like Frank the instructor’s wife, whose life had been cut short. Maybe the stress of losing his wife had contributed to Frank’s heart attack?
His dad cleared his throat. ‘So, Kazakhstan. When do you leave?’
The subject was closed for now. And a tiny part of him was disappointed. It didn’t matter that his brain didn’t know which way was up. Right now, he felt as if he were back on the vomit comet.
He started walking back down the corridor, talking to his dad about the travel arrangements. By the time he was finished he’d reached the entrance way and there had been no sign of Corrine.
Maybe this was the way she wanted to play it. Keeping her distance from him.
He had no idea what was going on here. As soon as they were in each other’s company things just seemed to spark. It felt as if she were a magnet that pulled him towards her. She certainly hadn’t given any sign that his attentions were unwelcome. So what was going on?
He pushed open the door and headed towards his bike. And stopped.
She was l
eaning against it. And he felt a jolt. His eyes took in her tousled hair, black leather jacket, white shirt and business skirt. Her stiletto heels were firmly in place and her legs were crossed as she leaned back against the bike with her arms folded across her chest.
She didn’t move as he approached her.
He tried not to smile. He tried to admit the fact he was actually happy to see her.
Other parts of him were currently in a spin cycle. This woman was messing with his brain and his focus.
The sun was streaming behind her, lighting up her oh-so-curvy silhouette. She had sunglasses in place, hiding the expression in her green eyes.
He stopped a foot away, letting the breeze carry her orange scent towards him. ‘It seems I’ve been dumped.’
She tilted her chin towards him. ‘You haven’t been dumped. You’ve just been reassigned.’
‘Don’t I get a say in that?’
‘No.’ He was struck by the curtness of her words.
He stepped forward. ‘So what do I get a say in?’
She uncrossed her arms and put her hands on his hips, tilting her chin up towards him. ‘You get a say in whether you give me a lift home or not.’ Her words were sultry, almost whispered, and she ran one finger up the front of his chest.
He caught it in his hand.
She moved closer, pressing her body against his. ‘Four weeks is a long time. And Kazakhstan is a long way away.’
There was a smile playing around the edges of her lips. She knew exactly what she was doing to him.
‘You think you can get on my bike in that skirt?’
She grinned. ‘Oh, I know I can,’ and in the blink of an eye she hiked up her skirt and swung her leg over the bike. Now it was barely covering the parts it should.
He almost growled, looking around to see if anyone was watching and grabbing the helmets for the bike. Within a few seconds he was on board and the engine was fired up. ‘Hold on,’ he shouted as he let the throttle go. ‘You’re in for the ride of your life!’
* * *
Everything about this was odd. She loved the feeling of being in control. She loved the fact that even though Austin was all man, she didn’t have a single doubt about the fact he let her make the rules.