than kiss Bluey.
‘You feeling all right?’ Joss eyed his friend carefully. ‘Actually, you’re looking a little peaky.’
‘Perhaps those females sucked the life right out of him,’ Iris commented, and they all chuckled.
Dex merely smiled and said, ‘Funny.’
‘You don’t want to overdo it, Dex,’ Melissa added with sisterly concern.
‘Oh, my giddy aunt. Will you two old fuddy-duddies stop fussing? I’m fine.’ Dex jammed his hat on his head. ‘Why don’t you go and enjoy yourselves, see some of the other stalls, and I’ll show Iris around. You’ll be stopping and chatting to people about your up-and-coming wedding andshe’ll get bored and feel left out. Besides, you’ll have plenty of time to really catch up later.’
‘But it’s no troub—’ Melissa began, only to have Joss tug her away.
‘Good idea. We’ll leave you to it, then.’ Joss slipped his arm around her waist. ‘I’m looking forward to some real alone time with you,’ he said quietly as they headed off.
Iris found herself standing in front of Dex, being subjected to his winning smile. The brown depths of his eyes sparkled and she felt butterflies start to churn in her stomach. The sensation surprised her because she hadn’t been instantly attracted to any man since…well, since she’d met her husband.
‘So,’ he said, and held out his hand. ‘We haven’t been properly introduced. I’m Dex Crawford. A and E specialist at the clinic, GP extraordinaire and all-round good guy.’
‘And Melissa’s brother.’
‘Well, yeah, and that, too.’ He pointed to one of the stalls. ‘Want to test your strength? See if you can hit the hammer on the pad and make the bell ring at the top?’
‘Not particularly, but thanks for the offer. I’m happy to just wander.’ Iris wondered idly if he saw her as his next conquest. The new girl in town. He wasn’t her type at all, although she could quite clearly see what the appeal was. He was very handsome and he was certainly bright and cheerful. Still, he wouldn’t get far with her. She had done the relationship thing in the past and it had ended in tragedy. She even had the scars to prove it.
Dex looked at her a little closer. ‘Feeling tired after your long drive?’ His words were so sincere that they made Iris do a double-take. Had she read him wrong? Did he really care? Was this just a glimpse of his professional bedside manner? Or had she judged him too quickly?
‘Er…I’m…I’m fine. Thanks.’ She couldn’t believe she’d just stuttered. What was it about this man that was making her act so…girly all of a sudden?
‘Because I could take you to your apartment now if you like. You could get settled in, change into something lighter.’
Iris visibly bristled. ‘I’m fine.’ Her words were clipped as she headed off towards the knitting stall without waiting for him.
Dex watched her for a second, astonished at the mask he’d seen her slip into place, effectively shutting him and everyone else out. What had he said that was so wrong? He caught up to her, deciding for now it would be best to let it go. ‘Uh…interested in knitting?’ he asked.
‘Not particularly.’ She glanced surreptitiously at him as she picked up a knitted toy and realised she shouldn’t be mad at him. He wasn’t to know about her skin, he wasn’t to know she was scarred both physically and emotionally and, really, he was going out of his way to be friendly and she shouldn’t punish him for that. Iris sighed and held out the toy to the lady behind the trading table. ‘But I do admire those who are clever enough to make such lovely things. I’d like to buy this one, please.’
Dex watched his new colleague as she conducted the transaction. ‘For someone special?’ he asked as they walked past the axe-sharpening stall.
Iris nodded. ‘Friends of mine have a seven-month-old girl. Anya’s her name and she’s adorable. They’re missionaries and they’ve just returned
‘You feeling all right?’ Joss eyed his friend carefully. ‘Actually, you’re looking a little peaky.’
‘Perhaps those females sucked the life right out of him,’ Iris commented, and they all chuckled.
Dex merely smiled and said, ‘Funny.’
‘You don’t want to overdo it, Dex,’ Melissa added with sisterly concern.
‘Oh, my giddy aunt. Will you two old fuddy-duddies stop fussing? I’m fine.’ Dex jammed his hat on his head. ‘Why don’t you go and enjoy yourselves, see some of the other stalls, and I’ll show Iris around. You’ll be stopping and chatting to people about your up-and-coming wedding andshe’ll get bored and feel left out. Besides, you’ll have plenty of time to really catch up later.’
‘But it’s no troub—’ Melissa began, only to have Joss tug her away.
‘Good idea. We’ll leave you to it, then.’ Joss slipped his arm around her waist. ‘I’m looking forward to some real alone time with you,’ he said quietly as they headed off.
Iris found herself standing in front of Dex, being subjected to his winning smile. The brown depths of his eyes sparkled and she felt butterflies start to churn in her stomach. The sensation surprised her because she hadn’t been instantly attracted to any man since…well, since she’d met her husband.
‘So,’ he said, and held out his hand. ‘We haven’t been properly introduced. I’m Dex Crawford. A and E specialist at the clinic, GP extraordinaire and all-round good guy.’
‘And Melissa’s brother.’
‘Well, yeah, and that, too.’ He pointed to one of the stalls. ‘Want to test your strength? See if you can hit the hammer on the pad and make the bell ring at the top?’
‘Not particularly, but thanks for the offer. I’m happy to just wander.’ Iris wondered idly if he saw her as his next conquest. The new girl in town. He wasn’t her type at all, although she could quite clearly see what the appeal was. He was very handsome and he was certainly bright and cheerful. Still, he wouldn’t get far with her. She had done the relationship thing in the past and it had ended in tragedy. She even had the scars to prove it.
Dex looked at her a little closer. ‘Feeling tired after your long drive?’ His words were so sincere that they made Iris do a double-take. Had she read him wrong? Did he really care? Was this just a glimpse of his professional bedside manner? Or had she judged him too quickly?
‘Er…I’m…I’m fine. Thanks.’ She couldn’t believe she’d just stuttered. What was it about this man that was making her act so…girly all of a sudden?
‘Because I could take you to your apartment now if you like. You could get settled in, change into something lighter.’
Iris visibly bristled. ‘I’m fine.’ Her words were clipped as she headed off towards the knitting stall without waiting for him.
Dex watched her for a second, astonished at the mask he’d seen her slip into place, effectively shutting him and everyone else out. What had he said that was so wrong? He caught up to her, deciding for now it would be best to let it go. ‘Uh…interested in knitting?’ he asked.
‘Not particularly.’ She glanced surreptitiously at him as she picked up a knitted toy and realised she shouldn’t be mad at him. He wasn’t to know about her skin, he wasn’t to know she was scarred both physically and emotionally and, really, he was going out of his way to be friendly and she shouldn’t punish him for that. Iris sighed and held out the toy to the lady behind the trading table. ‘But I do admire those who are clever enough to make such lovely things. I’d like to buy this one, please.’
Dex watched his new colleague as she conducted the transaction. ‘For someone special?’ he asked as they walked past the axe-sharpening stall.
Iris nodded. ‘Friends of mine have a seven-month-old girl. Anya’s her name and she’s adorable. They’re missionaries and they’ve just returned
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