had been the most gut-wrenching decade of her life. No wonder she and Peter had crashed and burned. Years of her being a hormonal wreck, in debt to their eyeballs and having robotic sex devoid of any expression of love had led to an inevitable conclusion.
‘Yes.’ Made worse by Peter marrying again within the year and having three children in quick succession.
‘Did they identify the problem?’
Maggie shook her head. ‘No. But it was with me. Idiopathic infertility. After hundreds of tests and tens of thousands of dollars no one could tell me why.’
Sitting this close, Nash could sense her deep, deep regret. He’d seen her with the kids at work. She would have been a good mother. ‘I’m sorry.’
She turned her head, capturing his gaze, raising her palm to cup his face. ‘It was a long time ago.’
Hadn’t he said that to her about his sister’s death?
Maggie dropped her hand but continued to look at him. ‘I take it from the overwhelming relief in your eyes that babies aren’t on your agenda just yet?’
Nash shot her a sheepish grin. He felt like he’d dodged a bullet. ‘Babies aren’t on my agenda full stop.’
‘Really?’
He nodded. ‘Really.’
‘Oh.’ Maggie looked away.
He glanced at the top of her head. ‘Is that so hard to believe?’
Maggie shrugged. ‘You’re training to be a paediatrician. I guess I assumed you liked them.’
‘It’s because of my profession I choose not to be a father. And my sister’s death. I see the bad stuff that can happen to kids every day. I’ve witnessed it personally. Parents can do everything right and then, whammy! Out of the blue some horrible cancer or awful disease comes at you. I’ve seen how it tears families apart. How it tore at my own family for years. I lived through the death of my ten-year-old sister and I won’t willingly set myself up for that kind of potential ever again.’
Maggie nodded. Obviously Nash’s scars ran deep. Not that she could blame him. How often had she comforted herself with the fact that she would never know the agony of some of the mothers she’d been involved with over the years?
Being infertile had been a cruel blow but Nash had a point. At least she would never know the even crueller blow of losing a child.
‘Yes, losing a child must be deeply devastating.’
Nash rubbed his cheek against her hair. ‘And I guess I have some old-fashioned beliefs. I don’t think people should have children outside committed relationships. And I don’t plan on committing to anything other than my career for many years to come.’
Maggie heard the grim certainty in his voice. It was easy to mistake Nash as a laid-back country boy but he was as driven and career focused as the most dedicated city doctor.
She shifted against him and wriggled a bit to get comfortable. ‘It’s good that you know what you want.’
Nash’s erection appreciated the delicious rub of her ass. ‘Well, I know what I want right now.’ He dropped the arm draped around her shoulders and cupped her breasts in his palms.
Maggie sucked in a breath as a lust-tipped arrow shot straight to her core. ‘I think it’s the same as me,’ she said, arching her back as he grazed his thumbs across appreciative nipples.
‘Lucky for us I have two condoms in my wallet. Two new ones.’
Maggie looked up at him. ‘I thought we just established there’s no need.’
Nash dropped his head and kissed the tip of her nose as he kept up the massage of her breasts. The thought of being inside her with no barrier between them was so very tempting.
‘Old habits die hard.’ He kissed her nose again. ‘Just because you couldn’t fall with your ex doesn’t mean you won’t with me.’
Maggie smiled at his youthful cockiness. ‘You think your swimmers can manage what medical science couldn’t?’
He grinned back at her. ‘I don’t want to risk it.’
Maggie sobered. Wow. He really, really, really didn’t want kids. But then his right hand wandered from her breast, down her stomach and totally distracted her. She bit her lip and arched her back again. ‘Are two going to be enough?’
Nash chuckled, his erection straining as he gazed down at her, her nipples taut, her stomach quivering beneath his touch. ‘I’ll get creative,’ he murmured.
And he was. Very, very creative. All night long.
Two weeks later both Nash and Maggie found themselves on a run of nights together, the first time their shifts had coincided since their one-off night of passion allowing them to