Waking Up With Dr Off-Limits. Amy Andrews

seriously in love, monogamous men, she knew, had stared at her like she’d got full body ink done instead of thrown on a dress and a push-up bra.

      ‘Wow.’ Marcus had whistled. ‘Little Jess is all grown up.’

      It had earned him a swift elbow to the ribs from Tilly who, after this afternoon, was particularly aware of Jess’s sensitivity about how old she looked.

      Jess had laughed. She really didn’t mind it coming from Marcus. Or anyone else, for that matter.

      Just not Adam.

      She knew she’d been cursed with youthful looks. She was constantly carded at night clubs and bottle shops and patients sometimes looked at her like she was still a uni student ‘practising’ on them.

      It was inconvenient at times, for sure. But she’d never seen it as a real issue until she’d fallen for a man twelve years older than her.

      Her confidence in the new improved party-girl Jess lasted until she came back from the downstairs bathroom where she’d snagged her third beer for the night. The bathtub had been filled with ice and was being used as a makeshift esky.

      The first person she saw was Adam. He hadn’t bothered to change out of his suit from earlier. Just pulled off his tie and undone the top button. He was smiling down at three women who were all gazing up at him adoringly.

      She recognised them from Eastern Beaches and was dismayed to see how confidently they flirted. How they swayed their bodies, laughed, touched his arm, pushed their hair behind their ears, played with their necklaces, tipped their heads to the side as they chatted.

      And to add insult to injury not one of them looked like their cleavages needed enhancement.

      Suddenly she felt young and gangly again.

      ‘Hey, Jess.’

      Jess smiled at Nicholas, one of the orderlies from Theatre, as he approached. She took a deep swig of her beer. This was her party and she would not feel sorry for herself or mope around over a man who had no idea she existed.

      It was her birthday and she planned to have a damn good time. When Nicholas kissed her on the cheek and wished her happy birthday, she plastered a smile on her face and leaned in close to hear what else he had to say.