Unwrapping The Neurosurgeon's Heart. Charlotte Hawkes

her body unfurl and stretch languidly. Her head was rapidly losing this battle with her body.

      ‘How about this?’ he suggested. ‘I’ll give you my ticket and you can take Saskia, or whoever you want, as your plus one.’

      ‘You would give me your ticket?’

      ‘Sure. That way you won’t feel like I’m trying to obligate you in any way.’

      ‘And I could take anyone?’

      ‘Of course.’

      She narrowed her eyes.

      ‘Even a date of my own?’

      ‘Oof!’ He clutched his stomach as though she’d delivered a punch to his gut, making her laugh exactly as he’d clearly intended. ‘You know where to strike a man, don’t you? Yes, even a date of your own.’

      ‘And you would miss out? On something as important to you as you’ve suggested these young carers are?’

      ‘Oh, I won’t miss out,’ he said airily. ‘I’ll just go as someone else’s plus one.’

      It shouldn’t hurt to hear. Yet it did. Anouk arranged her features into what she hoped was a neutral expression.

      ‘Of course. You must have a whole host of potential dates just waiting for you to call.’

      ‘So many it can become exhausting at times,’ he concurred blithely.

      ‘I’ll leave the tickets behind the Resus desk for you before your shift ends tomorrow.’

      And then, before she could answer, or say anything uncharacteristically stupid, Sol walked away. The way they probably both should have done ten minutes earlier.