Tempted by Dr Morales. Carol Marinelli

it would hurt to have him and then not. That much Cate knew.

      ‘Get over him, Cate!’ Juan said.

      She was so over Paul, not that he knew it. Cate did not dare reveal the truth, so she made a wry joke.

      ‘By getting under you?’

      ‘No,’ Juan said. ‘I want you on top. I want to watch you come.’

      He was bad.

      He was dangerous.

      He was everything she wanted and yet everything she didn’t.

      ‘Thanks for a lovely evening.’

      ‘Would you like to go out tomorrow?’ Juan offered.

      ‘No, thanks.’

      ‘Cate…’

      So she took a breath and told him, ‘I’m not what you’re looking for.’

      ‘You don’t know what I’m looking for.’

      ‘I don’t know what I’m looking for either,’ Cate admitted, ‘but it’s not…’ she tried to think of the right word and she didn’t know how best to say it ‘…you.’

      ‘Ouch.’

      Cate smiled and climbed into her car and caught the lingering fragrance of Juan from when he had been in her vehicle, the expensive note that overrode others.

      She knew that she hadn’t hurt him.

      Ouch would be sitting in the staffroom in a couple of weeks’ time, hearing who he’d slept with next, or, if they did last the little time he had left in Australia, ouch would be waving him off at the airport. Ouch would be having had him and then trying to move on.

      Cate had just ended one serious relationship—a rebound with the name Juan attached to it was heading way too far in the other direction.

      She reversed out and waved to him, and, yes, she regretted it plenty. She could see them alone in his bedroom. many times she had envisaged him kicking those boots to the floor and letting herself be a notch on his temporary bed; many times she had wanted to let loose and be as superficial and as laid back about things as Juan.

      So clearly she could see it now, could still taste him on her mouth as she drove off, her bra around her waist, her cheeks burning, her hands willing her to turn round and return to him.

      Instead, Cate chose safety.