me stop.
‘Michael,’ I put my hand on his arm, ‘I don’t think you’re shallow. You’re right, at first maybe I did. But that was what you seemed to want everyone to think. But people that know you know it isn’t true. And you’ve proved to me that it isn’t.’ I squidged the puffy fabric of his jacket under my gloved hand.
He lifted his hand and took mine in it, the gesture saying everything that was needed.
‘Thanks for today,’ he said as we reached my door.
‘You’re welcome. I actually had a lot of fun. And breakfast was ah-maz-ing.’
He laughed. ‘Good. Then maybe we should do it again.’
‘That’d be fun. But I’m not sure your bank account would take it.’
‘I just meant the breakfast part.’
‘Oh. Right, of course! Absolutely. But I’m paying next time.’
‘We’ll see.’
He leant in to give me a kiss on the cheek and I leant back. The moon had pushed itself from behind a bank of clouds and the light, reflected by the snow piled around us, cast a strange, almost magical light. It highlighted the confusion on his face.
‘I said I’m paying next time.’
Michael’s hands lifted to my face, holding it gently, palms resting against my cheeks, his outer fingers spreading down onto my neck. He leant in again, his eyes focused intently on mine. Gently his lips placed a kiss on my forehead and then his mouth moved close to my ear.
‘And I said “we’ll see”.’
The whispered voice, with its lilting accent and hint of gravelly roughness sent heat searing through my body. I half expected the nearby pile of snow to instantaneously melt into a puddle. Kind of like I felt like doing right now.
He stood upright and I took a pace backwards as casually as I could in an attempt to avoid Michael seeing just how well his charm and, let’s face it, downright raw sexiness was still working. Unfortunately my studied nonchalance hadn’t taken into account the step into the building and I tripped backward, landing with a damp thud in the muddy puddle of water that had accumulated in the slightly worn away dip of the step. I hastily pushed myself back up, as Michael put an arm out to help me.
‘You all right?’
‘Of course,’ I replied, not looking up. ‘And you can stop laughing.’
‘I’m not.’
I looked up. His face was serious but I could see the little glint in his eyes as they caught the moonlight.
‘But you’re dying to.’
‘I’m going to choose to refuse to answer that on the grounds that it may incriminate me.’
‘Arse.’
He laughed and wrapped his arms around me.
‘Are you really OK?’
My arms, despite strict instructions from my brain, wrapped themselves around his body: warm, solid…
It was perfectly acceptable to stay here for another hour, right?
‘I am.’ My voice was muffled as he squidged me close.
‘I’d better let you go in and get some sleep.’
I nodded, my hair making a scratchy noise against the fabric of his coat. Reluctantly I pulled away, reached up on my tiptoes to kiss him on the cheek and then unlocked the door.
‘I’ll see you at seven.’
Agreeing, I waved and headed inside.
‘Doing anything special tonight?’ Janey asked when I gave her a call to say hi on the way to my first client. Her tone was so overly innocent that it was clear she knew exactly what I was up to this evening.
‘I don’t suppose there’s any point in saying “not really”, is there?’
‘Absolutely none,’ she giggled. ‘You know, he usually hates these sort of things. He’s not into the whole schmoozing side of business. You know our Mikey, he’d rather just call a spade a spade and be done with it.’
‘The man on the phone seemed to think it was pretty important that he attended this one if he wanted the best shot at the job he’s pitching for.’
‘Mmmhmm.’
‘Mmmhmm what?’
‘I’m just wondering when one of you two is going to tell me something official.’
‘There is nothing official. That is to say there isn’t anything at all. I was there when the guy called and we got talking about it. Michael asked if I’d come. That’s all. Why? What did he say?’
‘About the same as you.’
‘There you go then. He even made a point of stressing that it wasn’t anything like you’re suggesting. So, there really is nothing to get excited about. Sorry!’ My voice was light so why my heart didn’t feel the same way?
‘I don’t know what’s wrong with that boy.’
From what I’d seen that day, there didn’t seem to be anything wrong with him. He looked pretty damn perfect actually.
‘There’s nothing wrong with him, Janey. We’re just not like that. I’m not his type anyway.’
‘No, you’ve got depth to you. It might be an idea for him to try something different for a change!’
‘Janey,’ I laughed, ‘much as I appreciate the sentiment of that statement – I think – I’m not really in the mood to be anyone’s relationship guinea pig.’
‘Aww, but they’re so cute!’
‘Ha ha. Right. I’m at my client’s. Better go.’
‘OK. Well have a great time tonight. In your non-guinea pig capacity.’
‘I’m just looking forward to having a meal that doesn’t start with it going ping.’
***
Bearing in mind this definitely wasn’t a date, I was disproportionately nervous. It was ridiculous. Even though I’d only known him a little over a month, in that time I’d actually got to know him pretty well and, despite early indications, we were now relaxed in each other’s company. So why the nerves?
‘Come on Kate. Pull yourself together,’ I said to the reflection in the bathroom mirror.
It didn’t reply
