The Little Book Café

If she leaned forward, she could kiss him. Her eyes dropped to his lips. Kit had a generous bottom lip and a moody upper one. How could she have not seen what Emma and the others saw? He was drop dead gorgeous. She found herself inching closer, wondering if his stubble would scratch when their lips locked.

‘Can never fathom how women walk in heels like that.’

The comment threw cold water over her lustful thoughts. Just as well. She was getting a bit carried away there. ‘Practice,’ she said, airily. ‘Lots of practice.’ Tash was vaguely aware of the alcohol seeping into her bloodstream. The evening was getting fuzzy around the edges. Although Adrian had heated up a frozen pizza before they’d left, she’d only had a slice. Too churned up to eat. ‘And they add inches.’ She jumped off the wall and demonstrated with only a very slight wobble. ‘See. Bet I’m nearly as tall as you.’

‘Doubt it.’

‘Stand up then and we’ll see.’ Tash could never resist a challenge.

‘Tash, I’m six foot three.’

‘And these are five-inch heels. Come on, real ale man, show me your credentials.’ She giggled. She hadn’t had this much fun in ages.

Reluctantly, Kit stood up. Placing his beer glass on the wall next to Tash’s cocktail glass, he stood next to her. ‘See? Much taller.’

‘No,’ she complained. ‘We’ve got to do it properly. Stand back to back like you used to do at school.’ She tripped to stand behind him and stood on tiptoe. The movement pressed her back against his and the heat from his hard muscles radiated through her silk jumpsuit. She wiggled a little, enjoying the seductive slip of the thin material against her over-heated body.

‘How do I know you’re not going to cheat?’ Kit laughed, a delightful low rumble beginning from somewhere deep inside. Tash felt the laugh vibrate through him and then through her. It was all becoming incredibly erotic.

She giggled and wheeled round to face him. As she stumbled he caught her by the waist, pulling her against him. She felt his belt buckle push into the soft flesh of her stomach, felt his erection nudge her. The night fell away. All she could feel was Kit’s powerful arms around her waist, all she could see was him.

Again, she realised that if she reached up, she could kiss him. ‘Me cheat?’ she breathed as she gazed up at him. ‘What sort of girl do you think I am?’

‘I don’t know, Natasha. What sort of girl are you?’

It was Adrian.

Chapter 13 (#ulink_2dfebe28-b1da-5ea5-a00e-ef7822d67476)

‘I’m not sure I know you anymore.’ Adrian shoved the Porsche into third and accelerated loudly up the hill out of town.

‘Oh Ade, it was only a bit of fun.’

After he’d sneaked up on them, Adrian had coldly introduced himself to Kit and had then grabbed Tash by the arm so tightly she knew she’d have bruises later. He’d marched her through the street to where he’d parked the car and ordered her to get in.

‘You’re drunk!’

‘I was at a party. I was having a good time. Or I was until you did your gorilla act.’ She rubbed her arm. ‘You hurt me, Adrian.’

‘That got through. I’m sorry.’ He turned into the entrance to the estate. ‘I am sorry, Natasha. You make me get jealous. You don’t laugh like that with me.’

‘Maybe it’s because you’re always banging on about babies and me giving up work,’ Tash grumbled.

Adrian pulled onto the drive of their house and killed the engine. He eased round to face her, which was difficult in the confined space of the sports car. ‘I love you Natasha. I love you very much. Perhaps too much.’ He put a finger and thumb to the bridge of his nose and frowned. ‘When I saw you flirting with that hulk, the red mist descended. I’m sorry if you think I was heavy-handed but there were people at the party who are influential in this town. Dennis Hall and Arthur Roulestone to name but two. I couldn’t have you making a fool of yourself.’

‘Why? Because you’d lose a building contract? Come off it, Adrian.’

‘Because you have standing in this town, Natasha. I thought you said your career was everything to you? That you wanted your own agency? Do you think people are going to take you seriously as a businesswoman if they see you falling over drunk?’ He got out and slammed the car door.

Tash stumbled after him. Had she really been that drunk? She hadn’t thought so. Just mildly tipsy, like most of the other guests. And did it even matter all that much? She followed Adrian into the hall. The bright light bouncing off the white walls and huge silver-framed mirror blinded her for a second and she staggered.

‘Some coffee, I think,’ Adrian said coldly.

Tash went into the kitchen and perched on a bar stool. ‘You’ve been drunk lots of times at works dos. Who gives a shit?’

‘Language, Natasha,’ Adrian said automatically. ‘Who indeed? Probably the Morrisons who were staring at you with outright disapproval.’

Tash hooted. ‘The Morrisons? Oh, come on Ade, they’re not serious about moving. They ask us in to value their grotty old bungalow out of habit.’

Adrian paused in the act of filling the kettle. He turned to her. ‘Really? You hadn’t heard then, that their daughter is ill and they need to move to be nearer her?’

Tash stared at him. She hadn’t heard that. As its only resident estate agent, she needed to be on top of Berecombe’s news and gossip and it wasn’t usually difficult. The town was a small place. Gossip quite often led to business and business meant commission. She usually knew who was getting married, who was getting divorced,, who had died, got a new job, was expecting another child. All triggers to putting a house on the market. Her mouth fell open. Had she slipped up? She’d sent Emma in to value the Morrisons’ home but she hadn’t checked to see if Em had bothered to follow up. And, as the manager, it was her responsibility.

Adrian clicked on the kettle. ‘I doubt very much if they’ll bother to give Hughes and Widrow their business having seen the exhibition you made of yourself tonight.’

Tash screwed up her face with the effort of remembering what awful things she’d done. Had a giggle with Millie, drunk a few cocktails. Had a laugh with Kit. There was nothing else, was there?

‘You’re obviously having trouble remembering spilling your drink all over Marti Cavendish, knocking over a tray of glasses and reading aloud passages from the more erotic section of the bookshelves.’

‘I didn’t do any of that.’

‘I think you’ll find you did, Natasha.’

She felt suddenly very sick. The cocktails had been strong and she’d drunk on a practically empty stomach but she was certain she hadn’t done any of those things. ‘Why are you making things up about me?’

‘I’m not, Natasha. And if you really can’t remember the evening you must be more inebriated than I thought. Perhaps you should go to bed. I’ll bring you up your coffee and some water.’ He turned his back to her and Tash could see rigid disapproval in every muscle. ‘I’ll sleep in the spare room tonight.’

Tash fled. She staggered upstairs wondering what was going on in her head. Had she thrown her drink over Marti? The woman had bumped into her in the crush, that much was true. And a tray of glasses had been knocked over, that was why Millie had been called away but Tash had been nowhere near it. Or she didn’t think she had. Her memories of the night had been eclipsed by the joy she’d felt when flirting with Kit – and made fuzzy by the cocktails. She flopped down onto the bed. And she didn’t think she’d read any erotica out loud although, out of everything Adrian had mentioned, it was the one thing she would be most likely to do. She shook her head to clear it. Had she really behaved like that? She was pretty sure she hadn’t. But if she hadn’t, why would Adrian make it all up? Why would he want to lie?

Chapter 14 (#ulink_46bfe55c-9f0c-52d8-a1aa-7fe6aff76ddb)

Tash woke up the following morning with a sore head and a gritty mouth. She couldn’t believe how hungover she felt after only a few cocktails. Staggering into the shower, she blasted herself with water as cold as she could stand. She regarded her reflection in the bathroom mirror. Even through the condensation she could see shadows under her eyes and a face that was too thin. Gripping the basin, she vomited suddenly and copiously. ‘Never again,’ she croaked. ‘I’m going teetotal.’ Leaning forward she wiped the mirror but she didn’t look much better. Her reflection was still misty and hazy round the edges. It was a bit like her sense of herself; she felt the true Natasha Taylor was slipping away.

‘You look awful!’ was Emma’s greeting as Tash walked into the office.

‘Thanks, Em.’ Tash sank onto her chair.

‘Too many of Millie’s cocktails last night?’

‘I don’t think so. I didn’t drink that much.’

‘Might be the bug that’s doing the rounds. Stevie says half his friends have gone down with it.’

Of course, that was why she was feeling so ill. Tash leaned back in relief. It explained why she felt so out of it. Maybe even explained why she had such a hazy memory of the party.

‘You enjoyed yourself last night then? Saw you talking to Kit. Really nice man.’

‘Yes, he is.’ Tash sat up slowly. ‘Em, was I out of order?’