He kisses me softly on the mouth. ‘Give me a sec.’
I ogle his arse shamelessly as he heads into the bathroom to deal with the condom, my head propped up on one elbow.
He strolls back in, grinning, before hopping back on the bed and folding me into his arms. He wraps his top leg around me. His hand is on the back of my head; my nose against his chest. I inhale him as my breathing slows. If that was just sex, we’re both in trouble.
CHAPTER 17
Noah
Honor lets me take her for lunch. Not Club Cinquant-Cinq, like I would have liked, because it’s far too conspicuous, but Villa Marie, a beautiful boutique hotel in nearby Ramatuelle. The best way to pitch it to Mum is to be casual.
‘D’you mind watching Serena and Rollo for a couple of hours?’ I ask her. ‘Honor mentioned she wants to check out Villa Marie for a possible work thing next summer, and I thought I’d accompany her over, maybe grab a spot of lunch.’
It works a treat, and here we are, sitting under a cheery tomato-red parasol at a charming table at the edge of the terrace. The view is spectacular: across the hotel’s lush tropical gardens and the surrounding pine forest to Pampelonne Beach and the sparkling Mediterranean sea. Although we’re well shaded here, Honor is wearing the biggest sunhat I’ve ever seen, with a huge, floppy brim that appears to be getting the better of her. I squat down further in my seat so I can meet her eyes.
‘Is that the kissing equivalent of a chastity belt?’
‘Ha ha. It’s so I can be incognito.’
‘Nothing about you says incognito.’ She’s in a white, backless linen jumpsuit, her hair pulled back under the offending hat. She’s painted her mouth a bright tomato red that matches our parasol and seat cushions, and I’m itching to kiss it. Even among the wealthy, polished and chic French clientele here, she stands out. It’s a huge thrill to have managed to sneak Honor Chapman out of the house and off for a public, if incognito, lunch date.
‘You’re sweet.’ She blows me a kiss. ‘But if it stops you from being able to get close to my mouth in public, then it’s multitasking effectively.’
‘Are you totally incognito today, or do you have an alter-ego when you go out in disguise?’
‘Hmm.’ She pouts at me and adopts a ridiculous French accent. ‘I zink today I am Gabrielle. My first and second ‘usbands both died, and I ‘ave taken a young lover. ‘E is very sexy.’
‘Jesus. That sounds suspicious. Remind me never to marry you, Gabrielle. But I’m very happy to be your young lover.’ I brush my white-chino-clad leg—when in the South of France—against hers under the table. ‘I wish we could get a room here. I can’t get enough of your skin. If I could just have you wrapped around me, naked, for another hour or two, I’d happily join your first two husbands in heaven.’
That white jumpsuit is something else. Its little shoulder straps kiss her glossy shoulders. I’d give a kidney right now to bury my nose in her collarbone and tug her jumpsuit down and off. God. I discreetly rearrange myself under the starched white tablecloth before leaning in.
‘I have a confession to make.’
She adjusts the brim of her hat so she can see me better and narrows her eyes at me.
‘What?’
‘Well, I have two confessions, really. One, I’m getting hard right now, just imagining taking that jumpsuit off.’
Her perfect red lips curl up.
‘And two. You might run a mile when you hear this, but I feel awkward not telling you that I have fantasised about you a lot. A lot.’
‘Since you met me, you mean?’
‘Um.’ Heat is rushing to my face. ‘Well, yes. Obviously. But also before. Years ago, when you were on TV.’
‘Seriously?’
I can’t look at her. I fiddle with the heavy knives at my place setting. ‘I did so many night shifts when I was a resident. And I used to find it impossible to unwind when I got home. I was always overtired and wired. So I developed a bit of a routine. Come home, eat a couple of bowls of Weetabix on the sofa while I watched you on Sunrise, and then I’d head off to bed, think about you, and I’d, er, bang one out, and then I’d sleep like a baby.’
‘What?!’ She leans in further, drops her voice. ‘Look at me, Noah. You mean you jacked off over me? What exactly do you mean bythink about you?’
I laugh nervously and do her the courtesy of reestablishing eye contact. This was possibly a huge mistake. She could well be offended, or seriously creeped out. ‘I think that should stay between me and my dick, if you don’t mind.’
‘I do mind. You can’t leave it there.’ She lowers her face to mine. ‘So baby Noah, gorgeous, sexy junior doctor Noah, gets home from a night of saving lives andwatches meand gets himself off on it?Tell me what you thought about.’
‘Ah. Um. It was a long time ago.’
