She’d got out of bed with him this morning and writtenthis! God, what an idiot he’d been to think anything had changed. But what the fuck did he expect? He had only himself to blame. He knew she wanted to be with Mark – that was the beginning and end of what their whole relationship had been about. How could he have forgotten? She’d told him she just wanted to be friends. She hadn’t been thinking straight last night – and he’d been thinking with his dick. She’d just wanted a warm body, and he was there when Mark wasn’t. He should have stood his ground, turned her down.
But what difference would it have made? Would this beany easier if there hadn’t been that last time? He was being ridiculous, he told himself, getting pissy because a gorgeous girl had fucked him senseless. He needed to get some perspective. There were worse things than being used for sex… by the girl you loved. It just didn’t seem like it right now.
He jumped up guiltily as Claire came in from outside, pushing the laptop away from him.
‘Hi.’ She smiled as she crossed to the table. He was relieved that she didn’t seem to have noticed the laptop and the screen had gone to sleep again. ‘I was about to make toast when Mark rang,’ she said, fiddling with the grill. ‘Do you want some?’
‘Yes, please.’
‘So – that was Mark. He’s on his way over to see me.’
‘Oh.’
‘Yeah. I thought we’d spend most of the day down here and go home in the evening, but I think we’d better leave this morning instead. He’s only here for the day, and I’ve to sort out clothes for work tomorrow. Sorry. Do you mind?’
‘No.’ He shook his head dazedly.
‘I really need to see him, especially after…’ She trailed off, her eyes drifting to the bedroom.
Shit! So much for her not feeling any regret. Mr Right snapped his fingers and she went running to… what? Confess all and beg his forgiveness? Pretend it had never happened and bury her dirty little secret for ever?
‘Look, I’m sorry about last night,’ he said.
‘You are?’
‘Yeah – I mean, about crossing the friends boundary.’
‘Well, it wasn’t exactly your fault. I practically begged you.’
‘Whatever. Anyway, no harm done, is there? I mean, you don’t have to tell Mark about it.’
‘No, but I—’ She stopped abruptly, biting her lip. ‘No, I suppose I don’t,’ she finished.
‘You’re upset, you’re not yourself. I think you’re allowed a mistake in the circumstances.’
‘A mistake. Right.’
‘I’ll pack up my stuff,’ he said, getting up and heading for the bedroom, ‘so I’ll be ready to go whenever you want.’
‘There’s no hurry,’ she called after him. ‘Come and have your toast.’
‘Wouldn’t want to keep Mr Fucking Right waiting,’ he mumbled angrily to himself, as he balled up his clothes and stuffed them into a bag.
Claire was a bundle of nerves as she made her way to the Merrion Hotel that evening. Luca had been quiet and subdued on the drive home from Brittas, and it had put her on edge. He seemed down, and even though he was perfectly civil, she couldn’t shake the feeling that he was pissed off with her. When she’d dropped him off at his door, he’d kissed her cheek and thanked her for a lovely weekend, but he still seemed distant, and she’d wondered if he was deliberately trying to keep her at arm’s length. Had he guessed how she felt about him last night? Was he being aloof on purpose to remind her that it was just a casual thing and didn’t mean anything? She had already decided not to mention that she was breaking up with Mark in case Luca freaked out, thinking she had read too much into last night and was doing it so she could be with him.
The whole thing was nerve-racking, and now she had the ordeal of dumping Mark to go through as well. She wished hehadcheated with Sophie, so she would have the perfect reason to dump him – no explanations necessary.
She found Mark waiting for her in the lounge. She was struck again by how good-looking he was – and how unaffected she was by him.
‘Hi.’ He kissed her cheek and hugged her. ‘How are you?’ he asked.
‘I’m okay. Good days and bad days.’
He nodded. ‘I’m really sorry again about your mum.’
‘Thanks,’ she said, as he released her and they sat side by side on the sofa. ‘And thank you for the flowers.’
A waitress came and they ordered tea. ‘So,’ Mark said, when it had been served, ‘I take it you saw some stuff on Twitter about Patrick’s party.’
