“Shagged?” he asked with a smirk, “how very British.”
“Yes, like me.”
“Let me take you to lunch before I have to shag you again in the bathroom and on the conference table and anywhere else I can think of.”
As they walked hand in hand along the street, Jim found himself thinking about his life once Tasha returned home and he really didn’t like the scenarios he imagined. He didn’t want her to go anywhere without him and the idea of her being so far away scared him and frustrated him at the same time. What if she needed him? What if, no, what would happen when he needed her?
“Do you really have to go home tomorrow?” The words almost fell from his lips with no warning whatsoever.
She nodded, sadly. “But I will see you in London soon and then I will come back out. Amanda has said if I email her any new dates, she will put them on our schedule. I have never shared a schedule before.” As she took in the sad expression on Jim’s face Tasha tried to lighten the mood with a tiny smile and an arch of her brow. “I’m even leaving clothes and shoes at your house. That’s a big commitment for a girl.”
He offered her a glimmer of a smile in return before his sad expression and demeanour returned. “It won’t be the same.”
“I know,” she agreed as they came to a standstill and faced each other before Tasha dropped her forehead to rest against Jim’s chest.
“Do you like Amanda, now you’ve met her?” He changed the topic from her leaving because as things stood no amount of sadness or talking about it was going to change things.
“She seems nice, but I don’t know if I like or dislike her, but I don’t feel so threatened by her now.”
“Nobody is a threat to you, honey. I love you like I have never loved anyone before.” He reached down to tilt her head until she was looking up at him. She could see the sincerity in his eyes as she heard the total belief in what he was saying leaving her a little overwhelmed.
“That’s just the hot sex talking.” Tasha laughed and hoped to ease the tension with a joke.
They began to walk again.
“It’s part of it, but I have no interest in anyone else. I don’t make a habit of having sex in my office or on my desk. It kind of compromises my rule about keeping business and pleasure separate.”
“I really hope you mean that, about having no interest in anyone else. This is a big thing for me, the amount of trust I’ve put in you. Trust not to hurt me, Jim. I have shared more about my past with you than anybody else which also means I have left myself open to more hurt from you than anyone else,” she said honestly, all hopes for escaping the intensity of his earlier words gone in that second.
He immediately stopped walking and pulled her to him, cupped her face and gazed deeply into her eyes. “Tasha, I promise I would never knowingly hurt you. I love how you’ve opened up to me and I know how important it is to repay your trust with my love and fidelity.”
“Thank you,” she whispered, unsure if she was going to cry, but not wanting to.
She was relieved when Jim recognised her concern and intervened with a little mood lightening of his own. “Now, what other colours does your sexy bikini come in?”
“Let’s find out,” she replied, already leading him towards the shop.
Chapter 24
Tasha was sitting on top of her case and trying to zip it up when Jim appeared from the bathroom. “Problem?”
“Too many clothes in too small a case. I may have to leave some dirty washing here too,” she laughed.
“So long as it’s your underwear it’s fine,” he grinned.
“You, Mr Maybury are a pervert.”
“And you love it.”
“Yes. I do and I am not ashamed to say it.” She opened her case for the umpteenth time and tried to reorganise it.
“Let me,” he offered as he squashed everything down and appeared to fasten the case with ease.
“Thank you.” Tasha offered him a small smile and as much as she wanted to savour every second with him she also wanted to get away before she changed her mind.
“Let me take you to the airport?”
“Jim, I don’t do big goodbyes,” she explained for what seemed to be the hundredth time.
