“Come on, before we get thrown out. I need to book a table for two on Wednesday.” Tasha smiled at the thought of seeing Jim again. “Let’s drop the cars back home and pop into the wine bar round the corner if you fancy it?”
“Don’t let me get drunk. I have an early start tomorrow.”
Tasha shook her head at her friend. “I will as long as you listen when I say it’s time to go.”
“Deal.” Lucy was already linking arms with Tasha.
As Lucy and Tasha walked into the flat they were both laughing courtesy of several glasses of wine.
“You have changed Natasha Bailey,” accused Lucy with a wry smile. “I still think of shy, timid little Natasha Bailey from school when I see you and then I look at you and realise Natasha Winters is a different person. I dread to think what Natasha Maybury will be like.”
They both laughed as they entered the flat.
“I am off to bed with Ryan,” said Lucy as she gazed down at her boyfriend’s name illuminating the screen of her phone that had just begun to ring.
Tasha smiled and decided that Lucy had the right idea so text Jim.
Exactly ten minutes later the phone rang.
“You are very punctual, Mr Maybury.”
“I like things ordered and in order to do that you have to be aware of time and manage it well. What do you have planned for the rest of the week?”
Tasha smiled as she considered how unexpected this normal conversation was, but how welcome. “I am expecting a call from Angie tomorrow about today’s audition, and I may go shopping and buy something slinky and sexy for the weekend. Thursday I was supposed to have that other audition, but I asked Angie to cancel it and then I have Gerry’s show. And on Friday I’ll be waiting with baited breath in a hotel room for my gorgeous boyfriend, who I have really missed, to join me.”
“I like your plans for Friday and am so pleased that you didn’t even mention the idea of sleeping on Friday because I have missed you more than you could possibly know. I, on the other hand intend to get ten hours sleep straight on the flight and then your ass is mine, baby.”
“I like my ass being yours. I like all of me being yours and I think I may need to get a few early nights in.” She laughed.
“I think so, honey. Now tell me, why have you cancelled your other audition?” Jim was moving back from the provocative sex talk they were clearly heading into and back intonormalconversation.
“I spoke to a couple of people who have already been cast and they told me that the show is likely to run for fourteen weeks and will be full on Monday to Friday, but with flexibility for weekend work. Filmed entirely in London and I can’t go fourteen weeks without seeing you,” she replied honestly.
“I know you want to work, Tasha, but I am glad you’ve dismissed it as an option because I have struggled to do the last two weeks without seeing you, kissing you, touching you...”
She moaned.
“And I can hear that you feel the same.”
“Do you want another date?” she asked longingly.
“I would love to, when?”
“Now.”
He laughed loudly. “No can do, not from my office. It would be highly inappropriate, Miss Winters. I think we will have to work on your inappropriateness.”
“I only want to see you, for you to see me,” she said sulkily.
“I think you are pouting because you are horny again, honey.” He laughed at her again.
“So?” Her response and tone immediately made her sound immature and more like the errant child he so often treated her like.
“Oh my God, you really are. I wish you were in L.A. I would come home for lunch and you would be the only thing on the menu,” he said gruffly.
