“No. I should be here, honey.” He sat down next to her and kissed her on the nose. “Do you want a drink or lunch, or clothes?” A small, slightly unsure grin curled his lips.
“Tea would be nice and if you could possibly unlock the wardrobe I will dress.”
“Okay, real tea it is,” he teased before he opened the wardrobe and left her alone.
Dressed in a pair of shorts and a vest top Tasha was just tying her hair up in a ponytail when Jim reappeared with a cup of tea.
“Sorry, apparently I did it wrong, so Sandra made it the right way.”
Tasha laughed. “There is an art to it, and we are very fussy about our tea.”
“I get it now.” She watched his back disappear as he entered the wardrobe to get changed. When he reappeared Jim was dressed in black jeans and a white t-shirt. He eyed Tasha warily as she sat on the sofa watching TV where he joined her. “Are you okay? Really?”
He sounded worried, nervous, maybe both. Tasha smiled in an attempt to ease any worries Jim might have.
“Yes, I think I am. I’m glad I told you, but I could probably have said it better.”
Jim shook his head. “I don’t think there was a right or wrong way to say what you said. I’m glad you trusted me enough to tell me.”
“I am sorry I blurted it out in the demented crazy lady way though. It’s weird, isn’t it? I have friends I’ve known for years and apart from what they’ve seen first-hand I haven’t told them anything and then there’s you who I’ve known all of five days—” She shocked herself slightly.
“Then I’m very honoured, thank you.” He put an arm around her shoulders and landed a single kiss to her temple.
Suddenly, overexposed and uncomfortable at being the focus of attention, Tasha wanted to discuss someone or something that didn’t involve her past or her screwed up family. “So, Lizzie. Does she think I’m a complete bitch now?”
Jim laughed. “No, of course not. She text me to ask if I was bringing you along tonight, but I was talking to you, so I didn’t answer. She got tired of waiting and text you instead. After you told her off for using her phone she forwarded the message to her friend, Danielle, or so she thought. She is next to Daddy in her phone so what she actually did was to forward it to me, so snitched on herself really.” He laughed again.
“Oh no. Poor Lizzie.”
“No, not poor Lizzie. She shouldn’t have been using her phone. We have discussed it and agreed if she is caught using it in school again she will only get it at weekends,” said Jim with a frown.
“She would die without it,” cried Tasha, sounding over dramatic making Jim laugh.
“That is exactly what she said. You really are down with the kids, honey. But she doesn’t blame you. In fact, she thinks she may like history now. So, thank you again for not letting Lizzie take advantage.”
“Maybe having Pippa helps, but I do like Lizzie. She reminds me of you.” Tasha found she was gazing up at Jim and the atmosphere and tension between them was thickening.
“Hmmm, lunch, then I do actually need to do some work. You do whatever you want for the afternoon, baby. Take my car if you want to.”
She frowned at the thought of driving his very expensive car then frowned more at the idea that he was reluctant to embrace the sizzle of the rising electricity she was sure could be heard. Was it because of all she’d told him that had changed his feelings towards her?
“What? You don’t like my car?” He sounded almost offended.
“No, but I would hate to damage it. I am not used to big, expensive cars and I’m not even sure I’m legally able to. Plus, everything will be backwards.”
“Backwards?” His lips curled into an amused smirk.
“Yes, you drive on the wrong side and the steering wheel is on the wrong side and the gears are all wrong, if it even has gears.”
“No, we have it the right way round,” Jim countered with mock offence.
“I’m going to have to pull rank. My country is older than yours so we got it right, end of.” She was already heading for the stairs. “Lunch?”
“You really are infuriating, baby.” His words were serious. He meant it, but couldn’t deny how much he liked it. He liked it, a lot. He liked her, more than a lot.
Chapter 16
Jim was in his office, so Tasha, in an attempt to be useful and to occupy her time began clearing away the things from lunch in the kitchen when Sandra appeared.
