“Simon came round earlier, a little the worse for wear,” she explained.
“Simon?” He followed her along the long, narrow hallway towards the lounge where she picked up a silver clutch.
“My ex-boyfriend.”
“Did he hurt you?”
“No, he was a bit drunk and suggested that we should go to bed.” She was still struggling to get her head around why he thought that was ever likely to be an option for her.
Jon stared at her, his expression giving nothing away. “Were you tempted?”
“No.” She was sure she should be offended if not pissed off by that question, but somehow she was neither. “It wasn’t that good by the time we stopped sleeping together anyway, but no, it’s well and truly over. Then he asked if I was seeing someone else and he got a bit pissed off when I told him it was none of his business and shut the door.”
“Why did you open the door to him?” Jon asked, sitting on the arm of the sofa where he pulled her between his open legs.
“I thought it was you.”
“Does he do this regularly?”
“No. First time, a one off I’m sure. We were both miserable for months before we split up and he was shagging someone at work, so when I said I wanted out he was more than happy with the decision and I haven’t seen or heard from him since until tonight.”
“Is he an accountant too?”
“No he’s a teacher, we met at uni, but he was a couple of years older than me and then we met a couple of years later and started dating,” she revealed.
He looked up at her hoping she was right and drunken visits from her ex that left her shaking in his arms were a one off. Although her being in his arms felt amazing, better than it probably should. “Maybe it was just the drink. You know that we all do stupid things when drunk.”
“Are we back to slutty Steph with the stripper and the dancing and drinking at the hen night?”
“Yes we are, and it was drinking drinks bought by strange men, not just drinking.” He frowned and added, “That still annoys me.”
She laughed at his obvious annoyance. “I remember you threatening me with acts of violence.”
“Not quite. Let’s go. We have things to discuss.” He got to his feet and stared down at her with a small smile. “You look lovely by the way.”
“Thank you, I wasn’t sure what I should wear,” she admitted with a flush at his compliment.
“Then you chose well.” He took her hand and led her to the door.
When they pulled into an underground car park, Steph had already realised that they were back at his flat. The one she’d stormed away from a few weeks before and as he led her to the lift from the car park she saw him smile at her.
“You seem amused, Mr Brooker.”
“I don’t know what you mean, Miss Pryor.”
“Then I suggest you keep your hands and everything else to yourself until we have completed our negotiations this evening,” she said sounding very corporate.
“As you wish.” He laughed as the lift doors closed.
She watched him from her position sitting at the pre-laid table in the diner area of the open plan room that also housed the kitchen and lounge. Sipping the glass of red wine she’d been given, she laughed at the sight of him carrying foil containers.
“You have invited me for dinner and you are serving a frozen meal?” She couldn’t hide her amused surprise.
“How dare you,” he cried. “This is handmade by the local Italian and kept warm by my own fair hands.” He dazzled her with a huge smile at her amused expression.
They made polite conversation as they ate and as Jon returned with coffee they had moved to a soft, thickly upholstered, cream leather sofa.
“Shall we address the elephant in the room?” asked Jon.
