Tad lifted his fork, but his attention was on her. ‘How are your ribs? Still painful?’
‘You were right about the bruising. It’s coming along nicely.’ She gestured at her side, hidden under the silky black of her dress. ‘I think it might match this dress by the end of the week.’
Tad swallowed, stilling himself before he could suggest he should take a look, make some jokey comment about having a rusty first-aid qualification. That would be the last thing she’d want, especially after he’d kissed her and then pushed her away. No, it would be the last thing she would want because she wasalready in a relationship… Although, while they’d been kissing, it had been way too easy to forget that pertinent piece of information.
* * *
Amy studied his expression. Why had she drawn attention to her body like that? Of all the things she could have said, why had she chosen to say something clearly so embarrassing to him? It was written all over his face, even though he was doing his best to hide it.
Now she knew Tad wasn’t in a relationship with Clare, what she should be doing was finding out why he’dactuallyrejected her when she’d thought they were getting to know one another rather well. ‘How come you aren’t sitting with your friends?’ she asked.
His eyebrows dipped like a pair of swallows on the breeze, his expression folding into a frown as he said, ‘They aren’t my friends.’
‘But I thought…’
‘Clare is my friend, but I’ve only just met the rest of them.’
‘Oh, I totally got the wrong end of the stick,’ Amy said. She paused, then decided this was the moment. This was the second in time where she either went for it and asked him, straight out, all the questions that had been plaguing her – or she had to shut up, right now, and ride out the rest of the week as if it was like every other week, in every other destination she’d ever visited with Billie.
‘About what?’ Tad was still staring at her, his fork hovering in his fingers, unused.
Now or never, Amy. Now or never.
‘When Clare and her friends arrived, it’s – well, maybe it sounds silly, but I was sure you and she were together.’
‘Together?’
Was he being purposefully dim?
‘Yes. I mean, now I see that’s not the case.’ She waved a hand in the direction of the tall, dark and – yes, Billie was correct – very handsome man seated next to Clare.
‘You thought we were together, like,togethertogether?’
Amy half shrugged, half nodded.
‘Me and Clare – no, never like that. We’ve been through a lot, but that’s never been on the table.’
‘Thought it rather explained why you found kissing me such a mistake,’ she said. ‘Is there someone else, then?’
‘No.’ His expression remained unfathomable.
‘So, why was kissing me such a problem?’
Christ, she’d finally gone there and asked it, no frills, no dressing it up.
‘It’s…’ He looked confused for a moment, like she’d caught him out on something – or perhaps he was stunned by her lack of subtlety. Then his expression took on an intensity which gave Amy goosebumps. ‘Because I might be single right now, Amy, but I understand you’re not.’
Already hot to the touch, Amy’s cheeks ramped up to unprecedented levels, reaching ghost chilli pepper heat as she frowned in confusion. ‘What are you talking about?’
‘Billie told me you’re involved with someone back home. And listen, it might not be going well or whatever with him, but I’m not keen on being someone’s holiday fling.’ He frowned. ‘I prefer to be exclusive with someone, you know? I shouldn’t have kissed you – I’m sorry.’
Amy continued to stare at him as though he’d recently arrived from the moon.
‘Billie said I was in a relationship?’
‘Aye. At least, I believed that’s what she said, but you’re looking at me like I’ve gone mad.’
Amy glanced across to where Billie was engaged in a lively discussion and looked as though she didn’t have a devious bone in her body.
