She nodded. “I do. Let’s not talk about it anymore. Let’s just pretend that we both have nothing important to do tomorrow and all that matters are having a good meal and talking about anything other than work.”
“I think we can do that.”
We headed over to Padella in Borough, her hand in mine and it almost felt as if we hadn’t spent the past thirteen years apart. We talked about London, about her possibly moving, about my brother and the twins and it was easy. The conversation followed and there weren’t the awkward silences that I’d sometimes had with other women. Her heels clicked against the sidewalk and her hair was mussed by the evening breeze and I knew at that moment, if I hadn’t already been sure, that this was still the woman I needed to be with.
“What are you thinking?” she said. “You look like you’re in another world.”
I was saved from answering as we arrived at Padella, the restaurant three quarters full already. We were seated near the window, giving us a view of the road outside and the passers-by, meaning I could keep an eye out on who was nearby.
Claire toyed with the menu, ordering a cappuccino and bottled water. I kept it safe, not knowing if I’d need to drive or handle anything that might be thrown by having something alcoholic.
“So, are you going to tell me what you were thinking?” she said, eyeing me from over the menu.
“It was nothing interesting,” I said. “What are you going to pick?”
“Still after my leftovers?”
It was a dig that whenever we’d snuck out for dinner, I’d ended up clearing her plate. She was a tiny thing and although she ate, she didn’t have that much space to store it. I’d always been fairly built and pretty much constantly hungry, especially back then.
“Always. Any crumb you’ll throw, or does that make me sound too desperate?”
Claire laughed. “I get what you’re trying to say, K and I’m hearing you,” she said. “You know me well enough to get that if I didn’t want to be with you right now, I would’ve had Nick assign one of your security guys to me.”
“You still know your own mind.”
“Completely.”
“And you’re still the most gorgeous girl I’ve ever met.”
“If you say so. Although I’m not sure I classify as a girl any more. Think I’m a woman now.”
Brown eyes danced and I studied her face. She was right, the girlishness had gone, but instead there was experience and understanding. “I like the woman you’ve become.”
“So, tell me what you were thinking.”
“You’re like a dog with a bone, aren’t you?”
“I would’ve saidyouwere like a dog with a bone,” she said and I felt her foot brush against my leg and up my thigh. I shuddered. “Or maybe boner.” The word was said innocently, her eyes gazing back down to the menu but there was colour to her cheeks that hadn’t been there before.
“Claire Callaghan,” I said quietly. “If your foot carries on, you might be scared at what you find.”
“Oh no,” she said. “If I remember rightly, I’ll be very pleased with what I find.” She left her foot a couple of inches from my cock while the waiter came over, leaving it difficult for me to find the right words to tell him my order.
Our conversation turned away from bones to Jackson and Vanessa and her parents and everything else that was just normal. We avoided talking about the cottage and tomorrow and she started to laugh more, losing the look of trepidation from her eyes.
“You haven’t changed,” she said when the waiter brought the bill. I snapped it up, not giving her any opportunity to pay. “You’re still determined. And bossy. And you make me want things I don’t know I should have.”
“You make me sound like a bar of chocolate,” I said, handing my card over to the waiter.
“That’s almost describes you. Smooth, tasty and more-ish.”
“More-ish. You still want more of me?”
“It depends. Are you like a fine wine that’s matured and improved with age or are you more like a fashion trend that’s really not aged well?”
“You’ll have to find out,” I said, leaning over the table towards her, my hand finding hers and locking our fingers together. “I’m quite happy to let you find out all you want.”
Her small hand was soft, her nails unpolished and fingers ringless. “How did you end up unmarried?”
