She could see his top button was undone and half the bottom of his shirt was untucked from his trousers. His hair was wet and, even from this far away, she noted his unsettled breathing.
‘Are you OK?’ she asked.
He spoke first. ‘I, er, can’t seem to get the door open.’
He looked awkward, one hand on the handle of the door, the other drooping at his side. She wasn’t sure what to do, but now he’d addressed her, she couldn’t just leave.
‘Do youneedto get it open?’ she asked, wondering what a billionaire was doing trying to break out of the back entrance.
He nodded. ‘Oh yes. I really do.’
‘Why? Is there a fire?’ She took a tentative step closer.
‘More of a firefight,if I’m honest.’ He pushed at the door again.His breathing was ragged and he looked unsettled. ‘It’s necessary to take evasive action.’
Hayley took another few steps towards him. ‘And you can’t use the entrance you came in by?’
He stopped manhandling the door then and turned to face her. He furrowed his brow. ‘You’re English.’
‘Yes. And you’re so obviously on the run. Who is it? The mafia? The Triads?’
He smiled then and the beginnings of a laugh fell from his lips. He shook his head at her. ‘If only it were that simple. I’m actually off to change into Spandex and save the city like Superman.’
Thinking about him in Spandex did worrying things to her insides. She swallowed, watching him look her up and down. From her boots that had seen better days, to her jeans she’d been wearing for the last three seasons, then to the green-coloured, long-sleeved top that had definitely shrunk in the last wash. She was as far from Galliano as it was possible to be.
‘Ever needed to sneak out on an unsuitable date?’ Oliver asked her.
Her mind went to Greg. Over-tanned, teeth over-whitened, breath over-garlicked. She could relate to many occasions she’d wanted to slip out of his sight. But this was not what she’d been expecting. He was about to abandon a woman at a restaurant. That did not sit well with her.
‘You’re sneaking out on a date?’ she clarified.
‘Well, kind of, not exactly a pre-planned engagement but…’
‘And you’re not going to tell her you’re leaving.’ Her hackles were rising fast.
‘I’ve settled the bill.’
‘Wow, that’s heroic. Very Superman.’
‘It isn’t like you think,’ Oliver said, pulling in another ragged breath.
‘No?’ It seemed exactly like she thought.
‘She’s not a date in the normal sense.’
She raised her eyebrow and took a half step backwards. ‘I think I’m going to just back out of here, pretend you haven’t insulted the whole female population and let you get on with the great escape.’ He might have eyes the colour of cashews but this behaviour wasn’t acceptable in her world.
‘Please…’
It sounded like a desperate plea. She stood still.
‘Listen, this is the first time I’ve done this. She’s just…’ He let out a breath and paused for a second. ‘Anything I say is going to sound insulting to you, so please, just help me open the door, I can go and you can forget we ever met.’
He really did sound agitated and keen to make a rapid exit. Hayley wondered what his date had done to make him want to flee so badly.
‘Is that a promise?’
He held up his hand. ‘On everything I have.’
