She looks like Kate Winslet?
‘March.’
‘Good luck with that.’ Josh turns to me with a beguiling smile on his face and I try to ignore the sick feeling in my stomach. So sheisbeautiful. ‘Lils, you’re not really going to make me drink this muck, are you?’
‘Yes.’Maybe shesoundslike Kate Winslet.
‘Can’t I have one beer?’
‘No.’Or it could just be that they’re both English?
He puts his hand on my shoulder and gives it a squeeze. ‘Please?’ His brown eyes look so appealing and expectant that for a moment I waver.
‘No,’ Ben interrupts angrily.
‘Ben.’ My brow furrows. As if I can’t handle this.
‘What’s it to you, mate?’ Josh removes his hand and glares across the table at Ben.
‘Put your own life in danger, by all means. But don’t put Lily at risk.’ His dark-blue eyes glint with an unexpected menace and for a moment I forget that he’s getting married to the star fromTitanic.
Josh snorts and backs down. ‘Whatever.’
‘Here comes our food.’ I breathe a sigh of relief.
Ben abruptly gets up. ‘I’ll leave you both to it.’
I’d ask him to stay, but I can see that he won’t. ‘See you,’ I call after him instead.
‘What a wanker,’ Josh mutters to his departing back.
‘Don’t be an arse,’ I snap, getting up and going to sit opposite Josh because it feels too close for comfort beside him. The place where Ben was sitting is warm. I immediately realise my mistake. Now I’ve got my back to Ben at the bar and I can’t see him! I frown with annoyance at Josh, but then realise he’s still fuming about Ben’s comment so I change the subject.
‘What are the others doing tonight? And no,’ I add wearily, ‘I don’t want to get into Shane’s pants.’
‘He wants to get into yours.’
‘Does he?’ I can’t keep the boredom from my voice.
‘Yep, but he doesn’t want to take away your virginity.’
I let out a burst of laughter. ‘What? You’ve got to be kidding me.’
‘I’m not,’ he replies seriously.
‘Well, I’m not a virgin, so—’
‘Aren’t you?’ Josh interrupts, astounded.
‘No. But there’s no way in hell I’d sleep with him anyway.’
‘When did you lose your virginity?’ He’s still focusing on that statement.
‘None of your business. Eat up.’
I myself do as I’ve advised and tuck into my pasta, but it’s hard to ignore the look on Josh’s face as he considers me. I don’t know what’s going through his head and I’m not sure I want to know. I’m still kicking myself that I have my back to Ben. After a while I sneak a peek to the place where he was sitting earlier. I can’t see him so I twist around further to search the entire bar area. Where is he? Did he go without saying goodbye? Maybe he’s gone to the toilet.
‘He left five minutes ago.’ Josh interrupts my thoughts.
