He looked at me bitterly. ‘What’s Emily got to do with this? Why should I believe that? I’ve never had any reason not to trust her. Now, all this comes out and... I don’t know what to believe. I’ve always trusted you, too. We’ve been.. . You’re...’ He faltered, a sad expression crossing his face, before he went on in a stronger voice to ask, ‘Why would Emily lie to me?’
God, she’d done a good job on him.
‘You . . . you . . . dickhead,’ I said again in sheer frustration.
‘Stop calling me that,’ he snapped back.
I glared at him mutinously, saying slowly and haughtily. ‘I... don’t... tell... lies! Omissions, perhaps. I couldn’t tell you about the speed-date, not that it was anything to do with you, because Emily came with me. So then I couldn’t tell you about Peter. Emily’s your girlfriend, go shout at her!’ I stopped to take a few breaths.
All the shouting, his and now mine, was exhausting and suddenly all the fight went. ‘Look, Daniel, until I saw that tape I had no evidence,’ I explained more calmly. ‘No proof. I’ve no idea how he got in or how often.’ I stopped uncertainly.
Silence hung in the air, the crackling anger between us dissipating as we both considered the implications of my last sentence. The thought that Peter had been in my room, touchingmy things made me feel ill. Daniel, seeing the look on my face, gave a heavy sigh.
‘Olivia.’ He leant against the mantelpiece, looking at me, his eyes blazing with emotion. The intense expression in them lit a tiny flicker of hope that burned low in my belly, sending butterflies skittering about.
‘Have you any idea how much danger you could have been in? God, I feel sick at the thought of you being harmed.’
‘Do you?’ I asked in a small voice.
He strode over to me, seizing my shoulders. ‘It was bad enough the night I found you covered in blood in your room. That night I realised...’ his low, impassioned words were like a blowtorch finally sparking full flame combustion.
‘Yes,’ I prompted, watching the expression on his face hungrily.
‘How long I’ve I wanted to do this...’ he murmured as he got closer and closer.
I swear my heart stopped. The tick of a clock echoed in the quiet. God, his lips were soft. I wanted more. Tingles of excitement blossomed in my stomach as the kiss deepened. Of their own accord my arms went up around his neck as our bodies pressed together.
‘Really?’ I asked breathlessly a few minutes later, my whole body reeling from the pleasure of that one kiss. The thundering in my ears was receding. I felt as if I’d been flattened by a herd of stampeding cows and left in the quiet aftermath in a cloud of dust.
‘Really,’ said Daniel emphatically, nodding his head. His blue eyes meeting mine, a gentle smile filling them.
Shyly, I examined his neck, resisting the temptation to trace my fingers down the strong column to the dark blond hair peeping out of the ‘V’ of his open shirt. I sneaked a look up athim. My heart flipped at the tender expression on his face. I couldn’t help myself, I gave him an ecstatic grin.
‘You needn’t look so pleased about it. I’ve aged ten years in this last month.’
‘Sorry.’ I bit back another smile, averting my gaze back to the smooth, slightly tanned skin of his neck. So kissable, I wanted to brush my lips against it.
‘So you should be, woman. What are you going to do to make it up to me?’
There was a challenge in his eyes, which combined with that humorous tilt of his eyebrows made me feel invincible.
‘I could kiss you to make it better,’ I said tilting my head, suddenly feeling full of confidence as I looked boldly at his lower lip in blatant invitation.
In response he brought his hand to my face, skimming my cheekbone with his thumb and my heart went straight into freefall, spiralling down. I took a sharp intake of breath as he bent his head down again.
Hard hats were most definitely required. That second kiss was even more thrilling than the first, setting off every firework going. Catherine wheels were fizzing through my stomach and when his tongue tentatively touched mine, I thought I might just go into meltdown.
‘And what exactly were you planning to make better?’ he asked, much later when we finally came up for air. I was too dazed to remember.
There was a click and a whirr as the video recorder switched off. Bugger. Our timing was lousy. Reluctantly we pulled apart, standing facing each other.
‘We have to do something about your stalker,’ Daniel said heavily, smoothing a strand of hair off my face.
I reached for his hand. It was impossible to concentrate when he touched my face. It was making me go all gooey inside and we needed to think sensibly.
‘I know,’ I replied regretfully, wanting to stay cocooned in that first-kiss glow of happiness but I couldn’t ignore what I’d just seen.
‘And,’ Daniel went on, ‘I need to talk to Emily.’ He looked at me, his eyes boring into mine. ‘I have to tell her it’s over. Today. I know how you feel about two-timing.’
