As Zach steps forward his eyes are less intensely blue than they were last week. ‘Are you two an item? Zofia’s insisting you are, but I’d heard you weren’t.’
I’m quick to confirm. ‘We’re definitely just housemates.’
Miles holds up a finger. ‘Let’s quantify that. We’re the kind of housemates who opted to stay together when we could have moved on. Who got on so well we became business partners and who are now working with a multi-outlet operation.’
Zofia jumps in. ‘If they were one of those surveys where they tell you your progress, they would be ninety-five percent through to becoming a couple.’
It’s not lost on me. There’s this eager, hunky, Greek god of a guy who I’d once have gone for like a shot, but now he leaves me cold. Then right next to him there’s the one-time awful, arrogant, arseholey Miles, and he’s the one I’m struggling to keep my hands off. Worse still, since he’s become all caring and kind and considerate, he’s ten times more irresistible. All I can say is, with this much confusion it’s a damn good thing I gave up on men for good.
When I smile at Zach, it’s genuine. ‘It’s a shame we didn’t meet in the days when I had a different bad boy every night, Zach. We’d have had a lot of fun.’
Zach holds up another glass full to the brim of red liquid. ‘I was going to give you this and offer to drive you home, Betty, but it looks like it’s just the drink after all.’
I shake my head at the glass. ‘Thanks for the drinks, but give that one to someone more deserving.’
Zofia turns back to Miles and me. ‘Well, now we’ve settled that so successfully, we’ll head off and leave you two to the rest of your evening.’
As we watch them walk away across the soft sand, I blow out my cheeks and turn to Miles. ‘I’m sorry if that ruined the mood.’
Miles gives a shrug. ‘Not at all. Well done for putting that one to bed without ending up in it.’
Now that I’m standing still rather than dancing, the wind is slicing through the fabric of my dresses, and I hug my chest. ‘Have you danced enough? Are we done here?’
Miles nods. ‘I’m good to go if you are.’ His voice is full of concern. ‘You’re cold. Here, take my jacket.’
I’m actually freezing, but with my head as it is, if I engulf myself in Miles’s scent, I may just explode. ‘It’s no distance to the cottage, you stay cosy.’
It shows you how much notice he takes of me. A moment later he strips off his jacket. Another second and he’s sliding it across my shoulders and with the soft denim wrapped around me a delicious scent fills my nose and his heat permeates through to my bones. For the first time all evening I’m truly warm. I’m not sure what happens next, but as my muscles relax, I must drop my guard because one moment we’re side by side, and the next he’s turned to face me and he’s looking down at me.
I’m staring up at the shadows of his cheekbones, his ruffled curls silhouetted against the night clouds and the stars between them.
As he pulls the jacket close around me I step forward, press my body against the planes of his chest, slide my hand upwards over the curve of his biceps and up to his face. I feel the prickle of stubble on my palm, spread my fingers across his cheek, listen to the thud of my heart as it bangs hard enough to leap out of my chest. Then, I stop and tug my own long, floaty scarf until it’s free. When I reach up and wrap it around his neck it feels strangely as if I’m marking him as mine.
‘There you go, now you look like Harry Styles.’
His laugh is a low rumble. ‘I can live with that.’
Then I grab both ends of the scarf and pull him towards me, push my hip hard against his, move my right hand to bury my fingers in his hair, clear my throat, and whisper, ‘Okay. You win. I’m asking. Dates, drinks, nights in your bed, days in your bed, business opportunities, roller coasters, pony rides, picnics, takeaway pizzas. I’ll do any or all of it, so long as you kiss me now…’
I watch the hollow at the base of his neck, his Adam’s apple moving as he swallows.
I pull back an inch. ‘It’s got to be now, Miles. If you mess about, it’s not going to work.’
He pushes my hair out of my eyes, untangles his fingers and stares down into my face.
‘There’s nothing I’d like more in the world, Betsy B. But I can’t do it now, not when you’re like this.’
I let out a shout. ‘WHEN I’M LIKE WHAT?’ I stagger backwards, he catches my arm and it hits me. ‘You’re refusing to kiss me because I’m off my face! That’s it, isn’t it?’
He winces. ‘You’ve had a lot more drinks than me. We wouldn’t be equal.’
My voice rises. ‘You’re so bloody chivalrous! What about whatIwant?’
His voice is level as he pulls me to him. ‘I want to kiss you all the time, I’ve always wanted to kiss you.Youonly want to kissmewhen you’ve had a bottle of fizz. If you need ten cocktails before it feels right, that’s never going to work.’
My chest is so full of anger I feel like I might burst.
I push him away hard. ‘Jeez, Miles, how uptight can you get? If that’s your attitude I won’t be asking at all. Thank goodness I dodged that bullet.’ I take another step back. ‘I don’t know about you, but I’m going home now.’
