He was already climbing out, far less gracefully than expected, his tie flapping, his jacket catching on the window frame. He rolled out of the window like Mr Blobby trying to play James Bond in a school nativity play, and landed next to her with a wet thud, sinking straight into the churned-up mud with a grunt.
‘Oh, brilliant,’ he muttered. ‘Very dignified. Exactly the professional image I strive for.’
She giggled. ‘Now you have to make one.’
‘Are you for real? In this suit? Absolutely not.’ He sat up.
She wiggled again, sending flecks of mud flying. ‘Come on. Enjoy the moment. When did you ever think you’d be lying in a muddy flower bed next to me after running from the paparazzi?’ She flicked a bit of mud at him.
‘Never!’
‘There you go. You never know what’s around the corner.’
He let out a defeated breath, then, with great reluctance and a dramatic sigh, flopped back into the wet flower bed beside her, limbs sticking out stiffly.
Pippa snorted. ‘You look like a terrified starfish.’
‘I feel like a terrified starfish.’
‘Now move your arms and legs.’
‘I refuse.’
‘The press could come out any second,’ she whispered. ‘Imagine the headlines.’
Theo groaned, but he moved his arms and legs in tiny, deeply unenthusiastic motions.
‘There,’ he said, deadpan. ‘I’ve ruined my academic reputation forever.’
She turned her head. Their noses were inches apart.
‘Look at the state of me,’ he muttered as Pippa’s eyes swept over his body. Then their eyes locked.
‘I’m looking,’ she replied, biting her lip with a glint in her eye.
Theo looked down at his shirt, then his gaze swept down her T-shirt, her wet top clinging to her breasts. As their eyes met again, they just stared at each other. Everything about him was so damn perfect.
‘You know,’ she murmured, ‘escaping through windows suits you.’
‘I blame you entirely,’ he said softly.
‘It was your idea.’
Neither of them moved, and for a suspended, fragile second, she wondered if he might lean in for a kiss… Which was ridiculous, of course! He was a married man, and she was here to re-evaluate her life, not cause further complications. But still, for that one moment, she found herself actually wondering what it would be like to kiss Theo Blake.
Then they heard voices from around the side of the building.
‘Theo must have slipped out without anyone noticing.’ It was Dr Miriam’s voice, and it was getting closer. ‘The press want to speak to him.’
‘Quick,’ Theo urged, shooting upright and pulling Pippa to her feet. ‘We need to go!’
His hand wrapped around hers without hesitation, and before she could formulate any more forbidden thoughts about almost-kisses and doctors with inconveniently soft eyes, he tugged her into a half-run round the front of the building.
‘Slow down!’ she laughed, splashing in every puddle as she tried to keep up.
‘We can’t!’
Pippa tripped and wobbled, and Theo tightened his grip, pulling her closer. They stumbled again, laughter bubbling up between them in ragged, breathless bursts. It shouldn’t have been funny. It should have been awkward and stressful and undignified. But she couldn’t stop grinning.
