Page 57 of Book People

I’d thought he’d forgotten the offer he’d made, while in my bed, to help me investigate some of my own lost history. Apparently not.

My chest feels tight. ‘We?’

‘Mrs Bennet is a little . . . standoffish. You might find me being there will help things.’

He’s not wrong. Mrs Bennetisvery standoffish, though I’m not sure how him being there will help, considering how standoffish he is. Maybe Mrs Bennet has a soft spot for him. I want to tease him about it, but we’re both still doing this hideous formality thing, so I only say, ‘That would be great, then. Thank you.’

He shrugs a shoulder. ‘It’s nothing. There’re a couple of other people who might know more too. I’ll conduct further investigations.’

‘You don’t have to.’

‘I know I don’t.’ His gaze is very direct and intense. ‘But I made you a promise and I intend to keep it.’

He made more promises to me that night. He promised me he’d make me feel better than I ever had in my entire life, that I’d come so hard I’d scream his name. He kept those promises too.

Perhaps he’s thinking about that as well, because fire ignites in his eyes, leaping and burning, and it’s back, our physical chemistry. Burning twice as high and twice as hot. Because we know now what it’s like between us and it’s . . . amazing. Fantastic. Phenomenal.

But it’s not happening again.

I realise now the truth of that, settling down inside me like a weight.

My eyes prickle, which is ridiculous. I will not cry over him. I will not.

I will never let a man make me cry again.

I blink and turn on my brightest and bestest smile ever. ‘Thank you, Sebastian. I’ll see you tomorrow.’

Back in Portable Magic, I distract myself from the ache in my chest with an effusive email to Lisa. Then I contact her publicist and send her the details of the festival. I’ll no doubt need to find her a place to stay, so I make some suggestions, including the Wychtree Arms, where all the rooms have recentlyhad an update. Not five star by any stretch of the imagination, but they’re homey and comfortable, and I can afford to pay her accommodation expenses there at least.

I’m finishing up when Aisling comes in, her little girl Beth on her hip. I have a box of toys near the kids’ shelves for toddlers, and Aisling goes right there and gets them out for Beth. ‘Hey,’ she says, as she gets Beth sorted with a cloth book and some blocks. ‘How are you? I need you to give me an update on Tall, Dark and Brooding.’

I try to keep my face in some semblance of pleasant. ‘Update? What kind of update?’

Aisling shakes back her red hair and comes over to the counter as Beth happily paws through the cloth book. ‘Last I saw of you was you waiting to talk to him “privately”.’

‘We were only talking about the festival.’

Aisling eyes me. ‘Is that why you’re blushing?’

I don’t know what to say. Sebastian and I didn’t have a conversation about whether we should tell people we’d slept together, but . . . I’ve been here over two months now and I know there’s a village rumour mill. If people knew, the gossip would be rife, I’m certain. I’m also certain Sebastian would hate that.

Then again, I don’t have anyone else to talk to about him, not a single person, and I could use an understanding ear.

I give Aisling a meaningful look. ‘I don’t want anyone else to know, okay?’

She raises a brow. ‘Oh, so it’s like that, is it?’

‘Please, Ash.’

‘Hey, no problem. I’m not a gossip and I know gossips say that all the time, but I honestly mean it.’

I know she does, so I nod. ‘Okay. So . . . we slept together.’

She does not look surprised. ‘About time.’

‘It’s not like that. It was only a one-off.’

‘I have to say, that’s not what I was hoping.’ She puts her elbows on the counter and looks at me. ‘Was he that bad? I’ve never heard anything about his skills in the bedroom, to be clear. But . . . well.’ She smirks. ‘He looks like he knows his way around a woman.’

---