Page 33 of Starting Over at Halesmere House
But Alice had a feeling she’d blown that notion out of the water the moment she’d shown him into her bedroom when she hadn’t needed to. So much for not dating Zac; right now she’d skip that stage altogether and jump in the shower with him. The thought made her splutter and she gave herself a very stern telling-off at the fridge door.
‘Do you always talk to yourself?’
She whirled around, the atmosphere altering the moment her gaze met his. Zac’s feet in socks were silent on the tiles, his hair still wet. He’d changed into a pair of worn Levi’s and a white T-shirt, emphasising dark good looks she’d been trying for days not to keep on noticing. Desire was a dart across her skin, and she huffed out a laugh at the smile hovering on his lips.
‘I wasn’t. Peppers and courgettes have such a lot to say.’
‘They do? It sounded more like you were muttering about showers and behaving yourself.’
‘You must have misheard.’ Her face was pink now and she very much appreciated the cool air escaping from the fridge as she stared inside it.
‘Right.’ She didn’t need to see Zac to hear the amusement in that single word. ‘Look, about dinner.’
‘It’s fine if you have to go.’ Alice turned around, trying to balance relief with disappointment. ‘It was only a thought.’
‘I don’t have to go, and I wasn’t trying to cancel.’ He removed his phone from a back pocket of his jeans. ‘I was going to suggest a takeaway, so you don’t have to cook. There’s a nice Chinese just opened in the next village.’
‘Oh!’ So dinner was back on, and she appreciated his suggestion. ‘Are you worried about my cooking?’
‘Not in the least. You already made soup and I loved that, remember?’
‘I do.’
‘Plus next time I think it should be my turn to feed you, maybe after another training session?’
‘I’d like that.’ She swallowed, pinned by the intensity in his eyes even though her reply had been every bit as nonchalant as his invitation. It did sound a lot like a date but of course it wasn’t. ‘Do you have a menu for the takeaway?’
‘On my phone.’ Zac held it out. ‘I’ve just downloaded it.’
‘Thanks.’
They agreed on a couple of starters and two main courses, and Alice handed his phone back. It was busy with notifications constantly popping up and she made sure not to look.
‘I could pick it up after you shower, if you like?’
‘Perfect, thanks.’ So it was her turn now and Alice retraced his steps across the kitchen to her bedroom. ‘Help yourself to a drink and take it upstairs if you like.’
‘Thanks. I’ve left my towel on the rail in the bathroom,’ he called after her, and she nodded. ‘I wasn’t sure where you’d want it.’
Her bedroom looked exactly as it had when she’d left Zac in it earlier, but it felt so very different. He’d seen her bed now and would know which side she slept on, what she read before falling asleep each night. The shower was still wet too, the damp towel more evidence that he had been in here, had undressed and soaked himself as she was about to do.
The hot water felt wonderful on her body after the effort on the bike earlier and she didn’t linger, drying herself quickly. Her towel looked strange sitting on the rail next to his, a matching pair. There was so little about her and Zac that matched, but that was a thought she didn’t want to have right now.
Alice dressed in jeans with a green jumper over a vest, her hair dry and loose. She wore no make-up bar lip gloss, no perfume beyond the rose and almond shower gel she loved, nothing to suggest that this evening was anything more than a casual meal with a friend.
In the kitchen, Zac was sitting at the breakfast bar, one hand around a glass of water. ‘Hey. Feel better?’
‘Much, thank you.’
‘Great.’ He stood up, checking his phone. ‘I’ll go and pick the food up; it should be ready by the time I get there.’
‘Perfect, thanks. Would you like something different to drink with dinner? I’m sorry, I don’t have any beer that’s non-alcoholic. I’m more of a wine person when I drink.’
‘Water’s fine.’ He paused at the door to look back. ‘I won’t be long.’
Alice slid plates into the warming oven and poured herself a glass of white wine. She laid the stove upstairs but didn’t light it. He might rush off the minute they’d eaten, and she wasn’t going to presume he’d want to linger. She’d definitely be aching tomorrow after the bike ride, so an early night would probably be a good call. Alone.
Twenty-five minutes later, Zac was back, and she went to answer his rapid knock. His expression was so different, fraught with tension, that she wondered if he’d an accident, and she only realised her hand had caught his when they both glanced down.
