Page 25 of One Summer Weekend
My stomach churned; relief and, in a strange way, disappointment. I spun round, veiling my confusionwith a sardonic laugh. ‘Won’t they think it’s odd that you’re not exactly – well, jumping into bed with me? Aren’t we still at that stage in our relationship?’
‘We certainly are. But we’re both tired – and anyway, there’s always the morning.’
Oh God, does he have eventhatworked out?
I fumbled desperately for a different subject. ‘Midge and Bill are good company. I like themvery much.’
‘They like you very much too. I can tell.’ A pause. ‘You know, tonight went better than I’d dared hope.’
‘In spite of the ballet?’
A wry smile. ‘In spite of the ballet. Although I’m already thinking how to pay you back for that.’
‘Didn’t you get your revenge by making me out to be – how did you put it? – a slave to the gym? That’ll take some living up to tomorrow.’
‘Doubt it, you look in good shape to me.’
An echo of the first time we met, when his eyes had told me the same thing – except he’d gone on to apologise for it. And later he’d informed Nick Suggett that I wasn’t his type – but then tried to deny it. Why did it matter whether he found me attractive? I was adding a totally unnecessary complication to an already difficult relationship …
His low chuckle interrupted my attack of self-reproach. ‘You know, it felt weird when you said you’d never date one of your clients. My first thought was – hang on, Iamyour client.’
‘But we’re not dating, are we?’ I countered, swiftly. ‘Anyway,yousaid something just as weird – that you didn’t want me as your coach. Not so long ago you said the exact opposite.’
‘What I saidtonight was – if it’s a choice between having you as my girlfriend or my coach, then give me the girlfriend every time. That’s not necessarily a contradiction with saying I want you as my coach, is it?’ His voice was soft, and flirtatious, and for a moment I almost believed him. Which would have been a really stupid thing to do.
Hoping that he wouldn’t see my blushes, I mumbled a goodnightand turned away. Behind me the door closed, leaving me alone with my trepidation.
I had enjoyed the evening far more than I’d expected to – and that meant I had to be even more on my guard tomorrow. Always assuming, of course, that I got through tonight.
