Page 29 of The Importance of Being Emma
‘Both. D’you know, as there’s no one watching, I might even lick my fingers.’
Iwas watching, but obviously I was just part of the furniture. And I didn’t watch her for long. There was only so much a sex-starved man could stand.
‘That was delicious,’ I said, when we’d finished eating. ‘Another slice?’
‘No thanks, this skirt is tight enough as it is.’ She patted her stomach, the merest hint of a curve beneath smooth silver-grey suede. ‘Oh, I nearly forgot, Kate’s having people round for dinner this Saturday and she’d like you and Tamara to come. Seven for seven thirty. She’s asked her usual crowd — Izzy, John, Dad, me, Batty and her mother. And she’s also invited Harriet and, er, Philip.’ A pause, then a well-judged change of subject. ‘Is Tamara here yet?’
‘No, I’m going to pick her up from Gatwick this afternoon.’
‘I’ve never met her.’
‘I know.’
She scooped up a few crumbs from her lap and dropped them into a nearby waste paper bin. ‘Izzy says she’s not interested in anyone but herself. And presumably you.’
I frowned. ‘Izzy thinks that anyone who doesn’t instantly adore her kids is bizarre. Tamara didnotappreciate having chocolate smeared in her hair by Bella last time she was over, she’d just spent a small fortune at the hairdresser’s.’
‘I can understand that, I suppose. Anyway, I’m dying to see her.’
‘So am I. And I’ve only got another four hours to wait, thank God, it’s been six weeks since—’ I broke off. I’d never discussed my sex life with anyone and I certainly wasn’t about to start now. Maybe Father was right after all; it wasn’t natural for a man to be on his own.
I got to my feet, crossed the room and busied myself with the in-tray on my desk. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Emma walking over to me.
Her voice was cool. ‘I’m sure you’ve got lots to do, so I’ll be off now. Hope your birthday celebrations with Tamara don’t wear you out.’
I turned and looked down at her sulky face. ‘Look, I really appreciate you coming to see me this morning. And thank you for that delicious cake, and the vouchers, so thoughtful. Tell Henry I’ll thank him in the next day or so.’
‘No rush, he’s not going anywhere. And it sounds like you’ll be very busy once Tamara’s here.’
‘Emma, you’re giving me the feeling I still owe you an apology — this time for something else, although I don’t know what.’
She said nothing, just scowled at me.
I sighed, placed my hands on her shoulders and did a really stupid thing; I bent my head and kissed her.
Not properly of course, just brushing her lips — so full, so soft — with mine. I’d done it occasionally when she was younger, without a second thought. But this time it was different. This time, my casual platonic kiss was charged with the knowledge that, at any moment, I could deepen it. The knowledge that I wanted to deepen it, whatever the consequences.
But my mouth disobeyed my thoughts and the kiss ended safely.
I let go of her shoulders with a relieved smile. ‘Friends?’
She stared at me in silence for several seconds. Then she said quietly, ‘Mark, I can’t imaginenotbeing friends with you.’
And she went out of the room without a backward glance, leaving me to mull over that last remark. Did she mean that she couldn’t envisage us ever being enemies? Or that she couldn’t picture us as more than friends — as lovers, in other words?
Another disturbing thought came to mind: of the three kisses on her card, we were now two down.
One to go.
* * *
~~EMMA~~
I had it all planned out.
I’d give Mark a chance to calm down after our quarrel and let him make the first move. If he hadn’t apologised by his birthday, I would take him a peace offering and see if that did the trick.
But there was no apology; in fact, he was waiting formeto say sorry tohim!
