Page 84 of For Love or Money
‘Huh!’ Peter exclaimed. ‘What’s the part?’
‘Nell inEndgame. They’re doing it in September. Lorcan’s directing.’
‘Endgame! Good Lord! We’re not that old, are we?’
‘Well, don’t expect to be offered Hamlet anytime soon.’
‘Did you tell him no?’
‘Conor? You know what he’s like. I said I’d think about it.’
‘Really?’
She shrugged. ‘Youtry saying no to him.’ She gave a smug little smile as she poured herself a glass of rosé. ‘Because he’s asking you to play Nagg.’
‘Want me to do your back?’Al asked, as Lesley creamed herself up for the afternoon.
‘Oh.’ Well, he was her boyfriend, after all. ‘Yes, please.’ She handed him the bottle of sunscreen and lay down on her stomach, flipping her hair to the side.
‘So, Conor’s come through, then,’ she murmured, closing her eyes as Al began massaging the sun cream into her skin. His hands felt good – warm and firm – and Lesley sighed deeply as they moved over her back. ‘Do you think Jane will go for it?’
‘She seemed pleased to be asked. And Conor can be very persuasive.’
‘I can see how he would be. Plus it’d give her an excuse to spend time with Peter.’
She felt a little tingle of pleasure as Al’s hands moved over her waist and down to her lower back, and she had a sudden longing for them to go lower, to slip inside her bikini bottoms and—Gah! What was wrong with her? Al was just putting on her sun cream. It wasn’t foreplay. She had to remember this was a job. They were just pretending. ‘So who’s this Philippe?’ she asked, to distract herself.
Al chuckled. ‘He’s a cousin of old friends of theirs. He’s always had the major hots for Jane.’
‘Oh, interesting.’ Lesley perked up. ‘I wondered what Peter’s problem was with him. He’s obviously jealous. That’s good.’
‘He’ll probably be at the Simpsons’ shindig.’ Jane had announced at lunch that they were all invited to a party on Saturday night.
‘Even better,’ she said. ‘Jane should flirt with him.’
‘I’m sure she will. There,’ he said, ‘all done.’
‘Thanks,’ Lesley said, turning over and resisting the urge to take off her bikini top and get him to do her boobs. She felt herself flush at the thought, and shoved her sunglasses back on.
‘Now you do me?’ Al asked, holding the bottle out to her.
‘Sure,’ she said, taking it from him. He lay down on his stomach, and she squeezed some cream into her hands and started rubbing it into his back, taking her time, allowing herself to luxuriate in the feel of his warm skin as her hands glided over the firm muscles of his back.
‘Al?’
‘Mmm?’
‘Did you see the way Rafe was looking at Stella at lunch?’
‘Yeah, he was laying it on pretty thick, wasn’t he?’
‘He said he wasn’t going to make a move on her, though.’
‘Did he?’
‘Well ...’ Lesley had the distinct impression that Rafe had said no, but now that she thought about it, she wasn’t so sure. ‘Are you sure he doesn’t fancy her for real?’ she asked as she worked down to the hollow of his lower back. ‘He looked pretty ... smitten.’
‘He’s just a good actor. Do you think Stella might be tempted?’
