like.’
Eduardo’s gaze grew even darker. ‘And what do you like?’
Damn! She’d walked right into that one. Miranda’s heart began to beat a tad faster as a cocktail of excitement and panic coursed through her veins. This was getting heavy, but:
a) she was too drunk to care, and
b) she was enjoying the flirtation.
Eduardo plumped down on the edge of the neighbouring sunbed, before reaching across and trailing a finger down her cheek. ‘Do you like this?’ he asked, his voice now husky with lust.
Looking into those delicious brown eyes, framed with lashes most women would kill for, Miranda found herself devoid of the ability to speak, the ability to move, the ability, in fact, to do anything other than nod.
‘What about this?’ he continued, this time trailing his finger down the side of her neck.
Again Miranda nodded.
‘And this?’ He leaned over and kissed her. A deep, passionate kiss that set every nerve in her body on fire and caused her head to reel. She had been well and truly lost. So much so that, before she knew what was happening, the deed had been done, without her moving from her sunbed. It happened only once. Eduardo’s mobile had rung immediately afterwards and he’d scuttled off, muttering something about Lydia. Miranda hadn’t taken much notice. For over an hour, she’d been too shocked to even move. The whole thing had been completely surreal. Then, when she had eventually peeled herself off the sunbed and staggered up to the house, she’d headed straight for bed and fallen into a fitful sleep.
The following day, Eduardo appeared at the house looking like butter wouldn’t melt. As courteous as ever, he’d given Josie her tennis lesson, then left. Miranda briefly wondered if she’d dreamt the whole sordid episode. Then progressed to dismissing it as a mere drunken fumble; nothing to beat herself up about. But a few weeks on, one missed period and six pregnancy tests proved it had been much more than that. Precisely why she shouldn’t be wasting time in Marbella, pretending to enjoy herself. She should be at home. Arranging things. That, however, involved a huge amount of energy. Energy she didn’t have. On the bedside table, her mobile buzzed. She swiped it up. Her mother’s number flashed at her. Miranda heaved a frustrated sigh. The woman had been trying to contact her for three days now, but Miranda had flicked off the phone each time. With a stab of guilt, she supposed she’d better answer it this time.
‘Hello,’ she barked.
‘Oh, hello, dear,’ said her mother. ‘I’m sorry to bother you. Are you busy?’
‘I’m in Spain.’
‘That’s nice. Is Josie with you?’
‘No,’ Miranda snapped. ‘Josie’s at home. I’m here with a friend.’
‘Oh.’ Her mother sounded weary. ‘Well, I just wanted to let you know that your father is going into hospital for more tests on Thursday.’
Miranda rolled her eyes. Her father was always going into hospital for tests. ‘What for this time?’ she asked, unable to quell the impatience in her voice.
‘His heart again, dear. You know how it is.’
Don’t I just, Miranda resisted saying. Given that that’s all you talk about every time you call.
‘He’d love to see you, you know.’
Miranda blew out an impatient breath. ‘I know, Mum. And I will get across there soon. It’s just that I’m very …’
‘… Busy. I know. Well, not to worry. You just let us know when you can fit us in.’
Miranda ended the call, feeling ten times worse than she had when she’d answered it. Now, on top of everything else, a whole heap of guilt had been dumped on her regarding her inadequacies as a daughter. Add that to her inadequacies as a wife, mother and friend, and her CV looked far from impressive.
*****
Julia permitted herself a metaphorical pat on the back. This was the third Friday shop she’d completed, and the third time she hadn’t bumped into Max. But the best of it was that this week she wasn’t even
Eduardo’s gaze grew even darker. ‘And what do you like?’
Damn! She’d walked right into that one. Miranda’s heart began to beat a tad faster as a cocktail of excitement and panic coursed through her veins. This was getting heavy, but:
a) she was too drunk to care, and
b) she was enjoying the flirtation.
Eduardo plumped down on the edge of the neighbouring sunbed, before reaching across and trailing a finger down her cheek. ‘Do you like this?’ he asked, his voice now husky with lust.
Looking into those delicious brown eyes, framed with lashes most women would kill for, Miranda found herself devoid of the ability to speak, the ability to move, the ability, in fact, to do anything other than nod.
‘What about this?’ he continued, this time trailing his finger down the side of her neck.
Again Miranda nodded.
‘And this?’ He leaned over and kissed her. A deep, passionate kiss that set every nerve in her body on fire and caused her head to reel. She had been well and truly lost. So much so that, before she knew what was happening, the deed had been done, without her moving from her sunbed. It happened only once. Eduardo’s mobile had rung immediately afterwards and he’d scuttled off, muttering something about Lydia. Miranda hadn’t taken much notice. For over an hour, she’d been too shocked to even move. The whole thing had been completely surreal. Then, when she had eventually peeled herself off the sunbed and staggered up to the house, she’d headed straight for bed and fallen into a fitful sleep.
The following day, Eduardo appeared at the house looking like butter wouldn’t melt. As courteous as ever, he’d given Josie her tennis lesson, then left. Miranda briefly wondered if she’d dreamt the whole sordid episode. Then progressed to dismissing it as a mere drunken fumble; nothing to beat herself up about. But a few weeks on, one missed period and six pregnancy tests proved it had been much more than that. Precisely why she shouldn’t be wasting time in Marbella, pretending to enjoy herself. She should be at home. Arranging things. That, however, involved a huge amount of energy. Energy she didn’t have. On the bedside table, her mobile buzzed. She swiped it up. Her mother’s number flashed at her. Miranda heaved a frustrated sigh. The woman had been trying to contact her for three days now, but Miranda had flicked off the phone each time. With a stab of guilt, she supposed she’d better answer it this time.
‘Hello,’ she barked.
‘Oh, hello, dear,’ said her mother. ‘I’m sorry to bother you. Are you busy?’
‘I’m in Spain.’
‘That’s nice. Is Josie with you?’
‘No,’ Miranda snapped. ‘Josie’s at home. I’m here with a friend.’
‘Oh.’ Her mother sounded weary. ‘Well, I just wanted to let you know that your father is going into hospital for more tests on Thursday.’
Miranda rolled her eyes. Her father was always going into hospital for tests. ‘What for this time?’ she asked, unable to quell the impatience in her voice.
‘His heart again, dear. You know how it is.’
Don’t I just, Miranda resisted saying. Given that that’s all you talk about every time you call.
‘He’d love to see you, you know.’
Miranda blew out an impatient breath. ‘I know, Mum. And I will get across there soon. It’s just that I’m very …’
‘… Busy. I know. Well, not to worry. You just let us know when you can fit us in.’
Miranda ended the call, feeling ten times worse than she had when she’d answered it. Now, on top of everything else, a whole heap of guilt had been dumped on her regarding her inadequacies as a daughter. Add that to her inadequacies as a wife, mother and friend, and her CV looked far from impressive.
*****
Julia permitted herself a metaphorical pat on the back. This was the third Friday shop she’d completed, and the third time she hadn’t bumped into Max. But the best of it was that this week she wasn’t even
Similar Books
