knew how.”
“Honest to God, Heather, I haven’t touched her.”
“Not yet, maybe. But she looked pretty damn grateful to me.”
Steve saved him by choosing that moment to buzz the intercom because he’d forgotten his keys. Clearly still pissed, he swung Heather off her feet, almost cracking her head off the designer chandelier. They both collapsed giggling onto the sofa and Joe stood there feeling like a spare prick at a wedding.
He knew he could have had what they had. He wanted it now and he’d wasted so much time. But it was too late now to get back on the road.
Heather’s usual kindness won over her disapproval and she made Lisa a sandwich before packing her off to the spare room, declaring she’d feel better after a good night’s sleep. Joe was left to stew on the sofa.
He pulled the duvet over his head trying not to hear the reunion sex going on in the next room. He listened to the rain, feeling lonely in the darkness. When the door creaked open, he wasn’t even surprised. He held his breath, challenging himself to keep on doing the right thing.
“Lisa, you’ll get me in trouble. You have to go back to bed.”
“I’m scared. I just want a cuddle.”
He wanted a cuddle too but not from a pregnant teenager who was virtually a stranger. But he hesitated too long, trying to find the right words, and before he knew what was happening, Lisa had crawled in beside him and was snuggling into him as if her life depended on it.
“I don’t know what I’m going to do.”
“Like Heather said, if you get some sleep, it won’t seem so bad in the morning.”
“You’re so lovely, Joe. I wish I had someone like you.”
In her giant T-shirt, she was all legs and tits as she pressed herself against him. Naked but for his boxers, he started to get hard. He bit his lip, drawing blood in the effort it took not to touch her.
Then he realised she was fast asleep. Shit! What the fuck was he meant to do now? Stupid git! Why hadn’t he made her go back to her own bed?
And of course Heather chose that moment to come into the room in search of a glass of water.
Chapter 7
The vintage black corset was pure burlesque. Evie’s waist looked tiny. Her cleavage was wild. It was as far from her usual style as it was possible to be. Evie loved it.
“That looks fabulous on you.”
“You don’t think it’s too much of a statement?”
“What about this, if you want to tone it down just a bit?”
The girl rummaged on the rail and picked out a black lace jacket, the beading more boho than maiden aunt. It covered her boobs, yet didn’t. It was perfect.
“Looks great with those skinny jeans but you’ll need heels, something dangerous and spiky. There’s a shop round the corner you might want to try?”
There were a few shops she wanted to try. She remembered Porthrynton Heath as a staid little market town but it seemed to have evolved into a quirky collection of vintage and retro. As she’d driven there that morning, she couldn’t decide how she was feeling. Deciding what to wear on a date was tricky. Evie had never dated. There’d only ever been Joe.
But as she changed back into her usual clothes, always a long top with the skinny jeans and flat leather boots to drive in, she realised she was excited about the gig. And Jake. It was a bit nerve-wracking, the whole bed thing especially. But she’d had enough of being sensible. And miserable. It was time she started enjoying herself, while she could still remember how. And her school-run image was more than due a makeover.
She found the perfect heels, so high they were obviously designed for posing rather than actual standing up. But even trying them on, she felt vampy. Dressing up like a different person could turn out to be fun.
When she’d collected a few more shopping bags, full of trivial things she’d never normally need, she found herself in an alley that looked a
“Honest to God, Heather, I haven’t touched her.”
“Not yet, maybe. But she looked pretty damn grateful to me.”
Steve saved him by choosing that moment to buzz the intercom because he’d forgotten his keys. Clearly still pissed, he swung Heather off her feet, almost cracking her head off the designer chandelier. They both collapsed giggling onto the sofa and Joe stood there feeling like a spare prick at a wedding.
He knew he could have had what they had. He wanted it now and he’d wasted so much time. But it was too late now to get back on the road.
Heather’s usual kindness won over her disapproval and she made Lisa a sandwich before packing her off to the spare room, declaring she’d feel better after a good night’s sleep. Joe was left to stew on the sofa.
He pulled the duvet over his head trying not to hear the reunion sex going on in the next room. He listened to the rain, feeling lonely in the darkness. When the door creaked open, he wasn’t even surprised. He held his breath, challenging himself to keep on doing the right thing.
“Lisa, you’ll get me in trouble. You have to go back to bed.”
“I’m scared. I just want a cuddle.”
He wanted a cuddle too but not from a pregnant teenager who was virtually a stranger. But he hesitated too long, trying to find the right words, and before he knew what was happening, Lisa had crawled in beside him and was snuggling into him as if her life depended on it.
“I don’t know what I’m going to do.”
“Like Heather said, if you get some sleep, it won’t seem so bad in the morning.”
“You’re so lovely, Joe. I wish I had someone like you.”
In her giant T-shirt, she was all legs and tits as she pressed herself against him. Naked but for his boxers, he started to get hard. He bit his lip, drawing blood in the effort it took not to touch her.
Then he realised she was fast asleep. Shit! What the fuck was he meant to do now? Stupid git! Why hadn’t he made her go back to her own bed?
And of course Heather chose that moment to come into the room in search of a glass of water.
Chapter 7
The vintage black corset was pure burlesque. Evie’s waist looked tiny. Her cleavage was wild. It was as far from her usual style as it was possible to be. Evie loved it.
“That looks fabulous on you.”
“You don’t think it’s too much of a statement?”
“What about this, if you want to tone it down just a bit?”
The girl rummaged on the rail and picked out a black lace jacket, the beading more boho than maiden aunt. It covered her boobs, yet didn’t. It was perfect.
“Looks great with those skinny jeans but you’ll need heels, something dangerous and spiky. There’s a shop round the corner you might want to try?”
There were a few shops she wanted to try. She remembered Porthrynton Heath as a staid little market town but it seemed to have evolved into a quirky collection of vintage and retro. As she’d driven there that morning, she couldn’t decide how she was feeling. Deciding what to wear on a date was tricky. Evie had never dated. There’d only ever been Joe.
But as she changed back into her usual clothes, always a long top with the skinny jeans and flat leather boots to drive in, she realised she was excited about the gig. And Jake. It was a bit nerve-wracking, the whole bed thing especially. But she’d had enough of being sensible. And miserable. It was time she started enjoying herself, while she could still remember how. And her school-run image was more than due a makeover.
She found the perfect heels, so high they were obviously designed for posing rather than actual standing up. But even trying them on, she felt vampy. Dressing up like a different person could turn out to be fun.
When she’d collected a few more shopping bags, full of trivial things she’d never normally need, she found herself in an alley that looked a
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