Read Online Girl on the Run by Rhoda Baxter - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Rhoda Baxter
Ads: Link
her a sympathetic smile. ‘It takes a while.’
‘ It makes you feel really stupid, doesn't it? You wonder what else was going on that you didn't see.’
‘ And if the whole world knew and it was only you who didn't see it.’
Jane wondered if he knew just how close that was to her own thoughts. ‘Yes. And you wonder how you could have been that bad a judge of character.’
They both looked down at their drinks.
‘Well, I guess that's something we have in common then.’ The dimple appeared briefly in his cheek.
Jane felt the sudden urge to touch it.
He raised his glass, and said, ‘To cheating partners. Good riddance.’
Jane had to laugh. ‘Good riddance. We're better off without them.’
Marsh laughed too as he lowered his glass.
She wondered what it would be like to kiss him.
Suddenly the phone rang. Jane jumped. Was Polly checking up on her?
Marsh looked at the number and slipped off the stool, mouthing ‘excuse me’. He retreated to the other side of the kitchen, still within earshot, but giving the illusion of privacy.
‘ Yes?’ He sounded slightly annoyed. He listened for a moment. ‘That's Ok. Don't worry about it.’
He listened some more. His face softened. ‘You too. Listen, I've got to go. I've got someone visiting.’
He shot a quick glance at Jane. ‘Yes.’
There was some babble on the other end. He rolled his eyes. ‘I'll email you tomorrow. Bye.’ He hung up, smiling. ‘My sister,’ he said, by way of explanation.
Jane glanced at her watch. It was eleven-thirty and she had to be at work tomorrow. She hesitated, not wanting to bring the evening to an end.
Marsh noticed her checking her watch. ‘I guess we should think about getting you home.’
‘ I still have my Oyster card. It was in my pocket.’
‘ Oh no, I can't let you take the tube at this time of night. Especially after all that's happened to you this evening.’ He reached for the phone. ‘I'll call you a taxi.’
Jane opened her mouth to protest. Apart from anything else, she had no money on her.
‘I'll pay,’ he said, as though he'd read her mind. ‘I insist.’
Once Marsh had ordered the taxi, he opened one of the curtains. ‘Do you mind if I turn some of the lights out, so that we can see the taxi when it turns up?’
When she shrugged, he turned the dining area lights off and they stood side by side, watching the road below. They chatted about work and London, but Jane could barely concentrate on what she was saying. She was hyper aware of him standing next to her.
He felt so big and warm and safe. She wanted nothing more than to close the small gap between them. His chest was so close she would only have to move a tiny bit to rest her head against it and hear his heart. Just when the temptation was getting unbearable, a taxi turned into the road.
‘ There it is,’ said Marsh, his voice sounding strained. ‘We'd best get out there before he beeps and wakes Mrs Watkins on the ground floor.’
As he helped her into her coat, Jane said, ‘I never got to say thank you.’
‘ I didn't do much.’
‘ No, I don't know what would have happened if you hadn't come along. And dinner … was lovely too.’ She raised up on her tiptoes and, with her heart hammering in her ears, she kissed him on the cheek, just next to the dimple.
Marsh froze.
For a moment they stood there, their faces millimetres from each other. Jane forgot to breathe. The world seemed to stop still. Suddenly there was a beep from outside.
Marsh looked into her eyes. He placed a light kiss on her cheek. ‘No funny business,’ he whispered, his breath warm on her skin. ‘I promised.’
Chapter Eight
From: Stevie, To: Marshall
What happened? What happened? What happened?? I hope I didn't interrupt when I phoned last night.
##
From: Marshall , To: Stevie
No, you didn't interrupt anything. We were just talking. What happened? Well, it's a long story . I was leaving the office to run home and I saw someone being
‘ It makes you feel really stupid, doesn't it? You wonder what else was going on that you didn't see.’
‘ And if the whole world knew and it was only you who didn't see it.’
Jane wondered if he knew just how close that was to her own thoughts. ‘Yes. And you wonder how you could have been that bad a judge of character.’
They both looked down at their drinks.
‘Well, I guess that's something we have in common then.’ The dimple appeared briefly in his cheek.
Jane felt the sudden urge to touch it.
He raised his glass, and said, ‘To cheating partners. Good riddance.’
Jane had to laugh. ‘Good riddance. We're better off without them.’
Marsh laughed too as he lowered his glass.
She wondered what it would be like to kiss him.
Suddenly the phone rang. Jane jumped. Was Polly checking up on her?
Marsh looked at the number and slipped off the stool, mouthing ‘excuse me’. He retreated to the other side of the kitchen, still within earshot, but giving the illusion of privacy.
‘ Yes?’ He sounded slightly annoyed. He listened for a moment. ‘That's Ok. Don't worry about it.’
He listened some more. His face softened. ‘You too. Listen, I've got to go. I've got someone visiting.’
He shot a quick glance at Jane. ‘Yes.’
There was some babble on the other end. He rolled his eyes. ‘I'll email you tomorrow. Bye.’ He hung up, smiling. ‘My sister,’ he said, by way of explanation.
Jane glanced at her watch. It was eleven-thirty and she had to be at work tomorrow. She hesitated, not wanting to bring the evening to an end.
Marsh noticed her checking her watch. ‘I guess we should think about getting you home.’
‘ I still have my Oyster card. It was in my pocket.’
‘ Oh no, I can't let you take the tube at this time of night. Especially after all that's happened to you this evening.’ He reached for the phone. ‘I'll call you a taxi.’
Jane opened her mouth to protest. Apart from anything else, she had no money on her.
‘I'll pay,’ he said, as though he'd read her mind. ‘I insist.’
Once Marsh had ordered the taxi, he opened one of the curtains. ‘Do you mind if I turn some of the lights out, so that we can see the taxi when it turns up?’
When she shrugged, he turned the dining area lights off and they stood side by side, watching the road below. They chatted about work and London, but Jane could barely concentrate on what she was saying. She was hyper aware of him standing next to her.
He felt so big and warm and safe. She wanted nothing more than to close the small gap between them. His chest was so close she would only have to move a tiny bit to rest her head against it and hear his heart. Just when the temptation was getting unbearable, a taxi turned into the road.
‘ There it is,’ said Marsh, his voice sounding strained. ‘We'd best get out there before he beeps and wakes Mrs Watkins on the ground floor.’
As he helped her into her coat, Jane said, ‘I never got to say thank you.’
‘ I didn't do much.’
‘ No, I don't know what would have happened if you hadn't come along. And dinner … was lovely too.’ She raised up on her tiptoes and, with her heart hammering in her ears, she kissed him on the cheek, just next to the dimple.
Marsh froze.
For a moment they stood there, their faces millimetres from each other. Jane forgot to breathe. The world seemed to stop still. Suddenly there was a beep from outside.
Marsh looked into her eyes. He placed a light kiss on her cheek. ‘No funny business,’ he whispered, his breath warm on her skin. ‘I promised.’
Chapter Eight
From: Stevie, To: Marshall
What happened? What happened? What happened?? I hope I didn't interrupt when I phoned last night.
##
From: Marshall , To: Stevie
No, you didn't interrupt anything. We were just talking. What happened? Well, it's a long story . I was leaving the office to run home and I saw someone being
Similar Books
