Red-Hot Affairs. Lucy King

of advice, which she’d have insisted Laura follow, and Laura would have been too wiped out to argue.

      But not any more. No more taking the easy way out. No more falling in with other people’s wishes all the time. If her afternoon with Matt had taught her one thing it was that going for what she wanted for a change could achieve some pretty spectacular results.

      Not that she was thinking about him of course, she reminded herself, picking up a menu and letting her gaze drift over the other diners. The restaurant was packed with some seriously beautiful people. Not a hint of last year’s fashion, nor an un-touched-up root in sight. She was surprised they’d let her in.

      And to be honest she was kind of dreading the bill. Laura resisted the urge to slap herself on the forehead with her menu. She’d done it again, hadn’t she? Gulped back a knot of panic when Kate had suggested this place, and said, yes, sure, why not.

      Why, oh, why hadn’t she been firmer, and told Kate they’d be going to the little Italian around the corner from her flat?

      Feeling her spirits tumble, Laura’s gaze bobbed across the room. She bet none of the people here was quite so feeble. No. They’d all be decisive and in charge. They wouldn’t flounder around and let others ride roughshod all over them.

      And then her eyes snagged on a broad back and dark head and her heart practically stopped.

      Oh, Lord. That looked just like Matt.

      For a second Laura went dizzy. Then her heart began to gallop and heat whipped through every inch of her body. What was he doing here? Would he see her? Would he come over? What would she say if he did? What would she do if he didn’t?

      Her chest squeezed. Her mouth went dry. Oh, God. If he did come over she wouldn’t just have to deal with him. She’d also have to deal with Kate, whose razor-sharp instinct would instantly pick up on the atmosphere, and who’d wring out every tiny detail and then hammer Laura with a barrage of ‘what were you thinking?’s and ‘but it’s so unlike you’s.

      Laura took a deep breath and forced herself to calm down before her head exploded. It would be fine. She was a mature sensible adult who’d been through far worse. She’d simply channel the inner Amazon she was sure was lurking somewhere inside her, and be strong.

      Nevertheless when all six foot plus of him got to his feet she caught and held her breath. Her pulse thundered. The blood rushed to her feet. He turned. Gave her a glimpse of his face.

      And disappointment walloped her in the stomach.

      It wasn’t Matt.

      Letting her breath out before she fainted, Laura blinked and turned her attention back to the menu. Of course it wouldn’t have been Matt, she told herself sternly. That would have been too much of a coincidence and she didn’t believe in coincidences.

      She frowned and scanned the dishes. The weird sensation whirling around inside her wasn’t disappointment. It was relief. That was all.

      ‘Quiet?’ said Kate. ‘Hah! I knew it. So who is he?’

      Laura froze and glanced up. The gleam in her friend’s eye looked far too knowing for her liking. ‘Who is who?’ she said deliberately vaguely.

      ‘The man that’s put the weird look on your face.’

      Laura’s heart lurched. ‘That’s not a man,’ she muttered. ‘That’s the dim lighting.’ She squinted at the menu. ‘In fact I can barely read this. Maybe I need glasses.’ She held it up to the beautiful but fairly useless light that hung above the table.

      ‘Rubbish,’ said Kate.

      ‘I definitely need a dictionary.’

      ‘You look as if you’ve just had the fright of your life.’

      ‘Well, I haven’t.’ Except perhaps at the prices. ‘Whatever you’re thinking you’re wrong.’

      ‘No, I’m not. I’m a lawyer. I’m known for my tenacity and trained to notice things.’

      But not, apparently, the waiter who, with exquisite timing, was hovering at their table ready to take their order.

      Laura looked up at him and gave her saviour a wide smile. ‘I was wondering … what is the rouget?’

      ‘Red mullet, madam.’

      ‘Thank you. And the poêlée de châtaignes?’

      ‘Pan-fried chestnuts.’

      There were two pages of dishes. With any luck by the time she’d got to the bottom of the second page, Kate might have got bored and moved on.

      Hmm. Or perhaps not, she thought as Kate swiped the menu out of her hands and beamed up at the waiter. ‘I’ll have the lamb and she’ll have the sea bass.’

      Huh. Laura waited until he’d melted away before scowling at her friend.

      ‘What?’ said Kate, arching an eyebrow.

      ‘I’m perfectly capable of ordering for myself.’

      ‘I know, but I have a feeling there’s a story to be told and we don’t have all night. Besides you always have sea bass’

      Laura stiffened. ‘Maybe I was thinking about trying something different.’

      Kate gave a little snort of disbelief. ‘You were stalling. And when have you ever tried something different?’

      Laura bristled. Was she really so boringly predictable? ‘That’s not fair. I do try different things.’

      ‘Like what?’ Kate’s eyes zoomed in on her.

      Like jumping into bed with scorchingly hot neighbours. Not that she intended to use that as an example. ‘Fine.’ She shrugged as if she couldn’t be less bothered, and took a sip of her drink. ‘I don’t. Boring and predictable, that’s me.’

      Kate’s blue gaze turned piercing. ‘I think you lie.’

      ‘Think what you like.’

      ‘Come on,’ said Kate, adding a wheedling smile to the penetrating stare. ‘I know something’s up and it’s got “man” written all over it. I’m not going to give up until you tell me so you might as well give in now and get it over with.’

      Not for the first time, Laura could see why Kate was so successful at what she did. Dogs and bones sprang to mind. Stifling a sigh, she weighed up her options. Denial and a battle with Kate’s formidable persistence, which would last all evening, or half an hour of interrogation, which would be sharp but probably short and would allow her to enjoy the rest of her sea bass.

      Hmm. If she wanted to be on top form for tomorrow she didn’t have much of a choice. ‘OK,’ she said, bracing herself, ‘you’re right.’

      ‘Aha.’ Kate grinned in triumph. ‘I knew it.’ She signalled for two more drinks and sat back. ‘You’d better tell me everything.’

      Ten minutes and two cocktails later, Laura had finished her rundown of almost everything, and was now watching her friend with faint amusement. She didn’t think she’d ever seen Kate lost for words before. She was sitting there, her eyes wide and her jaw almost on the floor. Even the arrival of their food didn’t snap Kate out of her state of shock.

      Laura decided to leave her to it and tucked in. Popping a forkful of fish in her mouth, she sighed in appreciation. As annoyingly hip as the restaurant was, the food was spectacular.

      ‘Well,’ said Kate, eventually pulling herself together and regaining the ability to speak.

      ‘Your lamb is getting cold,’ Laura pointed out.

      ‘Sod the lamb,’ Kate said, still looking on utterly shell-shocked. ‘Let me get this straight. You ogle. You engage in confrontation. You stand your ground. And then you have sex with a man you’ve only just met.’

      ‘Yes.’