Love Affairs. Louise Allen

a habit.

      ‘Sorry. I don’t trust compliments.’

      He frowned, opened his mouth as if to say something and then shut it again, but his eyes were frank and assessing, and she got the feeling there wasn’t much he didn’t see.

      And that made her uneasy. She didn’t want to be the object of his scrutiny, so she changed the subject fast.

      ‘So—remind me of the plot?’

      One of those strong, dark eyebrows quirked, but he let her get away with it.

      ‘Oh, it’s crazy. Two daffy old sisters who poison their lodgers and bury them in the cellar in graves dug by a brother who thinks he’s Teddy Roosevelt and he’s digging the Panama Canal, and another brother who’s in love with the preacher’s daughter. I haven’t seen it for years but it’s very, very funny.’

      ‘It sounds chaotic. I was trying to remember if I’d ever seen it, but I don’t think I have. What a shame about Elizabeth’s fall.’

      ‘Mmm. They were really looking forward to it. She’s doing OK, by the way. I rang a little while ago and she was out of surgery and back on the ward and it all went well.’

      ‘Good. Well, here’s to them.’

      She raised her glass, and he clinked his against it and held her eyes with his as he took the first sip.

      They smouldered slightly—or was it just her imagination? She looked away, suddenly conscious of his nearness in the now-crowded bar, and she felt the warmth from her brisk walk beginning to make itself felt.

      ‘Gosh, it’s getting hot in here,’ she said, peeling off her cardi and slinging it over her arm.

      ‘It’ll be warm in the auditorium, too. We’d better drink up and go and find our seats.’

      ‘Good idea.’ She drained her glass, felt the wine hit her system and wished she’d had a little more to eat before she’d come out. All she needed was to trip over the steps and fall flat on her face.

      But she didn’t fall, and he held her elbow and ushered her politely to her seat, folding it down for her and then sitting after she was settled.

      Bone-deep good manners.

      And suddenly she felt safer, less threatened, because for all he was gorgeous, he’d said and done nothing to make her feel uncomfortable. It was just her own reaction to him, and she could manage that. It was under her control.

      It would be fine.

      And it was, right up until the time the lights dimmed, the audience went quiet and her arm brushed against his in the narrow seats.

      He’d taken off his jacket, turned back his sleeves and the soft hairs on his forearm teased her skin, making the tiny hairs on the back of her neck stand to attention.

      Heat shot through her, and she shifted subtly, moving slightly out of his way, but there was someone on the other side who was taking the whole armrest, so she shifted back again, right into the warm, fragrant air that surrounded him, the scent of cologne drifting over her and making her want to lean closer and breathe him in.

      She resisted the urge, just folded her hands in her lap to keep her elbows out of mischief, and then the action on stage caught her attention and she made herself forget about him and let the experience take over.

      * * *

      ‘That was so, so funny.’

      ‘Wasn’t it? Utterly hilarious. Very physical. I’m surprised some of the cast haven’t been in to see us before now. They did Alan Ayckbourn’s Noises Off when I was in Nottingham, and someone came in with a broken leg from falling down the stairs one too many times.’

      ‘Ouch. The things they do for their art.’ Annie tugged her cardi closer round her shoulders as they headed for the street. ‘Gosh, it’s cooled off. I am an idiot, I nearly brought a jacket but I was running late and it seemed quite warm at seven.’

      ‘Here.’

      Before she could protest, she felt the weight of his blazer draped around her shoulders, warm from his body and carrying the scent of his cologne. It was like wearing him, and she breathed in slowly and drew the heady essence of him deep into her lungs.

      ‘Better?’

      ‘Much. Thank you.’

      ‘You’re welcome. I could make a wisecrack about you not dressing adequately, but I’m not that mean.’

      ‘No, of course not. Just for that, I won’t offer it back.’

      ‘Pride wouldn’t let me take it. And anyway, as I’ve already pointed out, you look lovely so it’s a small sacrifice.’

      ‘I’m sure you’ll live.’

      ‘I’m sure I will. But it does mean I have to walk you home to repossess it.’

      He grinned at her with that little-boy grin, and she smiled back, her eyes softening. ‘That’s fine, I’ll let you. I don’t think you’re about to turn into a stalker. Thank you for taking me this evening, by the way.’

      ‘You’re welcome. Thank you for coming. You do realise if you hadn’t been able to, I would have been obliged to ask Kate.’

      She laughed softly at his shudder. ‘Why didn’t you ask her in the first place? I can’t believe you’re really scared of her.’

      He chuckled. ‘No contest. It was you or Kate, and you were the obvious choice. Apart from the fact that Jerry gave us the tickets and not Kate, I’d far rather be with you. I think we have the same sense of humour.’

      ‘And Kate doesn’t?’

      His mouth quirked. ‘Kate isn’t interested in humour. She just wants my body.’

      Annie spluttered and clapped her hand over her mouth to suppress the laugh. ‘That’s outrageous!’

      ‘It’s true. She as good as said so. I told her I wasn’t interested.’

      ‘She’ll be gutted. She fell in love with you yesterday when she saw you through the glass.’

      He chuckled, but there was a tinge of colour on his neck and it made her smile.

      ‘So—just out of curiosity,’ she asked after a moment of companionable silence, ‘and feel free to tell me to mind my own business, but who was your grandmother putting to bed?’

      ‘Ah. My grandfather. He’s—’ Ed broke off, and his face looked troubled.

      ‘Sorry. You don’t have to talk about it.’

      ‘That’s OK. He’s in a wheelchair and he’s a bit difficult to deal with sometimes.’

      She nodded slowly. ‘Is that why you’re here? To help with caring for him?’

      He looked down at her, surprised by her intuition, but maybe he shouldn’t have been because she seemed to be able to read him easily.

      ‘Yes,’ he told her, because it was the truth, if not the whole truth. ‘He’s going downhill fast now, and Marnie really can’t manage any longer, but she’s determined to look after him herself. I don’t know how long he’s got, but I promised her I’d be around for her until he’s gone.’

      ‘And then?’

      He shrugged. ‘Who knows?’

      ‘So do you live with them?’

      He shook his head, surprising her. ‘No. I’ve got my own place closer to the hospital. I’m renting it from the Walkers. He’s an obstetrician. James put me in touch with them when he offered me the job.’

      ‘And does she mind? Your grandmother?’

      ‘No,’ he said, but he wasn’t sure it was true. ‘She would probably rather have