Page 32 of When The Night Falls

‘You’ll find fresh towels on the shelf beside the shower. There’s shampoo and conditioner for women there as well, should you want to use it.’

I grimaced. ‘Why have you got that? Is it your regular partner’s?’ If it was, I wasn’t inclined to even touch it. It would feel wrong, like I was trespassing on her territory.

His smile transitioned into a grin. ‘No. I shopped for it this morning when I went out for coffee.’

‘Oh.’ My blush intensified at his thoughtfulness. ‘That wasn’t necessary, but I appreciate it.’

He shrugged again. ‘I left a T-shirt for you as well. If there’s anything else, let me know. I’ll just wait in the kitchen.’

As soon as he closed the door, I pushed the duvet aside, climbed out of the bed and went into the bathroom. It was like walking into a spa that smelled of citrus. It was spacious too – he even had a bath.

It was tempting to stand under his rain shower for ages, but I was quick to step out because I wanted to respect Jason’s time. He had reserved the whole day to help me unpack, so I ought to get home as soon as possible.

As I looked in the mirror, I was happy to see that there wasn’t much make-up left on my face. The remaining traces were nothing the wipes I kept in my purse couldn’t get rid of.

When I had finished rinsing my face, I put on the plain white T-shirt that I found on a shelf beside the bath. The size of it made it work like a dress, and since I no longer had any underwear, I was grateful for that. Grabbing my towel, I wrapped my hair and decided to face reality.

I walked out of William’s bedroom and was hit by the smell of bacon. London buzzed in the background through a window he had opened in his living room. As I ambled toward the kitchen, I looked at the front door and noticed that my knickers were gone. He had probably thrown them in the bin.

Heading past the staircase, my eyes landed on his square dining table. My vagina tingled at the memory it evoked, even despite how sore it was. It would need at least a week to recuperate. He’d had his way with me three times before he had let me sleep.

Passing a big, black-leathered sofa group, I turned a corner and came upon the door to his kitchen. It was open, and the scent of bacon was concentrated there. I sucked in a deep breath for courage and walked in. William sat at the island table, reading on his iPad.

‘It smells amazing,’ I said as he looked up. When I saw a pan of scrambled eggs, saliva amassed in my mouth. While I was certain they would be no match for Jason’s recipe, I could hardly wait to fill my mouth.

‘Oh my God, you’ve pulled out all the stops, haven’t you?’ I said as I hesitated to hop onto the stool beside him. Seeming to notice, he smiled and patted the top of it as an invitation.

‘Please,’ he said when I had sat down. ‘Help yourself.’

Hungry, I scanned my options and was about to grab a scone when I noticed the Starbucks cup standing next to my plate. My eyes zoomed in on the black ink on the side. Electra, it read, making me laugh. I pointed at it and faced William.

‘Is that for me?’

Smirking, he reached for his own cup and turned it so I could see the name. Oedipus, it read, and it made me laugh again.

‘You’re certainly something else,’ I said.

‘Glad you’ve noticed.’

I got the feeling there was another dimension to his response. However, since I didn’t want to ruin the mood by introducing the conversation that would ultimately lead to rejection, I pretended not to have registered it and grabbed a scone.

‘I wasn’t sure how you take your coffee, so I opted for a regular black. If you’d like any milk or cream, it’s in the fridge,’ he said while I helped myself to some scrambled eggs.

‘Like I’d have the nerve to complain,’ I said amusedly.

‘What’s your regular order, though?’

‘At Starbucks?’

‘Yeah. Or just in general.’

‘Flat white. But I often opt for black as well. Depends on my mood.’

‘I see.’

‘And you?’ I had no use for this information, but I thought it polite to ask anyway.

‘Black, nothing added. Always.’

---