Page 55 of When The Night Falls

‘Sorry.’ He raised his hands as if to claim innocence, and I saw a keychain hanging around his forefinger. ‘I didn’t mean to startle you. I’m here to watch the match with Jason.’

‘Match?’

‘Chelsea’s playing at eight. I’ve come straight from work, so Jason said to let myself in. He should be home soon, though, so you won’t have to endure me on your own for long.’

‘You’ve got a key?’

He stored the keychain inside his suit jacket. ‘I’ve had a key ever since he moved in.’

My eyebrows arched. ‘Good to know.’

‘He didn’t tell you I’d be coming over?’

‘No. Must’ve slipped his mind.’

‘He’s been rather stressed lately.’

‘Clearly.’

Unsure of what to do with myself, I folded my arms and glanced over my shoulder. ‘Well, make yourself at home, then, I suppose.’

‘Thanks.’ He shrugged out of his jacket and bent to loosen his brown leather shoes.

‘I’ll be in my room if you need anything.’

Still bent over, he turned his head and looked up at me with a smile.

‘Really? I’d have thought you would bolt the door.’

Chuckling, I turned toward my room. ‘Don’t push your luck.’

‘Is that Foals I hear?’ he asked then. Surprised, I froze in the doorway. Did he share my taste in music as well? If he did, I wasn’t sure I would ever discover a single flaw in him.

‘Might be.’

As he stretched up to kick off his shoes, he gave me a winsome grin. ‘You’re into rock?’

‘Among other genres.’

‘Which is your favourite?’

I swivelled to face him. ‘By Foals?’

‘No, genre.’

I shrugged. ‘Probably rock.’

‘And here I thought you couldn’t get any more perfect.’

At this rate, red was becoming the permanent colour of my face.

‘Do you have a favourite band?’ he asked as he took the liberty of coming closer.

‘What’s it to you?’

‘Oh, come on, Cara.’ He smiled and delved his hands in his pockets. ‘You already know the answer to that.’

My heart raced when he stopped in front of me, awfully close. It felt like an electric current charged between our bodies, begging me to close the gap. I wondered what would happen if I did. Would he push me away or would he press me against him?

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