Page 57 of Be Less Panda

‘There’s even wine if you want it.’

‘Last time we drank wine together, I scared you off.’

‘That’s not going to happen this evening.’

Nancy liked the way this was going. She heard the downstairs door open. It was Madame Morceau doing her daily inspection of the stairwell.

‘Shall we go inside?’ Hans whispered in her ear.

‘Do you think the doorman will let us in?’ Nancy smiled at him.

‘I think he might.’

27

A while later, Nancy lay in Hans’ arms, their bodies entwined in a mess of sheets on his bed.

‘Who taught you how to do all that?’ she asked.

‘If I told you, you wouldn’t believe me,’ he said. ‘I don’t want to know who taught you either.’

‘That sounds fair.’

‘Ich liebe dich, Nancy,’ Hans murmured in her ear as he ran his fingers through her hair.

‘Ich liebe dich auch, Hans,’ she replied.

She felt his body tense. Why would he object to her saying she loved him when he’d said the same to her?

‘Did I pronounce that incorrectly?’ Nancy asked, pulling away from him so she could see his face properly.

‘No, you said it perfectly. It’s just that …’ He hesitated. ‘It’s nothing. Forget I said anything.’ He stroked her face, looking intently into her eyes. ‘I truly love you, Nancy. Always remember that.’

‘I’m glad you changed your mind about us,’ she said.

‘So am I. It doesn’t matter what happens next. We’ll always have Paris.’

It was Nancy’s turn to flinch. ‘Don’t say that.’

‘Why not?’

‘It’s a famous line fromCasablanca. Humphrey Bogart says it to Ingrid Bergman when they say goodbye forever.’

‘It might have meant that in their story but not in ours.’

‘I hope you’re right.’

‘I’m sure I am.’ He kissed her gently on the neck and began working his way down her body.

‘I think I can work out where you’ve been all night,’ Olivia said as Nancy walked into their flat the following morning.

‘I just came up to get a change of clothes. Hans and I are going out for breakfast.’

Olivia put down her cup of coffee. ‘And what are you and the lovely Hans planning to do after that?’

Nancy raised her eyebrows.

Olivia looked bemused. ‘I thought you said you weren’t going to get involved with him. “No point when I’m sailing away in a few weeks”, I seem to recall you saying?’

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