Page 149 of A Night with Damien Spur

‘I’m sorry, Elizabeth. No can do. Why don’t you ask your man, Chang?’ And he put down the phone.

Good for you, said the Voice.Moving on…

***

Sophie’s phone pinged with a new text message:

Evelyn: Look, darling! Look what you’re missing!

Sophie clicked the link, and there he was.

Close up.

That smile. Those honest eyes. He was so confident. His deep liquid voice gave her a rush of pleasure. She’d missed him. It had been a long time. So many distractions. All those empty affairs.

She drifted. In her mind’s eye, he had slipped his hand round her waist and, pulling her towards him, he held her face and kissed her. Gently at first and then the wild Damien took hold and they both fell into a passionate embrace, the kiss more intense than any she’d ever had before.

Sophie blinked. Forced herself back to reality.

A young woman in a chic red dress was on the screen. Herlong, elegant fingers curled round a microphone close to her mouth.

Sophie scanned her face. She was arrestingly lovely: cherubic blue eyes, turned-up nose, kiss-me lips. She asked her question.

Damien was back onscreen. A raised eyebrow and a smile. He answered her, his reply smooth as silk.

There was an intimacy between them. They spoke to each other as if there was no one else in the auditorium.

Were they lovers? He hadn’t mentioned her.

Maybe she would be for a few months. And then on to the next.

He was a free man. Why shouldn’t he pick and choose from all those delicious women who threw themselves at him?

Who are you kidding, Sophie?she thought.You want him. Come on. Show him that you’re ready– take him.

Chapter 46

Nine o’clock Monday morning, Angus rang. Damien was in the kitchen ironing.

He loved ironing. Sliding back and forth on the sleeve of a shirt, smoothing away the creases. It gave him time to think. Plan the day.

‘Can I call you back?’ Damien said. ‘I’m just in the middle of doing something.’

‘No, no, stay on the line, please,’ Angus replied in his brisk no-nonsense voice. ‘I’ve a meeting in ten minutes.’

‘Okay, just give me a sec.’ He switched the iron off andpropped it upright on the board.

‘Now then,’ he said, seating himself on a chair by the farmhouse table, ‘fire ahead.’

‘Well, to cut a long story short, I’ve just had a very curious conversation on the phone with a young man from Athens called Theo. He said he has a very special gift for you. Says that you don’t actually know him, but there’s a family connection.’

‘Theo who?’

‘I asked him but he wouldn’t tell me. Said you’d understand if you met him. Apparently, he’s flown all the way from Athens to give it to you in person.’

‘That’s presumptuous. How did he know I’d agree to meet him?’

‘That was my next question,’ Angus said. ‘The boy was quite cheeky. Said that he thought it less likely that you’d refuse him if he’d made the effort to come to London. Especially as he’s a poor student and saved all his money for the trip.’

---