Page 58 of An Accidental Flatmate

So are you.

Everything she’d learned about Casildo proved he had no off switch when it came to his friends. She didn’t want him to get some quixotic idea he needed to help her. Not when the price for him would be so high.

She just had to keep her mouth shut for the next two weeks and part friends.

We’re friends.His trust was important to her.

“Back to Papá.” Bea locked the front door. It was so easy to be with Casildo. He teased, he talked, and he was plain good company. “Driving on family outings was a privilege he claimed for himself. He also loves his car. Cares for it like a newborn. His family didn’t have a car when he was a kid.”

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They argued music asthey headed out of Sydney, finally settling on Kasey Chambers. By the time they hit Bowral and the Gumnut café, they’d memorised the words to most tracks onWayward Angeland were loudly belting out the choruses. The café was as good as billed. Casildo bought her French pastries as nibbles. In Albury, he selected an old-fashioned Greek café that served freshly baked stuffed tomatoes and capsicums.

“They’re called Yemista,” he said.

She drove the next stretch, her focus on the road, although her mind wandered. She’d wondered why Casildo was single. Mo had given her an opening, and Casildo had answered her questions. Monique’s lies had hurt him on so many levels, making real his fear of disappointing his father, but also making him doubt his desirability as a lover.

I hate that idea.

He needs to banish the disappointment he sees in his father’s eyes.

He also deserves to know that I want him for himself. That he’s sexy and just plain good. I want to leave him with happy memories to replace the sense of failure left by Monique.

We’ve agreed we’re not looking long-term.

I’m not available. He’s not available.

And let’s face it,he wants to get me naked as much as I want it.

The real casualty might be her friendship with Casildo.

Except, he remembered what Bea had been wearing the day they’d met and could describe it accurately. She’d been nervous about attending her first big industry function and had worn her tiger jacket to give her confidence.

Casildo had spoken to her, and where he made contact, others followed. She’d forgotten that. He’d eased her path in thousands of small ways over the years. A nod from across a room, a raised eyebrow when someone expressed surprise that a campaign had flopped when everyone else had known it would. A gentle friendship.

He’d been here all the time.

She’d been aware of him all the time. Always forbidden fruit. Never more so than now.

Lost in her thoughts, she was surprised to see road signs saying they’d hit the outskirts of Bendigo and needed to slow down.

“Pull over here. I’ll drive this last bit. The address is in my phone, and you can check out the sights.”

Ten minutes later, he pulled up outside a graceful two-story caramel brick building. “That’s the main complex. The accommodation is a series of small bungalows.”

“It looks gorgeous. And there’s a park and lake across the street.” Bea pushed open her door and climbed out, letting the scented air and sound of birdcalls welcome her, looking everywhere at once. She didn’t get out of Sydney often enough.

“Lake Weeroona. Remember, I’ve been here before.” He joined her. “We don’t have long, but it’ll be nice to see some of the sights. The show is at the Racecourse, so a bit further out of town.”

“This is a fabulous idea.” Bea rested her head on his shoulder. “Thank you.”

“Let’s head inside and get the keys.”

Trailing Casildo up the path, Bea played with her favourite fantasy. The holiday unit might have separate bedrooms, but she’d chosen an old shoe-string strapped satin petticoat, trimmed in milk chocolate lace at her breasts as her nightdress. She’d just walk past him on the way to bed ...

They’d made out every night this week, and his increasingly passionate goodnight kisses had left her hot, wanting and pleasuring herself before she could sleep. Last night, it had taken monumental self-discipline to unravel herself from him and disappear into a separate room The hard ridge of flesh nestled between them before they’d parted hinted that he was as aroused as she was. She hadn’t choreographed all her moves for the weekend, but at this moment no one in the world knew where they were. Freedom was wickedly intoxicating.

A sign in the lobby advised them to press for assistance if no one was at the front desk.

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