Page 13 of A Summer of New Beginnings
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Much to her surprise Josh had invited her for dinner at his flat the following weekend, and Zara seemed to float through the week in spite of the obvious tense atmosphere in the office. Noah was trying his best to hide the hurt he was feeling over his best friend’s betrayal, yet he was acting rather like someone who’d just put their life savings on a three-legged horse and lost. To say his staffwas walking on eggshells was an understatement. Zara, on the other hand, was immune to the stress. She had a date with Josh to look forward to. This was the first time he was going to cook for her at his own place. The tiny flat was usually just a stop off on their way to a gig or for Josh to collect undies or a toothbrush. But he had decided he was going to show off his culinary skills.
Good-looking,decent job, can cook… bloody hell, what did I do to deserve this?
*
‘So after all this time it turns out he can cook too, eh?’ Marco asked with a twinkle in his eyes as Zara applied lip gloss. ‘The dark horse.’
‘Well, I don’t know yet. It might be beans on toast or a takeout for all I know.’ Zara sincerely hoped she was wrong.
‘Has he been texting every day this week?’
A smile crept slowlyacross her face as she made eye contact with Marco’s reflection in the mirror. ‘You noticed, then?’ She had been relieved to see that Josh’s messages were back to normal now. No more single-word answers.
He chuckled. ‘Well, I noticed you were smiling again. And that there were lots of buzzes when notifications came through at the beginning of the week and then it all went quiet but you were stillchecking your phone every five seconds. I’m guessing you turned it to silent to hide the amount of communication that’s been going on; although I don’t know why. I think it’s marvellous.’
Still smiling, Zara continued to get ready. ‘I just didn’t want it driving you mad, that’s all.’
‘So is tonight the night the “L” word comes to play?’ He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.
She gasped. ‘Oh,Marco! I hadn’t thought of that! Oh, I hope so. I really hope so.’
‘Well, you’re going to his home for a whole evening. He’s cooking. He’s bloody gorgeous. So are you. You’re clearly crazy about each other.’ He stated the facts as if the conclusion to the evening was going to be a proposal rather than a simple expression of love.
‘I’m going with no preconceived ideas. I’m just going to enjoymyself. End of.’
Marco walked over to the window and peered out. ‘Ooh, I think your cab’s here, Zee. You should be going. You don’t want to keep the hunk of love waiting.’
‘Trying to get rid of me, are you?’ she asked with a grin as she walked into the room and collected her bag.
‘Well, obviously I am. I’m going to binge watchGhost Adventuresand get my Zak fix. Then I’m going to put somemusic on and dance round in my undies.’
She rolled her eyes and bent to kiss his head where he’d flopped onto the sofa armed with the remote control. ‘Don’t be having nightmares. And close the curtains when you’re dancing or you’ll give the neighbours nightmares.’
‘Cheek! And as if I could have nightmares about the man of my dreams! Never!’
*
Ten minutes after Zara climbed into the cab itpulled up at the address she had given and she climbed out, handing the cash to the driver as she left. Josh lived in a studio apartment at the top of a Victorian semi-detached house in quite a pleasant street. It had a tidy front garden dotted with pots of flowers and shrubs, which she guessed was cared for by the old lady on the ground floor, seeing as she owned the building.
Nervously, shewalked up the gravel path, clutching the bottle of Pinot Noir she’d bought especially, and pressed the doorbell. As if he had been waiting behind the door it sprang open and there stood Josh, dark jeans, tight grey T-shirt and bare feet. The smell of his aftershave infiltrated her nostrils and for a moment she was ready to dive straight into bed if he made the suggestion.
For once, he was farmore restrained than she, and he simply looked her up and down with an assessing gaze and said, ‘Wow. Look at you.’ He held out his hand and she slipped hers into it. He glanced round the street and tugged her forwards. ‘Come on in before you get a better offer.’
She followed him up the stairs to his flat. Once inside, he pulled her into his arms and surprised her with a passionate kiss, stealingher breath and her willpower to behave. His tongue slipped gently between her lips and her legs almost gave way.
He pulled away and gazed lustfully into her eyes. ‘I’m so tempted to say sod the food and to whisk you straight to the bedroom,’ he whispered huskily.
Please just do it. Whisk away.She smiled and cleared her throat. ‘Ah… b-but it smells like you’ve been busy in the kitchen and it’dbe a shame to waste it.’
He closed his eyes for a split second as if to compose his thoughts. ‘True. Very true. Come on, I hope you like Spanish food.’
‘Oh, I do. What are we having?’ Her stomach growled.
‘I made tapas to start and paella for main course,’ he replied proudly.
‘Wow, not just a handsome face, then?’
