Page 28 of Milo
I grin and crouch down. “True. Come on, baby,” I urge. “Come here.”
Cora just smiles, coming up on her hands and punting her tiny body back and forth like she’s on a starting block but then doing nothing else.
He laughs loudly. “Milo, I always knew you had a dark side.”
“You have no idea,” I mutter.
“Make sure Art Boy doesn’t either.”
I shoot a glance at him. “What?”
“You heard.” He rolls and comes to sit up as Dotty jumps down, shooting me a dark look as she does so as if I’m the source of all the world’s evils. Niall looks me up and down. “You look nice,” he says darkly.
I look down at my outfit of skinny grey trousers and a thin clingy black jumper. “Do you think?” I scuff my shiny black ankle boots along the carpet. I hate clothes that look so perfect. I’m happier in old stuff that I can just fling on. “He’s very rich. I hope we don’t go somewhere really posh.”
“Like Wellington College? I do recall you went there.” He winks. “Even if it was as a day boy.”
“What do you mean?”
“Simply that whatever he is, you are his equal and I happen to think his better. You’d be that even if you didn’t speak well and hadn’t gone to a posh school. You’re anyone’s equal, Lo,and it doesn’t matter whether he takes you to The Ivy or Burger King.”
I swallow hard. “Thank you.”
He nods his head slightly. “You’re welcome.” He looks at me. “Are you still on for coming to watch me do the mud run tomorrow?” he asks slightly diffidently.
“Of course,” I say, surprised. “You asked me ages ago.”
“I wasn’t sure whether now Simeon is on the scene …” He drifts off as I look questioningly at him.
“Whether he’s on the scene or not, we have a date.” It’s my turn to pause. “Well, not a date but–”
“Never mind,” he says quickly. He eyes me again. “Do you have to go?”
I stare at him. He’s as unfamiliar to me at this moment as a complete stranger. “Niall,” I begin but he shakes his head.
“Doesn’t matter. I thought it’d be nice to have an evening with Cora. You go. Have a good time.”
The last sounds like it’s through gritted teeth and I open my mouth, filled with the urge to tell him I’ll stay, that I’ll get changed and be with him tonight and see where the evening takes us, because I sense a tug between us like he’s finally noticed the rope that somehow binds me to him and he’s pulling at it on his side.
Luckily the doorbell sounds and rescues me because who the fuck would think that was a good idea. To my astonishment Dotty comes towards me, her tiny white paws padding silently. She stares up at me and I cautiously offer her my hand, prepared to retract it and run like hell. However, she stares at it for a second before licking it delicately, her tongue rasping over my fingers.
“I don’t know whether to be touched or run away,” I say slowly. “It’s a bit like Sweeney Todd giving his customers a nice scalp massage before he cut their throats.”
He grins. “If she’s anything like her human namesake I’d run like hell. My grandmother was very fond of shaving my grandfather with a cutthroat razor.” He pauses. “I never knew what happened to him. I must ask my mother.”
I laugh and the doorbell rings again. “I have to go,” I say hesitantly, grabbing my black coat from the chair.
He nods, his eyes dark and searching. “Be good,” he says, and it sounds caught between being a plea and a warning.
The restaurant that Simeon takes me to is lovely and I feel stupid for worrying so much. It’s dimly lit with booths tucked into corners, the ceiling lit with fairy lights and the tables with guttering candles.
“You don’t mind this, do you?” he asks, removing my coat while I give him a startled look at the chivalrous gesture. “I love Italian food, and this is the best in a hundred-mile radius.” He pauses. “Oh shit! Tell me you eat it and you’re not on one of those no-carb diets?”
I laugh as I sit down. “No. I love carbs. I eat anything. I exercise a lot and do yoga intensely, so it evens it out.”
“I saw the mats on the floor when I visited last night. Does Niall do it too?”
I smile. “Bloody hell, no. He’s not very bendy.” My smile fades slightly as I remember rubbing on him. My cheeks redden. Shit, Niall must think I’m a total weirdo.
