Page 79 of Musical Games
‘Yes, but if I’m asleep and you want to pop out you can. Visit Buckingham Palace or something.’
‘Is it close?’
‘What?’
‘Buckingham Palace?’
She started to laugh, then stopped. He looked mortified.
‘It’s not walking distance, but we can go there on Saturday, if you want?’
He shrugged his shoulders.
‘So, do you want the grand tour? I’m afraid I’m all out of guidebooks, but I can answer any questions as long as they only pertain to the content, not the fabric of the building.’
Sam hadn’t meant to go for Scandi chic when she decorated, but her upbringing had obviously rubbed off on her. The first room they entered was the living room. It had polished wooden floors, white walls and a large bay window facing the street. A gilt mirror hung over the fireplace with photos stuck inside the frame. The colour in the room was provided by the furniture, including a shocking pink velvet sofa that ran along the length of one wall.
‘Wow. If Fi could see that.’
‘It was my first big splurge purchase after the flat. I got it from Heal’s on Tottenham Court Road. I wanted something that even Zoe would get lost in.’
‘Heels? Sounds like your perfect shop.’
‘Ha, ha. H-e-a-l-s.’
Jamie inspected the photos she had displayed. He grinned as he saw the ones of Sam and Zoe at uni.
‘Is Zoe dressed as a tiger?’
‘Yes. It was a “law of the jungle” party.’
‘What did you go as?’
‘Darwin.’
Jamie snorted with laughter and Sam’s heart leapt. She’d never seen him so amused.
‘I know it was a long shot, but I thought I’d make a statement about the survival of the fittest and all that.’
His eyes crinkled with amusement. ‘I never thought I’d ever be attracted to someone with a beard.’
Sam’s pulse quickened. She took his hand. ‘Come on. Let me show you the rest of the place.’
Next to the living room was a bathroom, then down two steps was a large kitchen full of light from the wall of glass that looked out onto the garden. Jamie shook his head. ‘This is like something out of a magazine.’
She squeezed his hand. ‘Help yourself to anything. The bedrooms are this way.’
She led him out of the kitchen into a small corridor with two doors. She pushed open the first one. The space was filled with boxes and junk, but there was a double bed in the middle that had been cleared.
‘This is the spare room.’ Her hand was suddenly clammy with nerves. ‘I didn’t know whether you wanted to sleep here, or…’
He was silent.
She didn’t look at him but went to the next door and opened it. Her room was dominated by a wooden sleigh bed. Fluffy pink fairy lights looped around the headboard and large pink sheepskin rugs covered the floor.
‘Or if you wanted to sleep here. With me.’
He brushed his hand down the side of her cheek and tilted her chin so she met his gaze.
