Page 28 of His Best Mistake

“Sorry about the outfit,” she said, reddening slightly although he had no idea why when she looked so gorgeous. “It’s all that’s comfortable at the moment. I need to go shopping.”

Before he had time to stop it, his gaze dipped to the swell of her breasts tight against her top, the memory of how they’d felt in his hands and against his mouth slamming into his head, and he had to turn back to the stir-fry before it became embarrassingly obvious how much she affected him.

“Are you all settled in?” he said, possibly stabbing away at the vegetables a fraction more brutally than they deserved.

“Yes, thank you,” she said. “It’s a very comfortable room. You have an incredible apartment.”

“It’s convenient for the office.”

“How long have you lived here?”

“A couple of years.” Three and a half, to be precise. At first he couldn’t bear to leave the house he’d shared with Mia,

but eventually the memories had proved too much and he’d had to sell up before he drowned in them.

“Can I use the gym stuff?”

He shot her a look and bit back the absolutely no way that was hovering on the top of his tongue. “Should you?”

“The doctor said mild exercise was absolutely fine.”

“Then be my guest.”

“Thank you.”

“There’s a pool in the basement.”

“Lucky I brought my costume.”

“So how are you feeling?” he said, resolutely not thinking about how Stella might look in a bikini.

“Fine.”

“Sickness? Twinges? Anything?”

“Nothing at the moment, but the minute that changes, Jack, I’ll let you know. I promise. Is there anything I can do to help?”

She could put her feet up for the next seven months. That would help. So too would a diary of how she was feeling every minute of every day. But since that kind of smothering involvement would no doubt have her on the first train back to Somerset, and since she was obviously referring to the supper and not his issues with her pregnancy, he decided to keep those particular opinions to himself.

“Nope,” he said, transferring the contents of the pan to a dish. “It’s ready.”

“Let me set the table at least,” she said, taking the plates and cutlery to the table and distributing them, while he grabbed a couple of glasses and joined her.

They sat down, and as she tucked in, it occurred to him that Stella was the first non-family member he’d shared a meal with since the death of his wife, which oddly enough wasn’t as disconcerting as he had the feeling it should be.

“This is delicious,” she said, flashing him a sudden dazzling smile. “If this is a sign of things to come, then I’m glad I changed my mind about moving in.”

Jack blinked away the dazzle and cleared his throat. “Why did you?”

“I had a visit from your sister.”

“Cora came to see you?” he said, his eyebrows shooting up. That couldn’t have been pleasant. “When?”

“Tuesday morning. Just before I rang you.”

The morning after the night Cora had been to see him and had learned about Stella. Clearly not unrelated incidents.

Stella tilted her head and looked at him thoughtfully, and before he could ask what his sister had wanted, said, “Did you know she’s gone to Spain?”

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