Playing James (44 page)

'She told me all about it.'

He kisses me again and my insides squirm with longing, hunger and God knows what else.

'Was it awful? Calling it all off?'

He winces. 'It was quite bad.'

'Were your parents upset?'

'Not as much as I thought they were going to be.'

'What about Robin?' I ask suddenly.

He frowns. 'What about her?'

'You're not still seeing her?'

'What you mean "seeing her?'

'Well, you and she were having a thing, weren't you?'

His face suddenly relaxes and he laughs. 'A thing? God, no. It was Callum; Callum and she split up.'

'Callum?'

'You thought I was …?'

'But you had her in your arms when I first saw you together.'

'I was comforting her. Callum, callous sod that he is, had just dumped her. I should have told you at the time but I didn't trust you because you were a reporter.'

'Was that what you and Callum had a row about?'

James nods and smiles wryly. 'He thought I was taking her side too much. She'd had a really rough time – did she tell you how she came down from London and found her boyfriend in bed with someone else?'

I nod faintly. 'I'm sorry. I didn't know what to think.'

'I felt kind of responsible for her. You know, her being new and Callum being my best friend. Well, she's seeing your doctor now anyway.'

'My doctor?'

'Doctor Kirkpatrick. She met him at the hospital after you were knocked out, remember? They've been out once this week already. She was supposed to be bringing him to the wedding.'

I smile suddenly. 'How wonderful for her. She might not go back to London now.'

'I'm not interested in Robin,' he murmurs, leaning forward again. 'Promise me you won't go up mountains now? Shadowing some poor bloke from a mountain rescue team who doesn't know what he's let himself in for?'

'No, no. Too boring anyway. Sherry-making will be much more interesting. The RAC is turning up in a minute, by the way.'

'What an exceptionally good purchase this car is turning out to be,' he whispers, reaching for me again. We melt into our kisses and wrap our arms around each other. A flash of light jolts us suddenly and we both look up in alarm. Vince, armed and dangerous, is grinning through the window.

'That's a front page exclusive!' he yells at us and makes a run for it.