Page 50 of A Change of Location
“You’re quick.”
“I occasionally spend time in a cheese shop, as you know. Whenever an American asks the weight of a purchase, I have to convert.” He patted the dog’s head. “Take her to your room. I’ll nick a bed of Ariel’s. There’s a spare in the library.”
Forgetting the cider’s effect, Hannah bounded out of her chair.
Poppy’s most significant revelation rushed back into her muddled mind, and she felt herself sway towards him. Not trusting her legs to hold her upright, she gripped his shoulders to brace herself. Then she rose on her toes and pressed her mouth on his in an off-center smooch.
“Jack Elliston must be serving half-price pints.”
“I’m only a little bit tipsy.” She leaned against him in a way that lent no credence to her denial. With her cheek pressed against his chest, she could feel its rise and fall. “I shouldn’t have done that,” she murmured into his shirt.
“I’m glad you did.”
His kiss was an improvement on hers, deep and sensual and thoroughly satisfactory. Strong fingers combed through her hair, making her entire body tingle.
He lifted his head to ask, “Why did you wait so long to make your move?”
“I assumed you were taken.”
“By whom?”
“Doesn’t matter.” She blinked up at him. “You wanted me to kiss you?”
“You’d be shocked to know when I started yearning for a nice, long snog.” He draped his arms over her shoulders. “Much to my regret, I’ve got a Milverston Parish Council meeting tonight, and my participation is necessary. Between half-eight and nine o’clock they’re receiving the report from the Flower Fete committee. We’ll vote to transfer the monies to the Youth Club.”
“Oh.” Her sigh was heavy with sorrow.
“Worse, in the morning I’m off to London for the whole damn day. Would you be willing to drive me to Newbridge railway station and meet my return train? There’s an Italian restaurant in the High Street with an authentic menu and a fantastic selection of wines. Linen tablecloths. Bespoke fine china. Perfect for a proper date.”
“I’d like that.” Since her abrupt severance from Forsaken Fortune, she’d nearly forgotten what joy felt like. Martin’s kisses had revived a sensation that greatly resembled it.
Chapter 16
Without consulting the wine list, Martin decided which prosecco he wanted for the aperitivo. Hannah chose an antipasto they could share, Parma ham with mixed roast vegetables. He was amused by the frown creasing her brow as she considered the primo offerings.
“If you like wonderfully prepared duck, I recommend the Anatra Croccante. The sauce is a combination of peach and ginger.” He endorsed their server’s suggestion of Brunello di Montalcino as the appropriate vintage to accompany their main dish.
“Did you have a productive day?” Hannah asked.
“At my morning meeting, I learned about changes to guidelines for rural development grants. In the afternoon, I presented survey findings at an entrepreneurship forum. In between I lunched in the Wincott & Sons staff room and stopped at Latimer House to pick up the post.”
“You could’ve brought my party dress. And the shoes.”
“Never occurred to me, I’m afraid.” Just as well. He was happy to keep them as placeholders, until she was there again. With him.
And then he remembered something else he hadn’t brought.
“Will you excuse me? Back in a tick.”
Leaving the restaurant, he hurried along the pavement towards the chemist’s down the block, relieved that its neon green cross was still illuminated. Just inside the door stood a vat of bouquets in cellophane wrap. He grabbed the least hideous one before looking for condoms. The young woman at the till, luckily, was a stranger to him, and vice versa. He paid for his purchases and hurried out, aware that the same transaction at the Milverston village shop would result in a gossip avalanche.
He removed the condoms from the box, dropping it into the nearest recycling bin, and shoved them into his jacket pocket. After prying the plastic from the flowers, he disposed of it as well.
Presenting the bouquet, he said, “Never tell the famous Wendy Edney that the first flowers I purchased for you were utterly dismal. Those rosebuds are a shade of orange unknown to nature. I think two of them were white before being dyed green. Ghastly.”
“Nobody ever interrupted a date to buy me flowers.”
When he asked how she’d spent her day, she described the process of introducing Jewel to Ariel and Millie.
