‘You all right?’
‘Yes. Just chilly after being in there.’
‘Here.’ Seb held out his arm and I tucked my own around it as we walked quickly back towards the car park, gratefully accepting any and all transference of heat from his warm bulk to mine.
‘Thanks for a great night,’ I said, pulling away as we got to the entrance of the car park. By the direction he’d walked from when I pulled up, I guessed his car was nearer the entrance. I knew he had a disabled parking badge, but it wouldn’t have surprised me in the least to find out that he didn’t use it. ‘It was lovely to meet you in person.’
‘And not horribly awkward after all?’
I grinned. ‘No. Not horribly.’
His smile broke the shadow of his face. ‘I’ll walk you to your car.’
‘Oh, it’s fine. You don’t have to do that. Just go and get warm.’
He began walking towards my car, reaching back and tagging my arm when I didn’t immediately follow.
‘Do you ever listen to people?’ I asked.
‘All the time. When they speak sense.’
‘What’s not sensible about what I just said? In fact, I’d argue it was eminently sensible. You going to your car, which was closest, and getting warm is good for your health. Ergo sensible. Faffing around, needlessly walking me to car when I’m quite capable of finding it by myself is less so.’
‘Finished?’
‘Yes.’
‘Good. So, here’s my counter. I have no doubt that you’re capable of finding your car by yourself. That’s not why I’m walking with you. I just prefer, for my own peace of mind, to see you safe and sound to your car.’
‘It’s not far.’
‘Doesn’t have to be. Bad things happen, Lottie, and I would never forgive myself if something happened to you that I might have been able to prevent.’
‘You’re not an Avenger, you know.’
‘No. This is true. More’s the pity.’
‘It is a pity.’
‘Thanks.’ He gave me a look. ‘I’m not trying to be macho or anything. I know you’re capable of looking after yourself and all the rest of it. This is just me. Maybe it’s old-fashioned, maybe it’s because of what I did for a living, maybe it’s just the way I’m built, but I always see a woman to her door.’
‘What if you’d had a horrible date?’
‘We didn’t.’
‘I wasn’t talking about us. And that wasn’t a date. You said so yourself.’
‘Oh. Yes.’ He cleared his throat. ‘Right. I did say that.’
‘So?’
‘So, no matter. I’d still do my best to make sure she got home safely.’
Without thinking, I put my hand up to his cheek. He smiled softly against it.
‘Oh! God. Sorry.’ I snatched my hand back. ‘That was probably really inappropriate. I mean, I didn’t… It’s just that you…’
Seb smiled again and caught my hand briefly before letting it go again. ‘Lottie, it’s fine. Don’t worry about it.’
