Seb was across the room a lot quicker than I could have moved this morning. At least without the added incentive given by someone scaring the crap out of me, of course. Actually, he moved a lot faster than I ever did.
‘You all right?’ he asked, as I grabbed at the counter top, trying to steady myself. My sudden movements had done nothing for the skull samba, apart from perhaps encourage an encore. He tilted his head. ‘Try not to look quite so surprised. I’m pretty good on this thing now.’
I gave him a pathetic punch on the arm. ‘It’s nothing to do with that. You were drinking just as much as me last night and I have no intention of moving anywhere near that fast for at least a week, judging by how I’m feeling right now.’
His hand was at my waist, warm and strong and I tried not to think about how nice that felt.
‘You just made me jump. I thought you’d left.’
‘Nope. Just nipped out to get these.’ His hand dropped and he turned back to where he’d deposited two large coffees on the table. ‘Thought we could both do with one.’
I took a sip of the one he handed me and felt it sear down, the caffeine racing round, kicking out at my system, trying to boot it back into some semblance of life. ‘Thanks.’ I looked him up and down. ‘Why don’t you look like you have a hangover? That’s hardly fair.’
‘Maybe I’m just a bit better at disguising it than you. But I’m also less… compact,’ he winked at me, ‘than you. That’s going to make a difference.’
‘Not necessarily. I could drink my ex under the table.’
‘He a big guy?’
I looked at Seb and thought of Tom. Hmm. ‘Not really. I mean, he was sort of tallish but not as tall as you. And kind of rangy.’
Seb shrugged his eyebrows in reply.
‘Yeah, fair enough. Thanks for this though.’
‘Did you really think I’d leave without saying goodbye?’
I took a sip, looking at him over the top of my cup, but didn’t reply.
He gave a little eye roll and smiled. ‘Just for the record, I wouldn’t. Besides, unless I imagined it, I think your mum invited me to Sunday lunch today and I said yes.’
‘OK. And no, you didn’t imagine it. You’re definitely invited.’
‘Good.’
‘I should feed you something. I think I have bacon…’ I squinted at the light in the fridge.
‘Here.’ Seb gently took my cup from me and headed over to the sofa. ‘Come and sit down for a bit and drink this. Let it work its magic.’
I gave him another look as I followed his instruction. ‘And who waved their wand over you?’ I asked, grumpily.
‘I’m just better at hiding it.’
‘I’d feel better if you looked as rough as me.’
‘You don’t look rough. Believe me. You look just as lovely as always.’
‘OK. At least now I know you’ve definitely got a hangover. Your eyesight is still shot.’
He gave me a look and then glanced around. ‘Where’s Humphrey?’
‘Still in bed. Like a normal person.’
Seb’s lips twitched. ‘Doesn’t he have to do ablutions like normal people?’
‘Of course. But he just does it in his own time. There’s no rush.’
Seb grinned, and my tummy, which had been quietly churning, did a flip that had nothing to do with champagne or late nights and everything to do with Seb Marshall. I ignored it. My defences were down right now, but once I was fully sobered up and not fighting a raging hangover, I’d be right back in control. I just needed a minute or two.
