Page 152 of Pure Recklessness

Tears welled in my eyes.

‘You don’t need to repay me,’ Blake said softly. ‘So. Where do you want to go first. To see the dinosaurs or to the Earth Hall?’

‘The dinosaurs of course!’

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BLAKE

As I watched Ellie wandering around the Dinosaurs Gallery with wonder in her eyes, my chest expanded.

Seeing her face light up as she stood in front of the roaring animatronic T. rex, before she snapped dozens of selfies, was priceless.

Admittedly, hiring the museum did blur the lines of our arrangement, but I saw how disappointed she was when we spoke about it yesterday and it wouldn’t have felt right to know that I could arrange this visit and not go through with it.

And what was the point of having money if you couldn’t spend it on people that you cared about?

Not that I cared about her in a romantic kind way. She was still my employee. What I meant was Ellie was a good person. She deserved to be treated.

When I arranged this, I had no idea that she’d lost her parents so young. Or that she was adopted. Clearly, Ellie had been through a lot, so if organising a little surprise made her happy, that could only be a good thing.

This was just a small act of kindness. It still didn’t mean this was anything serious. After tonight we’d be done, for good.

‘Look at this!’ Ellie took my hand and led me to the first iguanodon skeleton known to science. ‘Isn’t it amazing?’

‘It is,’ I agreed.

After we’d finished in the Dinosaurs Gallery, we headed to the Earth Hall, riding the famous escalator that went through the giant globe.

An hour later, we were sitting in the café with some snacks I’d arranged to be laid out in case we got peckish.

‘Percy Pig?’ Ellie reached into her bag and pulled out a bright pink and green packet. ‘I was going to give you these at the office on Monday, but then you called and… anyway. You should try them.’

I took the bag from her, viewed it with suspicion before opening it cautiously.

‘They’re sweets, not a nuclear bomb!’ She laughed. ‘You might even like them!’

‘I’m a grown man. I don’t eat sweets. They’re for children.’

‘Sweets are for everyone! Try them!’

Reluctantly I put one in my mouth and…

‘Oh,’ I said as the fruity taste hit my tongue. ‘It’s actually not bad.’

‘Told you!’ She grinned proudly, before taking a handful. ‘I love You Give Me Butterflies, too.’

‘I’m glad I have that effect on you.’ I grinned.

‘No! That’s the name of another pack I love called Percy Pig You Give Me Butterflies. It’s the version with Percy and his wife Penny.’

‘I see.’ I nodded, popping another sweet in my mouth. She was right. They were addictive.

‘I still can’t believe I’m here!’ Ellie said. ‘Thanks again!’

‘You’re welcome.’

‘Although I do feel kind of guilty that I didn’t go when I first came to London. Then you wouldn’t have had to waste your money hiring out this place.’