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“Good.” She pushed him back a little, causing him to arch a brow in surprise. Then she tugged off his ski jacket, and a smile spread across his face as she unfastened his ski pants and dragged them down, along with his underwear.

Maya took hold of his jumper to pull him back in.

There was raw need in his voice. “We can go to my office if you’d prefer.”

It was clear he wanted no delay and was only asking for her sake.

Maya shook her head. The thought of having to wait a few extra minutes to get out of the room and upstairs was unbearable.

She met his eyes for emphasis. “Now.”

His gaze darkened and he took her face to kiss her roughly, then reached down into his trouser pocket to grab a condom and roll it on.

Maya raised her eyebrows. “You were skiing all morning with that in your pocket?”

Sam shrugged, smiling as he stripped off her bottom half and lifted her to straddle him against the wall. “This was premeditated. I told you I couldn’t wait to have you again.”

He drove into her against the wall, catching the gasp that escaped her lips with his mouth.

She held his head against her neck as he moved more and more urgently, clearly slaking the need that had been building all morning. Maya pushed aside the little voice inside that told her she was doing it again—letting her desire for him run away with her when she should slow matters down for his sake. But when they both wanted each other this badly, what harm could it do?

“For goodness’ sake,” Yvonne said, glancing over from the dishwasher. “Can nobody load this thing properly except me?”

“Sorry, Mum,” Maya said, rising to help with the reloading process. “They skipped the ‘how to load a dishwasher to Yvonne Bashir’s satisfaction’ module at university.”

Yvonne swatted her with a tea towel. “None of your cheek.”

Maya glanced up, taking in that Hana looked awful, sitting at the dinner table and pushing the practically untouched food around on her plate while Omar read through a medical magazine, oblivious to his surroundings. There was a stomach bug going round the community, and poor Hana had been chucking her guts up all day.

Hana stood and took her plate over to scrape it into the food bin. “I’m just going for a lie down.”

Yvonne frowned. “Still feeling off color, sweetheart?”

Hana smiled weakly. “I’m sure I’ll feel better in the morning.” She turned and left the kitchen.

Omar put down his magazine, as if he were just entering the room. “Have you heard back from any of those firms?”

Maya closed her eyes briefly, imagining that doing so might force back the nausea that appeared whenever he mentioned it. “Not yet.”

He frowned. “I might chase Perry and Pearson for you. My old friend from university is a partner there, so perhaps underlining your affiliation to me will help.”

Maya’s heart mimicked the Titanic, sinking to the bottom of the ocean and taking Kate Winslet’s shiny jewel with it. The reality of the situation hit. If she succeeded in securing a job there, it would entail moving over a hundred miles away to Edinburgh. Over a hundred miles from Sam, and the ski resort that she loved so much. And I don’t think the resort is the only thing I’m in love with.

“That’s okay,” she said quickly. “I don’t want you doing me any favors.”

Omar shook his head. “Of course I’m going to do you some favors. You’re my daughter and I want the same success for you as your sister.”

Can’t he stop mentioning Hana for two bloody minutes?

The doorbell sounded, signaling a reprieve.

“I’ll get it,” Maya said, hurrying from the kitchen and down the hallway.

She opened the door, imagining running out into the night, toward Sam’s, and was met by the very welcome sight of his handsome face.

Maya threw her arms around him, nearly knocking him off the doorstep.

“What a welcome,” he said, kissing her cheek.