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‘No, that’s OK. I should go alone.’
‘OK.’ She tucked her hands under her arms, trying not to feel rejected. She didn’t even know his mum. Why would he want her there?
‘Don’t feel bad,’ he said, as if he’d read her thoughts. ‘It was nice of you to offer. I’d love to have you there.’ He looked as if he meant it, making her feel much better. ‘It’s just I’m not sure she’d want people to see her like that.’
‘I understand.’ Her heart pumped harder at the evidence of how thoughtful he was. ‘Shall I pick up Aldo, then, and get dinner on the go? So you don’t have to hurry back?’
They began walking through the deck chairs, towards the path out of the park.
‘You don’t mind?’ he said.
‘No, of course not. It’s the least I can do after behaving like a psychopath.’
He chuckled, the light, untroubled sound making her feel euphoric. ‘Thanks. I should be back in time. But I’ll text you if I’m going to be late.’
She took his hand, clasped it tight, tugging him to a stop. ‘Trey, I mean it. If anything happens, you know, with your mum, and you need to stay with her, or go see her suddenly, just let me know. I can step in and cover for you with Aldo. I want to step in.’
He nodded, his face grave. ‘OK, cool. And thanks again.’
He walked her to the tube station, before saying goodbye and heading back to the hospice.
He didn’t kiss her goodbye. Made a point of it really.
But she took it as a very good sign that the whole way back to St John’s Wood station he didn’t let go of her hand. Not once.
Chapter 16
‘Remind me never to get in a sodding kayak again.’ Halle dumped her overnight kit on the leather sofa in the cabin’s living area. Every muscle in her body had atrophied hours ago, during the final stretch of their journey to the pick-up point they’d arranged with Chad at the Fontana Lake Marina.
She’d been woken at dawn by the warbling of an unidentifiable bird, her sleeping bag warm and musty, to find herself alone in the tent. Once she’d gotten up enough energy to crawl out, she’d found Luke brewing coffee over the newly lit firepit, the rugged two-day stubble and creased shorts and shirt making her mouth water almost as much as the scent of hot caffeine.
Thank goodness she’d slept like a dead woman and been completely oblivious to that ripped body right next to her.
Nothing would have happened, because she was convinced she and Luke couldn’t be bonk buddies without dire consequences.
And the last time I was this sore and exhausted I’d just given birth to a twelve-pound baby boy with an unfeasibly large head.
Even so, the shimmer of regret had been undeniable. And now they were back at the cabin, alone again, her aching limbs pleasantly numb, with the definite hum of tension sizzling in the air, and in her gut.
‘If I ever see you getting in a kayak again, I’ll chop off your arms,’ Luke murmured, flopping down onto the sofa beside her gear. ‘As long as you promise to return the favour.’
‘Done.’ She stared at his long body arranged over the maroon leather, his lean muscular physique causing more mini explosions to detonate in her lady bits.
‘I need a hot shower, followed by cold Chardonnay and warm food,’ she said. ‘Any chance you could take care of the second and third order of business from room service,’ she added, ‘while I take care of the first?’
They’d never eaten dinner together in the cabin before, somehow managing to avoid that intimacy. But after a night sharing a tent, with no naughty business occurring, she figured a shared meal was fairly safe.
He toed off his hiking boots, leaving his white sports socks slouching around his ankles. ‘Sure. Any preference for your entrée?’
‘As long as it doesn’t look or taste like hamster kibble, I’m good.’
But as she walked past him, he took hold of her wrist. Her pulse jumped, the slow rub of his thumb making the mini detonations become somewhat major.
‘I’ve got a better idea. Why don’t we check out the hot tub?’
‘We?’
‘It’s a big tub. I can keep to my side.’
