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Marie had slipped off her shoes, putting her feet up on one of the plastic chairs, and luxuriating in the sun. ‘Careful of what?’ She opened one of her eyes, shading her face so she could see him.
‘You’ll catch the sun. Might even look as if you’ve been on holiday...’ He smirked at her.
The last holiday she’d been on had been the summer before her father had left. Since then, the only thing that had seemed remotely like getting away from it all had been the times when Alex had persuaded her away from her books and out into the sunshine.
‘We can’t have that, can we?’ She wrinkled her nose at him.
He chuckled. ‘Too late. I think I see a touch of pink on your shoulder.’
‘Oh, no!’ Marie pretended to brush it off and Alex laughed.
‘Do you want to tell me about your plans for the open day? It’s only two weeks away.’
‘Not right now.’ Marie stifled a yawn. ‘This is our afternoon off. We can go through them tomorrow.’
‘I never thought I’d hear you say that. Mañana has never been your thing.’
Marie let the idea roll for a moment. Mañana never had been her thing, but that was because there’d always seemed to be so much to do.
‘I might take it up. Take a break once every month or so.’
‘Yeah... I wouldn’t overdo it—you might find it becomes a habit. Then where would you be?’
If all her breaks were like this one she would be...happy. Marie dismissed the thought. However alluring it was, it was a fantasy.
They spent another hour in the sun together, and then Alex suggested that a film might fill the evening nicely. But after they’d driven back to his place and consulted the listings they found there was nothing that either of them particularly wanted to see.
‘Shall we download something to watch?’
‘That would mean making a decision, wouldn’t it?’ Marie was too relaxed to move.
‘Yep. Good point.’ He grinned, reaching for the remote for the sound system and switching it on. ‘Random will do...’
‘Random’ did very nicely. Some soul, some rock and roll—a bit of everything.
Marie’s foot started to tap against the leg of the coffee table and suddenly Alex was on his feet, catching her hand.
‘You want to dance?’
She hesitated, and he shot her an imploring look. He picked up the remote and suddenly the sound swelled and the beat became irresistible.
Alex was irresistible.
Marie stood up and he swung her round, away from the sofas and towards the clear space to one side.
Alex was a great dancer. He had always moved well, and he danced without any of the tense awkwardness that made sitting it out the best choice with some partners. They seemed to fit together, anticipating each other’s next steps, and by the time the rock and roll track was finished she was out of breath, falling laughingly into his arms.
There was a moment of silence in which she looked up at him, felt his body against hers, her chest rising and falling with excitement. And then the next track started.
‘I love this one...’
‘Me too.’
He wrapped his arms around her and they started to sway slowly to the music. Each movement was perfect. There was nothing more that she needed.
Then she felt his lips brush the side of her forehead, and realised there was something more she needed. She tipped her face up towards his, stretching her arms around his neck.
This was better than last night. They were truly alone, without having to worry about lipstick or someone strolling into the garden and discovering them. She could feel his body, hard against hers, still swaying to the music. But now there was another, more insistent rhythm, which gradually began to take over.
