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Euan chuckled. ‘I think I’m going to insist that you do. I want a full report in the morning.’
He waited until she was inside, and Sam watched through the window as he walked to his car and got into it. He was everything that she wanted. All the love and acceptance that she could ever handle. She just had to get over the nagging feeling that she didn’t deserve this.
* * *
She’d really thought that she might dream of Euan tonight, but she didn’t. It appeared that whatever had happened during the day, there was still no such thing as forgiveness during the hours of darkness.
Sam woke with an overwhelming feeling of guilt. How had Sally turned to drugs for help in coping when Sam had been there all along? The answer was the same as it had always been. She had been there, but she’d been absorbed in her work. And now she was neglecting that work, as if it were nothing, in favour of doing the things that she and Sal had talked about but that Sal had never got around to doing. Finding the right man. Falling in love.
Maybe this was survivor guilt. Maybe it didn’t matter what it was called. Experience told Sam that by the time she’d showered and dressed, the claws of the night would have released her, and she’d be ready to face the day.
* * *
Euan’s side felt a little stiff, but nothing that the walk to work wouldn’t take care of. His body had still been humming with remembered pleasure when he’d woken up that morning, but he’d woken up alone. He checked his phone, wondering vaguely if she might have called, picked up his keys and wallet, and headed for the front door, a trickle of dread grasping at his heart. He’d given Sam her space, but what if she thought that gave her the right to leave without a word, the way that Marie had done?
They met on the doorstep. She was dressed all in white in a lacy top and white linen trousers. He could see the curve of her body, the soft skin that only yesterday he’d felt he had a right to touch. Now he wasn’t so sure.
She smiled. ‘I was just on my way to the office. Thought I’d call in and collect you.’
‘It’s a bit of a detour.’
She nodded, and took a step closer. He waited. When she stood on her toes, he bent to meet her, taking her into his arms as she pressed her lips against his. ‘Worth it, though. Good morning, sweetheart.’
Euan could almost hear the drip-drip of all his fears melting away in the sunshine. ‘Mmm. That’s a good way to start the day.’
He pulled the door to behind him, and she fell into step beside him as Euan shortened his stride. It seemed natural to put his arm around her shoulders as they walked, and she looped her thumb around his belt at the small of his back.
‘What’s the plan for today?’
‘I still have some work to do on your website. I thought I’d do that today, and stay over until next week to finish off the database configuration.’
He grinned. London was only ninety minutes’ drive away, but this was still very new. He wanted her here, for another few days at least, so they could find out where it was going. But from the tone of the email that had pinged into his inbox this morning...
‘Have you checked your emails yet?’
The blank look on her face told him that she hadn’t. He should let her do that before he extracted any promises from her with regard to the weekend. He’d only skimmed The Centre’s email, but the paragraph that talked about sharing information and comparing notes on implementation had left him in no doubt about their decision concerning Sam’s software.
‘You haven’t, have you? You’re going to tell me that you came to see me, without stopping to check your emails first...’ He t
wisted to face her, walking backwards along the pavement in front of her.
‘I...’ She was trying to avoid his gaze.
He stopped walking, suddenly enough that she almost bumped into him. ‘Go on. Say it.’
‘Okay, so I wanted to see you. I haven’t checked my emails. What’s the big deal?’
They both knew it was a huge deal. Sam didn’t go anywhere without checking her emails first, and this morning Euan had knocked that task from the top of her list of priorities.
He resisted the impulse to punch the air and decided he should be magnanimous in victory. ‘You’ll see. Perhaps we should talk about our plans for the weekend after you’ve got around to that.’
She slid one finger behind the buckle of his belt. Just one finger, and every nerve in his body quivered. She had that power. ‘What do you know that I don’t?’
‘Nothing... Nothing. Not that I can say, anyway. We take confidentiality very seriously in this business.’
‘Give me your phone.’
Euan chuckled. ‘You mean you’ve come out without your phone as well?’
