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She stood back from the door in silence and he nodded, wiping his feet and walking into the hall.
‘Wow. Quite a difference from last time I saw this.’
Presumably he was referring to the new plaster and skirting boards, and the scrubbed floorboards. All Cass could think about was that the last time he’d been here they’d had something, and now there was nothing.
‘It’s been hard work.’
‘I imagine so.’ He seemed a little jumpy. As if there was a point to all of this and he was working himself up to it.
‘What do you want, Jack?’
He turned his gaze on her, warm enough to melt chocolate. ‘I’ve come for you, princess.’
* * *
No. No! What had made him think that he could do this? Leave Ellie with Sarah and pop back for a day spent in bed. Who did he think she was?
‘Out.’ She glared at him, hoping he’d go before she changed her mind. Her body had just caught on to the idea and was beginning to like it.
‘Cass, wait. Can we talk about this?’
‘There’s nothing to talk about. You can’t just drop in whenever you’ve got a free moment and you think you might like to warm your feet in my bed.’
Reproach flashed in his eyes. ‘It’s not like that.’
‘Okay then, friends with benefits, whatever you want to call it. I’m not interested.’
‘Neither am I. Cass, can we sit down...?’
‘There’s nowhere to sit. The kitchen’s full of cupboards, and there’s no furniture in the sitting room.’ And she wasn’t going to take him upstairs to her bedroom.
He rolled his eyes. ‘Then we’ll do it here.’
‘No, we won’t. Whatever it is.’
Suddenly he was too close. His lips just an inch away. Cass felt tears begin to roll down her cheeks. ‘Jack, stop it. Please...’
‘I don’t want sex...’
‘Stop it!’ Didn’t he know that friendship was just as much out of the question? She couldn’t bear it.
‘I want to marry you.’
Suddenly the air began to swim in front of her, distorting everything else. She felt her knees begin to buckle...
* * *
Jack managed to catch her before she hit the ground. Stupid. Stupid. He shouldn’t have just come out with it like that but he was so afraid that Cass was going to throw him out before he got a chance to say it. He settled her in his arms and carried her upstairs, kicking open the nearest door and finding a room stacked with furniture. The other door revealed a large sunny bedroom with light oak furniture and white lace bedlinen.
She was already stirring in his arms and her fingers clutched at his shoulders when he walked over to the bed with her. ‘Boots... Jack...’
‘Okay. Just relax; I’ll take them off.’ The room was meticulously clean and tidy, and Jack knew that Cass would probably kill him if he let her wellingtons soil the bed. Sitting her down, he pulled her boots off and then guided her back on to the pillows.
His finger found the pulse in her neck. Strong, even if it was a little fast. His was probably faster.
‘I’m all right.’
‘I dare say you are. Stay down for a minute.’
