Suddenly she was very conscious of the fact that she had very little on. The T-shirt was hardly modest—it reached her knees but it was very fine cotton and the shape of her breasts was visible to the discerning eye. And suddenly his eye did seem to be more than a little attentive.
‘You’re a Gemini and I’m a Sagittarius,’ she murmured. ‘We wouldn’t be compatible.’ She moistened her lips as his gaze rested on their softness.
Nick grinned. ‘You’re not still into that astrology stuff, are you?’
‘You may mock, but my stars said this morning that I was entering a phase of profound change.’
‘So you think every Sagittarian came home to find their partner had…strayed.’
‘Don’t be obtuse, Nick. Change takes many forms.’
‘Exactly, which is how these astrologers can claim success so often. You can read anything into those columns.’
Kate frowned. ‘You’re such a sceptic, Nick.’
‘And you’re such a sucker when it comes to superstition.’
‘I rest my case.’ She shrugged. ‘You’re a Gemini and I’m a Sagittarian. We’re totally opposite and that’s why a relationship would never have worked between us.’
Nick’s gaze moved again to her lips. ‘I could blow a hole in that theory very easily,’ he murmured. There was something dangerously seductive about his words and the way he was looking at her.
She felt her body temperature increase dramatically. ‘So…so why don’t you?’ Kate angled her chin and sent him an unconsciously provocative look from glittering emerald eyes.
‘Because now’s not the time.’ He moved back from her.
About to challenge him to what exactly he meant by that, she changed her mind as he glanced at her again. Maybe some things were better left as they were.
‘And anyway, friendship seems to last longer than everything else, doesn’t it?’ Nick glanced at his watch. ‘And given the fact that we are so…opposite in every way…we are lucky to have that in spades, aren’t we?’
There was a dry irony in the last part of those words but she decided to ignore it. ‘Yes, we are. What time is it?’ she asked.
‘Almost one, we’d better try and get some sleep.’
‘Yes. I suppose we should.’
‘Will you be OK now?’
‘I’ll be fine.’ She smiled at him. ‘You’re right, I am strong and I will bounce back.’
‘Not if you don’t eat, though.’ He pointed to the food beside them on the table. ‘Try and have something.’
She nodded.
‘See you in the morning, then.’ He leaned towards her. Her heart missed a beat as he kissed her on the cheek. She could smell his cologne, feel his warmth. His hand rested lightly on her shoulder, yet she imagined she could feel it burn slightly through the shirt.
‘Sleep well,’ he said as he got to his feet.
She watched as he left the room and closed the door behind him.
Somehow she just knew that she wouldn’t get any sleep at all.
CHAPTER THREE
THE phone was ringing as Kate let herself into her apartment. She wondered if it was Stephen. It was almost six weeks now since he had left and she hadn’t heard a thing from him. Most of his clothes were still hanging in the wardrobes; his CDs were still beside the hi-fi. She supposed he would get in contact if only to collect them, but she wished he’d get it over with—this waiting around seemed interminable. It felt as if she were living in no man’s land; their relationship was over and yet he was still here in essence. Every time the doorbell or the phone rang her nerves seemed to go into freefall.
She put her shopping down on the kitchen counter and snatched up the receiver.
‘Hi, Kate, it’s Tanya.’
‘Oh, hi, Tanya.’ She sat down at the breakfast bar, not knowing if she felt relieved or disappointed that it wasn’t him. ‘How are you?’
‘More to the point, how are you?’ Tanya said, sympathy filling her voice and for some reason jarring on Kate. ‘I’m really sorry to hear about you and Stephen splitting up.’
‘Well, don’t be too sorry, it’s probably for the best.’ Kate tried to sound upbeat. She liked Tanya and they had been friends for a while, but she was very aware that the other woman worked with Stephen and so anything Kate said might be repeated to him.
‘So you’re really OK?’ Tanya sounded surprised.
Did she think I’d fall to pieces? Kate wondered, feeling a tinge of anger. And, if so, why hadn’t she rung before now?
‘Yes, I’m really fine. In fact I couldn’t be better,’ Kate purred, her voice exuding a glowing happiness that was completely at odds with her reflection in the mirror opposite. She looked tired, testament to the fact that she hadn’t been sleeping very well recently.
‘I’m so pleased, Kate. I’ve wanted to ring you for a while but I’ve kept putting it off. I feel a bit torn, being friends to both you and Stephen…and also with working with Natasha.’
‘There’s no need to feel awkward, Tanya,’ Kate assured her. ‘It’s all water under the bridge now and I’m happily getting on with my life.’
‘Are you seeing someone else?’
Kate hesitated, wondering how much of this conversation would go back to Stephen. ‘Well…you know, I’ve got a few irons in the fire.’ How many more clichés could she use to extract herself from this situation? she asked herself sardonically.
‘That’s great! Listen, what are you doing the weekend after next?’
‘I don’t know.’ Put on the spot, Kate blustered feebly. ‘Nothing much, just the usual—’
‘That’s brilliant, because David and I are getting married.’ Tanya’s voice resounded with happiness. ‘And I want you to come.’
Kate could feel her temperature rising. She wanted to ask if Stephen and Natasha would be there, but that would go against the relaxed ‘I’m over him’ attitude, wouldn’t it? So instead she resorted to cheerful congratulations, while trying to work out a sensible reply to the invitation. Why hadn’t she said she was busy that weekend? Why the hell hadn’t she said she was out of town, going to Paris…anything?
‘I’m so pleased for you, Tanya,’ she heard herself gush.
‘Thanks, Kate. I was worried about telling you…what with you and Stephen splitting up. You two had lived together as long as we have…and, well, I felt a bit…awkward.’
‘There’s no need,’ Kate said sincerely. ‘I really am happy for you.’
‘Yes, I should have known you would be. I’m glad you will be able to come, Kate, it means a lot to me. I’ll stick an invitation in the post for you…oh, and bring a partner if you like.’
‘Thank you.’ Kate didn’t know what else to say.
‘OK, see you soon. Bye, now.’
Tanya’s cheerful tones rang in her ears as she put the phone down. You should have just told her you were busy, that you’d forgotten some important previous engagement, Kate told herself fiercely. You don’t want to see Stephen and Natasha. It will be pure torture. On the other hand, why should she stay away? She had been Tanya’s friend before Stephen. Hell, on his request she had even pulled the strings to help him get the job there. She had nothing to be ashamed of…unlike Stephen. If he and that woman had any conscience, they would be the ones to stay away.