intercom for his PA. ‘Book my ticket for Nairobi, Eloise,’ he said. ‘I’m going back to Africa after all.’
By the next morning, Emily had pushed the kiss and all its accompanying realisations completely out of her mind. Almost.He still lingered on the fringes of her consciousness like a mist, and she found herself gazing blankly at her computer while her hand went inadvertently to touch her lips, remembering the touch of his mouth against hers, how firmly his lips had moved over hers, that thrilling touch of his tongue and the very taste of him—
Stop. She had to stop. Yet, despite her determination not to, she spent the entire morning in a state of high tension, waiting to see Jason, preparing herself for the pointed barbs he would no doubt direct her way. Yet he did not stop by her office and despite her half-dozen forays to the lobby—to check on Helen, of course—she did not see him enter the building. At lunch his PA informed her that Jason was out of the office for a few days, preparing for another trip to Africa.
‘I thought he was back for a while,’ Emily said, hating that she actually sounded disappointed. ‘A few months, at least.’
The PA, Eloise, shrugged. ‘An emergency came up.’
Emily stopped by Helen’s desk on the way back upstairs. ‘Richard’s going off to Africa again?’ she said, and Helen nodded, her expression downcast.
‘Yes, it’s very important, he said. Just a week, though, this time.’
‘Well, that’s good, then,’ Emily said after a moment. ‘Did you have fun last night?’
‘Yes—’ Helen smiled rather shyly, and Emily smiled back in encouragement, sensing the younger woman wanted to say something more. ‘Philip is very nice,’ she finally admitted in a whisper, and Emily felt a thrill of triumph—as well as trepidation. Suddenly she was glad Jason wasn’t in the office today.
‘He is,’ she said after a second’s pause. ‘Perhaps you’ll see him again.’
‘Do you think?’ Helen’s face lit up even as she chewed her lip nervously. Emily felt another flicker of trepidation. Philip really was charming, she told herself. Yes, he moved in afast crowd, but he was always unfailingly polite—if a little smooth—and she’d never heard anything that bad about him. Helen, with her sweetness and innocence, could be perfect for him. Surely there was nothing wrong with enabling them to spend a little time together.
With another smile directed at Helen, she headed back up to her office. Work took up too much of her time to think about Jason, or anyone else for that matter. When the phone rang at the end of the day, she was surprised to hear Philip’s plummy tone.
‘Philip! You’ve never rung me at work before.’
‘There’s a first time for everything.’
Emily leaned back in her chair, anticipation racing through her. Philip had never rung her before at all, and there could only be one reason—one person—why he would do so now. ‘So what’s the occasion?’ she asked.
‘No occasion. I have spare theatre tickets and, after seeing you and your lovely companion last night, I thought you might want to go with me.’
‘The theatre? I’m sure that would be lovely.’ Of course he didn’t know Helen well enough to ask her alone, Emily thought, her excitement mounting. She was the perfect cover. He really was interested in Helen. After making arrangements with Philip, she disconnected the call and hurried downstairs to tell Helen the news.
Several hours later they were having drinks in the theatre bar, waiting for the curtain. Philip was charming as always, and had even kissed Helen’s cheek when he’d seen her. Emily stepped away so she was on the other side of the little table, and Philip and Helen sat next to each other on tall stools. Philip, Emily decided firmly, would be just the right man for Helen. He’d wine her and dine her and sweep her off her feet, just as she deserved. And Emily could show Jason how wronghe was.
By the next morning, Emily had pushed the kiss and all its accompanying realisations completely out of her mind. Almost.He still lingered on the fringes of her consciousness like a mist, and she found herself gazing blankly at her computer while her hand went inadvertently to touch her lips, remembering the touch of his mouth against hers, how firmly his lips had moved over hers, that thrilling touch of his tongue and the very taste of him—
Stop. She had to stop. Yet, despite her determination not to, she spent the entire morning in a state of high tension, waiting to see Jason, preparing herself for the pointed barbs he would no doubt direct her way. Yet he did not stop by her office and despite her half-dozen forays to the lobby—to check on Helen, of course—she did not see him enter the building. At lunch his PA informed her that Jason was out of the office for a few days, preparing for another trip to Africa.
‘I thought he was back for a while,’ Emily said, hating that she actually sounded disappointed. ‘A few months, at least.’
The PA, Eloise, shrugged. ‘An emergency came up.’
Emily stopped by Helen’s desk on the way back upstairs. ‘Richard’s going off to Africa again?’ she said, and Helen nodded, her expression downcast.
‘Yes, it’s very important, he said. Just a week, though, this time.’
‘Well, that’s good, then,’ Emily said after a moment. ‘Did you have fun last night?’
‘Yes—’ Helen smiled rather shyly, and Emily smiled back in encouragement, sensing the younger woman wanted to say something more. ‘Philip is very nice,’ she finally admitted in a whisper, and Emily felt a thrill of triumph—as well as trepidation. Suddenly she was glad Jason wasn’t in the office today.
‘He is,’ she said after a second’s pause. ‘Perhaps you’ll see him again.’
‘Do you think?’ Helen’s face lit up even as she chewed her lip nervously. Emily felt another flicker of trepidation. Philip really was charming, she told herself. Yes, he moved in afast crowd, but he was always unfailingly polite—if a little smooth—and she’d never heard anything that bad about him. Helen, with her sweetness and innocence, could be perfect for him. Surely there was nothing wrong with enabling them to spend a little time together.
With another smile directed at Helen, she headed back up to her office. Work took up too much of her time to think about Jason, or anyone else for that matter. When the phone rang at the end of the day, she was surprised to hear Philip’s plummy tone.
‘Philip! You’ve never rung me at work before.’
‘There’s a first time for everything.’
Emily leaned back in her chair, anticipation racing through her. Philip had never rung her before at all, and there could only be one reason—one person—why he would do so now. ‘So what’s the occasion?’ she asked.
‘No occasion. I have spare theatre tickets and, after seeing you and your lovely companion last night, I thought you might want to go with me.’
‘The theatre? I’m sure that would be lovely.’ Of course he didn’t know Helen well enough to ask her alone, Emily thought, her excitement mounting. She was the perfect cover. He really was interested in Helen. After making arrangements with Philip, she disconnected the call and hurried downstairs to tell Helen the news.
Several hours later they were having drinks in the theatre bar, waiting for the curtain. Philip was charming as always, and had even kissed Helen’s cheek when he’d seen her. Emily stepped away so she was on the other side of the little table, and Philip and Helen sat next to each other on tall stools. Philip, Emily decided firmly, would be just the right man for Helen. He’d wine her and dine her and sweep her off her feet, just as she deserved. And Emily could show Jason how wronghe was.
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