Valentine admitted. 'It would be worth
it for that alone.'
7
Primrose Hill Poison
God, I loathe North London,' Lauren grumbled as she,
Valentine, Nathan and Jack got off the Tube at Chalk
Farm station. 'It's so right that the Northern line is black
on the map, because that's what North London is like:
gloomy, depressing, with too many houses too close
together.'
'You should really learn to have an opinion,' Nathan
teased in his Californian drawl.
Lauren insisted on walking up the stairs as she had a
phobia of lifts, and Nathan went with her, so Valentine
and Jack waited for the lift together. Jack had his hands
shoved into the pockets of his battered black leather jacket
with the collar turned up. He looked so sexy and Valentine
got a thrill every time she sneaked a glance at him.
'I'm glad you asked me tonight,' he said. 'I was going
to ask you out, but you beat me to it.'
'You make it sound like a date,' Valentine replied, 'And
this is not a "date" date.'
'I thought that was exactly what this was,' Jack replied.
Valentine was on a mission to play it cool, and side-stepped
the comment. 'Oh look, the lift's here.'
As the steel lift door closed, Jack moved closer and
said, 'You look beautiful in that dress.' Valentine was sure
it wasn't just the speed of the lift that made her stomach
flip so deliciously.
Lauren and Nathan had already climbed the stairs and
were waiting outside the station. Lauren was lighting up
one of her roll-ups while Nathan looked on with an expression
of disgust. 'You know you really should think about
giving up,' he said. 'Hypnotherapy might help.' Lauren
blew out one of her perfect smoke rings and said, 'I like
smoking. When I don't, I'll give up. If you don't like it,
well . . .' She shrugged, leaving Nathan in no doubt what
he could do.
'Whoah, you're harsh!' Jack exclaimed.
'She's a pussy cat really,' Valentine hastily put in, fearing
the evening was about to go spectacularly tits up. Lauren
did not take kindly to criticism.
'She's no pussy cat,' Nathan said dryly. 'But I like her
anyway,' and he put his arm round Lauren. Valentine
was waiting for Lauren to push him away, but she didn't.
She must like him.
'So what's Tamara like? I hope you don't think I'm
being rude, as she's a friend of yours, but she's not a great
actress, is she?'
Valentine liked Jack all the more for recognising Tamara's
talent bypass. 'I can't stand her actually, but Lauren thinks
we might meet someone useful there. I know that sounds
shallow, but frankly she deserves it. She's probably only
asked us so she can feel better about herself. We needn't
stay long; we can just see if there are any people worth
talking to, down the champagne and then split.'
They walked slowly through the elegant, wealthy streets
of Primrose Hill. Valentine wished they weren't going to
the party; she was enjoying being alone with Jack far too
much. But within ten minutes they had arrived at Tamara's
three-storey house. Lauren and Nathan had got there first
and the four of them stood outside for a minute, taking
in the view of the stunning white Georgian building. The
party had already started and they could see the guests
milling around the vast, elegant living room, while waiters
circulated with trays of champagne and canapés. It was
a scene of such wealth and opulence. Valentine suddenly
felt conscious of how shabby her second-hand black fake
fur coat from Portabello market must seem and how her
red suede heels had really seen better days. She shivered.
'You cold?' Jack asked. 'I can warm you up.' And he
raised her hand to his lips and softly kissed it.
'Smoothie!' Valentine shot back, but she didn't pull her
hand away and after Jack had kissed it he continued to
hold it as they walked up the stone stairs to the imposing
front door.
Moments later one of the waiting staff had taken their
coats and had ushered them into the palatial living room.
It was lit by two dazzling chandeliers, flickering Jo Malone
candles on the white
it for that alone.'
7
Primrose Hill Poison
God, I loathe North London,' Lauren grumbled as she,
Valentine, Nathan and Jack got off the Tube at Chalk
Farm station. 'It's so right that the Northern line is black
on the map, because that's what North London is like:
gloomy, depressing, with too many houses too close
together.'
'You should really learn to have an opinion,' Nathan
teased in his Californian drawl.
Lauren insisted on walking up the stairs as she had a
phobia of lifts, and Nathan went with her, so Valentine
and Jack waited for the lift together. Jack had his hands
shoved into the pockets of his battered black leather jacket
with the collar turned up. He looked so sexy and Valentine
got a thrill every time she sneaked a glance at him.
'I'm glad you asked me tonight,' he said. 'I was going
to ask you out, but you beat me to it.'
'You make it sound like a date,' Valentine replied, 'And
this is not a "date" date.'
'I thought that was exactly what this was,' Jack replied.
Valentine was on a mission to play it cool, and side-stepped
the comment. 'Oh look, the lift's here.'
As the steel lift door closed, Jack moved closer and
said, 'You look beautiful in that dress.' Valentine was sure
it wasn't just the speed of the lift that made her stomach
flip so deliciously.
Lauren and Nathan had already climbed the stairs and
were waiting outside the station. Lauren was lighting up
one of her roll-ups while Nathan looked on with an expression
of disgust. 'You know you really should think about
giving up,' he said. 'Hypnotherapy might help.' Lauren
blew out one of her perfect smoke rings and said, 'I like
smoking. When I don't, I'll give up. If you don't like it,
well . . .' She shrugged, leaving Nathan in no doubt what
he could do.
'Whoah, you're harsh!' Jack exclaimed.
'She's a pussy cat really,' Valentine hastily put in, fearing
the evening was about to go spectacularly tits up. Lauren
did not take kindly to criticism.
'She's no pussy cat,' Nathan said dryly. 'But I like her
anyway,' and he put his arm round Lauren. Valentine
was waiting for Lauren to push him away, but she didn't.
She must like him.
'So what's Tamara like? I hope you don't think I'm
being rude, as she's a friend of yours, but she's not a great
actress, is she?'
Valentine liked Jack all the more for recognising Tamara's
talent bypass. 'I can't stand her actually, but Lauren thinks
we might meet someone useful there. I know that sounds
shallow, but frankly she deserves it. She's probably only
asked us so she can feel better about herself. We needn't
stay long; we can just see if there are any people worth
talking to, down the champagne and then split.'
They walked slowly through the elegant, wealthy streets
of Primrose Hill. Valentine wished they weren't going to
the party; she was enjoying being alone with Jack far too
much. But within ten minutes they had arrived at Tamara's
three-storey house. Lauren and Nathan had got there first
and the four of them stood outside for a minute, taking
in the view of the stunning white Georgian building. The
party had already started and they could see the guests
milling around the vast, elegant living room, while waiters
circulated with trays of champagne and canapés. It was
a scene of such wealth and opulence. Valentine suddenly
felt conscious of how shabby her second-hand black fake
fur coat from Portabello market must seem and how her
red suede heels had really seen better days. She shivered.
'You cold?' Jack asked. 'I can warm you up.' And he
raised her hand to his lips and softly kissed it.
'Smoothie!' Valentine shot back, but she didn't pull her
hand away and after Jack had kissed it he continued to
hold it as they walked up the stone stairs to the imposing
front door.
Moments later one of the waiting staff had taken their
coats and had ushered them into the palatial living room.
It was lit by two dazzling chandeliers, flickering Jo Malone
candles on the white
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