Grabbing Mitchell’s shirt and pulling it around me, I crept down the stairs, leaving the empty bed behind me. I could hear Mitchell and Annie talking in the kitchen.
‘Well, you didn’t hang around,’ Annie was saying, a laugh in her voice.
‘Don’t. You know I’m not normally like that, but . . .’
‘You fancied her?’
There was a silence and I thought he was going to deny it, but I heard him sigh. ‘Annie, I came that close to . . .’
‘But you didn’t?’
‘No. Hell no, but it was tough. She would have tasted so good. Anyway, there was something else . . .’
I frowned, puzzled. Did he have some hang up about oral sex? I mean, we hadn’t indulged last night, but that was mainly because I’d not given him the chance.
‘Mitchell, you didn’t. That’s the important thing. Take this coffee up to her. She’ll be thinking you’ve done a runner.’
I trotted down the last few stairs, over the broken tile in the hallway, and into the kitchen, trying, and failing, to look embarrassed.
‘Sorry, Annie, I kind of abandoned you last night.’
She grinned. ‘Don’t worry, I could sense the chemistry between you.’
‘Annie,’ Mitchell said warningly, but she giggled and slapped him playfully.
‘Toast?’ she offered and I nodded.
‘I’ll just go . . .’ and Mitchell disappeared upstairs.
‘Good night?’ Annie asked and I could feel myself blush. She laughed. ‘Good for you. And him.’
She seemed to be taking an interest in my neck, and I rubbed my fingers over where he’d nuzzled me, wondering if I had a love bite. I’d have to cover it with concealer if there was a mark.
‘You working tonight?’ I asked Annie.
‘Yes, I’m starting at seven. So . . . you and Mitchell . . . ?’
I shrugged. ‘I doubt it. He won’t be interested in me.’
‘Why wouldn’t he be?’
‘Because he’s gorgeous and I’m . . . ‘
‘The first girl he’s been with for ages.’
‘Really? But . . . No, there’s no way, no way . . . sadly.’
Annie grinned. ‘Butter? Marmalade?’
‘Both, please.’
Mitchell was placing my clothes on a chair when I returned to his bedroom.
‘Thanks. Did you find everything?’
He dangled my bra from his finger and I tried to snatch it from him, but he held it above his head, teasing me. After one swipe for it, I simply grabbed him by the bollocks and squeezed until he doubled over.
‘Hey, unfair,’ he said, laughing.
‘Well, if I don’t get my clothes back, I’m going to be stuck here.’
‘And that would be a bad thing because . . . ?’
‘Hey! But, seriously, I’ll have a quick shower and then leave you in peace. You working today?’
‘No. You?’
‘Not today, back in on a late on Monday.’
‘So I could see you later?’
