‘Aren’t you surprised?’ she persisted, talking to Ben’s back as he stowed the flowers in the boot of the car before coming round to open the passenger door for her.
‘Not really—he had about given up on me having children.’
‘I really thought it would be awkward. I’m so relieved,’ she admitted. ‘I was worried that Mum might lose her home and job.’
Ben looked shocked by the suggestion. ‘Good God, Lily, he’s a stubborn old sod but he’s not a monster. He’d never punish your mother for the sins of—’
‘Me,’ she completed, sliding into the car with a face set like a carved cameo to hold back the sudden desire to cry.
Cursing fluently, Ben went round to his side of the car and got in. The car purred into life and he turned to Lily.
‘That wasn’t what I was about to say. I was just mixing up my metaphors and if we are talking sin...fair enough, bring it on!’
The invitation brought her head around. Ben was looking straight ahead, but she sucked in a tiny breath as he turned to face her. The blaze of sheer hunger in his eyes sent a deep shudder from her scalp to her curling toes.
‘Because I for one—’ she froze, unable to move a muscle as his long, warm fingers curved around her jaw ‘—enjoyed it, very much.’
If her brain hadn’t shut down she might have guessed what he meant to do, but it came as a total shock as, still holding her eyes, he fitted his mouth to hers.
Lily sighed, her eyes closing, her fingers clutching at air. The sensual caress deepened and her sigh became a soft moan in his mouth. He tasted so— Then it was over. His face stayed close to hers; she could feel his breath on her cheeks, on her eyelids.
‘It felt like that, and it gave us Emily Rose. If you want to call it sin, fine. I call it something...rare, very rare.’
She felt his hand brush against her breast as he straightened away from her. The next moment the big car was moving with a low growl out of the illegal parking space.
‘Damned roadworks!’
How did he do that? Her world had just shifted on its axis and he was acting as though nothing had happened between them. Layers of confusion on top of layers of fatigue meant that five minutes later she was wondering if any of that had actually just happened or had she fallen asleep and dreamt it all?
She was also wondering where she was. Lily held her tongue but as they turned into an affluent-looking tree-lined road of large private houses that overlooked a pretty park she had to say something. ‘You’re going the wrong way.’
‘No, I’m going the right way.’
Lily sighed. What was it with men and admitting they were lost? ‘I know I’m a mere woman but—’ Her voice raised a panicky octave. ‘Why are we stopping here?’
They had drawn up at the end of the road outside the last house. The largest by far, and Edwardian-looking, it was set back a long way and screened from the road by mature trees.
Presuming he was looking for some place to turn around, Lily twisted in her seat. As she did so the big high gates of the house opened and Ben drove through them. He brought the car to a halt on the cobbled forecourt.
He glanced at his phone. ‘Fifteen minutes, not bad.’
‘I suppose you’re going to tell me what you’re doing some time soon? Or am I meant to guess?’ she asked crankily as she stifled a yawn. Weirdly the erotic incident felt as though it had happened to someone else.
‘Didn’t I say?’ He held out a bunch of keys and dropped them in her lap. ‘You’re all set.’ He swivelled in his seat and glanced up, a critical frown furrowing his brow at the well-kept period façade. ‘So what do you think?’
‘Of what? Look, Ben, I’m tired. I’m not really in the mood for a treasure hunt.’ Or being kissed... Liar, liar, pants on fire, intoned the scornful voice in her head.
‘It’s not perfect,’ he admitted, ‘and clearly not a permanent solution, but there was not much choice within travelling distance of the hospital.’ Before she could respond to this obscure comment, he had leapt athletically out of the car.
Pressing her fingers to her temples, she waited while he came around to open the passenger door.
‘Have you got a headache?’
She dropped her hands, turned her head and looked at him. ‘It’s only a matter of time,’ she predicted. ‘Look, at this rate it will be time to get back to the hospital before I even get the B & B.’ The fizz of adrenaline after the all-clear had got her this far, but Lily doubted it would get her much farther. Her head felt like cotton wool and even lifting an arm was an effort.