‘Nevertheless,’ she said, guilt still swilling around her insides, ‘it was unforgivable to abandon you like that.’
‘I imagine you and Will had things … to discuss.’
‘We did,’ Bella muttered, and determinedly ignored the memory of the exact nature of their ‘discussion’. ‘But that’s no excuse.’
‘Well, please don’t worry about it. I have a date with the lovely Rosie next week so all in all I had a great night. Really.’
Oh. Relief flooded through her, although whether at the fact that Sam really didn’t seem to mind or at the fact that if he and Rosie were going on a date then the odds of her and Will having spent the night together had just dropped dramatically she didn’t want to know.
Whichever it was, Bella felt the anxiety gripping her body ease and blew out
a breath. ‘OK, if you’re sure … ‘
‘I am,’ he said. ‘But I appreciate the thought, so thank you. So what about you? How was your night?’
‘I’ve had better,’ Bella said dryly, and then jumped at the sound of the buzzer ricocheting through her flat. ‘Hang on,’ she said, clutching the phone to her chest and picking up the intercom. ‘Yes?’
‘It’s Will.’
For a moment Bella’s heart stopped and she went cold. Then it started up again at double its usual rate and she went so hot she nearly passed out.
Oh, God, she thought, her brain racing. What was he doing here? He was supposed to have exited her life so why had he pitched up outside her flat? Fate really did seem to have it in for her.
‘What do you want?’ she said, sounding none too friendly but too wired to do anything about it.
‘Can I come up?’
Agh. Resisting the temptation to say no and then hide, Bella muttered beneath her breath and buzzed him in. Her heart beating annoyingly fast, she stuck the phone back to her ear. ‘Sorry about that,’ she said.
‘I don’t know whether to be shocked or impressed by your vocabulary,’ said Sam. ‘I take it your visitor isn’t welcome.’
‘Not particularly.’ She sighed and briefly closed her eyes. ‘I swear Will Cameron’s sole purpose on this planet is to torment me.’ She could hear the sound of muffled laughter coming down the line. ‘It’s not funny,’ she said huffily.
‘I think it’s hilarious,’ he said and she could practically see his grin.
Huh. He really did need to get out more. ‘I’m delighted you think so.’
‘Good luck.’
‘Thanks,’ she muttered. ‘You too.’
Bella hung up, and, at the sound of footsteps thumping up the stairs, stalked along the hall. Resisting the urge to see what she looked like in the mirror that hung above the console table, she opened the door. It was a Sunday morning and she was off work, so Will could take her as he found her.
Ah. Maybe that wasn’t such a good choice of words. A vision of Will pushing her up against the wall, ripping off her clothes and taking her exactly as he found her slammed into her head and she went dizzy.
Hmm, she thought, taking a deep breath and willing her heart rate to steady. As her brain was behaving like a loose cannon maybe she ought to disengage it. Maybe she ought to keep everything nice and easy and simply deal with the facts.
Yes, that was it. Tugging her shoulders back and setting her jaw, Bella channelled her inner calm. She’d focus on the reason he’d come and not the hope that he was planning to continue where they left off last night.
She froze, her heart skipping a beat. The hope? No, that was wrong. The fear. That was what she’d meant. Yes, the fear that he’d try and carry on where they’d left off. Better remember that.
‘Good morning, Bella,’ said Will, reaching the top of the stairs and giving her a dazzling smile.
Hmm. It would be a damn sight easier to remember that she didn’t want him to continue where they left off last night if he didn’t look quite so good. This morning he was wearing a battered brown leather jacket, jeans and a red jumper that looked so soft she wanted to rub her cheek against it.
And what did he have to be so cheerful about anyway? she wondered, biting on that cheek and stamping out any ideas it might have about snuggling up to his chest. Had he just come from a sexathon with Rosie? Not that she was interested, of course, and not that she’d ever ask, but still. Something had certainly put a spring in his step, and the odds they’d spent the night together—which had dropped so dramatically while she’d been on the phone to Sam—rocketed.
Utterly thrown by the weird tangle of stuff churning around inside her on top of the dazzling smile, Bella fought back a scowl and mustered up a bright smile of her own.