“Not just yet, I have some papers I was planning to read here.” For a moment he looks really tired and I wonder how the stress of this case is affecting him.
“Ok, sure.” I reply, trying not to look confused at his revelation.
I smile at him and as I turn away he puts his arms around my waist and spins me to face him, pushing me back against the wall to my right. Before I can react, he pins me against the cold surface by my wrists and kisses me full on the mouth. Shocked, I register the sharp scent of his aftershave and his warm lips on mine. His body is pressed fully against me and I feel trapped under his weight.
For a disturbing second I contemplate returning the kiss but before my mind has the time to work through the consequences of such an act, my body has responded by pushing him backwards away from me. Flustered, I hoist my bag on to my shoulder and race up the stairs, not pausing to look backwards.
I manage to get back to Chambers and pack up my kit in the Audi ready to head for home, hoping that I’ve missed the worst of the traffic. My head is all over the place and I’m mentally replaying the events of the last half hour when the screen of my iPhone lights up and I can see a text has come through from Sebastian. I read the screen from where the device is holstered in the car.
‘I’ve just been called into a late meeting so I won’t be back much before midnight. Hope you had a good day in court. Love you x’
With a sigh, I put on a power ballad CD and decide that the best way to shake this is to belt out some classics. Mid-way through Total Eclipse of the Heart I realise that my passenger window is down and I’ve been entertaining a group of students for the past few minutes whilst I’ve been waiting at some lights. Oh well, at least I cheered someone up today. I start to giggle, give them a wave and accelerate away.
Chapter Twelve
Sebastian got home last night just after half past one. He was exhausted when he climbed into bed and pretty much fell asleep straightaway. I lay away, curled up against his frame thinking about the case, trying not to think about Rivers and instead worrying about ways in which it could go wrong because of me.
As such, when I did finally doze off, my dreams were full of nightmare scenarios involving a courtroom, no clothes and me. This morning was therefore perhaps the only one this year when I’ve been happy to get up before midday. I’ve got a little extra time this morning given the site visit, so decide to make a proper breakfast for once.
I rummage through the kitchen cupboards and pull out a box of muesli, put on some toast and switch on the cappuccino maker. As I pour myself a bowl and take a huge, raisiny bite, I resolve that today will be a good one. After two pieces of toast topped with raspberry jam I’m feeling very positive about the day ahead. Our daily paper is full of reports about the trial, re-runs of previous interviews with his other lovers and various photographs of Hobbs in action. It’ll be so surreal wandering around his house later on today. I can’t believe he still lives there. It seems inconceivable to me that anyone would want to remain where their spouse died, was murdered, indeed. To see the pool everyday where she was found would be torture if you’d hadn’t killed her, but at best, bizarre if you had.
I wander upstairs and get dressed. One of the benefits of this job is the very little I can deviate in choices of clothing. The racks in my wardrobe are filled with black suits, white shirts and black tops. Today I pick a black crepe trouser suit and pair it with a black V-neck top and some seriously pointy crocodile-effect black heels. Shoes aside, I look like I’m about to attend a funeral, but given where I am going, perhaps that’s rather fitting.
I decide to leave my hair down for now and apply my usual layers of makeup. Satisfied with my reflection in the mirror, I walk back to the bedroom where Sebastian is still fast asleep. I lean over and give him a kiss on the