My Year of Saying No - Maxine Morrey Page 0,34

always see a woman to her door.’

‘What if you’d had a horrible date?’

‘We didn’t.’

‘I wasn’t talking about us. And that wasn’t a date. You said so yourself.’

‘Oh. Yes.’ He cleared his throat. ‘Right. I did say that.’

‘So?’

‘So, no matter. I’d still do my best to make sure she got home safely.’

Without thinking, I put my hand up to his cheek. He smiled softly against it.

‘Oh! God. Sorry.’ I snatched my hand back. ‘That was probably really inappropriate. I mean, I didn’t… It’s just that you…’

Seb smiled again and caught my hand briefly before letting it go again. ‘Lottie, it’s fine. Don’t worry about it.’

I gave a wince. ‘Sorry. Forgot where I was for a minute.’

‘And where exactly did you think you were?’

‘I don’t know. It was just a really sweet thing to say… and I sort of got carried away. I guess I’m so comfortable with you, I forgot this is our first proper meeting and I need to rein in the tactile side of my personality.’

Seb waved a hand, dismissing it. ‘Just because we haven’t met up until tonight doesn’t mean we don’t know each other. And you don’t need to rein anything in.’ He stopped at my car and looked down at me. ‘Anyone ever told you you worry too much?’

‘Yes. You for one.’

He nodded. ‘Sounds like something I would say.’

I let out a breath of laughter. ‘Thanks for arranging tonight, and the tickets and everything. I’ve had a lovely time.’

‘Thanks for coming.’

I reached up and hugged him, my feet on tiptoe to reach around his neck, even in my block-heeled boots. His arms wrapped around my body and I felt the heat rush through me. I tried to convince myself it was just physics. The sudden closeness of another human, his body heat transferring to me. But I knew that was a big fat whopper. The heat rushing through me right now was because I was wrapped in the arms of a bloke I’d had a crush on for ages and he was a really, really good hugger.

In a way, I’d kind of hoped that once we met in person, that image I’d built up of him wouldn’t quite live up to the reality and I could gradually, and painlessly, let said crush slowly dissipate back into nothing. Unfortunately, that wasn’t how it had gone. Seb Marshall in real life was even better than I could ever have imagined. Which was really, really inconvenient.

He stepped back and held the door as I unlocked it and got in.

‘Drive carefully,’ he said, closing the door.

I nodded and turned the key. Nothing. Glancing up at the window, I gave a little shake of my head to signify it was no big deal and tried again. Even more nothing.

Seb opened the door.

‘Problem?’ he asked.

I slid my glance across.

‘Just call me Captain Obvious.’

‘I thought you were a Major.’

‘You’re correct. Fair enough. Major Obvious. What’s up?’

‘Who knows,’ I said, letting out a sigh. ‘It’s been doing this for a while now. I’ve taken it to the garage, but they just keep charging me to tell me it’s obviously intermittent and they can’t find anything wrong.’

‘Worth another go?’

I wiggled the gearstick as though that would help and tried turning the key again. Nada.

‘It’s not the battery, as that was replaced the first time it did it.’

‘Do you have breakdown?’

‘Yeah,’ I said, letting out a sigh and leaning across to the glove compartment to riffle through and find the card with the breakdown company’s details on. ‘I’ve been wanting to replace the car for a while but just haven’t got round to it. And now I’m worried that when I try to part-exchange it, it’ll do this and I’ll be screwed.’

I dialled the number of the recovery company, gave them the details of what had happened and the postcode of the car park. When they asked if I was on my own, I said yes. Partly because I knew it might speed things up but also because I was hoping to get Seb to go home and get warm. As much as I enjoyed his company, it was bloody freezing.

‘Where’s Humphrey tonight?’

I looked across at where Seb was bent over at the door, peering in at me. ‘With my parents, probably getting thoroughly spoiled.’

‘Would they be able to have him a bit longer?’

‘Why? What are you thinking?’

‘You up for staying over?’

In the low light of the car’s interior lamp, I tried to keep my face expressionless.

‘OK. Here’s the plan,’ Seb began. ‘I know a bloke