Noah winking. ‘I can’t wait to say hello properly and charm you with my Australian humour.’
‘I shall look forward to it,’ said Willow.
And she meant it. With a pang, she realised that December seemed light years away. How she wished she could do what Emma did, and just casually pick up her mobile and chat to Noah whenever she wanted. She gazed at the digital image before her, greedily drinking in his face. Those twinkling eyes. That slow, sexy smile. That mouth. Mm. She wondered what his lips might feel like against hers, and what he’d be like to kiss.
Ahem. Excuse me. I can’t believe you just imagined kissing this guy. Outrageous!
Willow ignored the little voice in her head. There was nothing wrong in idly fantasising about kissing another man. It was just the chemistry thing. That had already been established.
Oh really? So if it’s just a ‘chemistry thing’, why are you now eyeballing his shirt and admiring the dark hair peeking over the top of that button?
Willow could feel herself getting hot again, and it was nothing to do with the sweet tea and everything to do with her wretched conscience. Why were her thoughts suddenly skittering off and becoming erotic? Even as she asked herself this question, she couldn’t tear her eyes away from Noah’s shirt buttons.
Now she was imagining her fingers creeping into that tantalising opening and ripping the shirt apart, sending buttons scattering everywhere as she greedily feasted her gaze on Noah’s bare chest… which would be sprinkled with just the right amount of hair… and pecs toned just the way she liked… his warm hands giving just the right touch… for just the perfect kiss and introduction to foreplay–
Foreplay? Geez, get a grip, woman.
‘Willow?’ said Emma, looking at her curiously.
‘Fabulous,’ she said brightly.
‘Really?’ said Emma, looking both surprised and pleased.
‘I shall look forward to it,’ said Noah.
He was looking delighted. Willow wondered why.
‘Your guy won’t mind, will he?’ Noah asked.
‘My guy?’ Willow queried.
‘Charlie,’ Emma prompted. ‘Your boyfriend.’
She was looking at Willow carefully.
‘Remember him?’
‘Oh, that Charlie,’ said Willow, rolling her eyes theatrically and playing for time.
What had Emma and Noah been talking about?
‘So Charlie definitely won’t mind?’ Emma prompted.
Willow looked at her friend in confusion. Oh dear. This was just typical of her. Zoning out. Having a little daydream… and a delicious daydream at that. Well, whatever they’d been discussing, it couldn’t be an issue.
‘Of course Charlie won’t mind,’ she said, giving a dismissive laugh, as if the very idea of Charlie minding about anything was preposterous.
‘Then he must be a very magnanimous guy,’ said Noah, giving her such a blowtorch smile she thought her eyelashes might self-combust. Emma was now giving her a sly look. Willow ignored it.
‘Bro, my battery is running low. We’re going to have to end our FaceTime.’
‘Catch you later, sis,’ said Noah. He put up a hand in farewell. ‘Lots of love.’
‘Love right back,’ said Emma.
Willow gave Noah a dinky wave. She only just managed to stop herself from saying, “Lots of love from me too.”
The screen went blank.
‘Well you’re certainly full of surprises,’ said Emma speculatively.
‘What do you mean?’
Emma gave her a look that Willow couldn’t quite work out. Pleased? Hopeful? No, more… triumphant. Yes. That was it. Definitely triumphant. Like she’d just played an ace card and was all set to steal the game.
‘My brother said that when he gets to England, he’d like to take you out to dinner,’ Emma winked. ‘And you just agreed.’
Fifty-Five
Willow looked at Emma in shock.
‘What? Are you sure?’
‘Quite sure. I think your earlier flirtation with death has upset your marbles. Are you sure Charlie won’t mind you having dinner with another man?’
Willow was so aghast at what she’d just let herself in for, she failed to see the way Emma was intently staring at her. If Willow had noticed, she would have spotted her friend looking like a world class chess player… one who’d just executed a move that put all her pieces in the right place.
Willow didn’t know how to extricate herself from what she’d inadvertently agreed to. She didn’t want to make Charlie out to be possessive. Because he wasn’t. Well, she didn’t think he was. He’d never been bothered by Willow dressing up and going out on a girls’ night. If anything, he’d looked almost ecstatic each time he’d waved her off.
‘Of course Charlie won’t mind,’ said Willow defensively. ‘He’d probably love to come too.’
‘I’m sure he wouldn’t,’ Emma mumbled.
‘What did you say?’
Emma cleared her throat.
‘Listen, Willow. I think Noah