does appear. And I am inappropriate because the thoughts that are currently running through my head about you are completely not acceptable for a first date where I promised to keep everything slow.’
‘Oh.’ Penny couldn’t help but blush.
‘You see, I am inappropriate. I shouldn’t have said anything. I didn’t mean to make you feel uncomfortable.’
‘No, it’s fine.’ She ran her thumb over the back of his hand. ‘I’m just not used to it, that’s all. Chris never said things like that to me.’
‘He never said how beautiful you were, how much you turned him on?’
‘No. We just didn’t have that kind of relationship. He… wasn’t particularly tactile or loving. It’s fine, different people work in different ways.’
‘You deserve so much better than him. Let me tell you now, you look incredible tonight.’
Penny looked down at her menu.
‘You don’t like compliments,’ Henry said. ‘You’re going to have to get used to them when you’re with me.’
‘I’ll try.’
He smiled at her. ‘You’re also going to have to get used to standing up for yourself. I’m not going to allow people like Jade and Beth to think you are worthless. No one has the right to treat you badly and you need to tell them that. You deserve the best.’
She smiled, not quite sure what to make of this protective streak towards her.
‘Do you want to share a starter?’ he asked.
Penny nodded.
There was a lot she was going to have to get used to around Henry.
* * *
Henry pulled up outside their house and turned off the engine. They sat in silence for a moment. It had been a wonderful night. He was so easy to talk to and he made her laugh a lot. But now it suddenly felt like the evening was about to change. Even though Henry had promised to keep everything really slow and not to push her for anything more, she was still nervous about what the night would hold. She hadn’t laid in bed with a man for over eight years. Part of her wanted to take that next step with Henry, she trusted him completely, and even though she had only known him a few days, she couldn’t help the feelings that he caused in her.
He got out and came round to open the car door for her, taking her hand and pulling her out.
She looped her arms round his neck. ‘Are you always such a gentleman?’
He smiled sheepishly, wrapping his arms around her tightly. ‘Well, I was raised to have good manners with women, but I don’t think any of my dates have suggested I’m a gentleman before. When I go out on dates there’s pretty much only one thing on my mind.’
‘Do all your first dates end in sex?’
‘Most of them do.’
She sighed softly. Regardless of what he’d said that morning, he must be disappointed it wasn’t going to end that way.
‘It’s different with you,’ he said. ‘I don’t want that with you.’
‘You don’t want to make love to me?’
‘Oh god, of course I do, but it’s about more than that with us. I want it to be special and I’ve never wanted that before. Normally I go back to the girl’s place, we have a quick shag and then the women hate me because as soon as it’s over I get up and come home to my daughter.’
‘Do you ever bring them back to your house?’
‘No, never, that’s not the kind of thing that I want Daisy to see, hear or even know that that’s what I’m doing. Even with the women that things got semi-serious with, I never had them stay over. I’d have them over for dinner so they could spend time with Daisy but then I’d take them back home again. Any sex always took place at the woman’s house. Everything is different with you. It feels right. When you are ready, I want to make love to you in my bed.’
She stared at him, feeling her heart swell with love for him.
‘Hey, look, a shooting star, make a wish,’ Henry said, pointing out over the sea.
Penny watched as a slash of gold ripped open the inky blue night sky. She closed her eyes and wished, really hard.
‘What did you wish for?’
‘I can’t tell you that, it won’t come true.’
Henry took her hand and led her round the back of the house. He let them into his kitchen and undid her coat, not taking his eyes off hers for a second.
He stared down at her, as if he was trying