face, while a sapphire coloured off-the-shoulder top enhanced her blue eyes. As per the norm whenever they met, sound faded and colour intensified, infusing his mind like an exotic cocktail from a far-off country, except the frown on her face looked out of place and brought him swiftly back to reality.

“Nick, please can you help me?” she said, coming straight to the point. “I’m not supposed to see Brandon tonight but he’s turned up unexpectedly and invited himself to dinner. I was settling for last nights left over pizza so I’ve nothing to give him. I did try to make something but…” she shrugged. “You know what I’m like. Any suggestions what I should make?”

He had no right being concerned how she spent her evenings, but knowing any male sat at her table took him way beyond comfortable. He quickly substituted his grimace for a polite grin.

“Unless you’ve taken a crash course since your last cooking disaster, why put yourself in the firing line?”

Another shrug riveted his eyes to her smooth, bare shoulder, and skin he longed to kiss all the way down to…Guilt, covered in an iron-clad fist pummelled his desire, reminding him of vows made to Valerie, despite her no longer featuring in his life.