How had he ever thought those scrawny young women were attractive?

Sophie nodded a greeting to Kevin then closed the door and turned to Jez. Before she could move, he pulled her into his arms and kissed her. She hadn’t known how sexy a slow, soft kiss could be. When he drew away she heard herself giving a low moan of protest as she looked up into his eyes.

‘I’ve been waiting to do that all day.’

His voice was husky and yet he looked as shaken as she felt. ‘Did the earth just move?’ she asked.

‘Definitely.’

‘It’s like a fire catching hold and consuming everything in its path,’ she said. ‘But I don’t want it to get out of control.’ She gathered her courage together, because she’d promised herself to ask this tonight, though she’d not expected to do it so early in the evening. ‘What do you want from me, Jez?’

He stilled. ‘Isn’t that obvious? You. Me. Together.’

‘For how long? A short affair? A long one?’

‘I don’t know. How can we tell for certain at this stage?’

‘I know the sort of person I am. I don’t walk lightly into a relationship – or out of it, either. So if this is just a pleasant way to pass the time for you, well, better that you find someone else to play sex games with.’ She could see the astonishment on his face, but she’d decided as she got ready that she had to be upfront with him. If the idea of staying together long-term was going to put him off, better that it happened now, before she’d gone in too deeply.

Who was she kidding? She’d be devastated if he walked away. She’d been mooning around like a love-sick girl today, counting the hours till he arrived, preparing the best meal she could, changing her mind three times about what to wear, longing to be with him.

He took hold of both her hands but didn’t pull her towards him. ‘I’m not playing with you, Sophie. I’m not walking lightly into this relationship, believe me. But I’m – not confident about anything.’

‘Why not?’

‘Because I don’t have much to offer you, not in the long-term way you want.’

‘I don’t understand what you mean by that.’

He let go of one of her hands to wave his scornfully. ‘I can offer you money, more money than any sane person needs. That’s not what worries me. I just – I feel to be emotionally crippled, Sophie, when it comes to long-term anything. The serious relationship with Tom’s mother never got as far as marriage. I’ve had two wives since and each marriage failed quickly. If I ask you to marry me now, people will call you Number Three Wife and make bets on how long it’s going to last, not to mention wondering who’s going to be Number Four if I so much as glance at another woman. The press will be hurtful and the one thing I’m utterly sure of is that I don’t want to hurt you like that.’