‘Great idea to get some cash behind you,’ Brad said encouragingly. ‘And a bakery is a better way to earn than wading through slurry on my uncle’s farm.’

Charlie hadn’t a hundred per cent decided to accept Mango’s offer, but the science fascinated her and the money would be life-changing. There was still part of her that wanted to be an ordinary teenager and stay out of trouble. But the odds were stacked against kids like her, and having a pregnant pink-haired lady for a boss, who ran a company that made trendy iced muffins, made the dark path seem less intimidating.

‘Didn’t you shower at school?’ Charlie asked, feeling obliged to complain about Brad’s funk, while actually being quite turned on by it.

‘Betsy wouldn’t start again this morning,’ Brad explained, as he eyed the muffins. ‘Just ran from school.’

‘You can have one. Mango gave me the whole box and I’ve already made a pig of myself.’

‘I saw these in a shop. They’re seventeen bucks for four,’ Brad said, outraged at this until he took a bite and moaned. ‘Papaya and passion fruit … There’s a party in my mouth!’

‘Best muffins ever,’ Charlie agreed.

‘You’ll wind up hating the sight of them if you’re making them all day,’ Brad pointed out.

‘Let me taste a tiny piece of the papaya one,’ Charlie said. She put the tablet and notes on her bedside table and knee-walked across the bed.

Brad broke off a piece of muffin, making sure it had plenty of the gooey passion-fruit filling, before holding the sticky blob at the end of two fingers a half-inch from Charlie’s lips. She’d wondered if the night before had been a one-off, but this was clearly more than an offer of food and she craned slightly, biting the muffin, then gently sucking his fingertips.

Charlie wondered if she looked sexy or gormless as she stared up Brad’s arm at pumped veins and boyishly hairless skin. Her breathing sped up as Brad put a hand on her leg.

‘Gotcha now,’ he said, smiling as he pulled the front of her T-shirt and sprinkled muffin crumbs down her cleavage.

‘You dick!’ Charlie protested, squirming as Brad pinned one arm, leaving the other free. She gave him a gentle slap. ‘Big bully!’

Charlie liked his weight pressing on her, and the sense that he was messing about but strong enough to do anything he wanted. He looked down, keeping eye contact until it got uncomfortable and she laughed.

‘You’re crazy, Brad.’

‘Shall I go back across the hall?’ he teased.

Instead of answering, Charlie leaned back and relaxed her body. Brad got the message, and closed in for a kiss.

• • •