‘And me too!’

Their mouths met, soft, sweet, and they stood on the doorstep for many seconds, kissing hard and holding each other tight, before breaking away and staring, breathless, into each other’s eyes.

Then they kissed again, for even longer, every cell in Eden’s body tingling with desire. Craving this incredible person, this incredible body.

She felt fingers running through her hair, down the side of her face, then down her body.

‘I love you so much, Eden!’

‘I love you even more!’

They were so entwined they almost fell over as they stumbled through the door, before Eden kicked it shut behind her. ‘God, I’ve missed you, Rebecca,’ she said.

Their lips met again.

89

Friday 6 September

Half an hour later, Eden Paternoster and Rebecca Watkins lay naked, wrapped in each other’s arms. Rod Stewart’s ‘Maggie May’ was playing softly in the background.

‘You’re amazing,’ Eden said, grinning.

‘Yeah, you’re a lucky lady,’ Rebecca replied teasingly.

‘Drink?’

‘Why not?’

Eden slipped out of bed and, without bothering to put on any clothes, walked out of the room.

‘Jesus, I’ll never tire of looking at that body,’ Rebecca called after her.

Eden wiggled her bum cheekily as she went through the door. She returned a couple of minutes later with the opened Prosecco, two glasses and the bowl of olives. They sat up in bed, with the olives balanced between them, and Eden filled their glasses. ‘To our future!’ she said.

‘To our future!’

They clinked glasses and drank. Then Rebecca dug her hand into the bowl and ate several olives. ‘I must say, I love my kick-boxing sessions.’

‘Kick-boxing sessions trump poker evenings, right?’ Eden said.

‘Every time!’ Then, eating more olives, Rebecca said, ‘I’m ravenous.’

‘Supper’s ready downstairs.’

‘You are the best lover ever! Did anyone ever tell you?’

‘Only you.’

Rebecca punched her, playfully. ‘Liar!’

‘It’s true.’

‘OK, your male lovers, then?’

‘The best I got from Niall was that I’m a great shag.’

Rebecca looked at her quizzically. ‘Was it ever as good with him as it is with me?’

‘Not remotely; not in a million, billion years.’

‘And I’m meant to believe that?’

‘Well, you’re shagging him, too – and your assessment is?’

Rebecca wrinkled her face. ‘Yech.’

‘Did you – you know – shag him today? Weren’t you seeing him this afternoon?’

She gave a shaking motion with her hand as her reply. ‘Just a hand job.’

‘Really?’

‘We were up at the Dyke in the car park. And I didn’t want – you know – before seeing you.’ She shrugged. ‘He was fine with that.’

‘Well, he is a wanker, through and through.’

Both women giggled.

Eden then looked at her, serious now. ‘Any news? What did he say about the police?’

‘Not much, really. He’s been released on police bail. He’s still totally mystified about your disappearance. He just repeated what he’s said before, that he thinks you’ve set him up. He’s worried about the evidence they’ve thrown at him, but he’s sure they won’t find any proof – that they’re not going to find anything. I think, actually, he’s angry because he knows, in his heart, you’ve beaten him.’