When he smiled something twirled inside her. Was it because he’d said he wanted her? He’d said it in innocent enough context but his gaze was … well, she was pretty sure it was interested. And what Zinnia had said about a little Christmas adventure flashed into her mind. She’d only slept with one man since calling it quits with Sergio and it had been too soon, a brief rebound affair, a rite of passage as a single-again woman. She was thirty-six, for goodness’ sake. Forty was only a few years away and wasn’t that when everything from skin elasticity to eyesight began to suffer? She shouldn’t let life pass her by. And sex was part of life wasn’t it? She was acutely aware of the warmth of his arm and his thigh brushing hers.

Playfully, she narrowed her eyes at Isaac. ‘Patsie does the most incredible side dishes like sweet potato and cream cheese with cashew nuts. It’s a meal not to be missed and don’t even think about getting me disinvited … no matter how much you want me.’ She added the rider experimentally and saw something flare in his eyes, giving her reason to believe he hadn’t missed the way she’d batted the ‘want’ word back at him.

‘Shame I can’t tempt you.’ His eyes smiled and there was an instant of hesitation, of connection, before he rose, returning to his usual, workaday self. ‘Then I’ll have to get Chef to talk me through how to manage on my own. C’mon, Doggo. The kitchen’s shut now so you can come in the back with me until closing.’ He said his goodnights and left Lily staring after him, thinking that he definitely could tempt her. In fact, she wished he would.

The next morning was icy cold when Isaac took Doggo out. Huge purple clouds piled up in the sky and the wind whipped the branches of the trees and made Isaac’s face sting. He pulled down his beanie hat and tugged up his coat collar.

Doggo raced around with his ears back as if iron cold was his favourite thing, his breath a small white cloud around his snout. He looked at Isaac, eyes shining and tail beating as if to say, ‘Isn’t this great?’ Sometimes he raced back and pranced around Isaac’s feet, then arrowed off again to sniff and snort at the scents lurking in the nettles that edged the path.