Seconds later, Jake opened up the door and we both took a visible double take at one another.

Jake Richards in a dark suit was something to behold. My eyes trailed against my will down from his dark hair, ever so slightly still damp from his shower, to those hazel eyes you could get lost in, down to his freshly styled facial hair. Then my gaze travelled over his broad shoulders from which his dark jacket hung perfectly, the top of his crisp white shirt, and down to his long legs in his trousers and his polished shoes. He could have played James Bond if I was being honest. I swallowed hard and when I quickly moved my eyes back to his, his eyes were slightly wide, as if I had just caught him doing the same trail down my body. I highly doubted it but I was pleased he seemed momentarily surprised to see me looking so dressed up.

‘You look different,’ he said then.

‘Different?’ I repeated. Not exactly a compliment and he still looked a little bit shell-shocked. In a good or bad way? I couldn’t tell.

‘It’s not what you usually…’ He cleared his throat. ‘Never mind. Shall we?’

I nodded vigorously because this moment had become really awkward. ‘Yes. Let’s go.’

I turned towards the lifts and heard him close his room door and follow me. ‘So…’ I said, switching my brain firmly away from admiring his appearance to discussing why we were here. I tried to ignore the smell of his aftershave as we stepped into the lift together. It was sultry and appealing. ‘I think the best plan of action is to say hello to the two women who have organised the conference, and thank them for including you when we get there. Then we should circle the room and have you talk to as many authors and industry people as possible so they all know you’re here, and that you’re excited and happy to be part of the conference. Be… charming,’ I said, fixing him with a look.

‘I can be charming,’ he replied, looking down at me with a piercing gaze that caught me a little off guard. I quickly faced the front again. ‘I can do that,’ he added.

‘Excellent,’ I said brightly. ‘And we should only stay for an hour and a half.’

‘Okay. Why?’

‘So you don’t make any mistakes and so people can talk about you afterwards: about how you’ve changed, how good you look in that suit, blah blah blah…’ I waved my hand as the lift reached the ground floor and the doors opened. I stepped out.

‘You think I look good in this suit?’