She doubted it. He must have known a lot of women. In fact, they must have been falling over one another to attract his attention. So she’d better not let herself get carried away. Be sensible, she warned herself.

But oh, she didn’t want to be sensible. She wanted to fly to the moon!

With him.

It was a relief to get out of the car in Edinburgh. They walked along the street side by side, not touching. She very aware of him, seeing the buildings they passed more as a frame for his face and lean body. His long, elegant fingers pointed and occasionally he caught hold of her hand to tug her across the road.

She had never in her whole life felt so bewildered by her own feelings. With other guys, she’d always got to know them gradually. Dating a stranger was – rather frightening, at least it was when you reacted so strongly to his lightest touch.

Edinburgh Castle was perched on top of a great mass of rock like a watchdog for the whole city and it was a relief to turn her attention to that. By the time they were inside, she was bubbling with questions and comments, thrilled by the castle’s antiquity.

Once she caught him smiling at her. He was probably amused by her childish enthusiasm. Concentrate on the castle, Megan Ross, she silently ordered herself.

Only when they went into the War Memorial did she completely forget her own feelings, seeing the long lists of names inscribed there. ‘So many men killed,’ she murmured. ‘Why do we have these wars?’

‘For money. I’m rather interested in political history, actually. It’s one of my hobbies.’

‘I prefer social history. I like to find out how ordinary people used to live.’ She added guiltily, ‘I’ve spent a lot of my wages on books and my aunt’s always complaining about the boxes stored in the roof space, my books and my parents’ books too. I can’t bear to throw any of them away.’

‘Do you still live with your aunt and uncle?’

‘No, I’ve got a room in my friend Sandy’s house. She’s pregnant and they’re short of money, so it’s a help for them, but,’ she grimaced, ‘one can grow rather tired of people talking about babies, especially babies not even born yet.’

He nodded, then looked at his watch and changed the subject. ‘I don’t know about you, but I’m getting hungry.’

‘I’m not surprised. Don’t you ever eat breakfast?’

He gave an exaggerated shudder.

She chuckled.

As Ben knew Edinburgh, she let him find them a restaurant. The minute they went inside, she felt overwhelmed by its plush décor and fussy service. There were no prices on the menu and nearly as many waiters as clients.

‘Do you want me to choose for you?’ he asked.