Take a Moment

Dedication

For James and my family, who supported me through the most difficult time of my life.

Chapter 1

‘Give me a bite. Stop it. You’re such a tease.’

‘I’ll give you a bite… if you give me a kiss.’

‘I’d give you a kiss anyway, monkey. You’re so damn cute.’

‘And you’re beautiful.’

The nausea-inducing kissy slurping noises flood my consciousness yet again, and my patience finally combusts. Abandoning the email I’m typing, I snap the cover over my iPad screen and hastily gather my stuff. Ignoring the giggling whispers of ‘what’s her problem’ and ‘bet she’s not getting any’, I stagger down the aisle of the moving train carriage, seeking a table that isn’t occupied by the rail network’s answer to Romeo and Juliet. The train is busy, so I’m forced to walk through two carriages before I find another spot.

As I awkwardly manoeuvre my way into another four-seater table, nodding politely at, but barely acknowledging, the man occupying the seat opposite, I lose my grip on my belongings. My iPad falls into the aisle with a loud thunk.

‘Allow me.’ The man slides over from his window seat, retrieves my iPad and places it on the table in front of me.

‘Thanks.’ I meet his gaze with an appreciative look. I’m slightly taken aback as my senses focus on him. He’s rather attractive: athletic looking, around thirty, with deep chocolate-brown eyes, mid-brown hair and a close-cut beard.

‘No problem. Issues with your table neighbours?’

‘Sorry?’

‘Your armful of belongings suggests you’ve cut and run.’

I survey my things, gracelessly dumped on the table in front of me, and break into an amused smile. ‘Spot on. I can zone most things out, but a pair of loud lovestruck teenagers are beyond my limit.’

‘I hear you.’ The man grins at me, revealing a sexy smile and a cute dimple on his left cheek. ‘I’ll keep it down, I promise.’

‘No need. Unless your super-delicious girl- or boyfriend is in the loo and about to return and eat your face off.’

‘You’re safe. I have no significant other on this train. Or at all for that matter.’

I hesitate briefly, unsure if that disclosure of availability was intentional, or just a conversation filler.

‘That’s good. Two days at a conference has done horrible things to my inbox.’ I pick up my iPad and start to scroll down the sea of unread emails, searching for the highest priorities.

‘I’ll leave you in peace then.’ The man seems mildly disappointed.

I immediately feel a stab of guilt, though I know I shouldn’t. Shaking it off, I tap away at the screen and start quickly firing off one response after another, my mind fixed on getting back up to speed as quickly as possible. Having the project board quarterly review first thing after my conference isn’t ideal, but I’ll be on it. Most people dread the scrutiny; I welcome the challenge.