‘You know,’ he began, ‘if I were your Luke I wouldn’t want you to be sad or lonely, or not have someone special in your life to care for you. It’s been what, seven years, Emma? I think he’ll be happy for you, honestly.’ He stroked her hair. ‘If he thought as much of you as I do, he’d want you to be happy again.’

The words sank in … Max must feel so much for her. Were they learning to love each other? She snuggled up close to him. He was still slightly sweaty from their lovemaking, and that felt good. And though her heart was still in two places, yes, put like that, it made sense.

‘Thank you.’ She spoke against his chest.

‘Well, I mean, I’d like you to wait at least five years or so, after I’m gone. I’ll be haunting you else – if you were to go near another bloke too soon,’ he quipped to lighten the mood.

The thought of losing someone else she cared so much for … She couldn’t begin to imagine being faced with that again, felt a prickle of fear. ‘Well, I’m kind of hoping we won’t have to go through anything like that …’

‘Yeah, me too.’ And he kissed the top of her head.

36

‘Morning, beautiful.’

What a lovely way to be woken up. ‘Morning,’ she answered.

Emma vaguely remembered coming to in the middle of the night and realising there was a man in her bed; a lovely, gorgeous, Max-shaped man. And then was a little mortified as she remembered how she’d been in a bit of state over Luke.

But Max hadn’t taken it too personally by the sound of it. He leaned across and gave her a peck on the cheek, his light beard rather tickly.

‘Gotta get up and get going, I’m afraid. I need to be on site at Gateshead by eight thirty. I’m meeting the owner of the property we’re working on.’

‘Ah, shame.’ And she snuggled in a little closer, with her bare breasts nestled against his chest. She really did not want Max to leave her bed just yet.

He looked down at what was going on, not able to hide the longing in his eyes as he took in the fullness of her breasts against him. ‘Now that’s mean,’ he smiled, ‘when I haven’t got time to do anything about it. I really, really do have to go, Em.’ He sounded like he was trying to persuade himself, and with a decisive lurch he started getting out of bed.

Emma watched his firm, bare back, the muscles defined there, the neat buttocks below a little paler than the rest of him. Hmm. She lay there smiling to herself, but the bed was starting to feel colder already.