‘I kind of want to see you too. Shall I hop in a cab once I’ve showered? I have a discount code for a Bolt.’ He paused. ‘Not that you’re not worth the full price Uber, ha. Have you eaten? I can bring dinner? Or … foot lotion! I can bring foot lotion!’

Penny balked at the suggestion. ‘Foot lotion?’

‘I’ll give you a foot massage.’

‘Francesco, I’m not having sex with you. Not tonight. I am way, way, way too tired for that.’ The idea of him naked, on top of her, made her skin prickle in anticipation – but she was serious. She hadn’t fostered emotional intimacy as a gateway to a shag. Plus, she probably had about another hour and a half in the tank before she passed out.

‘Just for your feet, Penny. Physical touch as a love language, remember? Can you give me some credit, please? It wouldn’t be your feet I’d rub if I was trying to get you into bed.’

‘You’re doing that flirting thing again, aren’t you?’

‘Is it working?’

Penny looked around the flat. It was actually pretty tidy – she had a cleaner come for two hours once a week, to help stop the place getting really bad, and they’d been just yesterday. Penny was a mess, but her house wasn’t. If she dimmed the big light a bit more and lit the lamps instead, they could lie on the sofa and drink tea and …

‘Yes. It is. Come over. Just an hour or two.’

‘Perfect,’ he said. ‘You just kick me out if I overstay my welcome, okay?’

‘Okay,’ she replied. ‘Deal.’

‘I can offer you water, or beer,’ Penny said, walking Francesco up the stairs to her place. ‘In fact, anything you can find in the fridge that doesn’t require a glass and/or my help is all yours.’

‘Water is fine. I’ll get it. Could I just have one thing first?’

‘If it’s within reach, you can have anything you want.’

Francesco tipped his head to the side and licked his lips.

Penny lowered her voice and whispered, ‘Oh. Well. Yes, you can certainly have that.’