Jodi Ellen Malpas

You’re the best everything cure.’

‘No.’ She turns and wipes her hands on the front of her apron. ‘You get off. I’ll see you tomorrow.’
‘Thank you.’ I remove my apron and hang it up. ‘Bye, Paul.’

I hop between the puddles, my Converse doing nothing to keep my feet dry,

I’m twenty-four, I’ve lived with my nan since I was born, and as soon as I left college, I made my ex-cuses to stay at home and keep an eye on her. But while I was quite happy looking after my nan, she was not

Even my blond hair falls strangely similarly into waves that cascade over my shoulders, almost making it seem like too much hair for my tiny body to carry. It’s incredibly heavy and only behaves if rough dried and left to do as it pleases. And my big navy-blue eyes

And I definitely gasp. His piercing blue eyes are burning into me. Deep, deep into me.

I need to force myself to stay away from you.’
I don’t point out that he’s doing a terrible job of that. I can’t take my eyes off those lips. ‘Why do you need to force yourself?’
His hand meets my forearm, and it takes every ounce of my strength not to flinch at the heat radiating through me from his touch. ‘Because you seem like a sweet girl who should get more from a man than the best fuck of your life.’

Take your time, sweetheart,’ she purrs, taking a glass and extending it to him. ‘Miller?’
‘Thank you,’ he says quietly, accepting the drink.
Miller? His name’s Miller? I cock my head at him, and for the first time, his lips tip knowingly. I’m sure that if he really let go, he’d probably knock me out with his smile.

I push my way out of the staff entrance into the midnight air and head for the Tube, looking forward to curling up in bed and having a morning lie-in.
‘She’s just a business associate.’ His soft voice from behind halts me, stroking my skin, but I don’t turn around. ‘I know you’re wondering.’
‘You don’t need to explain yourself to me.’

‘I asked you a question.’
‘Twenty-four,’ I answer quickly, when I really wanted to tell him to mind his own damn business.
‘Are you involved with anyone?’
‘No.’