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‘When you’re ready,’ said Theo, looking uncomfortable.

I coughed. ‘OK. Brace yourself.’

He gave a terse nod.

‘What non-sexual thing does your partner do that turns you on?’ I asked.

The heat pulsated between us. I ran my tongue over my lips nervously. Theo seemed to be lost for words which I took as a sign that he was experiencing some of the same sensations I was. I supposed that the one thing guaranteed to create sexual tension was to decide that under no circumstances were you able to have sex with the person you desperately wanted to have sex with.

‘I like the way you tuck your hair behind your ears when you’re feeling anxious,’ said Theo, at the exact moment I tucked a strand of hair behind my ear because I couldn’tbearthe tension and had to do something. ‘And I like it when you sing in the shower.’

I swallowed. ‘You cannot hear me singing in the shower.’

‘I one hundred per cent can,’ he said. ‘Your voice is lovely.’

When I was under the shower head, steam engulfing me, I felt freer than at any other time and would sometimes imagine myself on a West End stage while I belted out my favourite show tunes. I’d always waited until I’d heard him leave his room before I jumped in the shower and croonedaway to my heart’s content, but I’d clearly got my timings all wrong, because he hadheardme. Let the ground open up and swallow me immediately.

I draped one hand across my eyes. ‘My humiliation is complete.’

And then Theo reached out and prised my fingers away from my face and that touch, that layering of Theo’s skin on mine was too much and I let out a soft groan which he couldn’t not have heard. Thankfully Melissa chose that particularly opportune moment to tinkle her bell and gather everyone together for feedback. Theo and I shot out of our seats, flushed and pretending that nothing untoward had happened. Luckily the hotel staff brought out some jugs of cucumber water that we all devoured, especially me, because I absolutely needed to cool off.

‘Where are Theo and Justin going?’ asked Claire, nodding towards the path leading round to the front of the hotel.

The two of them were disappearing down it and from here, it looked as though Theo was giving Justin some kind of pep talk. What were they up to?

‘No idea,’ I said, watching them until they were out of sight.

‘How was your task?’ asked Claire, refilling my water which I’d gulped down in about two seconds flat.

‘Terrible,’ I said. ‘There was all this sexual tension.’

Claire laughed. ‘Wasn’t that the point?’

‘For you and Rob, maybe,’ I said. ‘But Theo and I are supposed to be staying away from each other. We’ve made a pact to focus on the book and only the book. To not let any residual attraction between us get in the way.’

‘But your pull towards each other is just too strong,’ said Claire in a wistful voice. ‘We can all see it. We can all feel it.’

I looked at her as though she was mad. ‘Have you got vodka in your cucumber water?’

‘No I haven’t,’ she said, cracking up. ‘But it’s obvious you want to rip each other’s clothes off. Maybe you should just do it and get it out of your system and then you’d be able to concentrate on your book.’

‘That’s a terrible idea!’ I screeched.

And anyway, it wouldn’t work because I already knew that once wouldn’t be enough. I knew how it felt to have sex with Theo and it wasn’t a getting something out of your system kind of experience, it was aI want this more and more every single day three times a daysort of situation.

‘Oh look, here they are,’ said Claire.

Theo and Justin were heading back in our direction.

‘What have you guys been up to?’ I asked, squinting at Theo with suspicion as he came to stand next to me.

‘You’ll find out,’ he said mysteriously.

Justin was now wearing a gorgeous navy blue designer suit that I was sure I’d seen Theo wear to a book event once. I watched as he walked up to Renee holding two glasses of champagne and handed one to her. Renee laughed nervously and looked quizzically over at me.

‘What’s going on?’ I whispered to Theo.

‘This is Justin being romantic,’ he replied. ‘Watch and learn.’