Page 44

Gemma drew in a deep breath, picked up the phone, and opened the message.

“Fancy meeting for a drink?” she read aloud.

CHAPTER 61

Kent had said he would be in the beer garden at the Muddy Duck pub, so that was where Gemma was going. Her heart rate was on overdrive, but she was certain that going to see him was a good idea. They needed to see each other before they worked together again. That way, they’d be able to get rid of any awkwardness they felt. It was the sensible, grownup thing to do. Although it didn’t make her any less nervous. With every step she took down the hill, her pulse ticked a little higher. He probably wanted to meet just so he could tell her it was a mistake if she didn’t get in there first. Yes, that was the most sensible thing to do. Feelings were irrelevant and almost certainly temporary. She would tell him it had been a mistake, and they would move on like nothing had happened. That was what she thought until she saw him.

It was definitely an involuntary action—the way her heart leapt in her chest when she caught his eye. He was standing before she got there. His nervous smile made her stomach surge with a thousand types of butterflies. With her thoughts muddled by the memory of the night before and the rush of their lips meeting, her instinct took over. She moved to repeat the action and kiss him again, though just as she realised what she wasabout to do, she jerked her body back and turned the greeting into a strange, awkward hug with a kiss on the cheek.

“How was your head at work this morning?” Kent asked when he moved back and sat down on the bench. Gemma took a seat opposite, though what she actually wanted to do was to shrink away into nothing. He was probably horrified by the fact she had considered kissing him again. Wishing she could replay her entrance, she swallowed the lump in her throat and tried to make the best of the situation.

“Okay, considering,” she said. “Although, I may have let Dawn deal with the most annoying customers.”

Kent laughed.

“Can I get you a drink?” he said. “I didn’t order you anything. I wasn’t a hundred per cent sure you were going to show.”

“Really, why?”

“Why? Because I suspect you’ve spent the entire day wondering whether you’ve made a terrible mistake, ruining your job and all that nonsense.”

“It’s hardly nonsense,” Gemma said, not sure if she should be surprised that he’d got such a good read on her.

“It is because the ball is in your court right now. If you want to say that it was all a drunken mistake, then I will pretend that I have no idea what you’re talking about because I was far too inebriated on the free bottle of champagne to remember anything after the first course.” He flashed her a smile before changing it to a look of bemusement. “What was the mistake exactly? No, forget I asked. Forget I said anything. I didn’t even know there was a mistake.”

Gemma laughed. There was something about the way he was putting her at ease that made her feel ridiculous for being so nervous. He was giving her a get-out, the same way she had done by leaving that morning without waking him. They had both offered one another a way of moving on as if nothing hadhappened. The only issue was that she didn’t know if that was what she wanted.

“But what if I do remember what happened?” she said. “And I actually liked it?”

“Well, in that case,” he said, reaching his hands across the table and fixing his eyes on hers, “I would tell you that I also remembered it and that it was the single most magical kiss of my life, and it’s all I’ve been able to think about all day. That, and what the second kiss would be like. I would probably also admit that I don’t think it would be possible for me to forget it even if I wanted to, although I definitely didn’t. But only if you’re sure, right? I don’t want this to cause you stress.”

Gemma bit down on her bottom lip. Would it cause her stress, starting a relationship with her boss? Absolutely, but at the same time, as she sat there opposite him, all she could think about was that kiss. About how she was desperate to relive it, in a clear-headed state. After all, how would she know if the fireworks were real if she didn’t kiss him sober?

“Any chance I can have a bit of time to make that decision?” she said, aware that her body was leaning forward across the table, as if it was being drawn to him.

“Of course, that’s absolutely fine. And do you have any suggestions for what you’d like to do while you’re considering it?” Kent said, his body following the same trajectory as hers. Any minute now, they were about to collide, and she wouldn’t be able to do anything to stop it.

“I’ve got one or two ideas,” she said.

A second later, they were kissing.

CHAPTER 62

By the time they broke away, Gemma was breathless. If she had thought a drunken kiss had been fireworks, then this sober one had been atomic. It was as if touching Kent’s lips against hers set every one of her cells on fire. It had never been like this with Robert or with any of the men she had dated sporadically since then. In fact, when kisses like that existed, it was hard not to believe what Kent and his parents said about love at first sight. Or at least love at first sober kiss. The minute the thought rose, Gemma quashed it. She wasn’t in love. Not even close. She didn’t know what she was. All she knew was that it made her feel happier than she had in a long time.

“So, I guess you’re staying for a drink, then?” Kent said with a grin.

“I guess I can manage one.” Gemma grinned back. “Although I think I need to stay off the alcohol. A lemonade would be perfect.”

Two lemonades and an orange juice later, Gemma didn’t have any desire to leave. The evening had taken on a chill, and though they could have gone inside, she didn’t want to move. She didn’t want to change anything about the way things were. Thankfully, Kent had given her his jacket to wear.

“If you could visit anywhere, where would you go?” Kent asked.

It had been a constant back and forth of questions and not once had they struggled for things to talk about.

“Hay-on-Wye,” Gemma replied, not needing any time to think about the question.

Kent’s gaze narrowed. “Hay-on-Wye? In Wales?”