Page 6 of Pillow Talk (Rally Romance #1)

‘I don’t. I always loved the idea of the magnets, so I ordered them online,’ she said casually, as if it was something that everyone did.

Sen then realised why they were in the kitchen.

‘Wow, Sho, this is amazing but it would have been fine to sit in the living room,’ he said.

Shona had set their plates on either side of the centre island. She’d even covered it with a red and white checked tablecloth. And candles.

‘It’s getting cold. Sen, please stop snooping and sit down,’ she said.

Sen obeyed and sat on a bar stool.

Shona dished out the chicken pasta and passed the salad to Sen.

They worked silently until they both sat back and began to eat.

‘Sen, this is amazing. The sauce is to die for. Thank you for supper,’ Shona said.

‘It’s a pleasure.’

They ate in silence until Shona spoke again.

‘How’s work? You haven’t been as busy as you were in the run-up to the wedding,’ she said.

Sen remembered it. He’d been so busy with a trial that he’d almost missed the bachelor party.

‘It’s good. I’ve changed my area of focus,’ he said.

‘How so?’

He put down his fork and looked directly at her as he spoke. It was one the first lessons his father had taught him: always maintain eye contact.

‘You know our family history. Granddad was a cut-throat criminal lawyer, my dad is one, so naturally I assumed I was expected to follow suit. I was good at it, until I became bad at it,’ he said.

Shona’s eyes widened. ‘Bad at it? Sen, you’re one of the most respected criminal lawyers in the region. The newspapers are always going on about your success at such a young age.’

‘I used the wrong word. I wasn’t bad at it.

I just wasn’t good at wanting to fight for bad guys…

okay, I’m confusing you. Let’s start again.

I believe everyone deserves a fair trial – innocent until proven guilty – and most of my clients were found to be not guilty.

But I couldn’t help wondering if they really were.

A week before the wedding, my client was acquitted of stalking his ex-wife.

A couple of days later, he shot her dead and turned the gun on himself. ’

Shona gasped.

‘It was just before the wedding and I was rushing around so I didn’t really dwell on it until a new case was assigned to me. My father took one look at me and asked what was going on. I told him,’ Sen explained.

‘Was he furious?’

Sen shook his head.

‘No Sho. My dad is…my dad. He’s a workaholic but he’s a good father. He told me there was never an obligation to follow in his footsteps and he actually thought I would be better at corporate law because of my…’

Sen didn’t finish his sentence.

‘Your what?’ Shona probed.

‘My structured life,’ Sen replied.

Shona shoved a spoonful of pasta into her mouth. She knew Sen’s words were not a dig at her, but it felt like it.

‘And what about you? How’s work?’

Shona stopped eating and cleared her throat. ‘I actually do have some news. Remember that bride I met in Durban a couple of weeks ago?’

Sen shook his head. She didn’t blame him. They didn’t usually speak about work, or anything important.

Shona went on to tell him about the call from Felicity Swanson.

‘Sho, that’s incredible. I’m so happy for you.’ His smile was genuine.

‘I’m going into Durban for a meeting with the brides,’ she said.

‘What about the shop?’

Shona pushed an olive around on her plate.

‘Don’t worry about it. It’s all sorted,’ she replied.

‘You’re coming with me to the city for your appointment,’ Sen instructed.

‘Don’t be ridiculous. You go into the office early. We haven’t even set the time yet.’

‘I’ll give you a ride. You can hang out at my office and then I’ll drive you to the wedding planner. When you’re ready, I’ll fetch you and we can drive back to Rally together. Don’t argue, Shona.’

Shona nodded. Something told her that tonight there was a shift in their relationship. Or maybe her emotional episode earlier made her see things that were not there.

‘Now that you have more orders coming in, are you going to be moving your workspace to your second bedroom?’

Shona sat back and raised an eyebrow. ‘Sen, does my disorganised dining room bother you?’

‘Of course not,’ he replied.

Shona observed him. ‘Is that a nervous tick? Your eye looks like it’s going to explode,’ she said.

Sen looked away. ‘I don’t know what you’re talking about.’

Shona leaned in. ‘Look at me, Sen. Does my disorganised dining room bother you?’ she asked again.

Sen shut his eyes tight and answered through a grin. ‘No, it does not.’

Shona burst out laughing. ‘Sure, it doesn’t.’

Sen opened one eye. ‘Is it okay to open both my eyes now? No more talk about your dining room,’ he teased.

Shona nodded and laughed.

They quickly cleared the dishes and packed the dishwasher. Conversation about the ridiculous orange day, his mother’s latest fad diet and movies flowed.

‘What should we do now?’

Shona looked around at the clean kitchen.

In two strides Sen was next to her.

‘I know exactly what I want to do.’

He pulled her to him and nuzzled her neck.

‘Unless, you want to watch a movie,’ he said into her soft hair.

Shona pushed him away so he could look at her face.

‘Kiss me, Sen.’

The kiss was passionate. It was an appetiser for what was to come. He deepened it and she held onto him tightly. She just couldn’t get enough of him.

When they’d first hooked up, she told herself that she was going to end it with him but never did.

She wanted him just as much as he wanted her.

At some stage, she would have to accept that their fling had to come to an end. But for now, she was just going to enjoy it.

Three hours later, Sen watched Shona sleep. It was not even 10pm and they were already in bed. As if she’d heard his thoughts, Shona’s eyes opened.

‘Hey,’ she said.

‘Hey.’

‘What time is it?’

‘Almost 10 o’clock,’ Sen replied.

Shona yawned and stretched.

‘That was amazing,’ she said. Her cheeks were flushed and her lips swollen from his kisses.

Sen smiled smugly.

She pulled a face at him and turned onto her back.

‘Was my ceiling always this ugly?’

Sen chuckled.

‘I think it’s your average ceiling. White.’

Shona carried on staring at the ceiling.

‘Sho, do you remember that day at Anni’s house?’

He heard her take a sharp breath. She exhaled but didn’t say anything.

Sen mentally slapped himself. He shouldn’t have brought it up.

‘I do,’ she whispered.

Yes! He had a way in.

‘Why did you keep saying he didn’t touch both of you?’

Shona turned to look at him. ‘Because he did.’

Sen sprang up. ‘What the hell, Shona. He touched you? And you didn’t tell me? You let him get away with it.’ His heart was racing and his fists clenched.

‘It wasn’t like that. He didn’t get far. He wanted the money more than two screaming teenage girls. He tied us up and left,’ she replied.

Sen was furious but he didn’t know at whom. A part of him was angry at Shona and Anni for keeping that from him. Another part wanted to punch the guy, but he was mostly angry at Anni’s mother. He stood up and began to pace.

‘But you didn’t tell me. You didn’t trust me with that information. We could have got help,’ he spat out.

Shona sat up.

‘Sen, Anni would have been sent to a foster home. And who was going to help us? Certainly not her mother. And do you think your parents would have wanted you associated with something like that?’

He stopped pacing and looked at her.

‘You don’t know my parents. My dad would have wanted justice. My mom, even with her quirks, would have supported me. But what about your parents? Surely you could have told them,’ he replied.

Shona looked away.

‘That was not an option. Sen, listen to me. He just felt us up. It was scary and wrong but we were okay. You think Anni and I didn’t think about justice?

The day after you left for school, we realised that we were so worried that he would do something worse to another girl that we demanded to know more about him from her mother.

I’m ashamed to say we even bribed her with a bottle of old brandy, stolen from my mother’s baking cupboard.

But Moira didn’t talk. Then one afternoon, about two weeks after it happened, Anni went home to find her mother inconsolable.

The bastard had died in a bar fight. It seemed like justice to two teenage girls. ’

Sen walked to her side of the bed and sat down.

He reached for her hand. Her eyes widened in surprise, but she took it and felt comforted by the gesture.

‘I was scared that day. I still think about it. I always felt like I could have done more to protect you both,’ he whispered.

Shona squeezed his hand.

‘You saved us, Sen. That was more than enough.’

Sen studied her face. She looked so beautiful yet so fragile. But also powerful. There were so many shades of Shona.

‘Let’s have some ice cream,’ she said. He nodded and stood up.

He watched her get out of bed, pull on a sleep shirt and leave the room.

For a few seconds, he didn’t move.

What was going on? No strings attached wasn’t supposed to feel like this. No strings attached wasn’t heavy talk. He shook his head and followed her.

Shona rubbed her eyes. For the first time in years, she woke up spontaneously and not because of the ghastly whine of her alarm. She stretched and then quickly remembered that she was sharing her bed.

She turned to look at Sen. He was awake.

He smiled.

‘Don’t make this weird,’ she said.

He laughed. ‘How am I making this weird?’

Shona pointed to his soft, brown eyes. ‘By looking at me like that,’ she replied.

‘Like what?’

‘Like a weirdo,’ she replied.

Sen laughed again and pulled her to him.

‘Am I looking at you like I want to devour you?’ he asked before he claimed her mouth.

Shona responded. She was putty in his hands.

Sen suddenly pulled back. ‘Don’t you have to be at work?’

Shona avoided eye contact. ‘Not today. But I’m starving. Let me cook us breakfast.’

She shoved off the duvet and pulled herself out of bed.

‘You’re definitely not working today?’

Shona nodded but didn’t look at him.

He got out of bed and grabbed one end of the sheet.

Sen was making her bed. Shona watched him. She should be helping or insisting that she do it on her own but she was fascinated by how meticulous he was.

‘I have an idea,’ he said as he positioned the pillows just so.

Shona didn’t respond. She was mesmerised.

‘Let’s go out for breakfast.’

That got her attention. ‘Are you crazy? We can’t be seen eating breakfast together in this town!’

‘I have a plan. Everyone is always headed into Durban so let’s go in the other direction. Grayston is less than an hour away and I know a place that serves the best breakfast waffle stack,’ Sen elaborated.

‘Fine, you can use the second bathroom while I shower here. You better be sure about this. If someone sees us together…’

Sen walked towards the bathroom. ‘I can’t hear you,’ he called out.

After a quick shower, Shona put on a pair of jeans and the top that had most recently landed on her clothes mountain.

Thankfully it was a stretchy purple fabric so it didn’t need ironing.

She quickly put on sunscreen, BB cream, mascara and nude lipstick, slipped on a pair of flat sandals and went to look for Sen.

He was still in the shower. Shona realised that she’d been super quick. She was so used to never being on schedule that racing through most of her tasks had become a way of life.

Her phone pinged. She sat on the couch and opened the message. Still no messages or calls from her parents or sister. This one was from Anni.

You left work!!!!!

Shona sighed.

Yep.

And you didn’t tell me? And why are you not phoning me to tell me EVERYTHING?!

Needed to process. How did you find out?

Martha was blabbing at Scotty’s last night. But how are you? Are you okay?

Shona could feel her friend’s concern.

I am.

I’m coming over. You need me.

NO. She felt a flutter of panic in her stomach. I need to figure it out on my own. I’ll always need you, but I just need to process it all right now.

I know. I’m here if you need me. Are you ever going to log onto your social media? You’re trending!

I know. I promise we’ll sit down and talk soon.

Her phone rang.

‘It’s silly to be chatting like this when I could just call,’ Anni said.

‘To interrogate me?’

‘Of course not. Well, I will at some stage but not right now. We need to discuss your marketing plan.’

Before Shona could reply, Sen walked into the room.

‘Shona, I’m ready when you—’ he started to say but then spotted her phone on her ear.

He mouthed sorry.

‘SHONA SHAH, you have a man there,’ Anni yelled.

Her voice was so loud that Sen even heard it.

‘Anni, relax, it was the TV,’ Shona lied. Sen tried to suppress his laughter but was failing. Shona pointed to the kitchen so he would get out of there, but he was having too much fun, so he stayed put.

‘And let me guess: the series you’re watching has a lead character called Shona?’

Shona was about to reply but Anni continued.

‘Who is he? I need details. Please tell me you tidied your room before you took him in there?’

Sen pretended he didn’t hear that.

‘Hey, my room is always tidy! Anni, I’m not giving you details,’ Shona protested.

‘Dammit Shona, it better not be Weird Ralph!’

Sen pounced on the seat next to Shona.

‘Weird Ralph?’ he whispered.

Shona elbowed him in the ribs.

‘Anni, can I go now?’

‘It’s Weird Ralph. I knew it! I can’t believe this!’

‘IT’S NOT WEIRD RALPH, ANNI. I’m hanging up now,’ Shona shouted into her phone.

Her friend was still talking when Shona hung up.

‘Don’t you dare start, Sen! I’m warning you!’

Sen held up his hands, a mischievous grin on his face, eyes dancing. ‘I’m not saying anything.’

He stood up next to her. ‘Ready to go? I need to call a taxi.’

‘A taxi? We can’t go in a taxi together. Someone will see us,’ Shona whined.

‘It will just be to my place to fetch my car,’ Sen replied.

‘How about you sneak out and take the first taxi and I’ll get another one,’ Shona suggested.

‘Is that really necessary, Sho?’

Shona began to pace.

Sen watched her. She did not pace quietly. She mumbled and stomped her feet. Then suddenly stopped.

‘Fine, call a taxi. We’ll go together,’ she said.

Sen was too confused to respond verbally, so he just nodded.