Page 32 of Private Lives

Matt looked at his watch. There wasn’t much point going back to the office. ‘I suppose I will. I can do some work from there.’

‘Workaholic, huh?’

‘Actually I’m new at the firm, so I’m desperately trying to do extra homework, trying to keep up.’

‘You need a ride, then? I’m going that way.’

Matthew opened his eyes wide.

‘Me? In your car?’

She laughed and nodded slowly, like she was trying to explain something difficult to a child.

‘Yes, in my car. I promise not to bite. Just wait while I change, okay?’

He willed himself to keep calm. After all, this was what he did now. Meeting celebrities was all in a day’s work. If he melted at the first sign of someone he’d seen on the telly, there was no way he was going to be able to do the job.

Erica emerged from her trailer wearing skinny jeans, an open-necked navy polo shirt and ballet flats. She was carrying a crocodile-skin handbag in the crook of her arm and had sunglasses on top of her head. If possible, she looked even more sexy in casual clothes than when she was only wearing a sheet.

‘Come on, funny guy,’ she said with a wink, a

nd led him across to a black Mercedes.

Matthew quickly jumped forward to open the door for her.

‘We’ll drop my friend off first, okay?’ she told the driver. ‘Where are we going?’

Matthew gave his address in Chiswick.

Sitting back in the leather seats, he watched as Erica rummaged around in her bag for her BlackBerry, then, finding it, switched it off.

‘I hate that thing,’ she said, dropping it back in the bag. ‘It’s like one of those horrible yappy dogs, always wanting your attention.’

She looked at him with those amused eyes again.

‘So, Mr Lawyer . . .’

‘Matthew, please. Matthew Donovan,’ he said, offering an awkward hand to shake.

‘I guess we should be introduced now you’ve seen my ass, huh?’

‘I believe that is the proper etiquette, yes.’ Matthew smiled.

They made small talk as the car zigzagged through the back streets from Shepperton to Chiswick.

‘Okay, Matthew, so you’re new to the firm, how come it’s got your name above the door?’

‘Long story. It was my father’s firm.’

‘So where were you before?’

Matthew shook his head.

‘You won’t have heard of the company.’

‘Try me. I’ve sued a few of your tabloids before.’

‘Actually it wasn’t a media law firm, it was a family practice, so now I specialise in Donovan Pierce’s contractual stuff plus divorce matters for high-profile clients.’