‘Don’t be silly, it’s fine. You’re not as scary as you think.’

He was so close to her now. She couldn’t bring herself to look at his face, but he smelled of shampoo and outdoors and, very faintly, acrylic varnish. Kate was under his spell; she normally removed her mascara with Clinique cleanser at twenty quid a tube and supersoft cotton wool pads. Yet here was Jake Harvey rubbing away at her delicate under-eye areas with a wodge of wet kitchen towel –

and she didn’t want him to stop.

‘Not as tough as you like to make out either,’ Jake observed and she felt her throat tighten. He was being so kind.

‘It’s not much fun being accused of something you didn’t do.’ Kate shook her head. ‘I would never have told Marcella.’

‘I know that.’

‘But Maddy didn’t. That’s what really got to me, I think. She seriously thought I had. I mean, I know we don’t get on,’ Kate blurted out, ‘but I wouldn’t risk Marcella losing the baby, would I? I’d never do that!’

‘Damsel, calm down. I told you, Maddy’s going to apologise. She’s not having the best time right now. Crikey, none of us are having the best time.’ Jake rolled his eyes. ‘Let me tell you, it’s no picnic sharing a house with Nuala. When she isn’t bleating on about Dexter and how she’s never going to get another boyfriend, she’s asking me to help her on with her trainers. It’s like living with a three-year-old all over again.’

Kate felt a pang of solidarity with Nuala; she often wondered if she’d ever find another boyfriend herself.

‘Anyway, how about you?’ said Jake, changing the subject as they made their way through to the conservatory. ‘You’ve been back a few weeks now. Looks to me as though you’ve settled right in.’

‘Kind of,’ Kate conceded. Certainly, she’d never imagined herself working in the pub and, more astounding still, actually enjoying it.

‘You’re a natural behind that bar.’ Collapsing onto one of the squashy lime-green sofas, Jake patted the space next to him. ‘I bet you never thought it would be that easy to get back to normal.’

‘Normal?’ Kate’s laughter was hollow. How could he possibly think her life was back to normal?

‘Isn’t it? Oh, come on,’ Jake protested, ‘you’re doing brilliantly. Nobody in the pub even notices your scars any more.’

‘My accident happened fourteen months ago. I haven’t been kissed by a man since then, let alone had sex with one. How normal do you suppose that feels?’ The moment she’d finished blurting the words out, Kate wished she hadn’t. What’s more, how on earth could Jake be expected to have an inkling how it felt? He’d probably never gone without sex for as long as fourteen days.

He was definitely looking flummoxed.

‘Sorry.’ Kate gazed at the floor. ‘Shouldn’t have said that.’

‘Are you serious? Nothing at all? Not even in New York?’ Ha, especially in New York.

‘I think I’d have noticed.’

‘But why not?’ Jake was genuinely concerned.

‘Why d’you think? Who’d look at my face and be overcome with lust?’ Irritated, Kate said, ‘People see my scars and they run a mile.’

‘Wrong.’ Jake was shaking his head.

‘Don’t patronise me. I know what I look like.’

‘People see you with your defences up, snapping and snarling and not giving an inch, and that’s why they run a mile. Trust me, it’s not your face that scares them off,’ Jake said bluntly. ‘It’s you.’

‘Well, thanks.’ Kate’s jaw tightened.

‘Just being honest, damsel.’ Unperturbed by her frosty manner, Jake said mischievously, ‘So, feel like giving it a go?’

Kate stopped breathing; she actually felt her lungs freeze in mid-flow.

‘What?’

His eyes danced. ‘You heard.’

‘I don’t know what you mean.’

‘Of course you do.’

Kate was tingling all over with furious indignation. How dare Jake suggest such a thing? This was outrageous ... and what exactly did he mean, anyway? Was he talking about a kiss or ... well, other stuff?

Oh good grief, what would that be like? Lust shot through her like a bolt of lightning. And all the time Jake was sitting there watching her, utterly relaxed and laid-back, smiling his irresistible boyish smile. In all seriousness, what did he expect her to say?

‘Fine. I’ll take that as a no then.’ Jake shrugged good- naturedly and Kate heard a squeak of protest escape — completely involuntarily — from her throat.

‘Or maybe ... a maybe?’ said Jake.

Kate’s cheeks began to burn. In fact her whole body felt as if it was on fire and her imagination was working on fast forward. This was excruciating, and now she really was going to have to say something.

‘Er... I didn’t know what you meant exactly.’ Floundering, she saw Jake’s mouth twitch.

His oh-so-beautiful mouth, so perfect it looked as if it had been chiselled from marble.

‘You mean was I talking about kissing you? Or the whole bed thing?’

Trust Jake to come straight out and say it. Her toes practically bent double with embarrassment, Kate nodded.

‘Well, that’s completely up to you. Whatever you decide. Or,’ Jake offered, ‘we could start off with a kiss and see how you feel.’

Kate’s heart was hammering against her ribs; she already knew how she felt. Then an awful thought struck her. ‘And you’d want money?’

Jake smiled and shook his head. ‘Damsel, I’m not a gigolo. I don’t charge.’

‘So, um, why are you doing this?’

His smile broadened. ‘I’m not volunteering to empty cesspits here. It’s hardly an arduous task we’re talking about. I love sex. You’re a beautiful girl with a hang-up about your face, who hasn’t had sex for over a year. I mean, I didn’t have a university education, but isn’t there a simple solution here?’

Oh God, oh God. Kate was lost for words. Staring blindly at the black and white tiled floor, she felt Jake’s hand stroke the back of her neck.

‘I like you,’ he said softly. ‘Believe me, it wouldn’t be an ordeal. It would be a pleasure.’

After that, everything seemed to happen in slow motion. Since Norris was outside in the back garden and the sight of him pressing his slobbering jowls against the conservatory windows just might kill the moment, Kate led Jake upstairs to her room. Trembling, she allowed him to undress her. And kiss her. And run his hands over her naked body. And make love to her.

He was right, too, about it not being an ordeal. The next two hours were nothing but glorious technicoloured pleasure.

Chapter 31

‘Right. Fun’s over.’ Fastening his shirt, Jake bent over the bed and planted a warm, lingering kiss on Kate’s mouth. ‘Back to the real world. Orders to take, caskets to deliver.’

Feeling bereft already, Kate said, ‘Malcolm’s looking after the business. You don’t have to go.’

Was that needy? She didn’t care.

‘I do.’ Jake kissed her again. ‘Have to pick Sophie up. You were amazing. What a way to spend an afternoon.’

Needy was one thing, but begging quite another. Resisting the almost uncontrollable urge to ask when she’d see him again, Kate smiled and stretched like a cat.

‘You were pretty amazing yourself.’ She couldn’t stop smiling, actually; great waves of happiness kept swooshing over her, she hadn’t known it was possible to feel this fantastic.

‘Good.’ Jake straightened up and headed for the door. ‘I’ll let myself out. And don’t forget, Maddy’ll be round later.’

‘Maddy.’ Kate pulled a face.

‘Hey, she’s sorry. And she’s having a tough time. Go easy on her,’ Jake said gently.

He blew her a kiss and left.

Hmm. Settling back against the mass of pillows, Kate pictured herself going easy on Maddy Harvey.

Oh yes, and pigs might perform aerial acrobatics.

Then again, then again .. .

By five thirty, Kate had had a major re-think. It was completely ridiculous, carrying on a childhood feud for no other reason than that each of them was too stubborn to apologise. It made matters awkward whenever their paths crossed. Neither of them stood to gain anything from it. The only mature, sensible thing to do, surely, was to forgive Maddy and heal the rift.

Plus, she was Jake’s sister.

Saying sorry to Kate Taylor-Trent should have been an excruciating prospect, but nothing was as bad as having to phone Kerr to tell him it was over, that from now on they wouldn’t see each other any more, ever again.

‘Ever?’ Kerr queried. ‘How about next year, after the baby’s born? Couldn’t we try again then?’

Maddy heaved a sigh; she’d thought of that too. But what were the chances of Kerr still being interested and available then? By next year, any girl with an ounce of sense would have snapped him up.

More importantly, he’d still be a McKinnon. Nothing in the world could change that. Some families, Maddy knew, fought like cat and dog. She’d seen enough episodes of Jerry Springer to know that plenty of mothers and daughters hurled abuse at each other and didn’t care how much pain they caused because they genuinely couldn’t stand the sight of each other. They were happy to be estranged, living their own separate lives, carrying on without exchanging so much as a word for years.

But she could never do that to Marcella. They may not be related by blood, but Marcella had devoted her life to her stepchildren and they’d loved and adored her in return. Becoming estranged simply wasn’t an option.

‘I can’t,’ said Maddy, her chest aching with suppressed grief. ‘We can’t. I’m sorry, I just ...’