And when he’d struggled to put his sweater back on, after inadvertently donning it back to front, the sight of his broad tanned shoulders and heavenly chest had made her insides flip at the memory of how incredible it had felt to make love with him. Without a doubt she knew that the act of passion they’d shared had been not just irresistible but necessary too.
Not that Kit had needed reminding. Her body still ached and tingled from Hal’s ardent attentions and she longed to be able to share with him how he’d made her feel. She’d never felt particularly attractive or sensual, but he had helped her feel both of those things last night. Now she was torn between following her heart and her finely honed instinct for self-preservation, and therein lay the dilemma.
Not wanting to dwell on her own inner turmoil above seeing to Hal’s desire to get out of the apartment for a while, she had an idea. As he finished his breakfast at the table she said brightly, ‘I’ve thought of where we can go.’
‘Have you?’
Throwing down his napkin with a weary air, he didn’t sound remotely interested or impressed, and she could tell that a bit of downheartedness and despair had crept in. It made her all the more determined to lift his spirits and proceed with the plan she’d come up with.
‘Yes, I have. I just want to clear away the breakfast things and then we can go. I think we’re going to need our jackets and scarves because it looks quite cold and blustery out there this morning.’ She glanced out of the window at the overcast skies and at the windblown leaves that were occasionally flying past, plastering themselves to the panes of glass. ‘Would you like to read the newspaper while I stack the dishwasher? I found it on the mat this morning.’
‘I may as well.’
Clearly resigned, Hal didn’t let his returning glance linger for too long, Kit noticed—as if he’d resolved not to be quite so friendly. The mere thought cut her to the quick. The sooner they were out in the open the better. It would give them both a chance to clear their heads and it would be good to blow the cobwebs away—especially as neither of them had had much sleep last night.
The household tasks completed, Kit moved across the kitchen to where Hal still sat perusing the newspaper. Without asking his permission, she plucked it out of his hands.
‘Hey! What do you think you’re doing?’ His expression was furious.
‘You said you wanted to go out, remember? You can read the newspaper when we get back.’
Deftly folding the broadsheet, she dropped it down onto the table. Then, taking a firm hold of the wheelchair’s handles, she turned it forthrightly towards the door.
Still seething, Hal remarked sardonically, ‘I was in the middle of reading an interesting article about the number of people losing their jobs...particularly women. Apparently it’s a real problem.’
‘Is it really? I don’t expect it will be a problem for very long. Not with women’s ingenuity and resourcefulness at finding replacement situations. We’re very good at rising to a challenge and getting ourselves out of a tough spot...it comes from centuries of having to take care of not so ingenious and resourceful men!’
‘You should be a comedian. Anyone ever tell you that?’
Helplessly, Kit’s lips twitched in amusement. ‘No. They haven’t. But I’ll bear it in mind should I ever find myself without a job. I can turn my hand to most things if I have to.’
‘Hmm...’
His shoulders had stiffened. It definitely irked him whenever she got the better of him, she noticed.
‘Presumably we’re travelling to our destination by car?’ he asked, swiftly changing the subject.
‘No, we’re not. I’m going to push you in your chair.’
‘I don’t think so.’ He twisted round with a belligerent glare that might have intimidated her if she hadn’t known better. ‘If we’re not going in the car then I’ll take my crutches and walk,’ he declared.
‘Not today you won’t, sunshine.’
They were travelling down the spacious hallway with its gleaming parquet flooring, and when she reached the coatstand at the end Kit reached up for Hal’s chocolate-coloured suede jacket and briskly handed it to him.
‘I want you to get out into the fresh air, but we’re going too far for you to use crutches. By the way, have you got a scarf? I don’t want you getting cold.’
‘I’m warning you, Katherine with a K, if you persist in treating me like some dull-witted imbecile then I’ll call a cab to take me wherever I want to go and I won’t let you know when I’ll be back. Then you’ll be forced to stay here on your own and soberly contemplate at what point you pushed me too far!’