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“You didn’t look so fed up the other day when you were telling me how you’d tied the Terminator up. Maybe you should try it again?”

Davina’s face burned red. She was sure it was luminous. Marianne saw it instantly.

> “You did something.” She sat forward on her edge of her chair. “Tell me. Details. What did you do this time?”

“Nothing.”

“Don’t make me hurt you, Davina.”

“Drive me crazy asking, more like.”

“So?”

“Fine.” She swivelled in the chair to look at her friend. “On Friday, in London, we got physical in the changing room at Harvey Nichols.”

“The ones with the curtains, or the ones with the doors?”

“Curtains.”

Marianne fanned herself.

“What were you thinking?” Marianne said.

“I wasn’t. I don’t. There’s something about him, Mar. He gets close to me and I’m like a Yellow Pages ad – my fingers want to do the walking.”

“He is very...” She thought for a minute. “Manly,” she said at last.

“And then some,” Davina agreed.

“I don’t know what to say,” Marianne said. “Normally I’d tell you to go for it.”

“Yeah, but I can’t. He may not be police but he’s close enough to get me into a lot of trouble.”

She walked to the window where she could see Jack holding his ear while staring off into space. Odd. Must be listening to music. His broad shoulders flexed beneath an old blue sweatshirt. This one told her he’d been to Las Vegas. Her heart beat fast at the sight of him.

“He isn’t one hundred percent moron,” she told Marianne. “Sometimes he can be really sweet.” She studied his profile. “Not often,” she said. “Sometimes.”

She let out a heavy sigh.

“In two weeks,” Davina said more firmly, “all the equipment I borrowed will be back where it belongs, I’ll have the house to myself again and Jack’s stupid inspection will be over and then things will be different.”

“And then what?” Marianne said quietly.

Davina turned to look at her best friend, and she grinned wickedly.

“Then I’m going to strip him naked and eat ice cream off his stomach.” She looked back out towards Jack. “And when I’ve got him begging for mercy, I’m going to introduce myself to Mr Big.”

Jack pulled the ear piece out as fast as he could and bent double. He felt like he’d been hit in the stomach. His mother always told him you shouldn’t eavesdrop, she said you never heard anything good about yourself. He wasn’t sure this quite fit into that category. He glanced towards the house. Now every time he saw her he’d think about the ice cream and Mr Big would jump to attention. This was not a good situation. He felt it too, the pull towards Davina. When he was around her nothing else seemed to matter. Even the fact she was trouble.

He slid down the wall of the garden shed. Maybe he could look the other way for two weeks? Let her get the stuff out the house, whatever it was. Then they could have some fun. He deserved some fun. He reached for his water bottle as a car pulled up behind the house. The blond Ken Doll wannabe climbed out. Jack didn’t like him. He didn’t even need to talk to the guy to know he was nasty. He scowled in his direction.

Ken Doll sauntered to the boot of his car and pulled out a large black case. A new development. Interesting. Jack put the earbud back in his ear as he tried to get rid of the mental image of Davina and Mr Big.

“I’ve got the extra lights you need,” Derek said by way of hello.

“Thank you,” Davina said dutifully. And now I’m in your debt in more ways than one. Yay me.

“Tea?” he asked, or possibly ordered, Marianne.