Absent in the Spring (The Shakespeare Sisters 3)

‘I’m in the café,’ he said. ‘The only equipment I’m going to interfere with is the coffee machine. And from the taste of this americano, that would be a blessing.’

She coughed out a chuckle.

‘Where are you?’ he asked. ‘It must be morning there. Have you made it to the office yet?’

She considered lying to him. But somehow she found herself telling him the truth. ‘I’m in bed,’ she admitted softly.

Another pause. ‘Alone?’ His voice changed, and the thickness in it took her breath away.

‘Yes.’ Her heart was racing, and not from adrenalin this time.

‘Describe what you’re wearing.’

‘What?’

‘What are you wearing?’ he asked again. ‘Humour me, my mom’s sick.’

‘You’re the sick one.’ There was a smile in her voice. The abrupt change in the tone of their conversation had made her breathless. And yet she could sense how much he needed it, this brevity. And she wanted to give it to him.

She wanted to make him feel better.

‘Touché. Now tell me what you’ve got on.’ She could hear the smile in his tone, too. It sounded so much better than the sadness.

‘Nothing.’

She heard a splutter, like he was choking on his coffee. ‘Say what?’

‘I’m lying naked in bed. I like to sleep with the heating cranked up, but last night it got crazy hot. I couldn’t be bothered to get up and turn the thermostat down, so I stripped off.’ Way, way too much information. ‘So my pyjamas are in a pool on the floor, and I’m still under the covers.’

‘Naked.’ He said it as if it was a word of wonder. ‘Do you talk naked with all your clients?’

‘Only the ones that call me at stupid times of the day.’

‘How many is that?’

‘Just you, Lachlan.’

He gave a low whistle. Of appreciation? ‘Glad to hear it.’

‘I guess I should go,’ she said, somehow unwilling to hang up on him. ‘I need to get dressed and get to the office.’

‘I should, too,’ Lachlan replied, sounding as reluctant as she was.

‘I’ll be thinking of you and your mum. Let me know how she’s getting on, okay?’

‘Yeah, of course. Now go, get some clothes on before somebody sees you.’

‘I’m hot, not an exhibitionist,’ she pointed out.

‘Yes you are.’

‘An exhibitionist?’

‘No, hot.’

‘That sounds like a good way to end the call.’

‘Goodbye, Lucy. I’ll call you tonight.’