Olivia was vulnerable and that put her off-limits.
Digging deep into his reserves of willpower, he gently reached back to unclasp her grip and stepped backwards.
‘No can do, Olivia.’
Her tongue peeped out as she moistened her lips. ‘Why not?’ A downward lingering glance and then her hazel eyes flicked back up to meet his. ‘I can see that you’re feeling this, too.’
‘You’ll get no argument there.’ The thought that this hard-on now had nowhere to go was enough to make him weep. ‘But we agreed. No explosion means no pieces to pick up. So help me, right now all I want to do is take you to my bed. But it’s not a good idea. For either of us.’
No way was he taking that emotional journey with her. A fling with Olivia would necessarily involve more than hot sex, expensive dinners and a piece of jewellery. And he didn’t want more because he had nothing more to give.
Olivia bit her lip, and his resolve faltered at the hurt that shadowed her eyes.
Then she blinked and pulled her hands from his grasp. ‘Well, this is embarrassing,’ she said finally, with a brittle attempt at a laugh.
‘No. No embarrassment allowed,’ he said firmly. ‘Because there is nothing to feel awkward about. I promise. Now, come on. We deserve a beer, and after our excellent drumming performance there will be plenty of people who want to buy us one. Come on, Olivia. Let’s party.’
She hesitated for a moment and then gave her small characteristic nod.
They descended the double steps leading off the stage and returned to their table where two beers already awaited them, the frosted glasses a welcome diversion from their conversation. Perhaps the ice-cold drink would cool him down. His body sizzled with disappointment at being short-changed. Whilst his libido was calling him every sort of fool.
‘Cheers,’ he said, raising his glass. ‘To your first public performance.’
She clinked her glass against his. ‘And likely to be my last.’
‘Why?’
‘I can’t see me taking up drumming once I get back home.’ There was an almost wistful note to her voice before she frowned and took another sip of beer. ‘I’ll buy a CD, though. That song—what sort of music was it? It didn’t sound like reggae.’
‘Calypso music,’ Adam said. ‘It’s Afro-Carribean and the songs tend to represent the voice of the people. In the past the lyrics have been used politically and historically.’
This was ridiculous; the conversation was so stilted he might as well find some wooden sticks to prop it up.
It was a relief to see Saru arrive with two more beers in hand. ‘Here you go. On the house, for a spectacular performance, Olivia.’
‘Thank you, Saru. I enjoyed every minute.’
‘Enjoy. I’ll be back soon with some food for you both. Beef phaenang. You’ll love it.’
Once he’d gone, silence loomed and Adam strained his brain to find any topic of conversation, drummed his fingers on the tabletop in time to the jiggle of her foot on the wooden planks of the floor.
She drained one beer and pulled the fresh one towards her. ‘I’ve got an idea,’ she said. ‘To solve our conversational vacuum.’
‘Go right ahead.’
‘Let’s play twenty questions.’
Good grief. Had it really come to this? The type of games he usually indulged in with his dates were more the kind you played in the bedroom. Ah, but Olivia isn’t your date. And you vetoed the bedroom. Idiot that you are.
‘Twenty questions it is.’
‘Good. I’ll go first.’ Olivia wrinkled her nose in thought. ‘What’s your favourite colour?’
‘Umm...’ Come on, Adam. It was an easy question and the answer didn’t even have to be true. ‘Blue.’
‘That’s it?’
‘Yup.’
‘What type of blue? Navy? Royal? Turquoise? Aquamarine? Azure?’
‘OK, OK. I get it. And that counted as an extra question. Navy blue.’
Olivia shook her head. ‘Dull, Masterson. That’s plain dull.’
Adam tried and failed to remember the last time a woman had dismissed him as being dull.
‘Your turn,’ she said.
‘Where do you live?’ Hard to believe that he didn’t know, but he didn’t.
‘Bath. I love it. I moved there a few years ago and it’s such a great city. It’s steeped in history and it’s got amazing shops, as well.’
‘Where did you live before?’
‘Oh, here and there. We moved around a lot. That’s why I was so desperate to settle down properly. I think it’s why I love my flat so much. It’s not big, but it doubles as a work and home space and it’s mine.’ Animation lit her features, her skin taking on a luminosity that had nothing to do with the coloured lanterns. ‘Do you want to see some photos?’ she offered.