Minding Amy

He silenced her with a kiss, his hand tracing the outline of her hip against his. He was already hard, nudging against her thigh. "One thing you'll have to learn about me," he said when they drew apart, "is that I don'

t buy into the great British tradition of scurrying out of the way for the staff."

Amy smiled and let him pull her into his arms.

* * * *

"What I don't understand," Amy mused, while spreading damson compote on her third croissant. "Is why Quentin Edwards got into this house and the story behind it, if it's a spoof?"

Sebastian stood up from the table and headed for the coffee pot. "It provided a quick and easy way to make a TV show, I guess."

She nodded. He was naked to the waist, wearing only his jeans. She took another nibble at her croissant, caressing his body with her gaze as he wandered back toward her with the coffee pot in hand.

He topped up her cup. "Do you know who it was that reported he was missing?"

The rich aroma of a fine Colombian blend filled the air. She leaned back in her chair to look up at him, pushing her heavy hair back from her face. He dipped down to wipe a smudge of damson from her lip with one finger and kissed her mouth before she replied.

"Mmm," she murmured. "You're such a distraction, how's a girl supposed to get her job done?" There was an element of truth in it. Right now she could barely think straight with him so close at hand.

He lifted his hands in surrender. "No touchy until you're done for the day."

"I was only teasing, I'm sure I can drag my eyes off you for two minutes while I get something done." She gave him a mocking glance.

He shrugged, folding his arms across his chest as he took up his seat opposite her. "Go on, you were saying."

"Someone at the TV studio reported it. They're on a six-week summer break from filming but apparently Quentin is always about, getting ready for the new season. He lives locally and checks in on a daily basis, even during the breaks, so when he skipped a few days a couple of weeks back, the security staff soon noticed."

"Are the police involved?"

"They've registered the fact he's a missing person, but they said it's too soon to do anything about it, especially as there is no evidence of foul play, well…not at this stage."

Sebastian nodded, thoughtfully. She noticed he stroked the line of the scar on his cheek as he did.

"How did you get the scar?"

"Um, skiing accident."

"Hey, you are actually blushing." Amy realized too late that he was quite uncomfortable about her question. Perhaps she shouldn't have asked about the scar. It might be a sensitive issue for him, no matter how attractive she thought it was.

"If I'm blushing it's because I'm not used to having breakfast with beautiful sexy women with next to no clothes on." He nodded at her panties and tank top accusingly.

"And I'm not used having breakfast with gorgeous sexy men stripped to the waist, so we're even." She poked her tongue out at him and he laughed. "Do you live alone?" she added.

"Just me and the cat, although the cat rules the house." Humor was never far from his expression. "You?" It was tentatively asked.

Of course, he'd declared he was single before they left London. For all he knew she might be having a fling with him on the side of a long-term relationship. "I've got a single studio flat over in Camden Town."

A comfortable silence fell over them for a moment as they absorbed the exchange of information.

"You said you're going to have a mosey around the town, ask a few questions?" He really was trying to help her stay on course.

She smiled. "Yes, I figured I could ask about the house and the legend at the local library, see if I can find out about the coven." She nodded her head down the passage toward the sitting room. "The house is a spoof but the Witches of Eastwick in there gave me the creeps, and maybe that side of it is based on a true story. Perhaps Quentin became interested in finding out about the coven and that's where he got sucked in."

"Have you got any strong feelings about the nature of his disappearance?" He swirled his coffee cup, before draining it.

"You mean, what do I make of it all?"

"Yeah, like have you got any gut instincts?"