‘So if you’re not here for a cupcake then what are you here for?’ Libby said. And then answered her own question. ‘Oh, I know—sex!’
‘What the hell is that supposed to mean?’
‘Well, given that this is almost within walking distance from the office, I guess it might make things easier for you. If you suddenly get bored in your lunch break...’
‘Stop right there,’ he said, and looked at her. She was wearing a dark purple dance outfit, with leggings over the top, and though similar to the woman he had met just a couple of weeks ago she looked tired now. He could see that there were dark circles under her eyes and that she was paler than she had been before.
He knew that she had been busy and had every right to look tired but he acknowledged the certain fact that some of the sleeplessness might be down to him.
He wasn’t being arrogant. Daniil had spent many hours awake himself, willing himself not to get in touch, not to tarnish her world, and now he was here, about to ask a favour—for her to come to his parents’ with him.
He couldn’t do it, though.
‘I was just wondering how your information evening went,’ he said instead.
‘Well, if you want to discuss my business, you can make an appointment,’ Libby said, stuffing all her belongings into her bag, determined to just lock up and go home.
‘Libby...’
He came over and she was on her knees, looking up at him. ‘I don’t for one minute believe that that’s the reason you’re here.’ She looked up at his groin. ‘Are you disappointed that you didn’t get everything you wanted the other day?’
He had the gall to laugh. ‘I’m actually on my way to a dinner meeting. I’m already running late.’
‘Oh, I’m sure they’ll wait for you to suddenly appear!’
He heard the barb, and one of the things he adored about her was that, just in case he’d missed it, she made very sure he got her point.
‘I mean, we’re all supposed to be happy to idly wait for you to drop by. Am I not even worth a single bunch of flowers?’ she asked, as she angrily stood up.
‘Libby,’ Daniil said. ‘I have never sent flowers in my life.’
‘If I hadn’t come to your office I’m quite sure that I’d never have seen you again.’
‘Exactly. You came by my office! You took it further.’
Libby furiously shook her head. ‘Daniil, you broke the rules. You were the one who turned up out of the blue the next day with a business plan for me. If you’d just left it at one night then I’d have known where I stood. Now I don’t have a clue. You don’t call me, you don’t text...’
‘What is it with women and texting?’ he asked.
‘It’s nice to know that you’re being thought of.’
‘I never took you for needy.’
‘I never took myself for a slut,’ Libby said. ‘But when you frogmarched me out of the office after we’d had sex, that was what I became.’
‘Please.’ He scoffed at her exaggeration, but he did relent just a touch. ‘I was uncomfortable,’ he admitted. ‘I never bring my personal life to work.’
Libby was dubious. From what she’d read, he was at it all the time but then she did remember that there had been no condoms to hand.
‘What about Cindy?’ Libby asked.
‘Her husband is twice my size and three times as miserable.’
‘What about your clients?’ She simply had to know more about him, about his world, about what she was dealing with.
‘Most are portly middle-aged businessmen.’ Daniil shrugged. ‘If I want sex I go out. I don’t bring my personal life to work.’
She got that what had happened had been a rarity but, still, the endless stretches of silence from him galled and she told him that.
‘I said from the start—’
‘You did,’ she responded, ‘and maybe when you offered your little warning about not expecting you to love me I should have offered you a warning of my own—if you’re involved with me, then you’re involved. I’m not dangling on for weeks, wondering if you’re going to call.’
‘Fine,’ Daniil said. ‘I won’t be calling. So now you know.’
‘Or drop in on me unannounced.’
‘Very well,’ Daniil said. ‘I shan’t do so again.’
She wanted to stamp her feet in frustration as he complied with wishes she didn’t really want and so she pushed him instead, pressing one hand up against his broad chest. She might as well have been a fly for all the impact she had. ‘You make me so cross.’