‘I’ve got a leak. In my en suite.’ She seemed to have difficulty talking.
‘Oh dear.’ His eyes tracked around the bathroom. ‘You’re welcome to share.’
She swallowed, but the saliva had disappeared from her mouth. ‘Share, no. Use, when you’ve finished, yes.’
‘Oh, you don’t have to worry on my account.’ He turned again to face the mirror, his eyes finding hers in the reflection. ‘I’d rather share than be late.’
‘Of course you would,’ she muttered, throwing her towel onto the side of the bath. ‘Shout when you’ve finished.’
‘Oh, I’m done.’ But he remained where he was. A bulk of pure, rippling manhood.
‘You don’t seriously expect me to have a shower while you’re still in here, do you?’
He gave her another small smile in the mirror before bending to splash water on his face. ‘Expect, no.’ Dragging a hand towel from the rail, he dried himself. ‘Hope?’ This time he grinned right into her eyes. ‘A man can always hope. I’ll see you at 7.30 by the front door. Don’t be late.’
‘I wouldn’t dream of it.’
When he’d left, she sagged against the door. There was no doubt what her top priority was today. Finding a blasted plumber.
Chapter 18
Buoyed by their encounter in the bathroom yesterday morning – Kat might say she wasn’t interested, but her eyes had said something else when she’d come across him – Zac decided he was going to make the most of the weekend. Sunday was already taken care of, unbeknown to Kat, and today. Well, he was going to head to the beach.
And because he knew Mark was busy, it meant Kat would have to come with him.
‘Seriously.’ Kat, dressed today in jeans rather than black trousers, though still with the obligatory black T-shirt, gave him one of her searching looks as she walked into the kitchen. ‘You want to head to Brighton for the day?’
‘The sun is out. It’s summer. The beach seems a good place to head.’
‘Sure, if you’ve got kids.’
He gave her a dazzling smile. ‘Excellent. We can take Debs. And she can take a friend, if she wants.’
‘Now wait a minute.’ He’d never seen so much suspicion in a pair of eyes before. ‘First you want to head to the beach. Now you’re playing happy families. Only we’re not a family. I’m your bodyguard.’
‘A fact you’ve made very clear.’ Choosing to ignore her, he took a bite of his toast. ‘I’ve arranged a picnic.’
‘For crying out loud.’ She made a strangled sounding noise. ‘This is getting worse. Next you’ll be telling me to pack my bikini.’
‘Well, I wouldn’t be averse to seeing you in one.’ He wasn’t a hundred percent sure what she said next, but it sounded suspiciously like a strong swear word. ‘Though wearing one is entirely optional,’ he added, before she burst a blood vessel.
‘Well, gee, that’s mighty kind of you.’ She ran a hand down her face in what he suspected was an attempt to gather herself, before muttering, ‘I need to see what Debs has planned.’
The girl herself chose that moment to wander into the kitchen and glare accusingly at Kat. ‘I couldn’t get back to sleep after you woke me when you used my shower.’
‘Sorry Munchkin. The plumber is coming on Monday.’
‘Your aunt is welcome to use my bathroom.’ Zac gave Kat an innocent look. ‘I believe yesterday proved there’s plenty of room in there for both of us.’
Kat did something very rare. She started to blush.
‘Err, is there something I need to know?’ Debs looked at them both questioningly.
‘Only that Zac is a major wind-up merchant.’ Kat gave him a dirty look before turning back to her niece. ‘I went to use the bathroom yesterday, not realising Zac was already in there.’
‘Oh.’ She started to giggle. ‘Was he, like, you know, in the shower or taking a p—’
‘No!’
Zac couldn’t help smirking at Kat’s horrified expression. It was rare to see her so unbalanced.
‘He was cleaning his teeth, that’s all. Now,’ she continued hurriedly, clearly anxious to end the line of conversation. ‘Zac wants to go to the beach today, so I need to go with him. He’s suggested you and a friend come along too, if you want to.’
‘Really?’ Her clear excitement was a pleasure to see. ‘That sounds well good. I’ll message Anna.’
As she darted back up the stairs, Zac glanced at Kat. ‘At least someone is looking forward to the trip.’
‘So it appears.’
Kat’s less than enthusiastic response to the whole idea started to prick at his happy bubble. ‘Come on, out with it. You’re not usually so hesitant about voicing your opinion.’
‘I’m just wondering what, exactly, you’re trying to do?’ She started to pace back and forwards. ‘First the sudden desire to head to the beach, then winding Debs up about what happened in the bathroom.’ Her eyes drilled into his. ‘It’s not a flaming joke, Zac. This is my job.’
‘You think I don’t know that? You’ve reminded me often enough.’ Irked, he jammed his hands into the pockets of his shorts. Ralph Lauren would be livid.
‘Then what are you playing at?’
‘I’m an unwanted guest in your house. What am I supposed to do this weekend, Kat? Sit around and get in your way? I thought at least this way we could both have a reasonable day.’
She stopped the pacing. ‘And that’s all this is? It isn’t you trying to …’ She bit into her lip, glancing down at the floor before meeting his eyes. ‘Trying to take me on a date?’
It was exactly that, and it frustrated him no end that she clearly found the idea so abhorrent. ‘If it was, you’d run a mile, so no. It’s just a day at the beach.’
Her shoulders relaxed and she gave him a hesitant smile. ‘Okay then.’
Relief vied with simmering disappointment. He’d get his day with her, just not the way he wanted it. ‘Excellent. We can go as soon as the hamper is delivered.’
‘Hamper?’ She stared at him wide-eyed. ‘You’ve seriously ordered a hamper?’
‘Why not?’
‘One of those wicker jobs with the plates, cutlery, glasses and carefully folded check napkins?’
‘Yes.’ He was starting to feel defensive now.
‘We’re going to sit on Brighton beach eating a posh person’s picnic? Smoked salmon and roast beef with a side order of caviar. All topped off with, let me guess … champagne?’
Irritation pricked, along with a sense of acute disappointment. She was taking the piss out of him now. ‘Unless you have something against the idea.’
‘Of course not.’ She looked at him questioningly. ‘Where is this hamper of untold goodies coming from?’
And now he felt every inch the entitled prick she clearly thought he was. ‘Fortnum and Mason.’
‘Of course, it is.’ She half laughed, shaking her head. ‘Jesus, Zac. How much has that cost?’