Secrets Read Free

into Janey’s eyes.
    Janey thought she was going to faint. Powerless to do anything else, she melted into the strong arms now holding her tightly. She desperately tried to still her heart rate which was suddenly impersonating a leaping salmon. The guy was a good head taller than her. His body was hard and felt hot from energetically dancing all night. As an unknown aftershave shot up her nostrils, Janey inhaled deeply. She felt as if she was breathing in the guy’s soul. In her peripheral vision, Janey caught a glimpse of Susie’s face. Her friend looked absolutely livid. For one horrible moment, Janey thought Susie might create a scene. Instead, after a moment’s hesitation, she turned on her heel. Stomping across the function room, Susie slammed through the pub’s double doors and out into the cold night.
    ‘Oh dear,’ said Janey. She was torn between rushing after Susie and remaining in the knee-trembling embrace of the Adonis.
    ‘Oh dear ? Does that mean you don’t really want to dance with me?’ the guy grinned mischievously. His teeth were white and even, and his eyes crinkled attractively at the corners.
    ‘No!’ Janey protested. ‘I mean, yes, I do want to dance with you. I’m just a bit worried about my friend–’
    ‘–who had the hump up to her eyeballs and has now cleared off?’
    ‘Um, yes. That friend,’ said Janey lamely.
    ‘I wouldn’t call her a friend. You’ve been abandoned.’
    ‘Well, perhaps she’ll come back in a minute.’
    ‘I doubt it. This is the last song for the night. It’s nearly midnight and the pub will be closing shortly. How did you get here?’
    ‘I walked. I only live a mile away.’ Janey wasn’t thrilled Susie had left her to go home alone through empty streets. Indeed, the thought filled her with anxiety. Susie had wheedled Janey into handing over the only tenner in her purse so she could buy a train ticket to the Argos interview on Monday. There was no hole-in-the-wall near the pub, and it was unlikely a minicab would accept payment by credit card.
    ‘Well that’s settled then,’ said the dark-haired Adonis. ‘I’ll walk you home.’
    Janey felt a mixture of both relief and apprehension. She didn’t know this guy from Adam. For all she knew, he might drag her down some dark alleyway and rape her. But then again, he didn’t look like a rapist. He looked every inch a rock star. She decided to worry about the walk home in another minute or two, when the music had stopped. Right now she just wanted to savour the thrill of being in this guy’s arms and…as he slowly lowered his mouth to hers…the exquisite taste of a first kiss.

 
    Chapter Four
     
    Needless to say the dark-haired Adonis hadn’t been a rapist. And now Janey was standing with this handsome stranger on her doorstep. As she stared up at him, he moved towards her and gave her the most thorough kissing she’d ever had in her life. Breathless, she eventually pulled away, aware her knees were feeling incredibly weak.
    ‘Th-thank you for walking me home,’ Janey stammered.
    ‘My pleasure.’ The dark-haired Adonis paused. He furrowed his brow, as if thinking about something. ‘You know, I don’t have to go back just yet. I could come in.’ He flashed a mischievous smile. ‘For coffee.’
    Janey stared at him, unsure how to handle this. The last guy she’d invited in for coffee had been Brian – and look how that had ended. But Brian hadn’t been a wannabe rock star staying in a hotel and likely to drive off into the sunset the following morning. Janey wasn’t really a one-night-stand sort of girl. As she stood there, apparently robbed of speech, she felt out of practice and faintly ridiculous.
    ‘Say something,’ the dark-haired Adonis prompted. ‘Even if it’s to tell me you’ve run out of coffee.’
    ‘I don’t know your name,’ Janey blurted. They’d walked arm in arm for the last fifteen minutes with the dark-haired Adonis making small talk about Carbon Vendetta and