Secrets Read Free Page B

the dole office. Once Susie had chatted up her balding bank manager and told him all the things she’d like to do with his paisley tie whilst discussing her overdraft. She was outrageous, funny and adept at snaring any man she chose. She was also mercilessly swift at despatching them the following morning. Janey pondered, if things had gone differently for Susie last night, whether her friend would have been quite so hasty in showing Jake Miller the door on this golden November morning. Certainly Jake was in a different league to ginger geeks and balding bank managers.
    Indeed, showing Jake the door wasn’t something Janey had done. Not at half past midnight. Nor at two in the morning. Or four. Or even six. The sachet of instant cappuccino had remained untouched. Instead Jake had thoroughly kissed Janey, peeled off her clothes and spent the night making love to her. In between couplings, they’d murmured endearments, marvelling at how they’d found each other. The chemistry was like nothing either of them had experienced before. They mutually agreed their love, so instant and yet so profound, surely meant they were soul mates. The pair of them had finally drifted off, wrapped in each other’s arms, just after seven in the morning.
    Three hours later, fingers of sunlight danced across Janey’s eyelids. She floated gently to the surface of wakefulness. Despite a lack of sleep, she didn’t feel remotely tired. Perversely her whole body felt energised. Carefully she propped herself up on one elbow, mindful of not disturbing Jake. She wanted to quietly drink in every detail of her new love. He had tousled untidy hair and long, almost girly, eyelashes that swept towards chiselled cheekbones. Overnight stubble flecked a strong jaw. His beauty had not been diminished by the shortage of sleep. Her mind replayed Jake reducing her to a quivering wreck, and the pristine bed linen becoming a tangled heap. Janey caught sight of herself in the mirrored wardrobes. Unfortunately Lady Midnight hadn’t been quite so kind to Janey. She looked like a woman who’d been pulled through a hedge backwards. The only giveaway that something euphoric had occurred was Janey’s complexion. Her skin was positively glowing.
    Slipping silently out of bed, Janey padded off to the bathroom. She quickly cleaned her teeth, splashed cold water over her face, and raked a brush through her hair. At least she now looked a little more presentable. Ten minutes later she was back in the bedroom, bearing a small tray of warm croissants and fresh orange juice.
    ‘Good morning, sexy lady,’ said Jake with a sleepy smile. He yawned, stretched like a Cheshire cat who’d had the cream, then sat up plumping a pillow behind him. ‘Wow, this looks wonderful. I’m absolutely starving.’
    ‘Oh. One measly croissant isn’t going to fill you up,’ said Janey apologetically.
    ‘No problem. We’ll have this and then I’ll take you out for a full English.’
    ‘I think breakfast might be over by the time we’re showered and ready.’
    ‘In that case I’ll take you for lunch,’ Jake grinned. ‘You can show me some of the London sights at the same time.’
    ‘What about your band members?’ Janey asked between mouthfuls of flaky pastry. ‘Won’t they be wondering where you are?’
    Jake looked a bit sheepish. ‘Probably. I’ll text them in a minute. Anyway, it’s not like we’re doing a gig later. Night off,’ he added by way of explanation. ‘And I’d much rather talk about us.’ He finished his croissant and took her hand. ‘The band is playing in and around Camden next week, so I can still see you – if that’s okay?’ Jake suddenly looked anxious.
    ‘Of course it’s okay,’ said Janey in delight, ‘although I’ll be working during the day.’
    ‘Don’t tell me,’ Jake teased. ‘You’re a secretary and go to work in a sexy power suit. You have thigh-high splits in your skirt, wear skyscraper stiletto heels, and your boss spends all