Your Room or Mine? Read Free Page B

looked him boldly in the eye. Nothing to be embarrassed about. ‘This hotel offers themed breaks – dinner, spa, breakfast, one price and it’s all included. Ex-boyfriend now,’ she added, pasting on an I-couldn’t-care-less smile, to prove she was absolutely fine with that.
    â€˜You came alone on your own romantic night away?’ He sounded amused. ‘You didn’t cancel?’
    She couldn’t blame him. It did sound a bit insane spoken out loud. She squared her shoulders.
    â€˜It seemed a shame to waste it,’ she said. ‘It was a non-refundable payment. So I figured I’d turn it into a Reinvention Break instead.’
    She mumbled the last part and he leaned in close enough for her to see the tiny droplets of water that still clung to his skin and hair. A light frown touched his eyebrows.
    â€˜Reinvention? Of what?’
    She looked straight at him. He was a total stranger, what the hell did she care what he thought?
    â€˜Of me,’ she said.

    Oliver leaned back in his lounger as their coffee arrived, watching her, all obstinate bravado protesting that she didn’t care.
    â€˜Odd choice of word, ‘reinvention’’, he said, when the waiter had gone. ‘Implies that you need to change. Which in turn implies that you’re somehow responsible for whatever went wrong.’
    â€˜I’m not!’ she snapped.
    He looked at her over his coffee cup.
    â€˜Call it something else then. Not reinvention. I haven’t seen anything about you yet that I’d change.’
    As he heard her light intake of breath and saw a touch of blush rise high on her cheekbones, he wondered when she’d last received a compliment
. Long-term complacent relationship? A breeding ground for lack of appreciation.
All he had to do was take advantage of that.
    There was something very appealing about her at close quarters. Put aside for a moment the fact that she was pretty, albeit in a dishevelled outdoorsy sort of way. There was an air of defiance about her that he liked. Whatever the ex-boyfriend had done, she wasn’t sitting at home crying into her pillow was she? She’d kicked him into touch and had turned her romantic break into a treat. He couldn’t help but admire that fighting spirit.
    â€˜How about I call it my Freedom Break instead then,’ she said. ‘Shopping and spa relaxation. Just what I need.’
    â€˜Perfect,’ he said. ‘And tonight?’
    He held her gaze intently with his own. She didn’t drop her eyes. Encouraging.
    â€˜A luxury meal in the restaurant,’ she said.
    â€˜Alone?’
    â€˜I’m quite happy with my own company.’
    â€˜Understandable.’ He paused, then added in another compliment. ‘I like it too.’ He paused to gauge the effect and when she smiled softly he zoomed in.
    â€˜How about having dinner with me? The place is full of couples. We can keep each other company.’
    There was a sudden loud clatter as she dropped her cup into the saucer from a height and then tried to cover up her mistake by fiddling with the spoon. He watched, enjoying putting her on edge.
    â€˜Don’t you have some kind of other plans?’ she said, not looking up, furiously stirring the remains of her coffee.
    He leaned back against the lounger and took a sip of his own drink.
    â€˜Nope. Dinner alone for me too. And I’d much prefer your company to my own.’ He waited and then added in extra encouragement . ‘It would be my treat of course.’ He paused. ‘Unless you want some time alone to –you know- get over things.’
    That finally seemed to galvanise her into action. The implication that she was here to lick her wounds, that she might spend the evening crying into her pillow and enjoying the martyrdom of sitting alone in the sumptuous restaurant among the loved-up couples.
    She put her coffee cup down on the table, no clatter this time, and sat back