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      ‘Why would you want to do that?’ This time he did look at her. He met her gaze directly and let his words seep in. Again with the honesty. But this time she didn’t fall back; she actually leaned in closer.

      ‘Doesn’t it feel good? To make love rather than just “have sex”?’ The way she asked had him puzzled. She was looking at him intently as if waiting for an answer. But she already knew the answer to the question. Either way it felt good. That was why everyone did it. Over and over, generation after generation. Because it felt good. He wondered what it would feel like with Faith. Would it be fast and passionate or slow and sensual?

      As his imagination started to take over Patricia started giving orders again and Cash was glad for the break in the atmosphere. He pulled his hands up from the grass and planted an elbow on his knee, avoiding Faith’s eyes again. He was sure Faith was one of those women who mistook lust for love and always wanted more than a man was willing to give. He usually steered clear of women like Faith, preferring those with...simpler tastes. At least he did now. That way there was no danger of feeling anything he didn’t want to.

      The couples in the circle shoved and shifted, their knees cracking in the air while their ample tummies made difficult the manoeuvre Patricia was now asking them to make. Cash watched, bemused, from his spot on the grass for a moment before Patricia’s voice rang out across the garden.

      ‘Faith! I need you.’ Faith jumped up suddenly and held out her hands.

      ‘What do you need, Patricia? I’m all yours.’ Her voice was high again, and she spoke a little too quickly.

      ‘Straddle that friend of yours over there. I need an example.’

      Cash stilled. Straddle him? Faith turned. She wasn’t smiling.

      ‘I can’t do that, Patricia. He’s my boss.’

      ‘All the more reason. This technique will teach you to communicate better. You’ll learn how to listen to what each other needs rather than just talking over the top of one another.’

      Cash wondered what Faith would do. She looked nervous, unsure. Slowly and tentatively she moved closer.

      ‘I’ve been ordered to straddle you,’ she said with an embarrassed smile.

      ‘No, sorry.’ He looked around Faith to Patricia. ‘I’m not dressed for straddling.’

      ‘Nonsense. Get on top of him, Faith.’

      Faith looked mortified and Cash felt guilty. About what he’d said earlier and about the fact that he’d made her do this. All she wanted to do was prove herself to him; he owed her a fair chance. ‘Come on, Faith, you may as well hop on. What could it hurt?’ She looked so frightened he had to do something to reassure her. He lifted his arms. ‘I only bite if you’re bad.’

      FIVE

      Faith laughed nervously and moved to stand with one foot either side of his legs.

      ‘Are you ready?’ she asked, her voice high.

      The jeans she had on were tight and they followed the curve of her hips and clung to her legs. Cash lifted his hands and placed them on the outside of her thighs.

      ‘Ready,’ he said, his eyes not leaving hers.

      She started to lower herself, coming closer, and his eyes moved to her stomach where her T-shirt didn’t quite meet her jeans, exposing a pale sliver of skin that made the hairs on his arms stand up. His hands slid higher and her hands eventually landed on his shoulders. He tensed and she moved them a little as if caressing his muscles. Everything on his body went hot. For a second he forgot where he was and that there were a dozen eyes on him. All he could feel was her softness and all he wanted was to feel her in his lap.

      His eyes landed on hers as her breasts came into view. They moved down, past his forehead, past his nose and then his lips. Her nipples were standing to attention. He clenched his gut, bit his tongue and moved his hands to her hips, easing her onto his lap. Her hips fitted right into his hands. She felt right there. As if that was where she was meant to be and all he wanted to do was pull her down on top of him. Feel her warmth covering him. She moved further down until he could feel her hot breath on his forehead.

      Then her eyes were level with his and she was sitting on him. Her eyes opened wide. She shifted. She felt it. He felt it. He wanted her to feel it. She shifted again, getting comfortable and her breathing hitched. Her eyes moved to his mouth and all he could feel was her and all he could think about was her. Sitting on his lap, her hands resting lightly on his shoulders, breathing heavily so close to him. His head thumped. His lap throbbed. She sucked in a breath and held it before her eyes moved to his. Electricity shot between them. Her eyes that were so dark yesterday were now lighter. Almost the colour of a blue summer sky. Beautiful eyes. He moved his hands up until he felt the curve of her breast touch the top of his thumb. She let out her breath and parted her lips and he let his hand still, right beneath her breast.

      ‘Exhale, Cash, exhale!’ Patricia was saying something but he couldn’t hear it properly. All he could hear was Faith’s breathing as it changed and became heavier.

      ‘Exhale,’ murmured Faith. ‘She wants you to exhale. Into my mouth.’

      ‘What?’ His voice came out all croaky and deep. What was she saying?

      ‘Breathe out,’ she whispered. ‘As I breathe in—you breathe out.’ He breathed out, letting his breath go in between her parted lips, then she breathed out and he felt the rush of hot hair go into his own mouth. His other hand moved around to her back. She was only slim and his hand took up most of the space on her back. He pushed her closer to him, letting his hard shaft get more comfortable. He ran his fingers through the soft hair that ran down her back and breathed out again, keeping his eyes on her lips. She shivered beneath his hands. Something was happening. Something that should not be happening. Not here in Patricia’s garden.

      Definitely not with Faith.

      Cash moved his legs. He could feel her warm against his erection. It felt incredible. Not just like a beautiful woman sitting in his lap but something else, something much more intimate. She breathed out again and he sucked in her air, wanting to feel her closer, wanting to draw those full lips closer. She shifted and he shifted to allow her to get more comfortable but right then her head snapped up as if waking up from a sleep. She let out a noise and jumped up quickly. So quickly her head hit the bottom of his jaw and he tasted blood as his tooth went through his lip.

      ‘Damn!’ He gritted his teeth.

      ‘Cash! I’m so sorry. Oh no. You’re bleeding!’

      Cash lifted a hand and held his mouth. When he pulled his hand away it was full of blood. His lip throbbed.

      Cash swore loudly.

      ‘Oh, dear. Oh, no. Let me get you something to clean that up.’ Patricia was close and she was fussing.

      ‘It’s all right. I’ll live.’ He got to his feet and wiped his chin. Blood was still pouring out. He swore again but this time he kept it to himself. He should have known. He should have remembered. You don’t lose your head or someone always winds up getting hurt.

      Patricia returned with a fistful of tissues and he pressed them to his mouth. His lip hurt, but his pride hurt more. She’d jumped up off him so quickly. As if she’d realised what she was doing and who she was with. For a second he’d thought Faith might have felt something, that there was actually something happening between them. But there wasn’t. She was faking it. For Patricia. For the show. Pretending to like him to get her own way.

      His jaw hurt. He was hot and sticky and humiliated and all he wanted to do was return to the office. Get back to work. That was where he should be, not out here in someone’s garden thinking things he shouldn’t and feeling things he had no right to.

      ‘Are you all right?’ Faith’s voice was small and a little timid, which was unlike her. He didn’t want her sympathy. He knew she was doing

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