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Hercrying had completely stopped and her breathing grew calm, even.Hecould smell the familiar shea butter and berries perfume from her shampoo, reminding him of happier times between them.Subtly, the mood in the room shifted from comfort to something else.Heatspread between them.Herhands tightened on his hips.Onthe topic of traitors living inside bodies, his own grew hard.Heknew she’d be able to feel it through their clothes, and he closed his eyes.Therewas nothing he could do about it.
Heremembered a walk they’d taken in the forest during a camping weekend.Tokill the time, they’d been listing the top ten sex scenes in films, and the mood to create their own came upon them both.They’dfound a quiet area enclosed by trees, and she’d jumped up into his arms, and they made love against the bark of a pine tree, the smell of evergreen and the noise of birdsong around them.Whenshe came, he’d covered her mouth with his own, in case anyone was walking nearby.Thewhole scene had been worthy of aHollywoodfilm.Thinkingabout it now did nothing to help his current situation.
Heshould break contact.Walkaway.Buthe was enjoying the sensation of her in his arms.Agreedy part of him wanted to keep holding her, wanted to kiss her, or at least fantasise about kissing her.Fantasisingcouldn’t hurt, could it?Justfor a few moments longer.Thenhe’d step back.
Thesound of the office door clicking open cut through his thoughts. ‘Hello?’ asked a female voice.
Ittook him a moment to realise it wasJess.
Onesecond they were hugging,andFrancescawas struggling not to react toKrish’sobvious desire pressing into her.Itmade her forget all about herPMSand gave her all kinds of naughty thoughts about fucking him.Thenext, she was sitting back in her chair, her mind trying to catch up with reality.
Krishdisappeared from the room.
‘Hey!’ he said.Thesmack of a kiss ‘What’reyou doing here?’
Hisvoice sounded a little strained.
‘IthoughtI’dsurprise you, see how the meeting went,’ said a perky female voice. ‘Whathappened to your shirt?’
‘Oh, um…Nothing.’
‘It’scovered in black streaks.Youlook like one of my reception kids after art.’
Thevisitor could only be the infamousJess, andFrancescahit herself on the forehead. ‘Shit,’ she muttered to herself.Guiltrose in her.Itwould be awful ifJessthought something was going on between her andKrish.Francescawanted him to be happy.He’dfound somebody whom he loved, and she didn’t want to ruin that for him.Maybein fifteen years,KrishandJesswould get divorced after procreating a brood of children withKrish’sinfectious smile, and thenFrancescacould swoop in and have him, but right now was not that time.
Standing,Francescagrabbed a tissue from the box onKrish’sside of the office, wiping any remaining tears and black make-up from her face as best she could without a mirror.Shehad no doubt that she didn’t look her best—definitely not how she wanted to look when meetingKrish’sgirlfriend.Asusual, fate had dealt her a shit hand.
Theprick of tears stung her eyes, and she wiped them away.Suckit up,Francesca, she thought as she inhaled a shaky breath and stepped out of the room, the strain of her smile causing the corners of her mouth to quiver.Shepressed her lips together.
Asshe entered the much sunnier main office, she had to blink a few times in the light.Wow, they made primary school teachers differently these days.Allof hers had been older women with kind, wrinkled faces and thick glasses.
Jessstood only a few inches shorter thanKrish, easily six feet tall without heels.Herpuny jean shorts revealed long, toned legs ending in strappyRomansandals.Blonde-streaked, curly hair hung to her buxom chest, and her blue eyes twinkled in the sunlight bouncing off the acrylic picture on the wall.Ontop, she wore a loose, off-the-shoulder, bohemian blouse in blue.
Shewondered whatKrishhad toldJessaboutFrancesca’ssudden appearance in his life.DidJessknow thatFrancescawas his ex?Orhad he fobbed her off as an old friend?Eitherway,Francescawas under no illusion as to whyJesshad popped in: to check her out.
Theway women do,Jesswas taking her in, cataloguingFrancesca’sappearance.Jess’ gaze flicked betweenFrancesca’sblotchy red face andKrish’sblack-marked shirt, and a brief widening of her blue eyes indicated that she knew exactly how the marks had gotten there.Ifit bothered her, she didn’t let on.Francescahad to give her some credit.Ifshe had walked in on her boyfriend covered in another woman’s eye make-up, she would have lost her shit.Jessmust be a really nice person.Exactlythe type of womanKrishdeserved.
‘Oh, hey!Youmust beFrancesca.I’mJess,’ she said, moving forward and holding out her tanned and tapered hand.
‘Hi!I’veheard so much about you,’Francescasaid.Allshe knew was thatJesstaught kids and could assembleIkeafurniture.Krishnever talked about her.
‘Same,’Jesssaid.Sheturned towardsKrish, who was fidgeting with his sleeves, his attention shifting between the two of them. ‘Sohow did the meeting go?’
‘Um…good?’Heslid his eyes towardsFrancescaand they linked gazes.Theyboth laughed.Itmade her feel better; at least they weren’t going to be awkward about what had almost happened. ‘They’rean interesting pair.Theydidn’t flinch whenIgave them the quote, which is good.Theysaid they’d let us know by the end of the week.’
Jesssmiled, revealing straight white teeth. ‘That’sgreat!’LookingatFrancesca, she added, ‘Luckyyou were here,Fran, to do the video side of things.I’msure they’ll book with you.’SheboopedKrishon the nose.
Francesca’seyebrows raised.Shehadn’t realisedKrishwas a booping kind of guy. ‘Yeah, really lucky,’ she said, not trusting herself to say much more.Nobodyusually called herFranand lived.
‘So, honey,’JessaddressedKrish, sidling closer to him, ‘there’s a craft stall inCamdenMarketthatIreally want to visit.Fancycoming with and a late lunch?’
Francescafelt like a third-wheel on this conversation.Shepretended to remove a piece of dust from the corner of her eye.
‘Um, sure.Letme just grab my things,’Krishsaid.Jessmade herself at home on the grey sofa and started scrolling through her phone.
‘Doyou want a cup of tea,Jess?’Francescaasked, attempting to be friendly.
‘Nothanks.I’mgood.’
