After downing the last of her wine, she went through to the bathroom and filled the bath. She poured in a capful of the expensive bottle of lavender bath foam she had treated herself to the weekend before, then undressed and hopped into the warm water. She soaked her weary body until she drifted off to sleep, wondering what the next day would hold for her.

CHAPTER THREE

After work, Scott was on the prowl again. After a hectic day of dealing with incompetent staff who couldn’t organise a chimp’s tea party, it was time to see what was on offer at the pub. At eight o’clock, the public bar of the Wellington Arms was just starting to get busy. He sat at the end of the bar, a newspaper for company, and ordered a pint of bitter. The slim brunette smiled and chatted to him as she served the other customers, just like they all did. A thrill of anticipation spiked. These girls are easier to attract than if I had a large magnet attached to my forehead.

At first, he’d played up to the girls, pretending to be shy but willing to make friends with them if they persisted. To his amazement, nine times out of ten, the girls were drawn to his contrived gentle nature. The odd exception to the rule wasn’t worth bothering about.

As the evening wore on, the barmaid, Maddie, regaled him with her life story as if he were a therapist. Why do they always do that? She’d just broken up with her fiancé after catching him in bed with a young girl. It had rocked her world, and for the past two weeks, he’d been pestering her to forgive him, but she refused to do it.

“Who the hell could forgive such a thing?” She wiped a glass and stacked it on the shelf behind her, with the others.

“That’s deplorable. You’re better off without him, I say.”

She topped up his pint and gave him an even broader smile.

He grabbed her hand, studied it, then gently ran his finger across her palm. “A pretty girl like you won’t be single for long. I can see it written here. You’ll meet a handsome guy who will lavish you with gifts and whisk you away on exotic holidays soon enough.”

She sniggered. “Oh, I will, will I? And when is this person supposed to show up? Can you work that out beneath all the beer stains?”

“Ah, that would be telling. These things are much better when they take their own course. It’s best not to tamper with fate.”

“Fate, eh? I’ll be sure to watch out for this handsome stranger to enter my life over the coming days or weeks then.” She winked at him and withdrew her hand from his grasp to renew her duties.

He shrugged. “Who knows what lies around the corner at any given moment? If life were that predictable, most of us would spend our days in bed and not bother getting up in the morning.”

She laughed. “That’s true enough. My life has been lacking in the fun department and dwelling in the predictable pot for more than a month now.”

“That’s a damn shame. You should never let one person’s foolish actions sour your whole life. Life is for living, after all. At least that’s what my dear grandmother used to say.”

“She’s right, of course. I’m guilty of contemplating what might have been. You know what? I’m going to take your advice and start living life to the full, starting from now.”

“What? This exact moment? Won’t your boss have something to say about you jumping ship in the middle of a shift?”

“Well, not exactly at this moment, per se. After my shift has ended, I meant.”

“Oh?” He tipped his head, motioning that he was eager to hear what else she had to say.

“There’s a nightclub in town. My girlfriends are always pleading me to tag along with them after my shift. Well, damn it, tonight I’m going to do just that.” She glanced down at the short black skirt and low-cut top she was wearing and held her arms out to the side. “This will do, won’t it?”

He nodded his approval and winked at her. “It’s certainly doing it for me.”

“Cheeky!”

Another customer called her away, but every now and again, she looked his way and smiled a cute-but-embarrassed kind of smile—he had hooked her. The task ahead of him for the rest of the evening was keeping her dangling on the end of his hook. He had an inkling that Maddie wouldn’t be as easy as her predecessor had been. Caution would remain his paramount concern.

“So, what do you have planned for later this evening?” she asked out of the blue when she returned after serving a rowdy bunch of newcomers.

“Go back to the hotel and continue unwinding, I suppose. Unless…”

“Unless?” She leaned her hip against the bar.

“Unless you’d like to go for a meal or something after work?” he whispered so only she could hear the invitation.

“A meal? At this time of night?”

“Why not? If you’re worried about the excess calories, I’m sure we could think of some way of shifting them afterwards.”

“You really are a cheeky so-and-so. I hope you’re not setting out to take advantage of me. I knew it was wrong of me to bare my soul like that.”

He placed a hand over his chest and opened his eyes until they were the size of side plates. “Moi? Would I do such a thing?”

“Hmm… it seems to me you know just what you’re doing when chatting up the ladies.”

“I wasn’t aware I was chatting you up. Just thought I was being friendly. Okay, forget about what I said.” Scott glanced at his watch. “Time’s marching on, and I have a super-heavy day ahead of me tomorrow. I’ll catch up with you another time if I’m in the area perhaps.” He reached across the bar for her hand and kissed the back of it.

“You’re leaving?” she cried, aghast.

“That’s right. Enjoy your night out with the girls. See you soon.” He walked away from the bar without glancing back. He could feel her eyes boring into his back as he left the room. He jumped in his car and started the engine. Then he moved to another area of the car park, out of view of the cameras, and waited for his prey to finish her shift and join him.

Scott’s eyes grew tired, and he’d nearly dropped off to sleep in his car before Maddie emerged from the pub. She looked downcast, and he almost felt sorry for her—almost. He turned the key in the ignition and crept out of the car park, following her as she set off on foot. A few hundred yards from the pub, he passed her and threw open the passenger door.

Maddie held onto the door and looked inside. “You! I thought you’d left for the night.”

“I thought I’d surprise you. Do you want to get in and go somewhere?”

She hesitated, and he almost thought he’d blown his chances by sneaking up on her. But then she surprised him by jumping in the car and closing the door. “Where are we going?”

“Back to the hotel I’m staying at, or do you have anywhere else in mind?”

“I know a quiet spot down by the river. How about going there?” She grinned and tugged her short skirt down, trying and failing to cover her slim thighs.

“Sounds great. You tell me the way because I’m unsure of the area.”

“Sure. What do you do for a living? I mean, why are you in the area?”

“I’m a travelling salesman in the cosmetic industry.”

“Really? Any free samples you can let me have?”

“I’m sure I can find a sample or two for you later—if you’re a good girl, that is.”

She laughed. “Oh, there’s no fear of that.”

He turned the music up on the stereo then tapped his fingers on the steering wheel as she directed him to the remote spot down by the river, where a stone bridge lay ahead of them.

“Stop by the bridge, if you like.”

“Sounds like a plan.” He drew the car to a halt and turned the music down a little, unclasped his seatbelt, and twisted in his seat to face her. “What now?”

Maddie smiled and leaned back against the headrest as her body relaxed. “You tell me.”

His hand disappeared up her skirt faster than a striking rattlesnake. She gasped then moaned when his fingers found what they were searching for. His mouth urgently sought hers. There’s no turning back now—she’s mine. When his mouth explored the inner contours of hers, she placed her arms around his neck, inviting him to get on top of her.