Changing Places (33 page)

Charlie shrugged. ‘He’s just a sleazebag who was trying his luck. Forget about him, he’s a loser. You handled yourself brilliantly, and hopefully he’ll think twice before
he tries it on with any other woman.’

‘I hope you’re right.’

‘Why don’t you call Liam? I’m sure he’d want to be here with you.’

Anna thought about it and then shook her head. ‘He has enough on his plate at the moment. Anyway, I’m okay – why worry him?’ She held up her glass. ‘This is
helping. Thanks, Charlie. If you hadn’t come along I think I’d still be sitting on that forecourt.’

He reached out a finger and ran it down her cheek, his eyes tender. ‘I quite like being your knight in shining armour.’

‘Or jeans,’ Anna joked, pulling back slightly. Charlie’s touch aroused all sorts of feelings in her that she knew she shouldn’t be having. ‘It’s funny, but
you were top of my “to do” list. I was going to call you as soon as I got back to the office. After I’d done my other calls – oh, my God, I never contacted those poor
people!’

‘Relax, Mark is on top of it. He said you were to forget about work and even take a couple of days off if you want.’

‘Crikey! Is he feeling all right? You know, he can be the most sexist, difficult, annoying boss and then he can be so sweet like he was today.’

‘Sweet? Mark?’ Charlie guffawed. ‘Oh, he’d love that!’

Anna laughed too. ‘Yeah, I suppose it’s not the image he’d like to project.’

‘So, you mentioned you were going to call me.’ Charlie’s voice was light, but his eyes bored into hers.

Anna looked away. ‘Yeah, Mark asked me to. Apparently your lawyer isn’t moving fast enough for Paul Brennan.’

‘Oh.’

‘So if you could hurry him along, that would be great. Or if there’s a problem . . .’

‘There’s no problem.’

‘Oh well, that’s good. You must be looking forward to moving in. Have you shown Sophie the house yet?’

‘Yes.’

‘And she liked it?’ Anna struggled on, trying to ignore his clipped tone and the sudden change in atmosphere.

‘Yeah.’

‘Look, Charlie—’

‘Hey, it’s okay, I get the message loud and clear.’

‘You’re a wonderful guy, Charlie.’

He stood up, pushed the chair in and leaned heavily on it. ‘I’m feeling a bit foolish so I’d be grateful if you spared me the “sod off” speech.’

‘I wasn’t going to make a speech.’

His eyes met hers. ‘But you were going to tell me that our relationship had to remain purely professional, weren’t you?’

She sighed. ‘Yes, I was.’

‘Then there’s nothing more to say.’ He turned to leave.

‘Please don’t go,’ Anna begged. The saké had given her a warm, fuzzy feeling and she didn’t want to fight. Nor did she want him to go.

Charlie turned to face her. ‘Give me a reason to stay.’

Anna grinned. ‘I make a great chicken curry.’

‘Really?’

‘No,’ she admitted. ‘But I’m a dab hand with a microwave.’

‘Are you inviting me to stay for dinner?’

‘Yes, Charlie. Look, you’re a friend, a good one. I don’t want to lose you.’

Charlie’s mouth twisted into a wry smile. ‘I’m not that good at being friends with women, especially when I fancy them.’

Anna reddened. ‘Well, if I wear a bag over my head, will that help?’

Charlie laughed. ‘Okay, I’ll have dinner with you but I’m afraid frozen curry won’t do the trick for me. Let’s go out.’

‘Oh!’

‘What? Will you be in trouble if you’re seen eating with a strange man?’ he taunted.

‘No, of course not. And you’re not strange – well, only a bit.’

‘So, shall we go?’

At Anna’s suggestion, they went to a busy Italian restaurant in the heart of Malahide. Charlie joked as they were handed their menus, ‘Either this is all above board or we’re
very indiscreet lovers!’

‘Charlie!’ Anna hissed, with an anxious look at the neighbouring tables which were much too close for comfort.

Charlie smiled warmly at the waitress who’d brought their wine. ‘Thank you, that’s lovely. Relax,’ he told Anna when she’d left. ‘We know that we’re
just friends, and that’s what matters, isn’t it? If Liam walked through that door right now, you’d be able to look him in the eye and tell him this is a perfectly innocent dinner,
wouldn’t you?’

Anna’s eyes dropped to her menu. ‘Sure. Gosh, I didn’t realize how hungry I was.’

Charlie’s lips twitched. ‘Pizza for me, I think.’

‘Me too.’ She closed her menu and took a sip of her wine. ‘Thanks again for today.’

‘You’re welcome. I hope Mark has learned something from this. He really needs to put some security measures in place.’

Anna didn’t reply as the waitress arrived to take their order but when they were alone again, she resumed the conversation. ‘You were talking about safety measures. Like
what?’

He shrugged. ‘You should always call back viewers before a viewing, that way you know the phone number is legitimate.’

‘Good idea.’

‘And you should always make sure that the office knows where you are. Maybe you could call them after each viewing so that if they don’t hear from you, they’ll know
something’s wrong.’

She shook her head. ‘It gets way too busy in our office for that and there’s only Mark, Val and me. Half the time, Val’s there alone.’

‘Then send her a text.’

‘You’re full of good ideas, aren’t you? Anyway, here’s to you, Charlie, my knight in faded denim. I don’t know what I’d have done without you.’

‘Hey, you’re making me blush. I’m sure if Liam had been at home you would have been fine.’

‘If,’ Anna said with feeling, and instantly regretted it. Bloody booze, it always loosened her tongue and got her saying things she shouldn’t.

‘I take it you’re not impressed that he’s gone home to Mummy.’

Anna scowled. ‘It’s not like that. She’s sick, she needs him.’

‘Of course.’

‘Charlie, stop trying to wind me up.’

‘Hey, what did I say now?’ He stared at her, all innocence.

‘Nothing. I suppose I’m a bit sensitive at the moment. And no, I’m not happy about Liam going to his mother’s.’ There, she’d done it again. ‘But she
needs help and he’s the only one she’s got. It’s just until she gets used to the crutches, anyway, so it’s no big deal.’

‘He’s still out of work, I take it.’

Anna nodded. ‘Although he had an interview on Friday and apparently it went very well.’

‘Good. These past few months can’t have been easy for you both.’

Anna took another drink. ‘They haven’t.’

‘Want to talk about it?’

‘No, Charlie, I don’t. Now stop fishing.’

‘Just making conversation.’

‘No, you’re not. You’re trying to find out how strong my marriage is.’

Charlie raised an eyebrow. ‘And why would I want to know that?’

Anna looked away. Those dark, gorgeous eyes always seemed to be able to see right inside her.

‘Oh, I don’t know.’

‘Yes, you do,’ he murmured, resting his chin on his palms and looking into her eyes. ‘You know exactly why I want to know. You know that I fancy you, can’t stop thinking
about you and, right now, I’d really love to kiss you.’

Anna sat mesmerized, her eyes moving from his eyes to his mouth and back again. ‘You can’t say things like that.’

‘I just did.’

‘Margarita?’

Anna jerked back and stared at the bored waiter. ‘Oh yes, that’s me.’

‘And pepperoni?’

Charlie nodded, not taking his eyes off Anna.

‘This looks nice,’ she said, when the waiter had topped up their wine glasses and left.

‘So what would you do, Anna?’

‘Pardon?’

‘If I kissed you, what would you do?’

Anna laughed nervously. ‘I’d kill you. I mean, how public can you get?’

‘Ah, so you don’t object to the kiss, just the location.’

‘No! That’s not what I meant! You’re twisting things.’

‘Am I?’ Charlie bit into a slice of pizza with perfect white teeth.

Anna bent her head over her dinner. ‘You’ve had too much wine.’

‘Actually, I’ve only had about half a glass. I’m driving, remember?’

Anna looked in dismay from her glass to the half-empty bottle. No wonder she was feeling woozy.

‘So, where shall we do it?’ Charlie continued.

‘Do what?’

‘Kiss. I suppose we could go back to your place . . .’

‘Are you mad?’

‘Then it will have to be my place.’ Charlie produced a key from his pocket. ‘Paul Brennan has been very helpful. He even gave me a key in case I needed to measure up for
curtains.’ He winked at her. ‘You could hold my tape measure.’

‘Charlie!’

‘It’s the perfect answer if you think about it. If anyone sees you there they’ll just think you’re on business.’

‘I am not coming back to your house,’ Anna hissed.

‘But you do want me to kiss you.’

‘I do not!’

‘You disappoint me, Anna. I always thought you were such an honest woman.’

‘I am!’

‘Then look me in the eye and tell me that you don’t want to kiss me.’

Anna’s eyes met his. ‘It’s never going to happen.’

‘Ah ha!’ Charlie grinned delightedly. ‘You couldn’t say it!’

Anna put down her knife and fork and raised her eyes to his. ‘No, I couldn’t. And maybe I do fancy you, Charlie, but I’m married and I don’t play around.’

‘And yet you’d like me to kiss you. What a wonderful compliment.’

‘Charlie, stop,’ she begged, throwing down her napkin. ‘This was a bad idea. I should never have suggested dinner. I’m obviously sending out the wrong signals.’

‘Or the right ones.’

‘Charlie—’

‘Come back to the house with me,’ he urged, reaching across to take her hand.

His touch was electric and Anna stared at the dark hairs on the back of his hand, as his fingers stroked the inside of her palm. It was so innocent and yet it was turning her insides to liquid.
She looked up into his face and nodded.

Charlie’s eyes lit up and immediately he signalled to the waiter for the bill.

They drove to the house in silence, Charlie keeping a tight hold of her hand, even when he was changing gear. Anna felt as if she was in the middle of a dream and she didn’t particularly
want to wake up. This was wrong, she knew that, but she couldn’t help the excitement she felt at the thought of being alone with Charlie in a deserted house with no one to disturb them.

Charlie turned into the driveway and parked to one side, where the car wouldn’t be visible from the road. Turning off the engine he turned to face her. ‘Last chance.’

Anna looked at him and said nothing.

Charlie groaned and brought his lips down on hers in a hungry, probing kiss. Anna felt herself melt against him and before she realized what she was doing, her hands were tangled in his hair,
pulling him closer.

Charlie pulled away, his breath ragged. ‘Let’s go inside.’

Looking into his eyes, Anna knew she was agreeing to a lot more than a kiss. With a barely imperceptible nod, she picked up her bag, got out of the car and stood waiting for Charlie to unlock
the house. She noticed that his hands were trembling, too.

‘Oh! The alarm isn’t on. I’ll have to make a complaint. Anyone could just wander in here and do what they like.’ With a slow smile, he pulled her towards him and kissed
the tip of her nose. ‘You are gorgeous.’

‘Who’s that? Who’s there?’ Anna and Charlie sprang apart as the light went on and Paul Brennan emerged from the kitchen. ‘Charlie! Anna! Jesus, you put the heart
crossways on me!’

Charlie laughed. ‘Sorry about that, Paul. I bumped into Anna in the village and persuaded her to come and give me her opinion on my ideas for the kitchen.’

‘Oh, right.’

‘But you’re busy, so we’ll come back some other time,’ Charlie continued.

‘No problem. The removal van is coming tomorrow but I wanted to collect some of the more fragile pieces myself.’

‘You’re right, those guys aren’t exactly careful, are they?’

As the two men chatted, Anna moved back towards the door, wishing the ground would open up and swallow her.

‘Anna’s been telling me that my lawyer is playing silly beggars and holding things up.’

‘Yes, well, he seems a bit hung up on paperwork,’ Paul grunted.

‘I’ll talk to him first thing,’ Charlie promised.

‘Right.’ Paul looked from him to Anna. ‘So, are you going to take a look at the kitchen?’

Anna glanced at her watch. ‘You know, Charlie, it’s really late. Would you mind if we did this some other time?’

‘No, of course not, Anna. I’m sorry if I’ve delayed you.’

‘That’s okay. Nice to see you again, Paul. Good luck with the move.’

‘Thanks, Anna, bye-bye.’

Charlie stretched out his hand to shake Paul’s. ‘You should be hearing from my lawyer tomorrow. If there are any more problems, just give me a call.’

‘Appreciate that. Good night, now, safe home.’

‘Jesus.’ Anna breathed when they were back in the car. ‘I have never been so humiliated in my life. What must he think of me?’

‘What’s the problem?’

Anna stared at him. ‘What’s the problem? Are you kidding me? Do you honestly think he believed that we went there to look at the kitchen?’

Charlie grinned. ‘Probably not.’

‘How can you be so blasé?’ she exploded. ‘What if he says something to Mark?’

‘What if he does? Mark’s a friend. He’s not going to tell anyone, certainly not your husband.’

‘Oh right, so it’s all boys together, is it? Tell me, do you cover for each other often? How many other married women have you brought to your new house?’

Charlie pulled into the side of the road and turned to face her. ‘Now you’re just being silly.’

‘Well, it’s okay for you—’ But she didn’t get any further because Charlie was kissing her again.

Anna gave herself up to his kiss, thinking how soft his lips were for a man and what a damn good kisser he was. ‘No, no,’ she said, finally pulling back. ‘Not here, not like
this.’

Charlie took her hand and kissed her palm. ‘Then where and when? Can I come back with you now?’

‘No!’

‘Don’t make me wait, Anna, I don’t think I can.’ He dropped her hand and bent his head to kiss the side of her neck.