Page 32 of The Highland Fling

“This is where I get the bus.” I nod to my stop then glance at his rucksack. “Have you booked into a hotel? I wasn’t sure if you were going straight back up to Bannock, but if you’ve got time, we could grab something to eat and have our next getting-to-know-you chat in person?”

I know it’s important to respect the boundaries I’ve set, but I can do dinner. Aidan travelled all the way down here, after all.

Confusion creases his forehead. “Ah. This is awkward. See, when you invited me here, I thought . . . well, I thought I’d be staying with you. So no, I’ve not booked into a hotel.”

“What?” I sink onto the bus shelter’s bench, taking this in. “Jesus, Aidan! You can’t just assume you’ll be staying with someone.”

“Sorry. Obviously, I misunderstood.”

I shake my head. “How long are you going to be in London for?”

“Er, I’ve not bought my ticket back yet. Outdoor activities are seasonal, and this is the off season. Unless you’re into skiing, of course, but that’s never been my thing. Ally and I have a couple of guided winter hikes booked, but in general, I’ve got time on my hands, so . . . I thought I could help out with a few things—you know, stuff the bairn will need?”

“There’s really not a lot you can do before the baby comes, and I’m sorry, but my place is a box. It’s barely big enough for one person, let alone two.”

“No room on the sofa?” he asks hopefully. “I did a fair bit of sofa surfing when travelling. I’m used to it.”

“I don’t even have a sofa!” I fidget with my hands. This situation is making me deeply uncomfortable.

“Oh . . . right. How about the floor, then?”

He gives me a puppy-dog look. Jeez, isn’t he supposed to be a player? How does a man with as much experience as him in the bedroom pull off such an endearing expression? I blame his baby blues.

I grimace. “I really don’t like you springing this on me. You should have asked me beforehand.”

Doesn’t he understand why I’ve been putting limits on our interactions? I only agreed to one call a week. I can hardly go from that to letting him stay with me!

And yet it’s dark and cold, and he doesn’t have anywhere to go. Maybe he could find a hotel room online? Then again, he did come all the way down here for the scan, and it was a long journey from Bannock. Isn’t offering him a bit of floor space the least I can do?

Oh God, I’m such a pushover. I’m probably going to regret this, but I say, “I doubt you’ll be comfortable, but if you want to sleep on my floor, you can—for one night only. From tomorrow, if you plan to hang about in London, you’ll have to find somewhere else. All right?”

Aidan’s answering smile cracks through the defences I’m hurriedly trying to re-establish, weakening my knees. I’m glad I’m sitting down.

“Deal!”

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

AIDAN

“Wow, you weren’t lying when you said your flat is small.” I kick off my shoes and place the Japanese takeaway bag on the table. Kneeling, I tap the laminate floor. “So, this is my bed for a night or two?”

“For a night!” Grace pulls on a pair of fluffy pink slippers. “And I did warn you there wasn’t much room.”

“You did, although I notice it’s a double bed.” I wiggle my eyebrows at her.

She’s only just closed the door, but she opens it again. “Good luck finding a hotel. Bye!”

I chuckle and raise my hands in surrender. “I’m only kidding. The floor looks perfect.”

Forming a V with two fingers, she points at her eyes and then to me. She closes the door, washes her hands at the kitchen sink, then sits at the table. Plucking her bowl of ramen from the bag, she removes the lid and inhales deeply. “Ah! It smells amazing. When you’re tired, it’s so nice not having to cook.”

At first, we’d planned to sit in at a restaurant, but Grace was flagging, so we agreed on takeaway instead—my treat.

I wash my hands too then take a couple of glasses down from a shelf and fill them. I join her at the table, which is tiny with hardly any space under it, and I’ve got long legs.

“Aidan! Please don’t brush up against me. I don’t want to play footsie with you.”

“Sorry, it’s just . . . a bit cramped.” I push my chair back. “There. Better?”