Free The Passion Play by Amelia Hart

now. Or at all. She gave up on the lipstick and walked towards the bathroom to brush her teeth. Again he followed, and rather than have him watch her brush she pointed at a spot on the floor, several yards back from the door. "Stand there please," she commanded.
    He gave her a slow blink and a dimple appeared in his cheek, but he said, "Yes, ma'am," and stepped forward to the spot she had chosen, glanced down at his feet to get it just right, and then back up at her under his brows with a look of mischief that invited her to laugh at him.
    She did smile faintly, then went into the bathroom, squeezed paste onto her toothbrush and started to brush her teeth. After a moment she realized she could see a little of his face in the mirror so she pushed the door further closed.
    After she was done she rinsed, spat and dried her mouth on a towel with a gentle pat.
    "Mr Barrett?" she said, emerging. He was still where she had left him. "You're about to lose your chance." She went back to the table, got the laptop bag, went to her purse to repack it, then started for the garage.
    "To be honest I don't know what to say, exactly. It was just wrong to think I'd never see you after Friday night. I didn't know it then but I've learned it since."
    She stopped to frown at him, not certain what he meant.
    After a moment he went on, "You won't be coming by the stadium, I'm guessing, now you and Mr King . . ."
    "Ah. My changed marital status. Of course." Then she paused anew as a fresh thought occurred to her. Last Friday night she had not even considered what had gone through his head, she had been so wrapped up in herself, her own adventure. "Mr Barrett," she said, narrowing her eyes at him, "what exactly did you think was going on when we met on Friday?"
    He looked at her warily, reared back a little, his mouth formed a small, silent 'oh'. "I . . . uh . . . I was a bit confused, actually."
    "Please explain your confusion to me." Her tone said quite clearly there was going to be trouble.  A wise man would have run. This brave one foolishly stayed.
    "I felt it . . . ah . . . uncharacteristic?" he said, his hands sketching a vague gesture at waist level. "Given what I thought I knew of the situation, which turns out to be wrong, in fact. As I now know. Um." He added with a firm nod and a smile, "Appealing," and his eyebrows rose as he tried to convey how much. "Very appealing and . . . ah . . . tempting. Just confusing."
    "So may I assume you considered me inviting you to assist in cheating on my husband? Your manager? Is that the gist of the situation?"
    He stopped nodding and smiling. "It seemed unlikely."
    "But that's what you thought."
    "I came to apologize -"
    "For thinking that of me. So when you . . . evaded . . . what you perceived to be my invitation to adultery, it was because you thought it imprudent? Immoral, perhaps?" She took a step towards him, he backed up, his hands came up in front of him in a calming gesture and patted at the air.
    She felt rage start to build in her. She took another step, and again he backed away.
    He opened his mouth to say something, but she cut him off. "Imprudent. Immoral, and not so sufficiently tempting as to overcome your scruples. Yet tempting enough that when you realized the actual situation you thought you'd run down here and see if I'd give you another go. Does that about sum it up?"
    Now his eyes were wide in mild horror and panic.
    "Ah . . . not exactly?" he said.
    "C lose enough. Thanks for explaining things to me. You really are too kind. I hope you have a lovely day and an even lovelier life." She opened the door with her free hand and swung it wide. "If you please," she said, cutting off each word sharply.
    "Mrs . . . Felicity. It was a total misjudgment on my part from start to finish. I'm really sorry I misunderstood what was going on and I-"
    " Enough, Mr Barrett. We are done here. I have my appointment to go to and you need to go away. Now ."
    She glared at him, willing him to take his