Free Humbug by Joanna Chambers

persuaded me to apply for a consulting job—I wasn’t seriously expecting an offer, but when I got one, I decided to take it. I had a lot of student loans by then so the thought of earning rather than racking up even more debt was too tempting to pass by.” I shrugged. “I’d only planned to do it for a couple of years, but I guess I got used to the job. And the money, of course.”
    “Could you give the money up now?” Rob asked. “If you decide to move to teaching, you’ll be facing a massive salary drop.”
    I thought about that. About the disposable income accruing in my account month on month because I had no time to spend it. “Yeah, I could give it up,” I said, the cogs in my brain beginning to turn as I examined the idea. “My mortgage is modest and my flatmate gives me rent. And it’s not as if I have a husband or kids who depend on me. I’m pretty sure I could afford to do the year’s training without needing to take out any debt.”
    A tiny thread of excitement came to life inside me and I had to bite my lip against a sudden smile, not wanting to betray how much this new idea suddenly meant to me. “I could do it.”
    “You could,” Rob agreed softly, his gaze on me. He’d parked outside one of the more heavily decorated houses we’d seen. A life-size reindeer made of thousands of lights stood sentinel in the front garden, glowing first red then gold then green, then cycling back to red. The changing colours glowed inside the car, illuminating Rob’s face—mine too, presumably—like traffic lights.
    Stop, wait, go.
    “Quin.” This time Rob didn’t so much say it, as breathe it, and I watched, mesmerised as he lifted his hand and touched my face, fingertips just grazing my skin. Our eyes met as the pad of his thumb swept across my cheekbone. Such a simple, tender gesture. I didn’t know what to do or say. All I could do was stare at him and wait for what came next.
    “I like you,” he said finally. “I’ve always liked you. Even when you were being a dick.”
    “Yeah?” My voice sounded as shaky as I felt.
    “Yeah,” he confirmed with a half-smile. “Not that you ever noticed me.”
    “Are you kidding?” My laugh was astonished. “I noticed you. I just never imagined you’d be interested in me.”
    “Why not?”
    “Have you looked in a mirror lately?”
    That lip-quirking smile kicked up again. Fuck, it was charming. I wanted to kiss the corner of that smile.
    “You think I look good?” he asked, eyeing me, his voice lower, deeper.
    I raised a brow. “You do not need me to tell you the answer to that question.”
    “Actually,” he said seriously, his smile fading a little. “I think I do.”
    My mouth was dry, my heart thumping a rapid tattoo. “Okay,” I began shakily, somehow managing to hold his gaze. “I think you look really— really good.”
    He leaned closer, so close I could feel his breath against my face. “Yeah?”
    “Yeah,” I breathed back, my eyes on his.
    “Good enough to kiss?”
    By way of answer, I slid my hand behind his neck and pulled him to me.
    I got my wish about kissing that smile. As soon as our lips touched, his quirked up, just for a moment, curving beneath my lips. And then his hand was sliding into my hair, cupping the back of my neck, and he was deepening the kiss, lips parting, tongue delicately touching my own, startling a gasp out of me.
    That quick, my cock was hard, stiffening almost painfully in my jeans, making me shift in my seat in an attempt to ease the pressure. Rob muscled closer, fiddling with the zip of my bomber jacket, parting the sides to slide his big hands inside and up over my ribs, kissing me all the while. His touch was firm and possessive and the growl he gave as I plastered myself against him made me shiver.
    When we finally broke apart, we were both breathing hard and Rob’s eyes were glittering.
    “So,” I said slowly. “Do you fancy coming back to mine?”
    Rob smiled again.

Chapter Nine
    W hen I