Free Summer at Shell Cottage by Lucy Diamond Page A

you here! Why yes, of course, I’d
love to join you for dessert. Wine, too? Ah, go on, then, why not? Hi there. Great to meet you. Did I mention I’ve always wanted to go to the States, by the way? Like, seriously,
always?
    Better not. But there was no harm in nonchalantly crossing the road, was there? No harm in dawdling along slowly past the restaurant with maybe just a very quick gander inside. No harm at all,
she assured herself firmly, unable to resist seeing handsome, talented Robert there in his best shirt, living the dream.
    It was only when she was on the other side of the street that she noticed something odd. The inside of the restaurant seemed dull and dingy unlit. There were no tables set up outside either
– strange, on such a glorious summer’s day. And then, as she drew level with the front door, she saw to her bewilderment a ‘Closed’ sign in the glass pane.
Closed for
two weeks due to renovations,
read a printed piece of paper.
    What the . . . ?
She stood stock-still in the street and removed her sunglasses in case her eyes were playing tricks on her.
    Closed for two weeks due to renovations. No. There was nothing wrong with her eyes. The Marylebone Tavern wasn’t open – so where the hell was Robert?

Chapter Nine
    One hundred miles or so away, around the back of a multistorey car park in Stratford-upon-Avon, Molly was fervently kissing Ben Jamison and gasping as his hand tugged her
school blouse out of her skirt’s waistband. ‘Oh, Ben,’ she said, her breathing fast and shallow. His fingers slipped under her blouse and her nerve endings fizzled deliriously as
he touched her bare skin. Then his fingertips grazed the underside of her breast and it was as if fireworks were star-bursting inside her.
    Oh. My God. No way. Was this really happening? It was amazing.
He
was amazing. And to think she’d nearly been swayed by Chloe, badgering her to go on the Tate Modern trip with the
rest of their mates! She’d just had a feeling about today, though. All those meaningful looks she and Ben had exchanged across the classroom recently. She’d had an inkling he might like
her but hardly dared hope anything would happen. Yet now . . .
    ‘Oh,’ she gasped, deliciously shivery at what his fingers were doing, the sensation of his mouth on hers. He pressed his body against her and she could feel the hardness in his
groin. She’d never actually felt a penis before in real life. She hadn’t even really
seen
one, not properly, unless you counted the dodgy film she and Chloe had sniggered over
on Chloe’s iPad last time they’d had a sleepover. The thought of taking her clothes off and letting a guy do
that
to her had always seemed faintly gross in the past. Like,
ewww. Why would you?
    Now she knew. Now she got it. Talk about a revelation. Talk about a voyage of discovery! She felt as if she was journeying to a brand new place and never wanted to return. For a brief wild
moment, she felt as if she would do anything he asked her to. Anything. Right here behind the car park. Nudity. Penis-touching. All of it!
    There was a disapproving cough behind them just then, audible even above the drum solo of Molly’s heart and her gasping breaths. Ben must have heard it too because he stopped kissing her
and pulled away hurriedly. Molly noticed an elderly lady giving them a very hard stare as she walked past them a few metres away, towing a tartan shopping trolley, and her cheeks flamed.
    Ben laughed softly. ‘Whoops,’ he said, removing his hand and straightening his tie. ‘I guess we’d better get back and meet the others. Find out some more about
Shakespeare.’ He traced a line down the side of her face and she felt her stomach somersault. ‘You’re so beautiful,’ he said thickly. ‘Oh, the things I could do to
you, Molly Tarrant-Price.’
    She giggled, feeling nervous and delighted and wanton all in the same moment. ‘You’re not so bad yourself,’ she said, unable to look at him