Free In a Class of His Own by Georgia Hill Page A

and then turned
to me, management smart in his tailored suit. “Mona says you’ve
had a quiet day. No problems then?”
    I
looked up to catch Mona
winking at me behind Jack’s back and grinning.
    “No
problems, Jack,” I replied blithely. “Everything has been fine!”

Chapter Eight
    The
first Friday evening in the flat found me lounging sluttishly against
the sofa, watching rubbish on TV and eating ice
cream out of the carton. It was sheer bliss.
    A
sharp knock sounded on the front door. When I opened
it a fraction, a small cuddly toy was squeezed through the gap and
Jack’s voice growled, “Tell me the hamster story or Fluffy gets
it!”
    I let him in, laughing as
I did so. He waved a bottle of wine at me and gestured to the take
away he’d placed on the step. “Do you fancy a curry? I always
order far too much for just one person.” He beamed the most relaxed
smile I’d seen from him so far.
    I stood, transfixed by
his loveliness. And then panicked. Once again he’d caught me at a
disadvantage. I’d just washed my hair and it hung wet and limp
around my face. Relaxing after a long shower, I was wearing old
pyjama bottoms and a baggy t-shirt emblazoned with the words: ‘Sex
is like snow. You never know how much you’re gonna get or how long
it’s gonna last!’ It had been another example of my brother’s
twisted humour. Jack in contrast, was looking coolly preppy in cream
chinos, a navy sweater and an expensive looking suede jacket.
    I
paused
for a long moment, wondering where I could hide my pals Ben and Jerry
and if I had time to go and put on something a fraction more
alluring.
    Misinterpreting my
hesitation, Jack’s face fell and he shrugged. “Oh have you got
plans? I should have thought. Not to worry I’ll just stuff myself
silly.” Abruptly, he turned to go.
    “No
no, come in please.” I put out my hand to the butter soft suede
sleeve. “It’s a really nice thought.”
    I went
to find plates and glasses and to hide the carton of ice-cream back
in the freezer. Behind me the TV blared out
the theme to ‘Come Dine With Me’. I winced and wished
wholeheartedly that Jack had caught me watching the documentary on
Virginia Woolf on BBC2, a cool glass of wine in my hand and wearing
something casually elegant. But it was not to be. One day, I vowed
silently to myself, I will be dressed in something fitting for the
occasion. I seemed doomed to be scruffily attired in his company.
    Jack, unaffected by any
introspection, was waving the wine bottle at me again. “I thought
this could be a house warming. A welcome to the neighbourhood and
also – and I promise this is the last time I mention school tonight
– a thank you for all your hard work this term.” As he slid his
jacket off, I tried not to stare. The sweater accentuated all his
lovely muscles. He really was a beautiful man.
    “You’ve
been a real addition to the management team,” he continued. “Right,
pompous stuff over, let’s get the corkscrew out.” He grinned
boyishly and any self-consciousness I felt melted away in the warmth
from his smile.
    We
didn’t bother turning off the TV. Jack, rather surprisingly, turned
out to be a huge fan of ‘Coronation Street’, so we sat glued to a
double episode. We sat companionably side by side on the sofa,
although Jack took up rather a large amount of it and ate the take
away and drank his wine. After a while, I examined the toy hamster
he’d brought and laughingly recounted the story of little Sadie and
Fluffy, the deceased hamster.
    Jack
settled
a little more comfortably, lay his head back onto the cushions and
gave a groan of contentment. His endless legs were stretched out in
front and a navy clad arm rested along the back of the sofa. I had a
sudden urge to turn my face so that it burrowed into the soft
cashmere of his sleeve. If only I had the courage. I blinked myself
back to reality as I realised Jack was speaking.
    “I
remember once I had a great long letter asking me to be