Skin Deep Read Online Free Page A

is Leo?’
    I jump and stare at Will,
nonplussed. ‘What?’
    Will waves a tiny card in front of
my face. I snatch it from him.
    To
Gemma,
    Hope
you’re feeling better. Enjoy the flowers.
    Leo
    I’m floored; Leo has bought me
flowers! I want to look at the card in private, but one look at Will’s
thunderous face tells me I can’t do that.
    ‘He’s the guy who ran into me. We
exchanged details.’ I can hardly tell Will that Leo is a customer - one who
asked me out!
    Will relaxes his stance a little.
‘That’s okay then.’ He strides out of the kitchen.
    ‘Will!’
    He
reappears. ‘What?’
    ‘Where
are you going?’
    ‘Out.’
    He
turns to go. I think about calling him back again, but say nothing. Things
would have been different if he’d bought me the flowers. I’m not being
superficial; I know that flowers wouldn’t have patched up our relationship, but
they’d have helped me to know that Will truly cares. He’s such a pig. He
doesn’t seem to care that I’ve had an accident, when I think I’m entitled to a
little TLC.
    The
intoxicating aroma of the peonies makes me heady. I’m not used to being given
flowers – only delivering them. Another man has bought me flowers. Speaks
volumes, doesn’t it? Why then do I feel so guilty? I can’t help the fact that
Leo bought me flowers. I turned him down. Yes, I have a crush on him, but it
will fade in time – it has to if I’m ever going to be able to get things back
on track with Will. The question is , do I want to?
    ***
    I’m
standing at the shop counter having just taken a phone order, when I see Leo’s
rangy figure approach. Cue deep intake of breath. ‘Leo! What are you doing
here?’ My heart’s racing.
    ‘I
wanted to see how you are.’
    ‘I’m
fine, thanks.’ Apart from my ping-pong emotions, that is.
    ‘Sure?’
His eyes roam my face. I can feel the tell-tale heat in my cheeks.
    ‘Sure.’
I smile, as does he. He has a lovely smile, which warms his pale green eyes.
    ‘I’m…’
    ‘Thank
you again for the flowers.’
    ‘I’m
glad you liked them. I was just going to say, I’m on my way to interview
someone. They live in Chester.’
    ‘Oh,
right.’ Why can’t I think of anything more interesting to say?
    ‘I
was wondering if you’d be free to meet me for lunch. I should be finished
around twelve.’
    ‘I’d
love to.’ I don’t even have to think about it. Does that make me a bad person?
    ‘Great.’
He suggests meeting at a pub nearby and we swap mobile numbers.
    ‘I’ll
see you there.’
    Once
he’s gone I have an attack of guilt. I know Will and I aren’t getting on very
well at the moment, but he’s still my boyfriend. On the other hand, Leo has
become a friend, and it’s only lunch. Except - I bite my lip - maybe I’d like
him to be more than a friend. And what is Leo’s agenda? He knows I’m not
single. This is all wrong, and yet my feelings for Leo feel so right. What am I
going to do? I can’t even blame it on the accident. I felt like this before.
The way Leo was with me after the accident, well, it’s just intensified my
feelings.
    I can’t meet Leo for lunch, not
feeling for him the way I do. It wouldn’t be fair to him, or to Will. Do Will
and I have a future? I don’t know. One thing I do know is that I’m not free to
go to lunch with Leo.
    I
text Leo and after I’ve pressed “send” I hold the phone in my hand. Have I done
the right thing? I think so, so why do I feel so crap? I know nothing can
happen between me and Leo, and I also know I’m supposed to be being positive,
but it’s hard sometimes; I’m only human.

Chapter Eight

 
    ‘Let’s have a baby.’
    I gawp at Will’s expectant face,
swallowing the piece of steak I was chewing on faster than I intended to.
Spluttering, I reach for my glass of water. When Will suggested we go out for
dinner, I thought it was his way of making it up to me after the accident. To
say I’m shocked is an understatement. Where has this come from?