Somebody to Love: Sigh With Contentment, Scream With Frustration. At Time You Will Weep. Read Online Free

found himself not wanting to look away.
    She held his gaze for a second, and then glanced down.
    Damn. Too pushy. ‘So, do you have any interests?’ he asked, steering the subject back to safer ground.
    ‘Apart from picking up policemen, you mean?’ Donna’s eyes flickered bashfully back to his. ‘No, except…’ she hesitated ‘… self-interest, maybe.’
    Mark finished his coffee, and wondered whether he should offer to get another. ‘How so?’
    Donna took a breath. ‘I, um, don’t want to rush into anything.’ She glanced uncertainly at him. ‘I mean, I’d quite like to go out with someone. With you, if you’d like, assuming you are, um, currently unencumbered,’ she hurried on, ‘but I don’t want… complications, I suppose.’
    Mark nodded, careful to keep his expression neutral. ‘So, you’d like to take things slowly, then?’
    ‘Yes.’ Donna furrowed her brow. ‘I think so.’
    Mark nodded again, thoughtfully. ‘No problem. I understand,’ he said, wondering whether he should do the cutting and running, now, before he made her life as complicated as hell.
    He checked his watch. Force of habit, juggling home and work as he always seemed to be. Karl was due at the respite centre. He could get back comfortably enough to relieve the child-minder. But Jody would only wonder why, he supposed. And Karl really wouldn’t notice one way or the other.
    Dammit, he owed himself a little off-duty time, didn’t he? And if he was reading the signs right, Donna was hinting she wanted more than dinner. ‘I’d better make a move,’ he said, trying to work out — assuming she did — how to pin her down to a time and a place.
    ‘Oh.’ Donna’s eyes shot wide… with alarm? Mark smiled and took that as a positive sign. ‘Right. Yes, me too,’ she said, glancing away. ‘Things to do, dog’s to, um, hop. Come on, Sade.’ She visibly hoisted her shoulders up and attempted to scrape her chair back, the leg of which, unfortunately, seemed to be wedged between paving stones.
    Mark’s smile widened. ‘Doesn’t do for policemen to be seen hanging around coffee bars in uniform for too long,’ he said, standing to walk around the table to assist her. ‘Would you allow me the honour of escorting you to your car? And the further honour…’ he said, his mouth close to her ear ‘… of seeing you again, after whatever amount of time you deem appropriate, of course?’
    ‘Pardon?’ She blinked up at him.
    ‘As long as it’s not too long.’ He offered a hand and helped her to her feet. ‘Don’t want you picking up any more policemen in my absence, do we?’
    ‘No,’ Donna said, her eyes on his, her lips slightly parted, far too close to his. ‘I’ve got the place,’ she blurted, just as Mark was wondering what she might taste like.
    Mark twanged his attention away from her mouth. She’d got the… ‘What?’ He shook his head, confused.
    ‘The place,’ Donna repeated, with a determined nod, ‘if you’ve got the time.’
    ‘Right,’ Mark nodded, now feeling totally confused. ‘Donna, I’m not sure I’m getting the drift.’
    ‘Coffee,’ she said, two little bright spots appearing on her cheeks. ‘Would you like one? Another one, I mean. Or tea? I might have some juice. Or wine, if you’d like. Only white, though, I’m afraid. And it’s only the boxed stuff but…’ Donna stopped as Mark continued to study her, confounded. Was she inviting him back to…? Christ, so what did he do now?
    Donna dropped her gaze. ‘I was just wondering if… but, if you’re busy…’ She stopped, chewing worriedly on her bottom lip, whilst distractedly stroking her beloved dog’s head. The dog panted, glared at Mark — he would swear — then gazed lovingly up at Donna
    Mark could see why. ‘I adore coffee,’ he said softly. ‘Can’t get enough of the stuff.’
    ****
    ‘I haven’t read it,’ Donna announced, coming back into the kitchen after checking her son wasn’t home.
    Trying hard