At one in the morning? No.

Richard Arnett had read Mara's message three times before placing his phone facedown on the bedside table. He'd been tempted to answer. In fact, he'd already begun composing a reply before thinking better of it. Mara had consumed far too much alcohol, was upset with Hugh, and had spent much of the evening testing the limits of his patience and good manners. Whatever she wanted to discuss at nearly one in the morning could surely wait until breakfast.

Besides, Richard suspected that a conversation at that hour might lead somewhere neither of them ought to go. He switched off the bedside lamp and closed his eyes.

Downstairs, Mara waited another ten minutes for a response before throwing her phone onto the pillow beside her. She’d been edging herself, rubbing her pussy lips slowly waiting for the handsome older man to reply.

Well, that's just bloody charming.

She'd been hoping to have a little fun with him. Nothing too outrageous at first, just some innocent flirting that might gradually become rather less innocent. She'd even imagined asking what he was wearing, although she suspected he'd have recognised that particular question for what it was. She thought about taking a sexy selfie of herself in the hotel room sheets and sending that to him.

Instead, the infuriating man had apparently gone to sleep.

Mara rolled over, thoroughly annoyed with him and deeply frustrated, although she couldn't help smiling as she remembered his handsome face.

Tomorrow, Mr Arnett. We'll see how well you behave tomorrow.

Richard was already seated when Mara arrived for breakfast the following morning. He'd chosen a table overlooking the hotel's gardens and was reading something on his phone, a steaming cup of coffee beside him.

He looked annoyingly refreshed.

Mara, meanwhile, was wearing the same reddish-orange dress she'd arrived in the previous evening. She'd managed to repair her makeup, although her hair was proving rather less cooperative, and she'd spent several minutes wishing she'd remembered to bring an overnight bag.

"Good morning, Sugar Plum," Richard greeted her warmly, standing to pull out her chair. "Sleep well?"

"Eventually," Mara replied, giving him a pointed look.

Richard raised an eyebrow. "Only eventually?"

"Well, I did try to find somebody to talk to, but apparently he was far too busy to answer his messages."

Richard smiled as he returned to his seat. "Ah. I wondered whether that might come up."

"So, you saw it?"

"I did."

"And you ignored me?"

"I thought you needed your sleep more than you needed another conversation with me."

Mara folded her arms. "You might have asked what I wanted."

"I had a reasonable suspicion that you wanted to stay awake talking until three in the morning."

"Perhaps I had something important to tell you."

"At one in the morning?"

"Very important."

Richard took a leisurely sip of coffee. "Then I'm relieved you've survived until breakfast to tell me."

Mara tried to maintain her offended expression, but his smile made it difficult. "You're terribly pleased with yourself, aren't you?"

"Not particularly. Although I must admit, you look rather lovely this morning, even if you're determined to be cross with me."

That caught her off guard. Mara blinked. "What?"

"I said you look lovely. Is there something wrong with your hearing?"

"No," she replied, suddenly smiling. "You just don't usually say things like that."

"Perhaps I should." He returned his attention to the breakfast menu as though he'd said nothing remarkable.

Mara stared at him. Well, well, Mr Arnett.

Perhaps this morning was going to be interesting after all.

Breakfast was considerably more enjoyable once Mara abandoned her pretence of being offended. Richard ordered eggs Benedict, while Mara chose pancakes with berries and an extravagant amount of maple syrup.

They discussed the hotel, Richard's business meetings and the various things Mara might do during her unexpected holiday. Richard asked after Hugh once, but when Mara made it clear she wasn't interested in discussing him, he allowed the subject to drop.

Instead, he seemed unusually cheerful, teasing her about her enormous breakfast and her insistence that the hotel coffee wasn't nearly as good as the coffee from her favourite café.

"You do realise," Richard remarked, watching her add another spoonful of syrup, "that you were complaining about the possibility of putting on weight only six months?"

"Are you saying I'm fat?"

"Good heavens, no. I wouldn't dare."

"Good answer."

"Although I suspect the pancakes are in greater danger from you than you are from them."

Mara laughed. "You're very cheeky this morning."

"Am I? Perhaps you're simply discovering that I'm not quite as dull as you imagined."

"I've never thought you were dull."

Richard looked at her over his coffee cup. "I'm delighted to hear it."

There was something in his expression that made Mara pause. He was still behaving like the charming gentleman she'd always known, but his compliments seemed a little more deliberate this morning. And rather than retreating whenever she teased him, he was beginning to tease her back. Mara liked it enormously. By the time they'd finished breakfast, she'd decided how she wanted to spend the day.

"Richard, what are you doing this afternoon?"

"Nothing particularly exciting. Why?"

"I was thinking we could spend the day by the pool."

"The pool?"

"Yes, Richard. You know, the large thing full of water downstairs?"

"Thank you, Sugar Plum. I must have missed it when I walked right past it."

She grinned. "Come on. You've got this beautiful hotel, lovely weather, and absolutely no reason to spend the whole day working."

Richard considered the suggestion. "I suppose a few hours relaxing wouldn't do me any harm."

"Excellent!"

"Although I notice you've already decided I'm coming."

"Of course. You wouldn't want to disappoint me."

Richard chuckled. "Perish the thought."

Mara's excitement lasted approximately five seconds before she remembered something rather important. "Oh, damn."

"What is it?"

"I haven't got any bathers."

Richard glanced at her dress. "No, I imagine swimming in that might prove rather inconvenient."

"I haven't got any other clothes either. I left in such a hurry last night that I forgot practically everything."

Richard reached into his jacket, removed his wallet and placed a credit card on the table. "Here. The hotel has a boutique near the lobby. Go and find yourself something suitable."

Mara stared at the card. "Richard!"

"What?"

"You can't just give me your credit card!"

"Apparently I can. I've just done it."

"But you've already paid for my room and given me that beautiful lingerie."

"And now I'm buying you something to wear in the pool. Try not to make it sound like a national emergency."

Mara picked up the card, smiling delightedly. "You're spoiling me."

"I'm beginning to suspect that's been happening for rather a long time."

She leaned across the table. "You do know you're my favourite person in the entire world, don't you?"

Richard smiled. "I shall remind you of that the next time you accuse me of ignoring your messages."

The hotel's boutique was considerably better stocked than Mara had expected. Alongside the usual souvenirs, sunglasses and overpriced sunscreen was a surprisingly attractive collection of resort clothing and swimwear.

Mara began browsing immediately. Her attention was first drawn to a tiny black thong bikini displayed on a mannequin. It was daring, expensive and precisely the sort of thing she'd ordinarily have chosen if she wanted to attract attention. She held it against herself and studied her reflection.

Richard would certainly notice this.

The thought made her smile. She could already imagine walking towards his sun lounger wearing it, watching his carefully composed expression as he tried to decide where to look. But then she remembered the previous evening.

Richard had admired her in the black lace lingerie, certainly, but he'd also been determined not to encourage her. Perhaps turning up in something outrageously revealing would simply make him uncomfortable again.

And Mara didn't want that. She wanted him to relax around her. To enjoy her company. To stop treating every little flirtation as though it might result in some dreadful scandal. After several minutes of consideration, she returned the thong bikini to its rack. Instead, she selected a tasteful navy-blue two-piece with a flattering square-neck top, wider shoulder straps and high-waisted bottoms. It was stylish rather than provocative, showing off her slim waist and toned figure without revealing quite so much.

She tried it on and turned slowly before the mirror. Much better. It was still attractive, and it fitted beautifully. More importantly, she thought Richard would approve. She added a lightweight white cover-up, a pair of sunglasses and some sunscreen before presenting his credit card at the counter. The total made her wince slightly. Then she remembered who was paying.

Richard had found a comfortable sun lounger beneath a large umbrella overlooking the hotel pool. He'd changed into a pale linen shirt and navy swimming shorts, with a pair of sunglasses resting on his nose and a book open in his lap.

Mara spotted him immediately. Even dressed casually, he looked infuriatingly handsome. His silver hair caught the sunlight, and his broad shoulders were rather more noticeable without the black turtleneck he'd worn the previous evening.

She approached quietly, enjoying the opportunity to admire him before he noticed her. "Excuse me, sir," she said sweetly. "Is this seat taken?"

Richard looked up. For a moment, he simply regarded her over the top of his sunglasses. "Well, well. Look who's returned."

Mara smiled and gave a little turn, allowing the white cover-up to fall open enough to reveal her new navy swimsuit. "What do you think?"

Richard closed his book. "I think you've made an excellent choice."

"Really?"

"Very elegant. The colour suits you."

Mara beamed. She'd been hoping he'd say something like that. "I nearly bought something quite different."

"Oh?"

"Much smaller."

Richard raised an eyebrow. "Should I be grateful for your restraint?"

Mara laughed. "Perhaps."

"Then I'm delighted to see at least one of us has exercised some good judgement."

She gave him a playful look. "You're awfully cheeky today, Richard."

"So, you've mentioned."

Mara reached into her beach bag and retrieved his credit card. "Anyway, thank you. That was terribly generous of you."

"You're very welcome, Sugar Plum."

She stepped closer to his lounger, holding out the card. Richard reached up to take it, but Mara kept hold of it for a moment longer. "And I think you deserve a proper thank-you."

Before he could reply, she bent down towards him. Richard turned his head slightly, expecting the familiar affectionate kiss on his cheek. Mara, however, had other ideas. At the last moment, she adjusted her angle just enough that her lips meet instead.

It was brief kiss, not much longer than a second, and she immediately straightened with an expression of exaggerated surprise. "Oh!"

Richard stared up at her. "Good heavens, Mara."

She brought a hand to her mouth, looking wonderfully innocent. "I'm so sorry! I thought you were turning the other way."

Richard studied her for a moment. Then, very slowly, one corner of his mouth lifted. "Did you indeed?"

"Of course!"

"How unfortunate."

"Terribly unfortunate," Mara agreed solemnly.

Richard accepted his credit card and slipped it into his wallet, still watching her with an expression she couldn't quite decipher. "Well," he said at last, "I suppose accidents do happen."

Mara smiled triumphantly. "All the time."

Richard shook his head, chuckling as he reopened his book. "You're going to be trouble today, aren't you, Sugar Plum?"

Mara settled onto the neighbouring sun lounger, stretched her legs out in the sunshine and adjusted her sunglasses. "Me?" she replied innocently. "I'm going to be an absolute angel."

Richard glanced across at her. "Now that," he said, "I find very difficult to believe."

Mara laughed, delighted. For the first time since her argument with Hugh, she felt completely happy. And Richard, despite every sensible intention he'd formed the previous evening, was beginning to suspect that an afternoon by the pool might prove considerably more distracting than he'd anticipated.