Down London Road

look at Cam, Malcolm smiled at me and slid his arm around the back of my chair. ‘It’s my bed you end up in at the end of the night, sweetheart. I’ve got nothing to be mad about.’
    I smiled weakly at him, taken aback by his uncharacteristic comment, and then chanced another look at Cam. His plate seemed to hold a great deal of interest for him, and since I couldn’t read his eyes, I read his body. His jaw was locked tight, his fist was curled around his fork until his knuckles were white, and his shoulders had tensed.
    Cam was mad now?
    Jesus, what were we playing at with each other?



10
    ‘Where are you going?’ Malcolm slid his arm around my waist and halted my progress out of his bed.
    I grew still, confused. This was the part at the end of the night when I always left.
    ‘Stay. Stay with me tonight.’
    Dinner had been a strange affair after Callum’s appearance. Malcolm seemed off, his behaviour taking a surprising turn as he acted both cocky and proprietary towards me, and Becca’s mood had soured along with Cam’s. I was grateful when Malcolm called it quits, taking me home to his flat. However, as soon as we were in the door, he was on me, his kisses hard and demanding, his need immediate and intense.
    We ended up having sex on his living-room couch. It was the first time we’d had sex outside of his bed.
    I wanted to find it exciting, but it hadn’t been. It had felt like a claiming, and with my mind all over the place, it was not a claiming I’d been into. After months of praying for this moment, I couldn’t believe I was questioning whether I wanted it or not.
    Malcolm had carried to me to his bed after the couch sex, where he’d made love to me tenderly, sweetly … but no matter how much I tried, I couldn’t switch my brain off, my thoughts buzzing around in my head like too many trolleys in one supermarket aisle – they were relevant, but they weren’t going anywhere that made sense.
    ‘I feel like you’re someplace else tonight.’ Malcolm tugged on my waist, pulling me closer. ‘I’d feel better if you stayed, but only if you want to.’
    I took a deep breath, trying to remind myself that this was exactly what I wanted. So Malcolm didn’t know me as well as he thought he did. That was a good thing. And anyway, Cole was staying at Jamie’s. The only one I had to worry about was Mum, and really that was just a case of hoping she didn’t burn down the flat.
    I relaxed, cuddling into Malcolm. ‘Okay.’
    He wrapped his arms tighter around me, stroking my arm soothingly. ‘I wish you’d tell me what’s wrong.’
    I tensed. ‘Nothing is wrong.’
    ‘You keep saying that, but I don’t believe you.’
    I scrambled around for some excuse. ‘Things are just difficult with Mum at the moment.’
    ‘You could let me help.’
    At his kindness, I melted against him, pressing a tender kiss to his throat. ‘You are helping. Being with you helps.’
    He kissed my hair. ‘You weren’t with me tonight. Not the first time or the second time. And altogether that would be the third time.’
    Oh, God. He knew I hadn’t come again. If sex with me was terrible, would Malcolm dump me? I tensed.
    ‘I’m not criticizing. I’m worried.’ He pulled away from me and tipped my chin up so he could look into my eyes. ‘I care about you, Jo. I hope you care about me.’
    I nodded quickly, sincerely. ‘I do care about you. It’s just been a difficult few weeks, but I promise it’s going to get better.’
    He pressed a soft kiss to my lips and snuggled us downunder his duvet. ‘Let’s start with getting you a proper sleep. You work too hard.’
    I held on to him, letting his patience and kindness act as a balm to my harried nerves. I was just drifting off when he said quietly, ‘You seem to get on okay with Cam?’
    My eyes popped open at the question. ‘Not really.’
    ‘Hmm.’ His hand slid down to cup my hip, pulling my body into his. ‘I’m not sure about him. I don’t like the way he looks at you. And I don’t like that he’s living in such close proximity to you.’
    My body wanted to grow tense at the suspicion in Malcolm’s voice, and it took everything I had to remain relaxed. His behaviour tonight had been so strange. ‘You were a little off tonight. I thought it was because of Callum’s appearance …’
    Malcolm grunted. ‘No. You were uncomfortable around him. Anyone could see that. No, that didn’t bother me.’
    However, Cam had. Malcolm’s slight