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‘She wasn’t wrong. Do you think Evelyn’s trying to push us together?’ Liv wasn’t sure how she felt about that.

‘Maybe a bit. But I think she’s just happy for me. For us.’ He grinned and pulled her closer. ‘Have to admit, I’m pretty happy about this too.’

Liv laughed and snuggled against him for a few moments, before throwing the covers back with a sigh.

‘Where are you going?’

‘Bathroom. And then to get dressed. We can’t lie around here all day.’

‘We could.’

‘You said you wanted to get some shopping done, and pop to the surgery before Sarah gets home, and I wanted to get in early and sort out some paperwork.’

‘You must have a terrible boss, making you work at the weekend,’ he deadpanned.

‘Oh, he’s just the worst.’ She stifled a grin as she wrapped his shirt tightly around herself. ‘A complete slave driver.’

His teasing smile morphed into a frown as he watched her. ‘Why do you do that?’

‘Do what?’

‘Hide from me. After what we’ve just done . . . what we’ve been doing for a couple of weeks now . . . why do you hide your gorgeous self from me?’

‘I’m just cold.’ Liv pulled the shirt tighter, fumbling to do up some of the buttons and give herself some semblance of protection.

‘Liv, it’s roasting in here. You’re not cold. What’s going on?’

The sudden lump in her throat was choking, and her eyes prickled with painful tears. ‘It’s nothing.’ She didn’t even want the thoughts to form into coherent words, even in her mind.

‘Liv, please don’t push me away.’ The bedding rustled behind her as he threw back the covers and pulled on underwear. A moment later he was behind her, wrapping his arms around her. ‘Talk to me. Tell me what’s wrong. Please?’

‘I just . . . sometimes . . . I feel a bit . . .’

‘Liv, you can trust me.’

‘Damaged.’ She choked the word out, and tightened her arms across her abdomen.

‘This is about your ex, isn’t it?’

She nodded.

‘From everything you’ve told me, he was a first-class moron.’

‘Yup.’

‘But his words still hurt you?’

She nodded and angrily dashed away a hot tear which scorched its way down her cheek.

‘You know he’s not worth a millisecond more of your time, or a single thought. He’s already had more space in your head than he ever deserved.’

Liv shrugged. It was so much easier for Callum to say it than it was for her to do. Mike’s words had left their puckered, angry marks across her mind, much as the scalpel had left its scars across her skin. Every time she glanced in the mirror, or caught sight of the scars along her arm, she was reminded of how broken she was. She tried her hardest to avoid looking, but she couldn’t keep her eyes from dropping to the damage that was still stark against her skin.

‘Liv, you’re not really hearing me, are you?’

Her throat constricted against the tears trying to choke her. ‘I’m trying. It’s just really hard.’

‘Come here.’ He gently turned her to face the large wardrobe that sat snugly in the alcove formed by the old chimney. He hugged her tightly from behind, drawing her against his warmth before cupping her chin in his hand and lifting her head.