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‘It’s been a busy period,’ Aiden admitted. ‘But I’m doing my best to look after them both.’

‘So, if you’ve been looking after them, and the shop, and customers, and now me, who’s looking after you?’

The question – and the kindness in those brown eyes – caught him off guard, hitting him harder than he’d have expected. And Mia didn’t even know half of what he was dealing with. For a second or two he was tempted to answer – really answer – the question no one had thought to ask him in… he couldn’t remember how long. But then he’d have to think about things he usually avoided. And he still didn’t know how he felt about the thing he wasn’t allowed to tell her. It was easier, safer, and a lot more fun to flirt, so he grinned. ‘In case you didn’t notice, I’m a big boy. I don’t need much taking care of… except for a few things.’ He reached over her to grab the cups off the shelf. ‘Are you offering to help me with any of those?’

‘Sure.’

‘Really?’

‘Sure. If by “those things” you mean feeding you cake which includes ingredients that may or may not have been wrapped in something having a passing resemblance to cling film.’

Aiden chuckled and went back to making the tea.

‘Or lolling on a bed while your hands work their magic on me.’ There was another one of those grins he couldn’t help returning.

‘What if I said I was thinking about pouring warm oil on your bare skin and rubbing you for hours?’

Mia froze for a second, before slamming the knife down into the cake. Aiden gulped. Calmly, Mia dished the chunk – he couldn’t call it a slice – onto a plate and held it out to him. When he reached for it, she pulled it away. ‘I would have to assume you’re talking about a new skill set for Glimmers, because I’m quite sure we’d agreed last week was a one-off.’

‘Obviously.’ He laughed as he stole the cake straight off the plate. ‘Rayenne’s suggested I could look at reflexology too.’

‘But you’re not convinced?’ Mia dished up a far neater slice of cake for herself while he bit into his.

‘You sold your talents short. This is good.’

‘It’s probably the banana wrapper flavourings.’

He choked, laughing, and Mia had to thump his back before he could properly catch his breath. When he did, he glanced at her, throat aching. ‘I was wrong. Being smacked by you isn’t as much fun as I imagined.’

She rolled her eyes. ‘So, you don’t think reflexology is for you? Because I’ve got to say, if you’re even half as good at it as you were the reiki, I think you’ll do really well.’

‘Thanks for the vote of confidence.’ He toyed with what was left of his cake. ‘But it’s not that simple. There’s a lot more academic learning with reflexology, and I don’t know if I want to go back into a classroom.’

‘Reiki wasn’t like that?’

‘It’s a lot more focussed on energy. Of course there’s learning, but it seems intuitive. With reflexology it’s – quite literally – a lot more hands-on, so I’d have to learn a lot more about how the body works.’

‘Not always a bad thing,’ Mia mused.

‘You’d happily go back to school, would you?’

‘I’m a nurse.’ Mia laughed. ‘We do continuous professional development all the time. I’ve just finished my accreditation for advanced wound care – I can give patients literal stitches now.’

‘As well as the metaphorical ones from your wicked sense of humour.’

‘I love that you get me.’ She grinned. ‘If it’s just the studying putting you off, I can help. Quiz you on basic anatomy and teach you memory tricks.’

‘Like what?’

‘Um…’ She thought for a moment, then laughed. ‘I know one you’ll like. Some lovers try positions that they can’t handle.’

‘I thought we’d agreed last week was a one-time-event.’

She rolled her eyes. ‘Hand.’ She took it when he offered, turned it over in hers and tapped the fingers of her other hand across the back of his hand. ‘The carpal bones: scaphoid, lunate, triquetrum, pisiform, trapezium, trapezoid, capitate and hamate. Or’ – she tapped them again – ‘Some. Lovers. Try. Positions. That. They. Can’t. Handle.’

‘You’d really help me study? I’m not always the fastest of learners.’

‘I know that,’ Mia teased, her fingers still warm under his. ‘You’re still flirting with me even though it’s pointless.’