I am grateful that Taylor has parked nearby, and it is only minutes until we are back in the cosy warmth. As the engine roars to life, I settle back in my seat and close my eyes, reliving that magic moment of being serenaded. Definitely, something to add to my top-ten life experiences. I must have dozed off because the next thing I know is the feeling of being lifted out of the car and being carried upstairs. I hadn’t even thought about where we were staying tonight, but from a sleepy glance around, I can see that Taylor has brought us back to Brighton. I smile into Taylor’s neck and murmur a soft “Hi.” “Back in the land of the living, then, are we?” Taylor laughs as he plops me somewhat ungraciously onto the bed, making me giggle. Lying down next to me, Taylor gives me a smouldering look as his eyes travel up my body. I am wide awake now and my libido has gone into overdrive. “I think it’s time to get you out of those clothes, Abby,” Taylor says, his voice thick with arousal. I c

I wake with a start, vaguely wondering why I am on my couch. Everything floods back to me and my stomach clenches in anxiety. Realising my phone is ringing, I reach for it, noticing the private number, ready to give Taylor another piece of my mind. “What do you want?” I say brusquely. “Um, Abby?” questions a familiar voice softly. “Nicola?” I respond, wondering why she is calling. “Abby, can I speak to Taylor? He isn’t picking up his phone.” “He’s not here,” I say more harshly than intended, and I instantly feel contrite. “Sorry, Nicola. Taylor left a while ago.” I can hear soft crying and low music in the background, and I feel dreadful for talking to her like that. “Are you ok?” “Yeah, um, no, not really…” Nicola trails off. The hairs on my neck are standing on end, and call it women’s intuition or something, but I know something is very wrong. “Nicola, sweetie, tell me what’s going on.” The sobbing continues and a thousand scenarios run through my head, each one worse than

Excitement is buzzing through my veins. Today is the day that the shop next door and the flat will become mine. Seriously, I never thought this day would actually arrive, but Mr Thompson assures me that I will be able to pick up the keys at midday. Unfortunately, Taylor is in London today for meetings, but my mum and dad are coming with me, which will kill two birds with one stone, as they need to sign our partnership papers. Eeeeek, I think to myself. “Hey, Abs, you are awake early,” Taylor says sleepily in my ear. “I am just too excited to sleep,” I reply, bouncing on the bed like a kid on Christmas Day. Taylor laughs before grabbing me around the waist and then pinning me beneath him, trapping both my hands above my head. “I am so proud of you, baby,” Taylor says, looking deep into my eyes. My breath hitches as I see the look in Taylor’s eyes and feel him hardening between my legs. I can instantly feel wetness as Taylor starts rubbing his cock gently through my folds and across

Glancing outside, I notice that darkness has descended and I remember that Taylor promised to be home early. I head into the kitchen to check out what I have in the fridge to make for dinner and find it empty. Bugger! I am just running through my mental Rolodex of decent local takeaways that I can suggest to Taylor as I just can’t face eating out after my busy day when I hear his key in the lock. “Hey, Abs, you up there?” Taylor calls out whilst making his way up the stairs. “Uh-huh. I am in the kitchen,” I say just before he pops his head around the door frame. “It’s official. The fridge is empty. Takeaway?” I suggest. “Sounds good to me,” Taylor agrees. We argue back and forth, finally settling on Thai. Yum, my favourite. While Taylor calls in our order, I head into the bedroom to change. Shrugging off my jeans, I pull on a pair of fleecy pyjama bottoms covered in cute owls and a long-sleeve T-shirt. I am just pulling on a comfy long cardigan when I hear Taylor’s phone ring. “Sorry,

I listen to the chatter between Nicola and Taylor as we drive across to Taylor’s cottage, wondering what life might have been like if I had had siblings. There is such a connection between the two of them, more so than even between Taylor and his twin, that I envy their closeness. But the fact that Nicola trusted me enough to let me help her means the world to me, and truth be told, she is already feeling like my own little sister. There is nothing I wouldn’t do to help her, which is why, when Taylor suggested we spend the night at the cottage with her, I readily agreed. My thoughts drift back over the morning in Bread. Anna settled in really well with the team, and I could see that Bea was pleased with how fast she was picking things up. Andreas had a slow start with Billy, one of the apprentices we had had in for a trial, but by lunchtime, things were running like clockwork and I had a team of very happy campers. And the quote that James had sent across first thing was spot on with