Trouble in Nirvana by Elisabeth Rose

though.”
    She handed him some money and he almost drooled all over her. Tom gave him two twenties. “Here, mate.”
    “Thanks. Same again?” He charged away.
    Tom studied Primrose. “So? Are you going to tell me?”
    “What?”
    “What Danny said you were, should, whatever it was.”
    She frowned. “Do you really want to know?”
    “If you want to tell me, I’ll listen.” She bit her lower lip and pulled it inside her mouth, considering, probably trying to decide if he was having a go at her. “If you need to get it off your chest, tell me. Who else is there?” he prompted. Not that he was avidly interested but it was obviously something which had shaken her previously uncrackable composure, and she’d chosen him to confide in.
    She met his gaze with such a naked, open expression of misery he gulped and had to swallow a mouthful of beer while he regained his equilibrium.
    “No-one else,” she said hoarsely. “I have no-one.”
    He thought for one horrible moment she was going to cry, here in the public bar of the Kullanurra pub surrounded by his friends and neighbours, all of whom would immediately assume he was responsible. He opened and closed his mouth, impotently groping for words to soothe and stave off the inevitable flood but she forged on. He’d underestimated her once more. The words poured out in a torrent of indignation.
    “I thought I had Danny on my side—he is my brother, after all—but he’s furious with me. He accused me of coming here to the commune and trying to change everything to suit myself. Can you believe it?” She stared at him. He shook his head. Unbelievable, all right. As if she’d expect that. Miss Do It My Way. “Nirupam and I are worried about Kurt—like you say he’s a raving lunatic. Nirupam doesn’t want him around after the baby is born and I told Danny he should kick Kurt off the place.”
    “And he got upset?” No wonder. And no doubt she did it in her usual tactless, blunt style.
    “Yes. Very. He thought it was just me but Nirupam backed me up.” She smiled, a little off-kilter but still a smile. “Danny said if I didn’t like it I should leave, but Nirupam said if I left she’d go too.”
    “You’ve certainly shaken them up over there.” He leaned back, casual and unconcerned but the suddenly crucial question burned in his mind. “ Are you leaving?”
    Her eyes narrowed and she leaned forward slightly. A wicked gleam shone in her eyes now. “No. But you’d like it if I did, wouldn’t you?”
    Tom leaned forward too and stared right into the deep greeny brown pools. “I wouldn’t like it at all.” The truth, he realised. Amazingly so. He wanted her to stay. He wanted to know more about her, discover the depths of her. Explore her delicious body with his.
    She held his gaze. “Won’t last a week?” One delicate eyebrow arched upward. “Week’s up on Monday.”
    “Are you flirting with my date?” Mike dumped a handful of paper napkin-wrapped cutlery on the table. Primrose sat back with a little grin, her eyes still fixed on Tom’s.
    “I’m not your date, Mike, but he is flirting,” she said demurely.
    Tom drained his beer with a nonchalant flick of the wrist. The intensity of the look belying the casualness of her words twisted his brain in knots. Who was flirting?
    Mike flung himself into the chair next to hers. “Bloody typical. Turn my back for an instant and he’s in like Flynn.”
    “Does Tom have a reputation with the girls?” Primrose grinned at Mike and the dimples danced.
    He leaned toward her with what could only be classed as a leer. “He has his share of admirers. Can’t imagine why. Go and get the drinks, Tom. It’s my turn to chat with Primrose.”
    Tom stood up. He hadn’t met this Primrose. Now that she’d offloaded her hurt concerning Danny a flirty girl in party mode emerged, complete with sexy black dress. Wearing the lacy underwear he’d found in his bathroom? Hadn’t been close enough to smell if she was