Lizzy Harrison Loses Control by Pippa Wright Read Free Book Online Page A

Miller, Dan Miller, do you see?’ He looks at me with the patient expression of a kindly teacher instructing the class dunce.
    ‘Ah, right, I think I get it,’ I say innocently, sipping my beer and avoiding looking in Dan’s direction. Johnno seems well-meaning, so what’s a bit of patronizing between new friends? ‘Thanks so much for explaining.’
    ‘No problemo, Milo, no problemo. Glad to help out,’ Johnno says, settling comfortably back into his seat and proceeding to expand on his theme. ‘Now you see, Paddy here gets his name because he actually comes from the Emerald Isle , also known as the Republic of Ireland , and people from there are sometimes called either Paddies or Micks. Some might say these are pejorative terms which—’
    ‘Johnno, mate,’ interrupts Dan. ‘I think we might want another pitcher of lager before the show starts. Do you mind doing the honours?’
    ‘No problemo, Windy, no problemo. Leave it in my capable hands,’ says Johnno affably, and he heads over to the bar.
    ‘Great bloke, Johnno, great bloke,’ says Dan, watching as Johnno instantly strikes up conversation with a tall brunette in the bar queue. That’s to say, he’s doing most of the talking. ‘Amazing winger on the pitch. Tedious as fuck off it, unfortunately.’
    ‘Don’t be mean – he’s just trying to make me feel comfortable,’ I laugh. ‘At least he means well.’
    ‘Yeah, he does mean well. I just wish he’d mean it a bit further away so I could talk to you properly.’ He smiles at me over the top of his pint.
    ‘Oh, really?’ I turn towards him on the bench. ‘And what do you think we need to talk about properly, Dan? What colour rugby shirts are in this season? Refereeing decisions in the Six Nations Cup? Which key is best for singing a rousing chorus of “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot”?’
    ‘Oh, Lizzy,’ says Dan with mock seriousness. ‘Everyone knows you should sing “Chariot” in the key of C. But I think we should talk about you tonight.’
    ‘What are you on about, you lunatic? I’m offering you the chance to talk about rugby but you’d rather talk about me? Whatever is there to discuss?’
    ‘Where do we start?’ he says, his twinkling eyes belying his stern tone. ‘So many issues, so little time.’
    ‘Issues? What sorts of issues?’ I tease. ‘Have you been talking to my therapist again, Dan Miller? You know that’s terribly unethical.’
    ‘Well, your therapist, by which I mean my bossy sister, is full of interesting revelations about her best friend.’ Dan grins, and suddenly I’m feeling paranoid. What exactly has Lulu told him?
    ‘Is she now?’ I ask warily. ‘And what might those revelations be, exactly?’ Please, please, please let it not be anything about my status as accidental celibate – I hope some things are sacred between friends. It’s not that Dan doesn’t know I’ve been single for ages – of course he does; I see him all the time since I spend half my life at the house he shares with Lulu. But I’d rather he, and everyone else we know, imagine I’m up to all sorts of exciting antics offstage.
    ‘Something about giving up on your Wednesday nights together in search of adventure – which I suppose is what brings you here. And what I want to know, Lizzy Harrison, is just how much adventure can you handle? In Balham?’ Dan chuckles into his pint glass at the very idea, which is fairly annoying as his idea of crazy adventure is probably of the ‘wearing a pair of comedy breasts in public’ variety. I am far more adventurous than he could ever be, I reassure myself, even if I don’t look it tonight in my librarian number.
    ‘Oh, I can handle plenty of adventure, Dan, in Balham or anywhere else,’ I say, smiling at him sweetly. ‘Can you?’
    ‘Why don’t you try me?’ He turns on the bench so he’s facing me, one thigh pressed against mine.
    ‘Oh come off it, Dan! You? Adventurous? You’ve always been the straightest man I know. Except