Recalling the sensation of Zhang’s warm breath against her skin made Alexandra a little dizzy as they strolled beside the canal in Suzhou’s old town. The banks were built up with clay bricks, and rows of medieval courtyard houses leaned against one another. The faded, whitewashed walls contrasted with the waves of black tiles on the rooftops. She’d read last night in her guidebook that the historic district of Pingjian was a thousand years old.

These lanes and alleyways had a pulse. She couldn’t stop herself from peering over fences, staring at giggling toddlers in nappies sitting on the ground and eating rice straight from the bowl with their hands, or watching pairs of men navigating the narrow canal in wooden boats. The smell of frying fish floated from every alley, making her stomach grumble.

‘That garden was massive, and we’ve done a lot of walking today,’ said Zhang. ‘Tomorrow we’ll do the Master of Nets for the grand lake.’ When Zhang had suggested they stay the night in Suzhou to visit more gardens on the Sunday, he’d offered to organise a driver and book them a room each in Suzhou. Alexandra was curious to see what kind of place he’d chosen—industrial chic, serene modern or medieval charm? He’d be equally at home in all three.

Bikes and covered rickshaws flew past, dinging their bells to drum up business, weaving between the footpaths and the road.

‘We’d better get you some something to eat,’ said Zhang as they came to a row of street stalls built into a wall under a red awning. The first sold flavoured rice milk in baby bottles, and the next had bamboo steamer trays loaded with sticky white fortune fish, smooth apple-green balls of glutinous rice and sticky purple balls of grain. ‘I’m not sure about the sweet treats. I adore them but I think I need something more substantial.’

Zhang pointed to the next stall, which had trays of tawny chicken feet, duck tongues, feathery white shrimp and cubes of chicken and fish on wooden sticks that were being grilled over hot coals. The cook twisted the wooden sticks between his thumb and forefinger over the dancing flame. He raised his shoulders and pointed at Alexandra—asking if she’d like one. She shook her head.

Zhang shrugged an apology to the man and gently took her hand, threading his fingers through hers. They were warm and strong.

‘Come,’ he said softly. ‘I have somewhere special in mind.’

He led her away from the stalls and back to the footpath, past two arched stone bridges where a stunning bride in a red embroidered cheongsam and another in a knockout white Vera Wang-style gown posed for photos with their grooms.

Zhang’s project in Shanghai was finishing in August and he was heading back to Hong Kong. She’d sworn off relationships, yet here she was with her hand in his and she didn’t want him to let go. Every time he brushed the small of her back, she shivered. She hardly even noticed the busy cyclists who chatted away on their mobile phones while they expertly weaved bikes loaded with cherries, pastries or dumplings between throngs of tourists.

They were walking faster now, racing against the lowering hazy pink sky behind the houses. ‘Where are we going in such a hurry?’ asked Alexandra.

But if she cared to admit it, she was happy to be led.

It was a balmy evening as they walked along cobblestones beside the main canal in the old part of Suzhou. They’d dined at a traditional noodle house with just three rickety tables on a terrace overlooking the canal. Alexandra had ordered the local paopao wonton soup for dinner and it was like eating balloons full of air, pork mince, prawns, mild pepper and allspice. She could still feel the popping on her tongue. Zhang had sat opposite her slurping up a bowl of fine noodles swimming in spicy chicken broth.

Zhang led her down a mysterious side street to a black bamboo lattice gate set in a whitewashed wall. They stepped into a courtyard lit with red paper lanterns and alternating patches of Chinese star jasmine and honeysuckle clinging to the walls. The ground was covered in raked white gravel with an expanse of moss on one side.

Alexandra looked at him. ‘You designed this place?’

He nodded. ‘It belongs to a client. It’s a private home, but he only visits once a year. I got the driver to drop our bags off here and run a few errands after we went to the garden.’ He dropped her hand rather awkwardly and took a small step away from her as he cleared his throat.

‘Your room is on the top floor, overlooking this garden.’

Alexandra nodded and looked up to where he pointed, trying to stop herself from frowning and giving away her disappointment that her evening was about to end.

In one corner of the courtyard was a table and chairs with a silver ice bucket, a bottle of champagne and two glasses. This must be one of the ‘errands’ the driver had run, Alexandra realised.

‘Shall we?’ Zhang ushered her to a chair and poured them each a glass of champagne. ‘We have this place to ourselves for the night.’

‘Thank you,’ said Alexandra as they clinked glasses.

He leaned over, and she felt his breath on her cheek.

‘So, this necklace of yours,’ he said. ‘Have you worked out the riddle?’

He was sitting close, their thighs almost touching. He twisted towards her and put out his hand and stroked the pendant, tracing the lines of the lily that almost formed part of Alexandra.

‘Um…’ Alexandra’s voice was shaky. It was taking all her energy to concentrate as Zhang traced her lily, and traced the circle of the pendant on her skin.

‘It connects you to your mother. But who does it connect your mother to?’

‘My grandmother always said it was the lucky charm that came with my mother. Or my mother was the lucky charm that came with the necklace!’

‘Another riddle,’ he said. ‘You know, the thing about riddles is that the answer is often the most simple, obvious solution…It’s not a riddle at all.’

He drew a line from her chest to her lips, then leaned in and kissed her.

It wasn’t the soft, tender kiss she’d imagined. It was deep.

Ravenous.

She put her empty champagne glass on the table with a clatter, and brushed his hair away from his eyes. He smelled of mint and the earth and as he kissed her, she slid off her chair and onto his lap. She slowly ran her hands across his broad shoulders, savouring every muscle as he kissed her harder and deeper.

As she came up for air, he started to slowly unbutton her shirt and kissed the top of her breasts, brushing the pendant away. She pulled his t-shirt over his head and ran her flat palm across his chest and down to his hard belly.

In one swift move, Zhang stood and carried her across to the bed of moss, where he gently laid her down. He lay down beside her and Alexandra groaned and pulled him close, losing herself in a thick cloud of vanilla and moss. Losing herself in him…