Chapter 50
50
Boathouse Cottage, St Aidan
Back to front and inside out
Sunday
W hen I woke early on Sunday morning, I was upside down on Scarlett’s immense natural-wool super-king mattress, my legs draped over Miles’s, which meant I was looking up at a whole new section of sky. Because he was asleep and naked except for one strand of quilt draped across his ankle, I was actually looking anywhere but at the clouds.
We came to bed yesterday evening via the shower, then most places in the cottage. Then we got up again, had supper, went to bed on the sofa, got up again, had another indoor shower, then lay in the field watching the stars until they faded into dawn. And then we came back to Miles’s bed, had a couple of hours sleep, and now Miles has gone to make us what he called a ‘wake-up-gently’ coffee before we get ready to leave for work.
He strolls across the bedroom, puts the tray on the bed, and passes me a mug.
I pull the quilt around my shoulders, and take a sip. ‘It was nice of your mum to cover this morning’s baking.’
Miles laughs. ‘I’ll have to do it tomorrow and every day after that, but I didn’t want to rush today.’
He’s pulled on some boxers, and however irresistible he’s looking, there’s something I need to sort out.
‘You said you’d always wanted to kiss me. The other day.’
He nods. ‘I have.’
I have to deal with this. ‘How does that fit with you wrecking Scarlett’s wedding album because you refused to be near me?’
He pulls a face. ‘It was all down to the stalking thing I told you about. Obviously I fancied you like crazy, but I knew how I felt would show on my face in the photos, especially if we spent all day together, so I tried to avert the problem.’
He takes a breath. ‘My partner at Dedication had pulled his influencer sister in to help run our ad campaigns. She was great at her job, but she was also determined to sleep with me. I didn’t feel the same, she wouldn’t take no for an answer, and it all came to a head around the time of the wedding.’
‘Poor woman, poor you– it sounds awful.’
Miles bites his lip. ‘It wasn’t really stalking to begin with, because it was all very public, but she was quite full on and not always rational. If I’d been all over Facebook in the wedding photos standing next to a bridesmaid as attractive as you, I was worried the whole thing would get out of hand. I didn’t want to inadvertently drag you into it either.’ He blows out a breath. ‘I’m very sorry for messing up Scarlett’s pictures, but partnering the very married, very pregnant bridesmaid felt like the safest bet. And I didn’t explain on the day, because it wasn’t something I wanted everyone to know.’
He frowns. ‘That’s why I searched high and low for you next morning to apologise properly.’
‘It must have got worse if you ended up here?’
He sighs. ‘It was all very delicate; we were worried about workplace harassment claims. With her social media experience, it could easily have spiralled out of control, which would have been disastrous for the company. In the end me withdrawing without loss of income was the workable solution we decided on.’ He sighs again. ‘Not long after the wedding, I stopped going to the office and sold my place in Manchester. And Mum needed me here, so it fitted in.’
I’m shocked. ‘That doesn’t seem fair.’
He blows out a breath. ‘This is how I recognise your feeling of doubting yourself. At the time I was certain I hadn’t done anything to suggest any interest other than in our working relationship. But when someone else sees it so differently, you end up questioning every nuance. In a strange way it shattered my professional confidence too.’
I’m smiling. ‘And that’s why you were desperate to find a new project?’
Miles pulls a face. ‘I hate not working. But quite apart from not coming across anything suitable, it was very hard to trust new people and situations. Until you came along, that is.’
I can’t help smiling. ‘I’m very honoured you looked at me twice.’
He grins. ‘I wanted to spend time with you, because I wanted to get to know you better, and when I did your whirlwind approach to life woke me up like a blast of sea spray in my face. You turned my ideas upside down, and reignited my enthusiasm for work.’ His smile gets wider. ‘You being scorching hot might have had something to do with it too.’
I laugh as I remember. ‘You looked very hot at the wedding. And I fancied you so much when you walked in from the beach, I’ve been dreaming about getting you in that shower most days since then. Last night wasn’t an accident– when I stepped onto that terrace, I made a very conscious decision.’
‘I’m very pleased you did.’ He turns to me and smiles. ‘Would you like to do this again?’
I laugh again. ‘I’d never meant to, but as we’ve got this far it seems a shame not to enjoy it while it lasts… if that’s okay with you?’
He puts down our mugs and pulls me against him. ‘That’s good by me, Betsy.’ He cocks his head. ‘Is that the doorbell?’
‘It’s the end gate.’ I jump off the bed, step over Fudge, and pull on a shirt. ‘It could be Zofia dropping plants off.’
As I leave the kitchen and cross the gravel I’m readjusting my expression so Zofia doesn’t guess what’s happened, but when I open the gate, I’m staring at a guy in a navy suit.
He holds out his hand. ‘Mark Osbourne, surveyor.’ He takes in my blank look. ‘Here for a valuation– a Sunday morning special, booked yesterday. This is Boathouse Cottage?’
My blood runs cold. ‘That’s right. I’m house-sitting for my sister Scarlett, but she didn’t say you were coming.’
The guy frowns. ‘I spoke to your sister’s husband, Tate.’
‘Of course.’ I do a quick mental tour and take in devastation in every area. ‘I’d appreciate a few minutes to tidy so you see the place at its best. You could try the café a few minutes along the beach?’
Mr Osbourne nods. ‘I’ll grab a coffee and see you in half an hour.’
I watch him head off down the lane, then hurtle inside to Miles who’s standing by the bed stretching. ‘Do you know anything about a survey appointment?’
Miles smacks his palm to his head. ‘How did I forget?’
I laugh. ‘Maybe because you’ve been up all night having super-hot sex?’
He looks at me. ‘You did like it?’
‘Do it to me ten more times, and I’ll let you know.’ I laugh. ‘In the meantime, we have thirty minutes to make the place spotless.’
‘Damn.’ He pulls me into the kind of slow delicious kiss that makes my head spin.
I finally break away. ‘You do the bedroom, kitchen, mudroom and terraces, I’ll take the bathroom, sofa area and field?’
And just like that we’re back to our day.