There’s a storm brewing #3
It was clear as day that he desired her, and she felt the same way about him.
Then again, she had recognised so much more in him: a yearning for love, a deep need to belong, a wish for a true partnership.
Or was she just projecting? Were these her own dreams?
Lost in thought, she ran her hand over the wooden tabletop, whose scratches and cracks told of a long history.
Everything in this house was meant for a family – for happy children, pets, lots of love.
Shona left the living room and returned to the hallway.
She was across from the front door and assumed that the door next to it belonged to a downstairs loo.
An old wooden staircase led down to the basement and up to presumably the bedrooms. Could she have a look around there too?
Kendrick wouldn’t mind; he had literally given her permission to look around.
So she climbed the stairs and found herself in a hallway with four doors, all of them closed.
Her curiosity piqued, she opened the first door, which led to a spacious but empty room, as did the second.
Next was a rather old-fashioned bathroom and last, another empty room.
Did Kendrick sleep in the basement? That was hard to imagine.
Stairs led up one more floor, and taking these, Shona found herself in a loft that blew her mind.
So this was Kendrick’s realm! While the ground floor reflected the taste of the previous owners, this space up here was all Kendrick.
On one narrow side, directly under the rafters, stood a large, very inviting bed, while the wall across was covered floor to ceiling by a well-filled bookcase.
Apparently, Kendrick liked to read. For some reason, this appealed to her, even though she herself wasn’t much of a reader.
But she could easily imagine him sitting comfortably in one of the two cosy armchairs in front of the shelves, with his nose in a book while the rain pattered against the windows.
The thought warmed her heart. Two doors led off the longer side, one into a very nice bathroom, the other into a walk-in wardrobe that was no more than a third full.
Wow, what a treat! She had always envied her sister Isla’s walk-in and would have never expected such an extravagance from Kendrick.
Maybe she did have to revise some of her previous opinions of him?
Then again, she couldn’t believe that he had created a space like that, especially not in the short time since he had bought the place.
Yesterday he had spoken about the whirlwind he had experienced after his break-up and his move to Kirkby.
Also, she seemed to remember him saying that he had put most of his savings into the mobile practice.
No, this space too must have been set up by the previous owners.
Still contemplating that, she heard Kendrick call from downstairs to let her know the food was ready.
Shona took one last look at the freshly made bed and smiled as she walked down the stairs.
Dinner was utterly delicious, and at the same time an ordeal. Kendrick didn’t hold back with suggestive questions about how she liked his home and if she didn’t want to move in after all. As she had seen, she could have the entire middle floor to herself!
“This isn’t a place for roommates to share, it’s a home for a family,” Shona insisted as she finished her dinner and dabbed her lips with a napkin. She leant back, trying to look relaxed when in reality she was anything but.
Her comment lingered in the air between them for a while.
Kendrick didn’t respond but fed the last steak to the dogs, who had not begged but waited patiently for their treat.
“Let’s not talk about the best use of this house right now,” he finally said, “or I might say things that will drive you away even faster than your cousin’s meltdown. ” He smiled wistfully.
Shona had a pretty good idea of the direction his thoughts had been taking, and she agreed that it was not the kind of conversation she was prepared to have right now.
“Would you like some dessert?” he asked.
“Depends what you’re offering ...”
“I’ve got vanilla ice cream or biscuits.” With a sideways glance at the dogs, he began to clear the dishes.
“Maybe later.” Shona stood and walked around the table.
“For now, I’d much rather have the owner give me a tour of his house.
I might have some unanswered questions about this magnificent property.
” She ran a finger along his neck and then slid it lower.
He grabbed her hand as it reached the height of his belly button and kissed it.
“We should probably tidy everything away first. I don’t trust these two.” He squinted at Orla and Higgins, who looked perfectly innocent sitting by the table, heads tilted and staring him down.
Shona didn’t say anything but grabbed the salad bowl and the empty meat platter and carried them into the kitchen.
Kendrick followed her with the plates and cutlery.
He put everything in the dishwasher and closed the patio door.
“There’s definitely a storm brewing,” he muttered, looking up at the sky.
“Not just out there,” she replied and boldly placed her hand on his fly. The bulge was impossible to miss.