Country Affairs. Zara Stoneley
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I bet you didn’t.’ Her tone was dry.
‘You’ll love it here, you won’t want to leave, will he babe?’ This time Sam did raise a toast, delighted at the prospect of parading her newfound buddy around the area.
Although, thinking about it, he’d probably be a hit in Kitterly Heath. Maybe she should actively encourage him in that direction.
‘Never knew everybody would be so welcoming. Any chance of a drink, then, Pippa? Can’t wait to get to know you all better.’ Todd gave Sam the full-on beam, and Pip could have sworn she blushed. Oh God. It was getting worse by the hour. The man had barely introduced himself and he’d already done who knew what to Tab and now looked like he was setting his sights on Sam. The only advantage, she supposed, was that he genuinely didn’t seem to be here to sweep Lottie off her feet, so why was he here?
‘Mind you, I could do with a change of clobber – think this is a bit stinky.’ Todd pulled the t-shirt, which he’d had on yesterday on his horse-riding challenge, away from his body and gave it a sniff. ‘All that wrestling with the gee gees I guess. Can’t imagine why you lot do it for fun.’
Sam giggled and Pip raised her eyebrows. ‘Don’t you dare strip off here Crocodile Dundee, I’ll show you the spare bedroom.’ Which she supposed meant that she’d accepted he was staying. ‘But if you as much as leer at Lottie I’ll put you on a plane myself.’
***
Todd dropped his battered rucksack on the floor of the bedroom and stooped to peer out of the small sash window. To the immediate rear of the cottage was a small well-kept garden, overflowing with the type of colour only a British garden can boast, and beyond it the lush green of grass and trees.
He rested his knuckles on the sill and had a sudden longing for the wide-open spaces of his home town in Australia, and the sea. Homesickness was a new one for Todd, and he didn’t acknowledge this feeling as that. He just put it down to claustrophobia.
The cottages might be quaint around here, but they were dark and crowded with heavy furniture, and an expanse of flat green pasture didn’t compensate for the surf and blue-to-the-horizon life he was used to.
What was he doing here? Sure, he’d felt a heel over the whole splitting up with Lottie thing and he did owe her an explanation and an apology. Being a bit careless and forgetful was one thing, but the whole charge of bigamy had knocked him sideways. He might be irresponsible at times, but he’d never meant to hurt anybody. And he’d never really been one for breaking the law. And if his second rushed marriage had been carried out formally, he guessed the whole misunderstanding would never have happened. Not that his first wife called it a misunderstanding. He’d seen the look on her face when his lawyer had finally declared the divorce absolute.
He stared out over the fields, not really seeing them. He’d married the first time in a mad lustful rush of youthful impatience, but within days the cracks had appeared. Marrying his English wife in her home town had been part of the plan, as had a move back out to Australia. But, they’d both soon realised that the day-to-day reality of living the dream was a nightmare.
After a year of hell, she’d headed home to her family and filed for divorce. And then changed her mind on seeing the decree nisi and realising what she was losing. So she had never filed for the absolute.
Except Todd hadn’t realised. As far as he was concerned it was done and dusted and he’d moved on. He’d been on a trail of proving his manhood and repairing his ego.
Coming back to the UK to tie up the loose ends had been one thing, but there was far more to it than that. He had to stay and fulfil the promise he’d made to his brother. His conscience wouldn’t let him escape from that obligation. Having good intentions was part of his character; being responsible wasn’t. And right now every bit of him was screaming out at him to leave this place and head back to the waves.
But he had made a promise, and it was one he didn’t want to break. Sometimes in life you only had one key chance, an opportunity to do the right thing, and he was pretty sure this was his.
Todd suddenly remembered why thinking wasn’t a good idea; it never made anything better. He turned back to the tiny room and, stripping his t-shirt over his head, realised that being six foot tall wasn’t a good idea in a cottage either. ‘Struth.’
‘What are you up to? Oh!’ He barely registered Pip’s brief knock on the door as he’d whipped his top up and received an unexpected rap on the knuckles as they’d made contact with the very old and sturdy beam that straddled the bedroom ceiling. She was now grinning at him and staring at his exposed midriff. ‘Just need a hook up there and I could hold you captive, at my mercy.’
‘Any time, hun. You get on and have your wicked way.’ He winked, then let his arms drop down to his sides, the t-shirt slithering to the floor. Both of them knowing it wasn’t going to happen, but the blood had rushed straight down to his crotch anyway. All these girls in skin-tight jodhpurs and designer gear was playing havoc with his libido. Bikinis he could cope with, but hidden delights was a new one on him.
‘I would, but,’ her head dropped to one side, exposing her long, lightly tanned, neck, ‘Sam is waiting. You did say you’d take us out for some grub.’
There was something about this English rose complexion and countryside thing that could make for an interesting summer, Todd decided. After he’d sorted what he came here for, although he could always run the two alongside. Why suffer more than he had to?
‘And you do know that Sam is out of bounds, don’t you? She’s very happily married.’ She stressed the ‘very’. ‘To a very rich and famous footballer.’
‘So you said. Looks like pretty much every woman in the county is out of bounds, eh?’
‘You got it.’
‘No harm in a bit of fun though, doll.’ He laughed at her annoyed expression, which he remembered well from Barcelona. How Pip and Lottie had ever met up he didn’t know, and how they’d become such close friends was even more unfathomable. ‘Ah come here for a hug, Pippy.’ He held out his arms.
Pip froze, her eyes fixed firmly on his naked torso, and took a gulp, not quite sure where a hug against that might take her. ‘I think you need to put some clothes on.’ As she scarpered down the stairs casting a ‘and don’t call me Pippy’ over her shoulder, he laughed to himself. He’d not expected that reaction. He genuinely adored the prickly Pip because he just knew that under that protective layer there had to be a warm heart. Or Lottie wouldn’t love her. And she was funny, entertaining and witty. Which had to be a bonus.
He pulled a clean t-shirt from the rucksack and put it on, taking more care not to fling his arms about this time. That Mick she was shacked up with was an interesting character too. A good craic, as the Irish would say, but touchy. Very touchy. He’d had a ‘don’t you dare’ look about him last night, then had been offering bed and board this morning. Which had been unexpected, but perfect. Well it looked like he might not have the surf to keep him occupied, but there were plenty of other distractions. But if he wasn’t careful, the way this lot partied, he’d have trouble keeping his eye on the ball.
He had one more try at lifting the sash window and letting a bit more air in the place, then admitted defeat when he managed to lift it barely two inches. He guessed this place could be more of a challenge than it looked.
Lottie sat on the bale of hay, her gaze following Mick’s every move.
It wasn’t just that he was supremely fit, stripped to the waist, his dark hair plastered to the back of his neck and a tantalising bead of sweat trickling between his shoulder blades. It was also soothing. The watching bit. Well, that was her story and she’d rather like to stick to it.
The muscles in his arm flexed as he eased the shoe away from the