‘Could you possibly, if it’s not too much trouble, call off your wretched dog?’ Pippa was practically hopping from foot to foot in her short pyjamas to avoid it and this wasn’t generally how she liked to present herself to strangers. This one, despite the lingering scowl, seemed faintly amused by her predicament as she flashed him a glance. She didn’t mind animals, and lovely though the dog was, she really didn’t want those sharp claws making contact with her bare skin.
‘Lola, come here,’ he said sharply. The dog hesitated, giving him a look as she pondered which of the two options she preferred. With a final lick on Pippa’s bare thigh, making her squirm again, Lola ambled back to the bed and jumped on it. ‘And for the record, she’s not wretched, she’s delightful.’
‘Debatable,’ Pippa muttered. And on the bed too. Urgh.
She hated being caught unawares, and barefoot in pyjamas with bed hair was far from ideal for having this conversation. But she couldn’t return to her room and change, that would make it seem like she minded her appearance. Because she didn’t, even if she was wondering whether translucent orange blended with yellow, red and a touch of phthalo blue would create exactly the right shade of watercolours to capture the darker lights in his hair.
‘What are you doing in my room?’ The words were delivered in a lazy Yorkshire drawl as he rested a gentle hand on the dog’s head.
‘Your room?’ Pippa’s eyes were racing around it, taking in the view of a brass-framed bed matching hers, more dark furniture, and blue-and-white striped wallpaper. Harriet! Where was she? Pippa took what she hoped was a menacing step forward, jamming hands on her hips. Right now she wouldn’t have minded borrowing that lance downstairs as well. ‘Who the hell are you? And where exactly is my daughter?’
‘Let’s deal with the second question first. Your daughter isn’t in here, obviously. And who the hell am I?’ He glared back from red-rimmed and shadowed eyes. It was scant consolation that he looked as drained as she did, if the sight of her face in the triple mirror before was anything to go by. A phone beside the bed was flashing and he leaned over to pick it up, peering at the screen. ‘I’m Gil. Or at least I think I am after two hours’ sleep, thanks to you barging into my room. I was hoping for a minimum of four.’
‘Barging in! I came to check on my daughter! How was I supposed to know there was a strange man…’ Pippa was glad she’d managed strange, because she was thinking gorgeous, if rather dishevelled and bad tempered. The dark blond streaks were shot through with lighter ones and a suntan let her know he lived a life outdoors. His eyes – a blue that was dazzlingly bright against his skin – were still crinkled into a scowl, deepening the lines carved beside them.
‘I’ve been called a few names in my time but never strange.’ He put the phone down and sank back against the pillows, a faint curl lifting the corners of his lips.
‘But who are you?’ She closed her mouth lest he thought she was gaping.
‘I thought we’d established that. I’m Gil. Haworth, if you want the rest. My middle name’s Pilkington. Don’t ask.’
‘I heard you the first time,’ she replied shortly. ‘But I’m afraid none of your names explain why you’re in my house.’
‘Your house?’ Even his brows managed to be sardonic. ‘Doesn’t it belong to your father, Pippa Douglas?’
‘How do you know who I am and what are you doing here? And how thehelldo you know my father?’ Pippa took a deep breath, trying to disguise her shock and quell her rising anger with both Gil and her dad. If it took her all day, she was going to track Jonny down and…
‘Again, let’s start with the second question; I live here. Now, back to your first. I know your name because it was in an email I received from your father’s solicitor. And how the hell do I know Jonny? He’s my landlord, unfortunately. Although we’ve never actually met. No plans to change that, incidentally. If you were wondering.’
‘I wasn’t and he’s told me nothing about you,’ she shot back, forcing herself to stand still and ignore the goosebumps quivering on her skin. She put that firmly down to the chill and not the sight of this man half naked in bed.
And what was her dad up to? He was as sharp as a tack, except when it came to women, and as he hadn’t told her about this man, then the only reason Jonny had avoided passing on the information was because he knew it would make her unhappy. Because it did. She was. She couldn’t be bumping into Gil on the landing every morning and sharing a bathroom for however long she and Harriet were marooned in this blasted house on one of her dad’s bloody whims.
‘Well, we can’t both stay here. At the same time.’ She glared at Gil, determined not to look down. Although every time his hand moved on the dog’s head, she caught another unplanned glimpse of that chest. Suntanned as well, but not quite as much as his face. Damn.
‘Technically, we can because I’m allowed to live here and you’re an invited guest. Just not by me.’ Gil’s phone was flashing again, and he checked it, typed a quick response, lips quirking when the dog nudged his hand, and he returned it to her head. ‘But you’re right, we can’t stay here together. I was planning to move out the moment you arrived, and I would’ve already done it if I’d known exactly when you were going to turn up. The solicitor wasn’t very clear about that.’
‘So you’ll move out today, then? Because I wasn’t aware of… you.’ Pippa tailed off. She hadn’t been expecting him to agree so easily and her shoulders loosened a fraction. She wasn’t too sure how complicated selling the house with a tenant in place would be, but if Gil was planning to go of his own accord, then that would help enormously.
‘This minute, if you prefer. But perhaps you’d like to give me some privacy.’ He raised the duvet enough to reveal a lower leg just as distracting as the rest of him. Her glance raced to the heap of clothes on the floor. Faded jeans, socks, a grey T-shirt. And a pair of shorts, green, sitting on top of everything else. Her pulse skipped a beat, and she took a hurried step backwards.
‘Urgh Mum, watch it! You nearly knocked me over.’
Pippa whirled around to find Harriet right behind her, staring blearily and clutching her ever-present phone. Long hair was fastened in a careless ponytail and her gold-flecked hazel eyes still had the power to stop Pippa in her tracks to marvel at her daughter’s emerging beauty.
‘Harriet! Sorry, did I wake you?’
‘Well, you weren’t exactly being quiet. Do you actually know how early it is?’ She peered around Pippa and gave Gil a grin, which he quickly returned as he pulled the duvet up. ‘Hi, I’m Harriet. I love your dog.’
‘Hey Harriet, I’m Gil. Nice to meet you. And thanks, I’m sure Lola will love you too.’ His cool gaze returned to Pippa, and she glowered back, noting she hadn’t received as warm an introduction.Nice to meet himwasn’t a phrase she’d use either and she really wasn’t sure about the dog yet.
‘Mum didn’t tell me you were here.’
‘That’s because I didn’t know.’ Pippa backed onto the landing with as much dignity as she could muster covered in dried dog slobber and golden fur scattered around her feet. ‘Gil is moving out as soon as he gets up.’
‘Oh? That’s a shame. Are you taking Lola with you?’ Harriet was looking longingly at the dog and Gil’s smile was polite.
‘I’m afraid I’ll have to, sorry. She goes pretty much everywhere with me. Besides, I don’t think your mum would want me to leave Lola behind. I’m not sure they’re going to be good friends.’
