“I can sort lunch,” offered Tasha.
“Maybe you could fix us all something as our last lunch went up in smoke.” Jim’s cryptic words confused Dylan and Lizzie who looked at Tasha.
She ignored their confusion. “I’ll get changed and then I’ll be in the kitchen.”
Jim found her preparing salad to accompany the cannelloni she’d discovered in the fridge and was now cooking in the oven.
“Do you think my daughter’s horny boyfriend will be able to concentrate on lunch with you dressed like that?” Jim wrapped his arms around Tasha’s waist from behind and gently kissed her shoulders.
“I haven’t dressed for him, or for anyone else,” Tasha replied, stiffening.
“Still a little attitude there, baby.” Laughed Jim as his hand stroked her thigh beneath the sarong that was tied around her waist covering her bikini bottoms and upper legs.
“Not at all.”
His other hand traced up towards the bright red bikini top as he laughed loudly. “Oh honey, you are a terrible liar.” He returned his lips to her shoulder and began to trace a path of gentle nips towards her neck making her moan lowly as she relaxed into his touch against her own wishes.
“I really do love you, Tasha, but you are your own worst enemy,” he whispered.
Tasha turned around to face Jim now and admitted his point. “Maybe.”
“No maybe, definitely.” He grinned as he passed her a small piece of paper.
“What’s this?”
“Sally Carter’s number. I must have left it on the counter. Sandra found it and put it on my desk.”
“Why are you giving it to me?”
“Well, you seem more interested in it than me and I have no use for it, so do what you want with it.”
“I don’t want it,” protested Tasha as she tried to pass it back to him.
“Neither do I.” Jim trailed a finger from her neck towards her chest.
She screwed the piece of paper up and stretched across Jim to throw it in the bin, “Gone.” She smiled. “I am sorry for earlier. I know I overreacted, but…”
“But what?” Jim moved closer.
“I don’t know,” she admitted, confused. “I wish we could just shut the rest of the world out and for it to just be the two of us forever.”
“It is. You have nothing to feel insecure about.” He began to kiss her, gently at first then more forcefully.
She wanted to protest that she actually had plenty to feel insecure about; his six ex-wives, her whole life, Gerry, impending marriage after an unbelievably short relationship, his past relationships and the basis of them, but she didn’t say a word, she simply allowed herself to get lost in his kiss and his touch until the sound of Sandra entering the room stopped them both dead.
“Sorry, I was just—” started Sandra with obvious embarrassment as Tasha cut her off.
“No, it’s fine. We’ll be out of your way in about five minutes.” Tasha passed cutlery to Jim. “Shall we eat indoors or out?”
Jim shrugged. “Either, but you need to cover up regardless.” He accepted the cutlery, turned and left the two women alone.
“How is Jim taking our Lizzie having a boyfriend?” asked Sandra curiously.
“He’s not. I think he’s in denial that she has even been kissed.” Tasha smiled, falling a little harder for the man she loved, for the father he was. The sort of man to be horrified at the idea of any boy or man thinking of his little girl as anything other than just that. He was the complete opposite of her own father who had seen it, used and abused it.
“Is lunch almost done? We’re starving,” cried Lizzie as she appeared in the kitchen, breaking the thoughts that were threatening to take Tasha to a dark place.
“Yes, just coming.”
