“I don’t think Philip or Lizzie had any intention of giving up their seat next to you.” She smiled.
“Did it bother you?”
She shrugged. “No, they’re your children, but obviously I would rather have been sitting next to you than Lenny.”
Jim laughed at her pained expression. “I love my present and I really do love you, even when you were winding me and Lenny up at breakfast.”
“I don’t know what you mean, Mr Maybury.”
Her innocent expression earned her an exaggerated frown and shake of the head. “The breakfast, the concert, the Natasha sandwich, need I go on?” He nipped her ear.
“Maybe not. What was Lenny’s problem?”
He suddenly roared with laughter. “Nice change of subject, honey. I’ll tell you about Lenny later. If we were alone in the house you would probably be across my desk right now for the sandwich comment.” He lifted her head up by tugging her hair back quite firmly. “But who knows? Maybe later.”
“Or not, because Sara informs me that Lizzie is staying over tonight. Speaking of Lizzie, she is still upstairs getting ready and Philip and Juan will be back soon and your brother is meeting us there,” she said as she got to her feet and walked with a purposeful wiggle to the door.
“Keep wiggling that ass baby and I will be spanking it regardless of who is in the house,” he warned with no hint of a real threat.
“You wouldn’t dare,” she replied as she looked back at him over her shoulder and cut her eyes.
With what she considered to be lightning speed Jim had leapt up, chased her and caught her halfway up the stairs. She was pressed firmly against the wall by Jim with her legs wrapped tightly around his hips kissing him, totally uninhibited when the sound of Philip’s voice interrupted them.
“Get a room,” he cried. “Is Lizzie ready?”
Tasha looked at him guiltily.
“You haven’t even started on your mission to get Lizzie down have you?” he asked, sounding cross with her.
“Sorry,” she said sincerely, “Your dad was just about to round Lizzie up.”
“Yeah looks like it,” said Philip wryly. “I will get her myself while you two sort yourselves out,” he added as he passed them on the stairs.
Chapter 5
Tasha quickly changed and as she reached the bottom of the stairs wearing a plain red bikini beneath the denim shorts and a red t-shirt that she finished with jewelled flip flops, Jim was telling Philip not to eat too much ice cream like he was a three-year-old.
“Right, let’s go,” said Jim as they all shouted goodbye to Sandra.
Tasha followed the others towards a white Audi Q7 and wondered how many cars one person needed and how many Jim had. Philip appeared to be manhandling an unhappy looking Lizzie into the back of the car where she sat sulking with her phone in her hand and earphones pushed into her ears by the time Tasha reached them.
“Is Lizzie okay?” asked Tasha.
“No, she’s a brat,” replied Philip.
“She’s fine. One way or another she’ll get over herself.” Jim ignored Philip’s comment.
Juan just looked across, shrugged and smiled.
Tasha felt uncomfortable as they all travelled in silence until Philip asked, “Can somebody plug their phone or something into the speakers, not you though, Dad.”
“Tasha’s might be more to your taste,” suggested Jim.
Tasha plugged hers in and put it on shuffle and as she, Philip and Juan began to sing along and dance, Jim laughed. “It’s like driving the mini-van for the local youth club.”
They all laughed at him except Lizzie. “Then maybe you should rethink coming to the concert with us if we make you feel old and decrepit,” she spat out.
Tasha looked back at Lizzie who was still sulking and the boys who looked as uncomfortable as she felt. Suddenly, they were turning off the road to pull into what looked like motorway services to Tasha.
