“You are. Rayah Maynard was jealous of the women I was entertaining…” He stepped closer to her, making sure he couldn’t be overheard. “Were you wondering what it would be like to be introduced to the…” he waggled his eyebrows and poked at her shoulder, “hose?”
She burst out laughing. “Give over, Jonny. Why would I be jealous? If I’d wanted you, all I needed to do was beckon my finger and call you over!”
He turned around and pulled a frying pan from the cupboard. Give it two point five minutes and there would be at least one kid in here telling him they were hungry.
“Why don’t you do it and find out? See if what’s under that pyjama top is that irresistible?”
“I already know it is. You’ve told me.” She shot him a grin that oozed challenge and he remembered the look on her face when she’d knocked him to the ground after hiding in the tree.
Only this look was all grown up.
“I guess we’ll see.” He turned back to her, bottle of oil in hand. “I bet you spill your guts about me first and tell everyone that you kissed me. There’s no way you won’t be able to keep that a secret with Keren and Sorrell – your little coven.” He was goading her, knowing full well she would be able to keep it quiet, but also knowing that she would not resist a challenge. Or miss what he’d insinuated.
“I believe it was you who kissed me. And you’ll be the one to give the game away. I’ve seen how you look at me.”
“And how’s that, Miss Maynard?” He maintained eye contact even though she was standing so her top pulled across her tits, her nipples noticeable.
“Like I’m better than bacon.”
“Rayah, nothing is better than bacon.”
Jonny sat backand rested his head against Jake Maynard’s sofa. The food coma he’d induced was taking him into a state of semi-unconsciousness and he was more than happy to go there. Sadie Grace had fallen asleep on a comfy chair and Charlie and Harry had discovered an aged games console that still worked and were playing Pac Man with Alex, who seemed to have remembered he had skills in that area.
He’d planned a quiet Christmas Day, just him and the kids for the first time ever and as he should’ve predicted, the plans went south shortly after he’d washed the last pot. The Maynard boys had turned up with several sleighs and suggested that the kids – meaning the adults – might want to go sledging down the small hills on some of the farmland.
Jonny had thought for a moment about the possibility of at least one of his kids either breaking an arm or losing their lunch, because there was no way they’d take it easy and then he’d remembered the last Christmas he’d had with Grace and the memories they’d made then. Besides, Jake was good with vomit. He’d had enough practice with his own.
“I think the bump won’t be too bad in the morning.” Rayah sat down next to him, mainly because it was the only space available. Jake and Rayah’s uncle – Scott, Zack and Alex’s dad – was in the process of moving in with his partner who was a doctor at the hospital in Leeds. This meant that one or two of the rooms in the farmhouse were currently serving as places to store boxes, leaving hardly any room to live.
“Let me see.” Jonny sat up and shuffled around, putting his large hands on Rayah’s shoulders and manoeuvring her so he could look at where she’d banged her head, because Rayah Maynard could not go a day without some form of injury. “You’re going to have a black eye in the morning.”
She groaned and leaned back slightly into him. “I have a governance meeting at school the first Monday back after the holidays. I can’t go in looking injured again.”
“Again?” He narrowed his eyes at her.
“The last meeting was when I managed to fall in nettles.”
He grinned. She had been doing her usual performance and trying a balancing act on a wall. The graceful jump she’d taken to get down had ended with her landing in a bed of nettles and she’d reacted to their sting. “You must’ve looked so pretty.”
“The Chair thought I had chicken pox. It was one way to make sure the meeting ended quickly though.” She gave him an evil grin.
“Consider it for next time. Let me have a proper look.” He didn’t need to, but it was a good chance to put his hands on her and make her squirm. “Have you cleaned it properly?” She’d fallen off the sleigh and caught her head on a tree stump. Because it was Rayah she’d simply gotten up, walked away and rode again and it was only when she’d gotten into the farmhouse she’d announced she had a bit of a headache.
“It’s just a bruise.”
“You’ve cut it too. How have you not bled everywhere.” The room was poorly lit with just a couple of lamps so he threaded his fingers gently in her hair and massaged her scalp.
“Rayah doesn’t bleed. It’s all that witchiness in her.” Jake’s eyes were fixed on the screen where a blue hedgehog was running in circles. “I used to be so good at this.”
“You make your mamma proud.” Alex moved his arms dramatically round as if that would help the controller navigate. “Bastard!”
“Children in the room, Al. Language.” Rayah’s mum wasn’t actually asleep on the sofa.
“They’ve heard worse.” Jonny leaned in and inspected the cut. “It needs a clean. It’s a scratch more than anything. Where’s your first aid kit, Jake?”
“Kitchen cupboard under the kettle.” Jake’s eyes were still on the game.
“Charlie, can you go and find it, please?” Jonny used the voice that meant the only answer wasyes, Dad, as quick as I can.There was a brief noise that sounded like a grumble but he scooted off, not quite brave enough yet to argue.
