He caught her chin in his hand with a featherlight touch, which sent tingles racing across her skin.
Their eyes held each other’s. Ella’s breath hitched. The moment shimmered between them. He lowered his head. Her heart somersaulted.
And Tess nudged her in the back of her knees, pitching her forward to headbutt Devon right on the nose.
‘Oh no, I’m sorry! Are you OK?’
With a rueful smile, Devon rubbed his nose and said with a muffled voice, ‘Yes, dime fine.’ Or something like that. ‘Died bedder go.’
‘Yes, well . . . er, thanks again.’
He turned to leave, and stopped.
‘Erm, would you . . . ’
Just as she said. ‘Would you like . . . ?’
‘Ladies first.’
‘Well . . . you’ve been . . . so . . . I just wondered if you’d like to come here for a meal. To say thank you. For today. Make up foryour bruschetta. Nothing special. I’m not a great cook. Well, not any kind of cook at all but . . . ’
‘That would be great.’
‘Oh.’ The air whooshed out of her lungs in relief. Which was a bit crazy because she was only asking him for dinner. To say thank you. That was all.
‘Right. Monday night?’
‘Sounds perfect. See you then.’
She managed to keep a straight face as she watched him walk down the path; it was only when she closed the door and leaned against it that a silly smile decided to take over her entire face.
Tess gave a little yip and a bounce.
‘It’s just dinner, Tess. Don’t go getting any ideas.’
Chapter Twenty-Five
As her parents’ house was just off the main road, she opened up the boot and let Tess jump straight out. ‘Come on, girl, let’s see what the oldies have to say for themselves.’
Her father opened the door so promptly, it was as if he’d been hiding behind it in wait and the delicious smell of roast beef filled the air. Her favourite. She hoped her mother had done Yorkshire puddings as well.
‘Tess, look at you.’ He beamed at Ella. ‘Gosh, she’s looking good. Lovely glossy coat.’
‘Really? Since when did you become an expert on dog care?’ she asked, her eyes dancing with pleasure at the sight of her slightly stooped father.
‘You pick these things up,’ he grinned back, his eyes surrounded by laughter lines. ‘And if you . . . ’
‘ . . . say things with enough conviction, people will believe you.’ She finished for him. He was a great one for making things up rather than admitting he didn’t actually know the answer.
‘How are you, love? I must say,’ he said enfolding her in a hug, one of his familiar lambswool sweaters tickling her nose, ‘you are looking very well.’ He led the way down the hall to the big kitchen diner which took up the whole of the back of the house.
‘Don’t you start, Dad. The way Mum carries on you’d think I was at death’s door when I came back a few weeks ago.’ Although to be honest compared to how she felt then, she now felt a million times better. Maybe her soul had been in terminal decline.
‘Tea, dear?’
‘Yes, please.’
He nodded as Ella settled at the breakfast bar of the big open plan kitchen and watched him potter around the kitchen intermittently stopping to pet Tess, who like an animated hoover was busy chasing crumbs around the floor and sniffing every nook and cranny.
