‘Okay, we’ve got time, but if you’re a total novice, we should start asap. When are you free?’ The prospect of spending time with the woman I’ve been fantasising about for two years makes me feel like a giddy schoolboy again.
Especially when it involves seeing her body sculpted in synthetics.
‘Tomorrow?’ she edges. ‘Though it is Sunday.’
Sundays are traditionally a family day. We go to Mam’s for a roast. My sister, Rachel, helps with the dinner while Richard and I tear around the garden after our nephews. I’ve been caught out before by “Ronan, will you change Mark’s nappy? It’s only a wet one, I promise.”
Rachel’s husband, Jonathon, usually brings out the board games afterwards. Now and again, we smoke one of Dad’sfavourite cigars in his memory. Keeping the family tradition going has become a religious routine since he passed.
I never work on Sundays, but for Savannah, I’ll make an exception. Hell, if she wanted me to work on Christmas Day, for her I would. Any excuse to spend time with her.
‘I could probably squeeze an hour in the morning.’ As long as I don’t go out with Richard tonight, drink my weight in whiskey, and end up in bed with another random. ‘Meet you at St. Jude’s at eleven?’ I suggest. ‘I’ll have to run it by the principal, but I’m sure she’ll be cool with us using the school pool on a Sunday.’
‘No need. Ashley Kearney might be the principal, but she’s also my best friend. I’m meeting her tonight. She won’t mind.’ Savannah sounds certain of it.
‘Well, I guess I’ll see you tomorrow then, Sassy Sav.’ I pick up the TV remote again.
‘It’s Single Sav, as you well know.’ There’s less of a protest in her tone than usual.
‘More’s the pity.’ For once, there’s no trace of teasing in my tone.
She pauses, like she’s waiting for the punchline, but there isn’t one. ‘See you tomorrow. And Ronan…thank you.’
‘I would say it’s a pleasure, but given you hate the ground I walk on, I’m not sure it will be.’
‘I don’t hate the ground you walk on. I hate your ego.’
‘Ouch.’ Maybe she has a point.
I should rein it in.
But then what will I hide behind when she’s so close that the scent of her feminine floral perfume sends my dick into overdrive?
Chapter Four
SAVANNAH
‘Girls, we need to leave or we’re going to be late.’ I whizz round the open-plan country-style kitchen grabbing my purse, phone, and car keys.
Eden is waiting patiently by the front door with her shoes on. Isla is hopping around on one foot in just a pair of pink striped panties.
‘Isla, seriously! Go and get dressed, please.’ I fling my hands up in despair. I’m jittery and it has nothing to do with three glasses of Sancerre I had with Ashley last night, and everything to do with the fact I’m about to get into waist deep water for the first time in over twenty years.
I concentrate on my breathing. Ronan will not let me drown. The man is a professional. He might have dented my Range Rover, and my ego, but I trust him - in the water at least.
My phone vibrates with a message from Ashley, my best friend. Obviously, she said it was no problem to use the school pool.
Ashley: Good luck with the hot swimming instructor.
Gah. I’ll be too terrified to notice how hot he is today.
Ten minutes later, I load the girls into my brand-new Range Rover, one that neither Ronan nor I have dinged, yet.
Crashing into him was one of the most embarrassing experiences of my life. I blame him, but truthfully, I might have been in the wrong. It’s impossible to call it. We were both attempting to park in the same spot from opposite sides. Admittedly, I was distracted, but he must have been too when he didn’t see me ploughing in from the other side.
‘Everyone got everything?’ I check as I start the engine. Isla finally picked a dress from her extensive collection, and both girls are strapped into their car seats.
‘Yep,’ they chant in unison.
