‘If you have any ambitions to become a Chippendale, you’ll have to improve your undressing technique.’ When he picks his mud-covered trousers up by the ankles and lines up the creases I bite back my smile. ‘The Chippendales don’t do “hospital corners” either. They toss their trousers up stage.’
Miles gives me an eye roll, delivers his own to the table, steps into his side of the shower, rubs himself vigorously, then stops to look at me. ‘In the interest of full disclosure, I have to say your four dresses weren’t see through when they were mud-covered, but they are now.’ He pauses to give me a slow smile. ‘In case you want to turn around.’
I don’t move. I simply stare at him. ‘Back at you. Your formerly white cotton shirt is fully transparent, and never swim in those pants, because now they’re soaked they’re completely indecent.’ I take a step towards him and rub his cheek. ‘And your face is covered in soil.’
He rubs his thumb across my chin. ‘Did I mention you’re even more beautiful with wet hair and tide marks?’
How did I ever think I could get under a shower with Miles and not be in big trouble? I bite my lip, stare past his wet lashes into the deepest, darkest brown eyes, and I know it’s time to be honest with him.
‘So, Miles– I haven’t had a drink, but I’m ecstatic we found Pumpkin, and I’m extremely grateful to you for helping and listening to me talking about my darkest times. So I’m not sure how this fits with your conditions, because I’m not asking– I’m telling you. First I’m going to snog your face off and then I’m going to have to lie you down and bonk you senseless. Are you going to be okay with that?’
Miles looks like he’s biting back his smile. ‘That’s definitely something I could work with.’ One eyebrow goes up. ‘But only if you’re sure.’
I grin at him. ‘I’ve never been more certain about anything ever.’ Now that’s out of the way, I’m all about the practicalities. ‘Probably not right here, because that would be disrespectful to Scarlett and Tate…’
Miles lets his full grin go. ‘We might be overthinking this? If they had a pony in their tranquility zone earlier, sex in their shower might matter less.’
I need to cover all bases. ‘And I haven’t slept with anyone for two years, so I might have forgotten how to do it.’
‘Same here.’ Miles laughs. ‘If we’ve both got that much catching up to do, this could be a long night.’
I shake my head. ‘Can you just stop talking and let me kiss you?’
‘Of course. Don’t let me hold you up. I’m ready whenever you are…’
He smiles down at me, and as I move towards him, he stands still and carries on smiling and my heart feels like it’s going to jump out of my chest. Then I graze his lips with my tongue, run my fingers through his hair, and pull his head down so I can reach him. Then my mouth is on his, and when he parts his lips and lets me in, he tastes of coffee and toffee pecans and raspberries and apple crumble. And then he starts to kiss me back. I arch myself against him and as my whole body explodes I’m hit by a tidal wave of need that makes me forget anything else exists.
50
Boathouse Cottage, St Aidan
Back to front and inside out
Sunday
When I woke early on Sunday morning, I was upside down on Scarlett’s immense natural-wool super-king mattress, my legs draped over Miles’s, which meant I was looking up at a whole new section of sky. Because he was asleep and naked except for one strand of quilt draped across his ankle, I was actually looking anywhere but at the clouds.
We came to bed yesterday evening via the shower, then most places in the cottage. Then we got up again, had supper, went to bed on the sofa, got up again, had another indoor shower, then lay in the field watching the stars until they faded into dawn. And then we came back to Miles’s bed, had a couple of hours sleep, and now Miles has gone to make us what he called a ‘wake-up-gently’ coffee before we get ready to leave for work.
He strolls across the bedroom, puts the tray on the bed, and passes me a mug.
I pull the quilt around my shoulders, and take a sip. ‘It was nice of your mum to cover this morning’s baking.’
Miles laughs. ‘I’ll have to do it tomorrow and every day after that, but I didn’t want to rush today.’
He’s pulled on some boxers, and however irresistible he’s looking, there’s something I need to sort out.
‘You said you’d always wanted to kiss me. The other day.’
He nods. ‘I have.’
I have to deal with this. ‘How does that fit with you wrecking Scarlett’s wedding album because you refused to be near me?’
He pulls a face. ‘It was all down to the stalking thing I told you about. Obviously I fancied you like crazy, but I knew how I felt would show on my face in the photos, especially if we spent all day together, so I tried to avert the problem.’
He takes a breath. ‘My partner at Dedication had pulled his influencer sister in to help run our ad campaigns. She was great at her job, but she was also determined to sleep with me. I didn’t feel the same, she wouldn’t take no for an answer, and it all came to a head around the time of the wedding.’
‘Poor woman, poor you– it sounds awful.’
