‘Who’s that?’
‘Jasper.’
‘Jasper? Jasper who?’
‘What? Look, if this is some kind of knock, knock, joke, I’m sorry, but it’s late, I’m tired, and I’m really not in the mood. Plus it’s raining out here.’
‘Excuse me! You’re the one ringing my doorbell, whoever you are.’
‘I’ve told you who I am. I’m Jasper.’
‘Jasper who, though?’
‘Jasper Bright. Tom Bright’s grandson. I’m only here because he insisted I come and … Oh. Hello. It’s good of you to open … O…o…h! Are you Lara?’
He sounded as astonished as Lara felt.
Her jaw had dropped the second she had opened the front door. Standing on her doorstep was one of the most gorgeous men she had ever seen. A tall, broad-shouldered hunk of a man who looked nothing at all like Tom and yet was so like him somehow. But instead of Tom’s hawk nose, this man’s was like a Greek god’s. In fact all of him was like a god, from what her bewitched eyes could take in as they scanned him from head to toe and back again. Walking boots, jeans, waterproof jacket open at the neck to reveal a band of blue, probably of a T-shirt, mainly hidden beneath a cream cable-knit crew neck jumper. Strong neck, square jaw, lips that screamed, ‘kiss me’ (or perhaps that was wishful thinking on Lara’s part) high cheekbones, dark brown wavy hair that looked as if he had been through hell and high water to get here, long dark lashes beneath dark straight brows, and eyes almost as blue as the waters in Bluewater Bay had been on the day she had arrived. Eyes that a person could drown in and would be happy to do so. Eyes that were also scanning her from head to toe and sending odd little tingles to parts of her body that hadn’t tingled for a very long time. Including in the vicinity of her heart.
Damn it!
Why had she scraped her auburn hair into a loose and rather untidy bun held in place by an old, multi-coloured scrunchie? And why on earth had she opened the door when she knew she was wearing her PJs dotted with purple unicorns, and a dressing gown to match? Not forgetting the matching slippers. They might have been made as promotional items for one of the games designed by Pliny Software about a girl who fights monsters and evil warriors while wearing the PJs, dressing gownand slippers, all of which have magical properties in the game, but to anyone who didn’t know that, they looked like something a five-year-old might wear.
And why, oh why, did Nicodemus have to choose that precise moment to come and stand in the cardboard box that sat almost directly behind her, and to fart rather loudly before doing the most malodorous poo imaginable?
The look on Jasper’s face said it all.
‘That wasn’t me,’ Lara said. ‘That was Nicodemus.’
Jasper looked bemused, but also beguiling … and … bedraggled.
‘It’s raining!’ Lara declared, grabbing his arm and yanking him inside.
He clearly wasn’t expecting that because he stumbled and his body thumped against hers with an audible, ‘thwack’, but he managed to right them both, thankfully before either of them stepped into the cardboard box of delight.
Jasper moved away from her and ran a hand through his hair, giving a small cough as he did so, and then, looking everywhere but at her he said, ‘Yes. It’s raining. Sorry to bother you as you’re clearly ready for bed but Gramps insisted, as I said.
‘It’s no bother. I wasn’t going to bed. I just … got drenched earlier so I had a hot bath and then made myself comfortable.’
‘Yes.’ He gave her a sideways glance but she saw his eyes travel the length of her before he looked away again.
Damn the purple unicorns. She’d have to tough it out.
‘Would you like a drink? I’ve got wine, or beer, or tea, or coffee. You can hang your jacket up there and the radiator below should help to dry it out. Although it’s old and pretty useless.’
‘Thanks. I’d love a beer. It’s been a shit day.’ He shrugged off his jacket and hung it on the hook, then followed her into the kitchen. ‘Sorry. I came here to thank you for everything you did today. If it hadn’t been for you Gramps might still be on thatfloor and…’ he swallowed hard. ‘It doesn’t bear thinking about. I meant to call him last night but I … Not important and not your concern. I would’ve called him today but I wouldn’t have worried until this evening. So thank you. I’m in your debt.’
‘No debt. Tom has helped me more than you can imagine, and he’s saved me a fortune. I still owe him big time.’ She took a bottle of beer from the fridge freezer and handed him the bottle and the bottle opener. ‘Glass? Or do you drink it from the bottle?’
‘From the bottle. Thanks.’
He opened it and took a gulp while Lara refilled her wine glass.
‘I’m going to buy Tom a pie and a pint when he…’ she let her voice trail off, and met Jasper’s eyes. Shaking her head slowly she said, ‘No pint? Maybe a coffee or tea instead.’
‘No pie either. Oh ... You were the one who sent that weird text message.’ His brows drew together. ‘I don’t understand.’
‘I thought I was texting Tom, not you.’
