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‘Mostly in Scotland or abroad.’

‘Oh, I see.’ A thought suddenly occurred to Katie. What if Arlo had been in the special forces? That would explain the caginess when he spoke about his personal life. Her interest was piqued even more and her writer’s mind emboldened her to press him.

‘You weren’t in the SAS, were you?’ she asked lightly.

Arlo snorted and laughed. ‘Whatever gave you that idea?’

‘Um, I dunno. Probably my writer’s imagination working overtime.’

‘God, no. I didn’t want to be part of the Regiment, not that I’d have been likely to make it through the recruitment process,’ he said, virtually growling.

Katie flinched inwardly. She’d clearly touched a nerve. ‘I’m sorry for being a bit nosy. Very nosy.’

He softened. ‘It’s OK. Ignore me. I did love outdoor activity when I was younger. We did kayaking and rock climbing at boarding school.’

Katie hid a smile. ‘Gymnastics and netball were the most adventurous things my school ever managed. I’m quite relieved, if I’m honest. So … you decided to turn pro?’

He laughed softly. ‘You could call it that. After uni, I worked with an outdoor pursuits company for a while and then I joined the Army as a reservist and got into adventure training as an instructor.’

Katie blew out a breath ‘Wow. Adventure training with the Army? That sounds hardcore.’

Arlo shook his head. ‘I left it all over three years ago. I live a quiet life now. No excitement.’

‘Oh, I don’t know about that.’

Arlo’s lips parted and he held her gaze intensely. They were standing so close that she could feel his warm breath on her cheek and her own face reflected in his eyes: eyes that held an unmistakeable gleam of desire.

It was the same look he’d given her when they’d been face-to-face on the floor of the sitting room. A fiery glow spread out from her core and made her fingertips and toes tingle. Once again, she remembered the peaty scent of whisky and the moment he’d ended the kiss, and probably so much more.

‘Katie …’ he murmured and Katie moved a step close.

Could they kiss again out here in public? No, it was impossible – or was it?

‘Bloody hell, half of Cumbria’s here!

Arlo jerked his head away from Katie as Greg hurried over, a shopping bag in his hand and his face red and flustered.

‘Hello there!’ Greg continued. ‘Just bumped into the bloke who owns that prize ram. He wanted to ask me how young Jasper had performed with my tups. Oh – sorry, was I interrupting something?’

CHAPTER TWELVE

‘I cannot wait to get out of here,’ Greg said. ‘This is not my natural environment.’

Swallowing hard, Arlo looked around at the queues. ‘I know what you mean.’

‘I’m sure the others won’t be long now. Look, there’s Wanda,’ Katie muttered, feeling something akin to whiplash at the swift change of mood. Whatever spark had been about to be rekindled had been extinguished.

Oblivious, Greg was all affability. ‘Don’t worry. There’s no rush and I think your aunt’s interested in the wild-swimming stall.’

Katie saw where he was pointing. Wanda was standing in front of a stall bedecked with orange floats and posters of grinning people bobbing about in the water.

‘That’s Erin’s wild-swimming group,’ Arlo said, looking relieved.

‘The ones we saw yesterday off the island beach,’ Katie said, seeing Wanda pick up an orange bobble hat from the stall. ‘I think I’ll go and see if she’s OK.’

With an idea forming and a need to get away, Katie took her chance to join Wanda at the stall.

Erin, wearing one of the orange bobble hats and a Dryrobe, was chatting to Wanda and Katie overheard her aunt saying, ‘I saw you in the lake off the Island House yesterday.’