Page 24 of Hold a Candle

“A visit to the loo, food, and then sleep,” she replied.

“I have some leftover sausage rolls from Lucerne I can heat up, or a turkey and cheese sandwich with crisps.”

“The sausage rolls sound heavenly.”

He nodded and pointed towards the doorway to her left. “Guest bath is on yer right just through there.” Taking his sweater and muffler off, he hung them on a standing rack to the inside right of the entry door. “I’ll start some tea and heat up yer snack.”

“Thank ye,” Pauley answered as she hung up her jacket and then made her way to the bathroom. The door to her left was ajar, and in the low light she could see a big bed with dark wood posters on the four corners.

Once inside the bathroom, she made short work of her bodily needs, then stood up to look at her bum in the mirror. There was a large palm print there, covering a good portion of her right butt cheek. She wrinkled her nose. How had she turned out so weird?

Her weirdness was one of the reasons she’d married Peter. In their dating days, he’d heartily slapped her bum now and then, and she’d taken that to mean he enjoyed being dominant.

Peter had been handsome, arrogant, and had his pick of women in those early days, and she’d been too wrapped up in his promises to realize he was spoiled by women’s attentions, and by his family’s money. Pauley’s reticence fascinated him. When other girls were falling all over themselves for the attention of the rugby captain, Pauley had been elusive. He was obsessed with winning her hand.

They’d married too quickly, though.

If only she’d realized the chase was worth more to Peter than the prize, she might have saved herself the heartache of their failed marriage.

Shaking herself out of her morose thoughts, she headed back to the kitchen where the smell of the sausage rolls made her stomach rumble even more. As she walked into the room, Jamie gestured towards the table.

“Have a seat, lass.”

“Ye don’t have to wait on me,” she said, watching his quick efficient movements as he dipped hot sausage rolls out of the glassware and onto a plate, then buttered a yeasty bap. “I can help with that.”

“I’ve got it,” he replied, taking the plate to the table and grabbing her hand on the way. “Just get started on yer meal and I’ll bring us a cup of fresh tea,” he ordered in a no-nonsense voice as he sat the plate down and pulled out the chair for her to sit on.

“Wow, I’ve never had this kind of service before,” she taunted lightly, “except in a restaurant. Yer going to spoil me if ye are not careful.”

“Mayhap ye deserve to be spoiled.”

His rich, smooth tones were like buttery caramel sliding over her senses. She could definitely get used to this treatment, but she didn’t figure it would last long. The only time Peter ever waited on her was when he wanted something. The rest of the time, he expected her to fix all the meals and wait on him.

Snarkism was a language she knew well. It served several purposes, like getting bullies to back off with their red, apoplectic faces, as well as hiding her true feelings. Her chosen profession placed her in the world of men, and she’d learned early on to protect herself.

She picked up her fork and shot him a look through half-lidded eyelashes. “Deserving and getting are usually two very different things in my world,” she snarked, unable to help herself.

Jamie looked as if he wanted to say something, then returned to the counter to get two cups of steaming tea. He sat one cup in front of her and the other one in front of him as he sat down. He reached over and lifted her chin. “In my world, a lass will get all she deserves,” he promised, his eyes glittering. “Ye can count on that.”

Pauley shivered, his gaze holding hers steady as if willing her to say what she wanted. She couldn’t though—it was too soon. Fear of rejection was like a brick wall slamming into place and her tongue wouldn’t respond. She shifted her eyes down to her plate and lifted her fork.

Jamie shifted back in his chair and she could feel him watching her as she tried to eat. Refusing to look up and face him, she felt like an utter coward.

So much for her boast that she was going to take what she wanted when she found a man she liked.

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