Page 86 of The Holiday Cottage

“Hurry up, Ralph!” Her teeth were chattering. “Otherwise I’m going to be greeting Miles in my nightwear.”

“I have no problem with that, so don’t rush on my account.” Miles’s voice drifted over the garden gate, and Ralph barked with delight and sped across to him.

Imogen was conscious of her bare legs and the fact that her T-shirt stopped at midthigh. The sweater she’d pulled on was almost as long. It certainly wouldn’t have been her first choice of outfit for a meeting with Miles.

Why hadn’t she heard the car? “You’re early.”

“We didn’t exactly fix a time, so I can’t be early.” He bent to make a fuss of the dog. “Someone seems to have enjoyed his sleepover. Was he good? Did he behave himself and sleep in his basket?”

“He was perfect.” She evaded the question. “We both slept late, which is why there was a bit of a rush to let him out.” And she was still surprised by that. She never slept through the night, but last night she had.

“Sleeping late is good. I bet you needed it after yesterday.” He straightened and scanned her bare legs. “That is a cute look.”

“Ralph was desperate. Obviously, I had planned to get dressed before I saw you.”

“Don’t rush on my account.” He gave her a slow smile and she felt that smile right down to her bones.

“If you make the coffee, I’ll go and dress in something warmer.”

“Probably a good idea. Christmas tree hunting definitely can’t be done with bare legs.” He encouraged Ralph into the house. “I’ll get breakfast started.”

She didn’t argue.

Ten minutes later she was showered and dressed in warm clothes. Before joining Miles, she quickly straightened her bed and rumpled the blanket in Ralph’s basket to make it look as if he’d slept there just in case anyone checked.

At least dogs didn’t drop earrings or other personal items that might give away their presence.

She walked into the kitchen and was greeted by the delicious smells of bacon and fresh coffee. Through the windows she could see snow glistening on the trees.

“I love this room.”

“I love it too. Any room that has food in it is always my favorite room.” Miles was standing in front of the stove frying bacon. He’d slung his coat over the chair and rolled up the sleeves of his shirt.

As he had his back to her, Imogen allowed herself a moment to study him. She was glad Janie wasn’t around.Smoking hot, she would have said, and Imogen would have struggled to disagree, but she knew the attraction went much deeper than that. He was strong and capable and, most important of all, kind.

“Can I help?”

“Everything is in hand. I was going to make you a healthy bowl of oats, but then I spotted the bacon Dorothy left in your fridge. You won’t have tasted anything like this. Organic, grass-fed—” He forked a few crispy strands onto slices of bread and put the plate in front of her. “Try it. And don’t say you’re not hungry because Christmas tree hunting is hard work, particularly when it involves Ava. That girl knows what she wants and she is not going to stop until she finds it. This could be the last meal you have for a while. This trip could take until Christmas Eve, so you need fuel.”

“She seems like a real character.” She sat down and bit into the sandwich. “Oh that’s delicious—”

“Isn’t it?” He sat down next to her, and Ralph settled himself by Imogen’s chair.

There was something strangely intimate about sitting here together sharing breakfast. It should have felt uncomfortable, but oddly enough it didn’t.

He picked up his mug and then put it down again. “You’re looking at me in a funny way. What’s wrong?”

She put her sandwich down. “I’m thinking that I don’t do this.”

“Eat bacon? I know it’s not something one is supposed to do often, but moderation in all things I always say. Particularly when I’m justifying something I want to do.”

“Not the bacon. You. This. Breakfast.”

“You don’t eat breakfast? That’s a shocking habit, Imogen.” He gave her a reproving look. “It’s the most important meal of the day.”

She smiled because she knew he was deliberately misunderstanding her.

“I mean having breakfast with a man I met just the day before.”

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