Page 37 of So That Happened
‘Josie, relax. Stop trying to plan everything and just go with it.’
Leaning in, he kissed her nose. He smelt of sleep with an undertone of his own peppery scent.
Josie closed her eyes, allowing herself to enjoy the closeness of his body for a moment. She was uncomfortably aware that she needed to keep some part of herself aloof from him. He would be leaving soon, and she needed to make it as easy on herself as possible.
‘Okay, well, I’m going to go and make some more notes on that tender I was writing before I completely forget it,’ she said on reflex, forgetting her decision to step away from work. It was a natural defence mechanism – a habit she’d developed when she needed to avoid the real world.
His body stiffened and he pushed himself away to arm’s length. ‘Josie…’ There was a gentle reprimanding tone in his voice. ‘If you want this holiday to do you some good, you’re going to have to keep your head out of work.’
‘I—’ she began.
‘No work. No writing documents.’
There was a heavy silence while she considered the wisdom of his words. She really had no leg to stand on after what she’d told him last night.
‘Yeah. Okay.’
He nodded and moved away as his toast popped up. She watched him spread it with butter and honey and wolf it down while she sipped her coffee. He even managed to make eating breakfast look sexy.
‘So, what are your plans for the day? No more treks in the midday heat, I hope,’ he said, breaking into her thoughts about what she’d love to do with the rest of that honey.
She cleared her throat before trusting herself to speak. ‘I’m going to stay here today. I might even try some cooking. I hear it’s relaxing.’
Connor nodded, raising a questioning eyebrow. He looked as if he was going to say something, then shrugged.
‘Good luck with that,’ he said at last. ‘I’m going out.’
The disappointment nearly floored her.
‘Oh. Okay.’ She struggled to keep her voice level, not wanting him to see how much this affected her. Not even sure why it did. Just because they’d had sex, it didn’t mean he was under any obligation to spend all his time with her. ‘Have a good time,’ she said lamely.
He ran a hand through his tousled hair. Turned as if to go. Turned back. ‘You should come with me.’
Her head shot up. ‘What?’
‘Come to the beach with me. It might keep you out of trouble for a while.’
Excitement flooded through her, followed closely by unease. Perhaps she was pushing her luck here. He didn’t really want her tagging along but obviously felt sorry for her.
‘Maybe I should rest up here today?’ she hedged.
‘Be ready to go in half an hour.’
She glimpsed a hint of a smile in his eyes.
Before she had time to utter another word he turned and walked away, and she heard him mount the stairs, apparently taking them two at a time.
* * *
What had made him do that? Connor wondered as he showered. He’d been all set to get away from the house and clear his head when he’d done a complete U-turn.
What had happened with Josie last night had him spun. He’d felt an almost animalistic urge to protect her and the ferocity of the feeling had shocked him. She was obviously embarrassed today about what they’d done so he’d thought the kindest thing to do would be to give her some space.
It had been the look on her face, he decided, when he’d said he was leaving her alone, that had changed his mind. She’d looked so forlorn he hadn’t been able to bring himself to do it.
She was obviously trying to hide the fact she wanted to go out to save face, but he could sense her desperation to leave the farmhouse. She was going to go stir-crazy on her own. Cold turkey was insanely difficult to handle when you didn’t have company.
Besides, it would be more fun to go to the beach with someone else. It didn’t have to mean anything. They were two people who just happened to have had sex, going to the beach for a change of scene. As he’d pointed out last night, it wasn’t as if there was any future in this thing between them. It was a holiday fling – nothing more.
