sharp scowl distorted Beth’s features. ‘I hate you.’
‘Nah, you don’t, not really.’ He set the flowers down on the wide window sill of the emporium then cupped her shoulders. ‘To be clear, I don’t think you’ve failed, but I’m betting that’s what you’re thinking. I bet you lay in your bed all night soaking tissue after tissue in bitter tears, telling yourself your heart’s broken and wracking your brains trying to figure out what you did wrong, why he wants to marry someone else and not you.’
She would’ve twisted away had he let her, but he tightened his grip on her arms, so she resorted to turning her face to the side to hide her tears. ‘Stop it, stop it.’
Doubts wracked him and he questioned the wisdom of playing bad cop, but he’d come too far to stop now. Every tear that trickled down her cheek stabbed him in the gut, and it would be so easy to gather her close and let her cry on his shoulder.
No. No way. If he did that, she’d park him so far in the friend zone, he’d never get back out again. Beth needed someone who would stand up to her, as well as stand up for her. He gave her a gentle shake. ‘Your pride is hurting, and that’s understandable, but you haven’t been acting like a woman with a broken heart for the past few weeks. You’ve been acting like a woman who’s excited about making a fresh start. A woman who’s open to new opportunities in both her professional and her private life. When we kiss, it doesn’t feel like you’re thinking about someone else.’
Releasing one shoulder to cup her cheek, he urged her to turn back and face him. ‘When we kiss, it feels like you are one hundred per cent in the moment. That the butterflies dancing in my belly are fluttering around in yours too.’
Her lashes shuttered down, and he knew she wasn’t thinking about Charlie any more. ‘And it would be just a fling? Nothing serious.’
He ducked low to whisper against her lips. ‘Nothing serious, just two friends exploring an attraction. Nobody’s business but ours. If you need someone to rebound into, why not me?’ Turning his face to the left, he kissed his way across her cheek, seeking the tender skin beneath her ear.
‘Oh, Sam.’ She melted against him, the tension in her body easing until she fit perfectly against him. Her hands stole around his waist to grip his back. ‘What if we’re making a big mistake?’ She didn’t let him go though.
Sliding a hand up to stroke her nape beneath the length of her ponytail, he cuddled closer. ‘We’re going into this with our eyes wide open. We can lay down some ground rules if you like.’
Her shoulders hitched with a little laugh. ‘You’ve been thinking about this a lot, haven’t you?’
‘Every day since we were in your stock room.’ He kissed her temple. ‘Speaking of which, I’d be quite amenable if you wanted to lure me back there.’
Her lips brushed the underside of his jaw. ‘Can I have my flowers back?’
Releasing his hold, he gathered the slightly sorry-looking roses from the window sill and held them out. Beth took them in her arms and lowered her head to breathe in the scent. ‘They’re really beautiful.’
Feeling like he could take a decent breath for the first time since she’d opened the door, he relaxed his shoulders. ‘I thought they’d look good in one of those pewter vases in your bedroom.’
She shot him a glance through her lashes that set his heart racing faster. ‘I know what else would look good in my bedroom.’
‘Oh, really?’
Beth gave one of those one shoulder shrugs that every man knew spelled trouble. ‘I saw this gorgeous antique mirror in one of the shops in the arcade yesterday. I could do with a hand to carry it.’ She buried her nose back in the flowers, but couldn’t disguise the amusement shaking in her shoulders.
He supposed he deserved it after accusing her of sulking, but raising a man’s hopes—and other things—was just plain mean. ‘Low blow, sweetheart.’
She flashed him a smile that showed not one ounce of repentance. ‘Well, I’ve got a busy day ahead. Thanks for the flowers, and your very kind offer. I’ll take it under consideration.’ Stepping back inside, she closed the door in his face, the happy jangle of the bell adding insult to injury.
He knocked on the glass to catch her attention before she walked away. ‘I’ll meet you by your back gate at eight tomorrow morning. We can go for a run and work out some of those ground rules.’
She shook her head, but her eyes were bright with amusement. Taking that as acceptance, he tucked his hands in his pockets and sauntered off. Sam couldn’t fight the grin spreading over his face. He was a builder and the foundations had been laid.
‘I haven’t been up here for ages,’ Beth said when they paused at the top of the hill to catch their breath.
He shaded his eyes and followed her gaze out across the higgledy-piggledy warren of streets laid out below them. Like a lot of places which had started from a reliance on the sea, the town had grown outwards from the main beach area with no plan. Houses had been added as required, their mismatched styles reflecting whatever the trend had been at the time, or more often, whatever the budget of the new owner could afford.
Unhooking the small backpack he carried, he fished out his water bottle and went to take a drink then offered it to Beth first. Her cheeks were rosy, from a combination of exertion and the chilly breeze. Sweat-dampened tendrils of hair clung to her forehead and curled around her neck where they’d escaped from the high ponytail. Having taken a good drink, she offered the bottle back to him and he took a swig before stowing it away once more.
‘Have you had enough, or do you want to carry on?’ He could manage another couple of miles easily, but he was conscious she might not be used to the same pace.
‘I’m not in a hurry to get back, but maybe we could walk for a bit?’
That was more than fine with him. ‘We could carry on over the rise and make our way towards the lavender farm.’ There wouldn’t be much to see this time of year, but the bridle path would be quiet, and they’d be protected from the worst of the wind once they got down the hill a bit. He held out his hand, and she stared at it for a few moments before slipping her fingers in between his.
They strolled in silence for a few minutes. From the little frown line between her brows, Sam got the feeling Beth was working something out in her mind so he was content to leave her to it. A few puddles lingered in the centre of the stony pathway carved out over generations by walkers and riders, so he steered her to the left, letting her walk in front of him, but keeping hold of her hand.
The scrubby trees on the banks bordering the path were bare at first glance, the grasses surrounding their trunks yellowed and limp. But to a discerning eye, the signs of spring were there in the tiny buds greening on the twigs, the hints of birdsong carried on the breeze. Sam loved this time of year when it was like the land was stirring from the deep sleep of winter, waiting for its cue from Mother Nature to burst into life once more.
As the trees thinned out again, the landscape opened to reveal the rolling fields of Gilbert’s farm. Row upon neat row of closely pruned lavender plants marched across the surrounding hills. Even this early in the season, a heady scent drifted from the traditional grey slate and stone farm buildings clustered in the natural hollow formed by the surrounding hills. In the sea of muted colours below, the bright
