She beamed at him. ‘That’s better,’ she said quietly in a low voice that made him wonder why he hadn’t fallen in love with her the first second he set eyes on her. Or maybe he had and had been too stubborn and wrapped up in his own exhaustion to realise it. ‘Now, where were we?’
Joe didn’t allow himself to think, he just put his arms around her and pulled her against him as they began kissing again. His breath caught in his throat as she moved lower and kissed his chest.
He had been intimate with other women, but none of those experiences felt nearly as good as being with Skye. Any further thoughts vanished as he gave in to the sensations.
42
SKYE
As they welcomed Brodie, Lettie and the baby back to Hollyhock Farm the following morning, Skye had to concentrate on staying focused on the present and not walking around the farm with a silly grin on her face. She still couldn’t believe that she had instigated what had happened between her and Joe. All her mind and body wanted to do was go back a few hours to being in bed with Joe. It had been the most amazing night of her life and as awkward as she had initially felt leading him up to the attic, she was relieved she’d had the guts to do so. Joe was too much of a gentleman to take the initiative after what she had said about not seeing a future for them, she now realised.
She gave his hand a gentle squeeze, waiting for Brodie and Lettie to take the baby from the car. ‘Are you OK?’
‘I am now.’ She looked up at him just as he gazed down into her eyes. ‘I wish we had more time alone here though.’
‘So do I.’
Brodie opened the boot of the car. ‘I’d better go and help,’ Joe said.
Skye agreed and let go of his hand, immediately going to see what she could carry for Lettie. ‘We have everything ready for you,’ Skye said, glad to have spent some of the morning with Joe vacuuming and dusting the place in readiness. ‘I wasn’t sure where Isla would sleep, so thought you could let me know if there’s anything you need me to set up for you.’
‘We have her moses basket. Brodie will bring that in. Her bedding too and some of her clothes and all the other paraphernalia babies seem to need. It’s a lot for such a little person.’
Skye laughed. ‘It does seem like quite the rigmarole.’
They walked into the house. ‘Do I sense a change in atmosphere between the pair of you?’ Lettie said, leading the way straight upstairs to her bedroom on the first floor where she, Brodie and the baby would be sleeping for the next couple of weeks.
Skye didn’t know how to answer that comment. She wasn’t ready to be open about her feelings for Joe, not to Lettie when her reason for being on the farm was to work there, not develop feelings for her colleague.
She thought of how baby Isla must have changed Lettie’s life already and wondered if she would ever be in that position. Having babies was something she had never really considered before. She wasn’t sure if it was because she hadn’t ever been settled enough with anyone to plan a future, or if she was simply unused to having siblings and mostly only having just herself and Gran to consider as she grew up. It was an odd realisation. She immediately thought of Joe, then pushed the thought from her mind. All she wanted from Joe right now was to spend as much time with him as she could and enjoy their new relationship while they were in the same place.
‘Sorry,’ Lettie said, placing the baby onto the bed and looking concerned. ‘I hope I didn’t say the wrong thing.’
‘No, why?’
Lettie studied her face, making Skye feel a little vulnerable. ‘You seemed sad there for a moment.’
Skye shook her head and smiled. ‘I’m fine.’
Lettie began changing the baby’s nappy. ‘You don’t want any?’
‘Babies? Maybe.’ Did she? ‘I’m not averse to the idea, just not anywhere near ready to want one yet.’
Lettie cleaned the baby and took a fresh nappy from a bag she had also brought upstairs. ‘And Joe?’
What? ‘What about him?’
Lettie glanced over her shoulder and grinned before turning her focus back to the baby. ‘I meant, how are things between you two? When we pulled into the yard, I noticed you were holding hands. I presume you must have become closer to want to do that?’
Skye didn’t want to appear as if she were avoiding the issue. ‘We have become closer. He’s a really great guy. I’m glad I realised it while we were still here together.’
Lettie finished changing the nappy and buttoned up the baby’s Babygro, then lifted her and gave her a cuddle before turning to face Skye. ‘I’m glad too. I was a little concerned when I first left you here and wouldn’t have been surprised if either one of you had decided not to stay. Then I saw you were both handling running this place well and it was an enormous relief, I can tell you.’ She gave a knowing smile. ‘I’d love for the pair of you to become an item.’
Skye knew Lettie meant well. ‘I wouldn’t be averse to it myself,’ she admitted quietly. ‘However, we both live in different places and as soon as I’ve spent a little time with Gran after I leave here, I’m going to set off on my travels again.’
Lettie’s face fell. ‘That’s a shame.’
‘Not really. I’m looking forward to going away.’ She realised what she had said and hated to think she might have given the wrong impression to her friend. ‘Not that I haven’t loved being here, because it’s been amazing, and I would do it all over again in a heartbeat.’
