Page 108 of Journey to the Scottish Highlands

I slapped his hand and laughed. ‘Stop that! Your mum and dad might see.’

‘I can’t help it. I want you.’

‘Me too,’ I answered, appreciating how delectable he was. ‘But I thought as it was early days, we agreed we’d keep us low-key for now.’

We’d been stealing precious moments together over the last couple of days – inflamed kisses, squeezing of hands when no one was looking, stroking the other’s back when we walked past one another, hot looks across the upstairs hallway. But that was it. Any time we’d wanted to rip each other’s clothes off, there was always a reason we couldn’t.

‘Yeah, I know, but you in that dress is doing nothing for my blood pressure,’ complained Evan.

‘Well, we can’t exactly get down to it on the lawn.’

‘Now there’s an idea,’ glinted Evan.

I shuffled to get more comfortable and stroked his bare arm in his T-shirt. ‘We’ve always got company. If it’s not Louise rattling her copper pans in the kitchen…’

‘Is that a euphemism?’ joked Evan.

I gave him a nudge in the ribs. ‘Or it’s my grandpa drinking endless cups of tea and inspecting your mum’s flower beds.’

‘And then there’s my parents,’ chipped in Evan, squinting at his laptop screen.

‘Well, it is their house.’ I tapped him on the nose.

At that moment, Alison, Bennett, Louise and Grandpa emerged from around the side of the house. ‘Hello, you two!’ called Bennet in his usual jovial manner.

We sprung apart like two guilty teenagers.

‘Thought we’d pop up to the shops,’ explained Alison, looking effervescent in her ankle-length, lilac, maxi dress and matching cardigan. ‘Drop in and see Mindy in Stitched Up! Check out the costumes.’

‘And then we thought we’d grab some lunch,’ piped up Bennett from behind his sunglasses. ‘Care to tag along, both of you?’

Evan muttered out of the corner of his mouth, ‘We’ll be alone. They’re all going out.’ He gave my hand a long, slow stroke, and I swallowed a gulp of excitement. ‘No, it’s ok, Mum. Thanks anyway, but Daisy and I want to push on with the tour stuff.’

‘Are you sure?’ asked Grandpa. ‘You should both take a break.’

‘We’re fine,’ I smiled back. ‘Thanks anyway. You all go and enjoy yourselves.’

‘There’s some bits and pieces in the fridge you can use up for lunch,’ said Louise. She smoothed down her blue and white, floral-print skirt. ‘Pâté, fresh bread, cheese, some salad, cucumber…’

‘Thanks,’ nodded Evan. ‘I’m sure we won’t starve. Oh, where’s Dane?’

‘Just headed off to band practice,’ said Alison. ‘Said he won’t be back till around dinner time.’

‘Coast is clear,’ whispered Evan to me. He mocked a salute to them all. ‘See you guys later. Have fun.’

We watched Louise hook arms with my grandfather and vanish back around the corner, their cacophony of chatter and feet on the gravel heralding their leave.

As soon as Bennett’s Mercedes disappeared out of The Ramblings gates, Evan took one hand and traced it along my jaw line. He lent in for a kiss, and I reciprocated, savouring the taste of him.

This still didn’t seem real. My head was cartwheeling with happiness. Days ago, I’d been stressed over no acting jobs and chiding myself for falling for Evan.

Now, I was bursting with anticipation amongst these shiny, emerald lawns. Cayla had agreed to portray Florence on the tour, and I was falling for this wonderful, intelligent, handsome man. My life was turning a corner at last.

Without saying a word, Evan took my hand and pulled me to my feet. We stood there together in the sunshine. ‘Come on.’

I could feel the sunlight glancing through the material of my dress as he led me across the lawns and back into his family home.

Every emotion sizzled through me.