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Harvey surveyed her a moment more from soulful brown eyes before marching back into the cottage again, every line of his body stating that as she had incarcerated him inside on a glorious summer afternoon and then deprived him of the company of his favourite human, the least she could do was to set about seeing to his dinner.
By the time she went to bed Beth's equilibrium had begun to stabilise. It would have been a momentous mistake to go to bed with Travis, she assured herself for the umpteenth time as she snuggled under the crisp cotton sheet. The night was too wajm for even a summer duvet. Huge mistake. Gigantic. So he'd done her a favour in cutting things short. No question about it. She just wished it had been her who had called a halt, that was all. It was galling in the extreme to know she affected him so fleetingly that he could walk away at a time like that.
The owl hooted just outside the bedroom window but the sound didn't thrill her like it usually did.
'I am not going to think about this a moment more.' She said the words out loud, hoping the sound of her voice would clarify things. 'He's gone for another week and that's fine, ab¬solutely fine. If he turns up at the weekend and calls by, no doubt we'll have a nice time. If he doesn't...' There had been life before Travis Black and there would be life after him. All this really wasn't a problem unless she made it one. Simple. So now all she had to do was to go to sleep.
Beth had taken some aspirin for the headache earlier, now she purposefully employed herself in going through the relaxing techniques she had learnt in the aftermath of her marriage break-up. Every time her wayward mind veered Travis's way she brought it back under control. It wasn't easy but she persevered. And persevered. And persevered.
Nevertheless, the sun was already coming up before she drifted off into a troubled sleep populated by disturbing dreams she couldn't remember in the bright clear light of morning. Except that Travis had featured heavily in every one.
The next few days passed by in the lazy pleasant fashion she had got used to since moving to Shropshire. Walks with Harvey, meals when she was hungry, sleep when she was tired. No one to answer to but herself. Except now it wasn't enough. Something was missing. She wasn't brave enough to examine exactly what it was, but as Friday drew near she became as jumpy as a cat on a hot tin roof.
Thursday she spent cleaning the cottage until every surface was shiny and polished and the windows gleamed, and Friday she pottered about in the garden, watering the plants and
weeding. The good weather continued in spite of dire warnings on the news that massive storms were expected when the heatwave finally broke.
She heard the car long before she saw it mid-afternoon as she was trying to persuade some tiny pansies to raise their heads in the new flowerbeds she'd created in the front garden. Her heart thudding, she rose to her feet, her hand trembling as she shaded her eyes and looked towards the lane behind the cottage garden. Harvey had obviously recognised t sound of the car too because the big dog had galloped over the garden gate where he now stood, whining excitedly.
By the time Travis exited the Mercedes Estate she had hailed herself together, her voice friendly and her smile warm not too warm as she called, 'Hi there. You got away earlier a week, then?'
He opened and closed the gate, patting Harvey and then walking up to her before he said, 'Made sure of it,' his voice like dark velvet. 'Nothing would have stopped me leaving.'
"Good.’ She didn't know what else to say, not with him so dose and looking good enough to eat.
He studied her face for a moment, a half-smile curving his lips. 'Silky soft, tousled and kissable,' he murmured. 'I've been thinking about this all week.' And then he took her into his arms.
His kiss was passionate but even as Beth kissed him back she was aware of his total control over himself. After a while be held her away from him but not before the muscled strength of his body and the scent and feel of him had stirred in her a nervous exhilaration combined with a deep need. 'You've got dirt on your forehead,' he said easily, touching the smudge on her face with a lazy finger. 'How about you go and get cleaned up while I put Harvey with Sheba and Sky in the back of the car and we eat at my place tonight? I've a couple of fillet steaks and some other goodies in the car.'
She nodded, mainly because she didn't trust herself to speak right at that moment. He kissed her again, a fleeting kiss this time, and then let go of her, turning and walking away with Harvey bounding beside him.
Beth was glad of the time to compose herself as she washed and changed out of her vest top and shorts into a soft summer dress. She had missed him the last few days, she admitted to herself as she brushed her hair into a sleek curtain falling either side of her face. She just hadn't realised how much until she had heard his car approaching. But she hadn't missed the message his kiss had been sending. It stated that he intended to play fair in all of this and keep to his promise that they would play the game by her rules, at her pace. Which was good. Or it would have been if she knew what her pace was. As it was, she didn't have a clue.
