Page 7 of A Seaside Escape


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‘So… coffee?’ Mallory asked.

Sam tore himself away from the black wiry bundle of fur skipping around his feet. ‘That’d be great, thank you,’ he answered brightly.

He followed her into the kitchen, still glancing around. She had painted the uneven walls in duck egg blue to complement the handmade pine storage units. There was just enough space for a small dining table, against one wall. The rest of the available spaces on each wall were filled with old, metal advertising signs and little plaques displaying phrases such as ‘I kiss better than I cook’ and ‘I love cooking with wine… and sometimes I put it in my food’. Mallory heard Sam chuckle as he read the words.

When they returned to the lounge, Mallory set the tray of cups, cafetière, cream jug and sugar bowl on the little coffee table which was made from an old piece of tree stump with a highly polished top.

Sam sat on the couch. ‘Wow cool table.’ He ran his hand along the nobbled sides and smooth top of the furniture. ‘Anda cool tray.’

Mallory walked over to switch on her iPod docking station and flicked to Snow Patrol’s ‘Eyes Open’ album – an old favourite – and hit play.

‘Oh, great choice. I love this album. So, what’s the story with the table? And the tray?’ Sam asked.

‘The coffee table is a creation made by Brad, my best friend Josie’s boyfriend. He studied carpentry. He’s also responsible for the kitchen.’ She gestured in the direction of the other room. ‘And the tray is me. It’s just a plain old seed tray that I tarted up a bit.’

‘Tarted up?’ Sam mimicked her accent, grinning cheekily.

‘Oy!’ She playfully hit him with a throw cushion. ‘Yes, I make stuff. Or I buy bits and pieces and make them look pretty,’ she said proudly, pleased at his earlier compliment.

‘Well, you are one talented lady, Miss Yorksherrrr.’

‘Why thank you, Mr Canada.’ Mallory proceeded to pour the coffee and hand a mug of it to Sam; its delicious aroma wafting through the room.

‘Have you always lived here alone?’

‘I have. As I said, I lived with my aunt after my folks died but eventually I took the plunge. I never really thought about getting a lodger. It was very lonely to begin though. I missed my folks and my aunt terribly. That’s how I came to get Ruby.’ A cloud of melancholy threatened to descend on her but her all-time favourite song – ‘Chasing Cars’ – began to play in the background and she smiled.

Sam let out a deep breath. ‘Oh, Ilovethis song.’ He closed his eyes and Mallory stared into space with a serene smile playing on her lips.

Moments later she could sense his eyes on her. ‘You really are beautiful, Mallory. But I get the feeling you don’t think you are.’

She covered his hand with hers. ‘I’ll settle for the fact that you think so.’

Sam took Mallory’s cup and placed it beside his on the tray. He moved in closer still and tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. ‘I hope that one day I get toshowyou how beautiful I think you are.’

Mallory gasped.

*

Great, he’d done it again with his ‘speak first, think later’ mentality.Idiot,he reprimanded himself. It was true though. He couldn’t deny it, and why should he? And furthermore why shouldn’t she know this? He wanted her. He wanted hernowand he had to stop himself from ripping at her clothing right there and then like some crazed animal.

No, he breathed, trying to calm his thoughts. He was willing to wait. He didn’t want her to think of this as a one-time thing. He truly desired this woman. She was everything he had ever wanted. She was beautiful… no…stunning, but beguilingly unaware of the fact. She was intelligent, hilariously funny, kind and passionate. The idiot with the car must have been crazy.

*

Mallory saw a mix of emotions flash across Sam’s beautiful face. I would NEVER sleep with a man on our first date, she reminded herself, thinking back to the gift she had received from Josie.Although, technically, this could be counted as our second… and if I was to be really picky, we’ve changed location so this could be counted as our third…

Before she could stop herself, she lurched forward and flung her arms around his neck. Grabbing his shirt with one hand and his hair with the other, she pulled him towards her. She pushed her tongue between his full, luscious lips and deepened the kiss, desperate to taste him again. It was a hot, lust-fuelled, needy kiss, and, in that split second, she hoped it conveyed that she wanted him desperately and NOW!

He didn’t make a move and so she started to pull away thinking she had made the most stupid mistake of her life.Oh, God he thinks I’m a tart! Aaargh!

Her breathing was ragged as she dared to glance into his eyes. He was staring open-mouthed, his breathing, too, was erratic.

She stood quickly, feeling a little head rush as she did so. ‘I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I don’t know what came over me.’

Suddenly Sam rose to his feet too. She expected him to make his excuses and leave. She wouldn’t blame him. Shehadjust molested him on her sofa!Hussy!The word her aunt had used to describe what she considered ‘loose girls’ sprang immediately to mind.

Sam just stood there looking at her, panting; clearly searching for words which seemed to evade him. This was getting worse. She covered her eyes with her hands. Hehadsaid he desired her. He had talked about her curves;hehad kissedherfirst, for goodness’ sake! He said he wanted her, in a roundabout way. What the hell was going on then?