Highland Fling (6 page)

Five to one? Where was the sixth? Lizzie raised her hand to wipe the condensation from the window so that she could see more clearly but her hand froze in mid air and her breath caught in her throat. There, doodled on the pane was a huge, half wiped out, love heart with a still visible letter ‘L’ in the middle of it.

The en suite bathroom door opened and a stark naked Jack walked in – a toothbrush stuck in his mouth – quietly humming to himself. He was rubbing his hair with a towel and droplets of water ran down his broad, and relatively hair free, chest.

Lizzie’s mouth fell open and her fingers rested against the window pane. She couldn’t move, she couldn’t speak and try as she might, she couldn’t stop her eyes from taking in every inch of him.

She felt the colour rush to her cheeks and her heart thumping in her chest, and she wondered if it were possible to die from embarrassment.

Jack too, seemed frozen to the spot. He saw her fingers pressed against the window pane and the half wiped out heart – which seemed even clearer now than when he’d first doodled it – and all he could think of, was that she’d seen it. His mind raced trying to think of something to say.

He saw her eyes travel the length of his body and come to rest below his waist and, as her mouth fell open, he realised he was naked. Hastily, he tried to cover himself with the small towel he’d been using on his hair.

Lizzie’s eyes shot to his face and he gave her a weak, apologetic smile but before he had a chance to say anything, she fled from the room, slamming the door closed behind her.

Lizzie raced along the hall in the main house to the door that led to the barn conversion and her private rooms. All she could think of was getting to her bedroom and shutting the door. She struggled with the doorknob and Jack’s naked body flashed before her eyes. Oh God! Why had she stared at him? He’d seen where her eyes went and she cringed at the memory. How would she ever be able to look him in the eye again? It was bad enough before but after this!

She reached her bedroom and dashed inside pushing the door shut behind her. In her haste she didn’t see Jane searching her wardrobes.

‘God you made me jump!’ Jane said.

Lizzie shrieked. ‘I made you jump! Bloody hell. You nearly gave me a heart attack.’

Jane saw the look on her face. ‘What’s up? You look like you’ve seen the devil.’

Lizzie shook her head. ‘Worse than that,’ she said, ‘don’t ask. I can’t tell you.’

‘Oh come on. You can’t dash in here and say things like that and expect me to keep quiet. What’s happened? Oh my God! Did he make a pass at you?’Jane tossed the selection of clothes she’d had draped over her arm, on to the back of the chair.

Lizzie shook her head. ‘Worse than that.’

‘Worse? Personally I’d have thought that was quite good but okay, what?’

‘Before I tell you, you must swear never to mention it again.’

‘Now I’m really interested. Okay, okay. Don’t look at me like that. I swear.’

‘I ... oh God. I’ve just seen him naked!’ She dropped on to the bed.

Jane’s eyes grew wide and her mouth fell open, then she burst out laughing. ‘You can’t be serious. When? How? Did he see you?’

‘Just now. He must have come in earlier whilst the others were still outside. He’s got the room at the end and I’d –’

‘Yes. Yes. Get to the naked bit.’

‘I am! The room was hot and full of condensation so I went to the radiator and ... oh my God ... the heart!’

‘Radiator? ... heart? Lizzie what are you babbling about? I’ll get you a drink. I brought a bottle of red up to help us get ready.’ She poured Lizzie a glass and Lizzie gulped it straight down. Jane poured her another. ‘Slowly now,’ she said handing it to her and pouring one for herself.

Lizzie gulped at the second glass then took a deep breath. ‘There was a doodled love heart on the window pane Jane, with my initial in it. It had been half wiped away but was still visible. He’d drawn a love heart on the window! Can you believe that?’

Jane shook her head. ‘That is worrying,’ she said, ‘I thought there must be something wrong with him. No one’s that perfect and there it is; he’s got the mental age of a ten year old.’

‘What?’

Jane was laughing. ‘Oh come on Lizzie. What grown man would draw a love heart on a window? He’d have to be really besotted. It was probably one of the other guys who saw exactly what I’d seen on the platform and was ribbing him about it in the same way I’ve been ribbing you. Or, there is a chance I suppose, that his fiancée’s name begins with the letter L.’

‘Oh. I hadn’t thought of that,’ Lizzie said, taking another gulp of wine and handing Jane the glass for a refill.

‘Well.’ Jane handed her back a full glass. ‘We can easily find that out but get on with it. How did you get to see him naked and ... more importantly, what mark would you give him out of ten?’

Lizzie almost choked on her wine. ‘Oh God! I can’t bear to think about it. It was awful.’

‘Really? What, deformed you mean?’

‘What? No!’ Lizzie tutted. ‘I meant the whole episode. It was so embarrassing and the worst thing was that I just stood there, mouth wide open, ogling him.’

Jane sniggered. ‘What? You mean you stared at his dick?’

‘I couldn’t take my eyes off it.’ Lizzie hung her head in shame.

Jane fell back on the bed roaring with laughter. ‘Oh God! I wish I’d been there. Why do I always miss the best bits? What did he say?’

‘Nothing. He just stood there.’

‘Oh how hysterical. What did you say?’

‘Nothing. I was too busy staring at his dick, remember. Eventually he covered himself with a towel but we both knew I’d got an eyeful. Oh hell. I’ll never be able to face him tonight. What am I going to do? Jane! Stop laughing. It’s not funny.’

‘Oh it is. Believe me it is.’ Jane sat up, ‘So, did you just run from the room?’

‘Yes. What else could I do?’

‘Well ... I could have thought of something if it had been me. Never one to waste an opportunity but there it is. I’m just surprised you remembered what it was and didn’t try to hang a towel on it.’

Lizzie tutted again. ‘It hasn’t been that long since I’ve seen a naked man. Max was here at Christmas and New Year, remember?’

‘How could I forget? Anyway, you haven’t said. Marks out of ten?’

Lizzie licked the rim of her wine glass with her tongue and took a deep breath. ‘Fifteen,’ she sighed.

‘Wow!’ Jane emptied her glass in one gulp.

Chapter Four

An hour later Jane and Lizzie had showered and changed and were in the kitchen making dinner. Stilton and pear tartlets to start, followed by twenty-one day matured Angus beef and red wine casserole, dumplings and hasselback potatoes with a fine grating of stilton on top, then chocolate crunch pudding and custard for dessert.

Despite Jane’s earlier comment, she had chosen a plain but elegant fitted skirt – which was shorter on her than on Lizzie as she was a few inches taller, at five feet six – and an emerald green cashmere sweater that exactly matched the colour of her eyes.

Lizzie had chosen navy blue fitted trousers and a navy blue v-neck blouse with a soft ruffle fringe. Her hair hung loose about her face and she wore little make-up, just mascara and a hint of lipstick.

At seven precisely, they heard the guys making their way down to the dining room.

‘Shall I go and see what alcohol they want to drink?’ Jane asked. ‘I mean, they haven’t had any for two hours, they must be gasping.’

Lizzie smiled in spite of the fact that she was shaking. The thought of facing Jack again after the fiasco in his room did not appeal and if she could have shut herself in the kitchen and left it all to Jane, she would have.

She knew that wasn’t an option. Jack must be feeling embarrassed too, not just about the nakedness but also about the doodled heart and the sooner they faced one another, the better.

‘Yeah but will you pour me a large glass of wine first, please. I think I need it.’

Jane smiled and poured the wine. ‘You’re getting as bad as them. It’ll be fine.’

‘You always say that and it never is.’ Lizzie took a big gulp of wine. ‘That’s better. Tell them dinner will be ready in about fifteen minutes.’

Jane was back in five. ‘Red wine,’ she said, grabbing the bottle from the kitchen table. ‘Are you going to come through for a few minutes and get the embarrassing bit over with before dinner?’

Lizzie gasped. ‘Is he in there? Did he say anything?’

‘Yes and no. He’s there but he keeps looking at the door. I think he’s waiting for you to make an entrance.’

Lizzie took a deep breath and grabbed two more bottles of wine from the rack. ‘I can do this. I’m a thirty-two year old woman and I’ve seen a naked man before.’

‘Lead on Mac Duff,’ Jane mocked, holding the door open for Lizzie to pass.

The guys were all hovering around the huge fireplace but when she and Jane entered they made for the wine, like a group of blood starved vampires, except for Jack. He remained where he was.

Lizzie felt as if she were in the beam of a spotlight as Jack stared at her and there was something in his expression that made her skin tingle. She put the bottles down on the sideboard, afraid she might drop them.

‘Help yourselves,’ she said.

Jane handed out wine glasses whilst Lizzie poured a glass for Jack, who still hadn’t moved, and headed in his direction. She smiled, and she thought she saw him take a step back but she could have imagined it. She stopped right in front of him and looked up, directly into his sapphire blue eyes.

‘I’m so sorry about earlier,’ she whispered, ‘I thought you were still outside with the others. I was so embarrassed. I hope I didn’t cause you any ... um ... discomfort.’

Something caught in Jack’s throat and he coughed lightly. ‘No. No it’s fine. I ... I’m sorry. It was my fault.’

‘Nonsense. It was mine. But let’s just forget it happened shall we and not mention it again?’

Jack thought he was unlikely to ever forget the way her eyes had swept over his body or his involuntary reaction to it, but he nodded. ‘Forgotten already,’ he lied.

She smiled up at him. ‘Good. This is for you.’ She handed him the glass of wine.

As he took it their fingers brushed and neither of them could deny the spark they felt, like a tiny electric shock – or an itch that would definitely need to be scratched . Their eyes met and held until Lizzie dragged her eyes from his. ‘I’ve got to check on dinner,’ she mumbled and turned away, heading towards the kitchen.

‘That was bloody delicious,’ Pete said two hours later, puffing out his cheeks, ‘I’m stuffed.’

‘Glad you liked it,’ Lizzie said.

‘It was as good as any restaurant in town,’ Phil added.

‘Well, I wouldn’t go that far, but thanks. My mum was a chef so I had an excellent teacher.’

‘Wow.’ Phil said, ‘A chef! Bet you never had beans on toast for tea then.’

Lizzie laughed. ‘Actually I did – and more than once.’

‘Has she retired?’Jack asked. ‘You said she
was
a chef.’

‘Yes. Both my parents retired early. They are travelling the world on a yacht as we speak. It seems to be taking some time actually. They’ve been gone for nearly three years now.’ She shook her head as if in despair, but she was grinning.’

‘So, haven’t you seen them for three years then?’ Phil asked, clearly unable to comprehend this.

‘Yes.’ Lizzie laughed out loud. ‘They send me a ticket every six months or so and I go and stay with them for a couple of weeks – out of season of course. They invited me to join them when I ... before I moved here but, as much as I love them, living on a small yacht with my parents didn’t really appeal to me. I miss them, but we keep in touch via email and webcam. Right. Coffee and liqueurs in the sitting room. It’s more relaxing.’

‘Can I help with the washing up?’ Jack asked, getting to his feet.

‘Dishwasher – but thanks. You can help carry the trays through though, if you don’t mind.’

‘Not at all.’

Jack, Phil and Pete took the dirty dishes into the kitchen and Lizzie loaded the dishwasher, whilst Jane made coffee.

‘You can take that through if that’s okay,’ Jane said, pointing towards the tray laden with coffee cups and liqueur glasses.

Jack took it from the table and they all went into the sitting room.

‘So, anyone for strip-poker?’ Pete asked, a saucy grin etched across his elfin-like face.

‘I should warn you,’ Lizzie said, ‘Jane and I are very good at poker. Winter nights can be very long up here.’

Hesitant glances were exchanged between the guys. ‘How good is very good?’ Steve asked.

‘Play us and see,’ Jane teased.

Again the glances.

‘Actually, I’ve got to take Alastair for a walk before bed, so you’ll have to excuse me.’ Lizzie stood up. She wondered if Jack might offer to go with her but he didn’t.

‘Let’s play for cash, Pete said. ‘Don’t mind losing that.’ He winked at Jane.

Lizzie went into the hall and put her jacket on. ‘Alastair,’ she called and in a matter of seconds he was at her side, tail wagging and tongue hanging to one side. She rubbed his head. ‘Come on boy but not too long, it looks pretty cold out there.’

Alastair barked in agreement and bounded out of the door as soon as Lizzie opened it. She hung back, still wondering if Jack would appear, half hoping he would and disappointed when he didn’t. He’d seemed so eager to help until now and she was a little surprised that he hadn’t offered to go with her.

Don’t be ridiculous, she told herself. Why would any sane person leave a warm room and coffee and liqueurs unless they had to? Then another thought crossed her mind. Every time he’d offered to help, Jane had been around. Was he attracted to Jane? If Jane had said she had to walk Alastair, would Jack have jumped up to follow?

Lizzie stepped out of the doorway and the cold night air slapped her face like a jealous woman. She sucked in her breath. It’s too cold for snow, she thought. At least they won’t get snowed in. Somehow that didn’t please her as much as it should have.

‘Grow up, Lizzie Marshall,’ she said out loud, ‘you’re acting like a lovesick teenager.’ She quickened her pace to follow Alastair.