Page 6 of The Rescue

I make my way through the farmyard and down the track towards the beach. Cam showed me the ins and out’s of the property the first day I arrived. It’s early enough that I can just about see where I’m going in the early dawn light. I love this time of morning, when hardly anyone is awake and it feels like you’re the only person around. I find my way to the beach through the brush, and it opens up in a wide landscape of rugged Scottish coastline. If I didn’t loathe small towns so much I’d almost think this place is breathtaking. The sun is slowly rising above the water creating this soft golden glow making the water shimmer. Dylan told me this place is magical in summer but I love this time of year. It’s not too cold but cold enough to get that cosy feeling of autumn. The smell of rain in the air is my favourite smell. It’s so crisp and fresh. I take the only peaceful moment to myself since I got her a couple of days ago. Closing my eyes towards the rising sun, and slowly inhaling and quickly exhaling.

I take an extra few minutes to walk and do a couple of stretches before breaking out into a light jog along the sand. It’s soft and bouncy underneath my feet making me stumble a few times but I soon find my footing and pick up speed. It feels nice to move my body and feel the cold Scottish air on my face. I pick up the pace, the frustration melts away as my lungs burn the faster I push myself. I make my way towards the village along the beach. There’s hardly any people around still and that’s the way I like it. Small towns rarely come alive this early, why would they need to? The pace is a lot slower here.

The sand ends and the tarmac begins towards the main street, I pass The Drunken Duck, and Bits and Bobs - the little grocery shop. I finally slow to stop outside Sweet Treats. I peer through the window and can see a soft glow of light coming from the kitchen in the back. Looks like I’m not the only one who gets up early. I picture Rabbie working away in his kitchen kneading out dough with his perfectly strong hands. Oh what I’dgive to have those hands map out my body.What is wrong with me?Clearly my run didn’t get rid of all the frustration. Dylan’s warning rings loud like an alarm bell in my head. But Rabbie is too fucking gorgeous to pass up on. Plus I’ve never had sex with a Scottish man and I bet they’re a different breed.

I glance down at my watch, I need to get back to the cottage and shower before I start my first day on the job. I back up from the window before I get caught for being a peeping Tom and make my way back to Thistle Down Farm. Rabbie consuming my every thought. How am I ever going to get any work done when I have my hot boss on my mind?

* * *

When I make my way through the door of Sweet Treats an hour later the whole place is packed except for my little table tucked away in the corner. A little blackboard with my name scribbled in chalk let’s everyone know this is my table. I peer over the heads of chattering locals, I can’t see Rabbie anywhere. I mean he’s pretty hard to miss. He must be in the back in the kitchen. I make my way over to the table and take out my laptop and notepad. I scan the cafe to find most eyes are on me, fucking small towns. This is why I hate them, prying eyes everywhere. I’m the new outsider. I try not to let the wandering eyes distract me from the task at hand. I need to get this website done, and a little slice of Rabbie then I can be on my merry way.

I look around and I see Rabbie popping in and out of the kitchen serving customers and making drinks. He looks rushed off his feet, but he looks like he’s enjoying it. Not one sign of stress across his handsome face.

He hasn’t noticed me in the corner, I guess he just wants me to get one with my job. He looks far too busy to come over and talk to me, which is a bitter pill for me to swallow. Usually I can’t get men to leave me alone, but Rabbie hasn’t looked over in my direction once.

I engulf myself with scribbling down ideas. Rabbie hasn’t exactly told me what he would like on his website like colour palettes, logos and all the other design aspects. I will have to sit down with him and go over that. I work away for a while creating vision boards for him to look at, I find myself yawning at my screen. From the lack of sleep, and my morning run I find myself in a mid-morning slump.

I know just the thing that will help me overcome this lull. I peer up from my screen just in time to see Rabbie emerge from his kitchen. His eyes lock on mine and a warm smile spreads across his face. A panty melting smile that has me shifting in my seat. Fuck, he’s drop dead gorgeous and he doesn’t even know it. He doesn’t have the ego of someone who loves themselves. His high cheekbones and chiselled jaw are so defined it hurts my eyes to look at him. And don’t get me started on his eyes– fuck, those eyes. They’re a shade of green I’ve never seen in anyone’s eyes before, a shade of deep green they look like jade. I like how they light up when he speaks to people. I’ve noticed it every time he speaks to one of his customers. I’ve overheard him calling every single one by their first names, and taking the time to ask about their days or a particular thing that’s going on in their lives. He’s really popular. No one seems to be in a hurry, and are more than happy to wait.

I try to make myself look busy as he makes his way over to me, he stops and speaks to a few people first which gives me time to compose myself. I’m concentrating on my screen when I feel his presence standing over my table.

“Good morning,” his voice is soft and smooth.

I look up from my screen and take him in, he smells like bread and cinnamon. There’s also another depth to the way he smells, but I can’t quite put my finger on it. I try not to close my eyes and take in a whiff of his delicious scent.Cause that would be fucking creepy.

“Good morning,” I managed to get out before breaking into a big yawn.How embarrassing, just swallow me up and kill me now.

A low rumble comes from Rabbie’s chest and a soft smirk plays on his lips.

“I was just about to ask you how you were getting on but I see now.” He raises an eyebrow at me.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t get a great night’s sleep. And I didn’t want to bother you for a coffee.”

“Och, I’m sorry. I’ve been a wee bit busy this morning baking orders and looking after the customers. Where are my manners? I’ll go make you a coffee now. How do you take it?” He smiles down at me, small wrinkles form around his eyes.

How do I take it?I know exactly how I’d take it.Why did he make that sound so erotic and sexy to me? I put it down from the lack of sex, and his thick Scottish accent. It has to be my favourite accent, it’s very primal and gravelly. I need to get my head out of the gutter, he’s simply asking how I take my coffee, and I’m thinking about sex. What is wrong with me?

“Oh I don’t want to bother you,” I protest.

“Dinny be daft. I was just coming out here for a break anyway. How do you like your coffee?” He quirks one eyebrow at me.

“Black, please. The biggest cup you have.”

A small smirk twitches on his lips. “That bad of a night’s sleep, ey?”

“Something like that.”

He turns and makes his way over to the coffee machine behind the counter. I try my hardest not to watch his perfect ass in his Carhartt pants as he walks away but I can’t resist a couple of sneaky glances. Even his walk is attractive, it’s commanding but not in an egotistical way. It’s prideful more than anything. His apron tied tight accentuates his board back, his back muscles flex as he walks away. The image of running my nails down his back comes to mind, and I have to fight the urge to rub my legs together in public. My morning run clearly hasn’t relieved any built up tension, or maybe Rabbie just too goddamn sexy.

I finish off the last touches of my vision board to show him whilst he makes our coffees. I don’t know why but I’m nervous to show him what I’ve come up with. I take pride in my work, my mama never wanted me to go to college, so I make sure I work hard to prove her wrong. I want to create the perfect website for him, I really like the ideas I’ve come up with, and I hope he likes them too. I’m busy chewing the side of my thumb to realise he’s made his way back over when he places the biggest cup of coffee I’ve ever seen in front of me.

“A bathtub of coffee for you,” he teases.

A small smirk lifts on his lips, and I can’t help but laugh at his remark.

I take a small sip of the dark liquid and close my eyes in bliss. “Wow, thanks. I needed this.”

“Here, we can’t have a cup of coffee without biscuits.” He places a small plate of Scottish shortbread on the table.

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