Page 35 of Welcome to Pennycress Inn

‘Evie.’

‘Yeah, her. She didn’t tell me any of this. In fact, the inn was a relatively good bargain compared to some of the other places I looked round. Especially as the sale included everything I would need to get it running again.’ She looked around the hallway. ‘Or I thought it was a good bargain, anyway.’

‘I don’t really understand why people can’t see that you have nothing to do with Vivienne being evicted.’ He shook his head.

She shifted position, trying to alleviate the cramping spreading up her calf. ‘I guess it’s a good job I’m selling up then.’

Jackson took her hands into his and met her gaze again. ‘Don’t do that. Please.’

‘Huh, we can both see the damage I’ve done in just over a week. Imagine what I’ll do to the place if I stay. I mean, look at that wall.’ Taking in the bumpy blobs of filler covering the wall, she let out a short laugh and looked down at his hands. Her own were warm inside his. She felt safe.

‘No. This needed to happen.’ Jackson looked around them. ‘And besides, I quite like the patchwork effect. It adds to the charm and character.’

She smiled and looked back at him. He’d made no move to pull his hands away and there was that look again. That intense look from last night when she’d been convinced they’d had ‘a moment’. Or, more truthfully, convinced herself they hadn’t.

‘You can get it back to its former glory.’ Jackson leaned forward a little. ‘I can help you.’

‘I’m supposed to be doing this on my own, remember?’ She felt the pull too, a magnetic force as she herself inched forward. She could feel his breath against her skin, could sense the tingle between them as he paused a mere centimetre from her.

‘Do you want this?’ His voice was husky, nervous.

‘Uh-huh.’ Did she? She shouldn’t. She closed her eyes as their lips met and she felt his fingers run up the nape of her neck, drawing her closer. It was… Kissing him was everything she’dever imagined it would be: gentle, strong, wonderful. As she felt him pull away, she leaned back and searched his eyes. ‘I’ve imagined how that would feel for a long time now.’

‘Me too.’ He grinned, his lips still so close to hers.

‘You have?’

Drawing her towards him again, he leaned down and kissed her once more, harder this time, more passionately, before leaning back and running his hand across his face. ‘Does that answer your question?’

‘Umm, let me see…’ It was her turn this time to run her fingers through his hair, to pull him towards her and kiss him. ‘Yes, yes, I think it does.’

18

Reaching her arms above her head, Laura yawned. She hadn’t slept as well as she had last night for a long time. Yes, she ached – so much – from all the work she’d done in the hallway yesterday, but she’d slept like a log. Maybe it had been because she’d been physically exhausted when Jackson had left, or maybe it had been because of the kiss, or kisses, they’d shared.

She rolled over and smiled. Today was going to be a good day. She could feel it. And she couldn’t wait to see Jackson again.

The weak chime of the doorbell pulled her from her thoughts, and she threw the covers back before grabbing the jumper Jackson had lent her last night and holding it against her nose, breathing in the spicy, earthy aroma of his aftershave still distinguishable from the chalky smell of the wall filler smeared across the front.

There it was again. The doorbell. Of course. Pulling the jumper over her head, not caring that it was filthy – it still smelt of Jackson – she jumped out of bed and ran down the stairs, pausing for a few moments on the bottom step as she looked at the mess from yesterday. Shaking her head, she tiptoed throughthe debris and pulled the front door open. ‘Jackson!’ She felt a rush of pleasure seeing him standing in front of her.

‘Morning! I hope I didn’t wake you. I just wanted to bring you breakfast before I head to the pub for my shift.’

‘Breakfast? You made me breakfast?’ She took a deep breath in and grinned. ‘Is it French toast?’

Jackson grinned too as he walked inside and stepped around the wallpaper and plaster covering the floor, following Laura through to the kitchen. ‘A promise is a promise.’

‘Yum, well, I am glad you keep your promises.’ She opened the kitchen drawer and picked up two forks before sitting at the kitchen table opposite him.

Jackson took the metal lid off his serving plate and set it down before looking at her and pausing. ‘About what happened yesterday…’

Laura felt her stomach drop. Not Jackson.Please don’t be like all the others, the men who promise the world and deliver very little. Don’t be like Harry. Please don’t. ‘I… You think it was a mistake?’

‘What? No! Not at all.’ Jackson widened his eyes as he looked at her. When he spoke again, his voice was quiet, unsure. ‘Do you?’

She shook her head. ‘I don’t. I just assumed that’s what you were going to say.’

‘Not in a million years.’ Shaking his head, he chuckled. ‘I’ve been waiting a long time for that kiss, believe me.’

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