Page 9 of The Allotment on Willow Tree Lane

‘Shropshire, mostly.’

‘Where else?’ she asked curiously.

He lifted a shoulder. ‘Boarding school in Worcester, then London. I’ve travelled a fair bit.’

Another brief silence followed. Ceri wasn’t sure whether she wanted him to stay, or wished he would leave so she could be alone.

The track changed again, this time a powerful rock ballad, and Ceri recognised it instantly. It had been a hit by some band that she couldn’t for the life of her remember the name of, but she did remember the lyrics, and she began to sing under her breath.

Damon was still and silent, seemingly unmoved by the music, and it occurred to her that maybehewas waiting forherto leave.

Embarrassed, she stopped singing and cleared her throat. ‘Sorry. You don’t need to hear me caterwauling. I just happen to like this one.’

‘You weren’t caterwauling. You’ve got a decent voice, and I’ve heard worse renditions of it.’

‘Thanks.’ Feeling mischievous all of a sudden, she said, ‘What was better, my dancing or my singing?’

‘I preferred the dancing.’

‘I thought you might say that. You were just being polite about my singing.’ She smiled to show she hadn’t taken offence.

‘Not at all. You just looked so…’ He appeared to hunt for the right word. ‘Carefree.’ He sounded envious and his gaze drifted towards the marquee. ‘You looked happy,’ he added.

Ceri’s gaze followed his, and she thought about the newly married couple and the joy and love on their faces as they’d recited their vows. She sensed a sadness in this stranger, and wondered whether it had anything to do with weddings.

‘Fancy a drink?’ she asked, impulsively. ‘I don’t want to go inside just yet, so how about I fetch a bottle and we can drink it out here?’ She knew there were some stashed behind the table holding the wedding cake because she had put them there herself, in case of emergency.

‘Er… I… All right, yeah.’

‘It’s a dry white, if that’s OK?’

‘Sounds good,’ he replied.

‘Wait here, I won’t be long.’ Ceri scampered off, suddenly eager for a nearly-midnight tryst with this total stranger.

But once she was inside the marquee, she had second thoughts, almost deciding not to go back. It was only the knowledge that if she didn’t, he would probably return to the tent anyway, which would make it awkward as they were bound to bump into each other now that the party was winding down and there were fewer people.

She would have one glass with him, just to be friendly, and then she would make her excuses.

After all, she didn’t know him from Adam, and the likelihood of ever meeting him again was small to non-existent.

Chapter 3

Damon was where she had left him. He had spread his suit jacket on the grass and was sitting on one of the sleeves.

He smiled and patted the body of his jacket, inviting her to sit down next to him, but Ceri hesitated. If she sat on it, they would be almost touching.

Oh, what the hell! She might have brought the wine but she had forgotten to bring any glasses, so they would have to swig directly from the bottle, and considering they would both have their lips on the same place, in Ceri’s eyes that constituted getting pretty darned close. They may as well snog and be done with it!

As the thought popped into her head, her eyes widened and her imagination went into overdrive. He did look incredibly kissable. His shirt sleeves were rolled up revealing strong forearms with tattoos disappearing under the material, the top two buttons of his shirt were undone, and his long legs were stretched out in front of him.

‘Forgot glasses,’ she announced, tucking her feet underneath her as she sank down onto his jacket. A waft of his deliciously woody and manly scent drifted up her nose, and she tried not to inhale too deeply in case he noticed and thought she was weird.

‘You go first,’ she told him, handing him the bottle.

He took it, his expression quizzical, then he lifted it to his lips and she watched him take a mouthful, his throat working as he swallowed. He passed the wine back to her and she wondered whether she should wipe the rim.

She didn’t bother and was conscious of his gaze as she drank.

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