31 Days of Winter (48 page)

‘Stop, you’ll make me wet myself I’m giggling so
hard. You’ll also have the cat protection league on your case if you tempt him
with any more shit inducing morsels.’

‘Not like he can tell on me, is it?’

‘True, very true,’ I nodded. ‘So, Christmas not
that great, eh?’

‘No, so be prepared, the Friday after you get back
we’re going out for cocktails in Banker central. We’re going to find you some
loaded hot stallion to ride like a bucking bronco.’

‘Brooke, I don’t know. I need some time on my own
after everything.’

‘No way, babe. It’s Brooke’s way or the highway.’

‘How long have you been saving that one up?’

‘What’s wrong with it? O shit, looks like I have
to go, Dad has another computer crisis.’

‘Another?’

‘Insisted his keyboard had died yesterday. Dozy
old bugger hadn’t realised it took batteries. Still not sure how he thought it
was powered when it didn’t have a cable. I can’t wait to go home.’

‘You’d miss them if they weren’t there, Brooke,’ I
reminded her again.

‘I know, but I need something to whinge about,
it’s my thing. Enjoy lover boy while you can babe, but be prepared to move on
the minute you get on that plane. And please keep in bloody touch with me this
time.’

‘I promise, as long as we don’t get any more power
cuts.’

‘No going near the water on your own either.’

‘That’s a definite promise. Who’s playing mum
now?’

‘Well, you sort of inspire people to be better.
You never know, I may have a sudden urge to have kids soon as well.’

‘Yeah, right,’ I laughed. ‘You’d better like mine
when I have them.’

‘Mini Ellie’s? What’s not to love?’

‘A very valid point, thank you, if only Dan felt
the same. Right, go, check Mr. Hanson’s computer’s actually plugged in.’

‘Don’t even go there,’ she groaned.

‘Love you.’

‘You too, babe. Night.’

‘Night.’ I blew her a kiss and sighed as she
signed off and went up to get ready for bed, still disappointed not to have
heard from Dan.

Ellie

I woke up to hear knocking
on the door and wrapped the duvet around me and looked over the balustrade and
caught my breath. Dan was standing looking up at me, a days’ worth of stubble
on his face, taking nothing away from his handsomeness. “Just move on” Brooke
had said. Like that was a possibility, even before the earth quake inducing orgasms.

‘What do you want?’ I called.

‘I have your shopping for you and wanted to make
sure you were ok.’

‘I’m fine, thank you.’

‘You didn’t call me yesterday.’

‘You made it quite clear you didn’t want calling.’

‘Do we have to have this conversation shouting
through the glass?’

‘What’s there to say? You’ll apologise for
withdrawing again, I’ll forgive you because I’m stupid. We’ll end up having ridiculously
amazing sex again, you’ll hate yourself in the morning, then make me hate you,
and we’re back at square one. It’s like
Groundhog Day
with you. Thanks, but
I’ll pass.’

‘Ellie.’ I watched him run a hand through his
hair.

‘What? You’re about to tell me that I don’t
understand? Damn right I don’t. Thanks for the shopping, I’ll sort out the cash
and put it through your door when you’re out this afternoon.’

‘I’d like to see you tonight.’

‘I don’t think that’s a good idea.’

‘I promise not to make any moves.’

‘You promised that before,’ I reminded him with a
roll of my eyes.

‘You didn’t exactly try and stop me.’

‘So we both have shit control, all the more reason
not to be around each other don’t you think?’

‘Ellie please, I’d like to talk to you in person.
I’ll come by when I get back later.’

‘Fine, but I’m only agreeing because you’ll stick
another log through the door if you don’t get your own way.’

‘Don’t leave your food out here,’ he sighed. ‘The
sun’s out and it’s warm.’

‘I’ll come and get it in a minute.’

‘You’ll be ok on your own?’

‘I was fine yesterday, thank you.’ I watched as he
let out another obvious sigh before rubbing his stubble, then turned and left.
I felt proud that I’d stood my ground, but sad that I was about to spend
another day without him. I quickly pulled on some clothes, ran down and got all
of the shopping in before heading up to check on the airport status again. It
was open, but there were no seats available on any flights before the one I
already had. I searched for a five star spa hotel near the town we’d been to
and the one at the top of the loch came up. I rang their number to ask if they
had any rooms, but was told they were fully booked with it being Hogmanay. The
Scots really celebrated New Year, they were renowned for it. I asked for the
name of the pub as I couldn’t remember it and kicked myself when they told me
that it was “The Stag” and gave me the number. A woman answered and told me
they had no rooms either and that the local B&B was full too. Damn it, I
was stuck with capricious man for another four days, like it or not. I sighed
and rang the London estate agents to chase them up about Brooke having a key,
and they apologised and said that their records showed that the owner had
confirmed it was ok and that he would let me know, but she could collect it
during working hours. I busied myself with my writing again, I was close to a
finished first draft. If I wasn’t going to have sex, I was going to damn well
write about it. But given my new found knowledge, I was going to have to
redraft just how explosive it could actually be. I broke off at seven and
headed down to make a chicken stir fry and heard a knock at the door.

‘It’s open,’ I yelled.

‘I give up with you,’ he sighed as he stepped
inside.

‘Figured it was cheaper for you to simply open it
like normal people.’

‘Is sarcasm going to be a theme of the rest of the
evening?’

‘Would you like it to be? I’m pretty good at it.’

‘Not particularly, but I guess I deserve it.’

‘You do.’

‘What are you cooking?’

‘Chicken stir fry, I suppose you want some?’

‘No thanks, I’ve already eaten, it just smells
better than my chicken Pot Noodle.’

‘Seriously, you have so much free time on your
hands you need to take cookery classes,’ I advised as I plated up. I turned
around to find him sitting at the island watching me, freshly shaved wearing a
grey shirt with some black jeans.
Damn him
, looking all sexy when I was
trying to stay cold.

‘I missed you last night, I hardly slept.’

‘You asked me to move out,’ I reminded him as I
took a seat and started to eat, trying not to look at him.

‘I’m a complex guy, I told you this from the
beginning.’

‘You did, it was my mistake thinking the nice guy
I’d spent a couple of amazing days with was the real Dan. There again, I never
did have great judgement in guys.’

‘I thought sarcasm wasn’t going to feature. Please
don’t compare me to that shit you went out with and stop talking yourself
down.’

‘So have you just come to apologise and woo me
back into your bed again?’

‘Apologise, yes. Wooing, no. You’re right, we’re
amazing together but once you leave we can never be anything more, it’s best we
don’t make this any harder than it already will be when you go.’

‘Something we agree on. So was that all?’

‘Actually no, I … I sort of have two tickets to a
New Year thing at The Stag tomorrow night and wondered if you’d come with me.’

‘You’ve come to tell me that we can’t be close,
now you’re asking me on a
date?
’ I exclaimed, secretly pleased his
ticket
was
for me and not someone else.

‘Not a date as such, just two friends going out to
a party together. I don’t usually go to things like this, but you can’t be in
Scotland for New Year and not experience it properly. Pete would pick us up and
drop us off, but I warn you it would be a late night.’

‘I don’t have any formal evening wear.’

‘Formal wear? Who mentioned anything about formal
wear? It’s at The Stag, not the hotel.’

‘Pete said it was a posh affair.’

‘Pete said? When were you talking to Pete?’ he
frowned.

‘When he was fixing the door. He said you’d got
two tickets to go and I wondered if you were going to ask me, as you hadn’t I
figured you had some Scottish girl you had your eye on and were going to go
with her.’

‘No, I got the ticket with the intention of taking
you.’

‘You got it before you even met me. What’s that
all about?’ I popped the last of my dinner in my mouth as he stared at me in
horror.

‘Exactly how much did Pete share?’ he demanded.

‘Not as much as I’d of liked, don’t worry, I’m
still no clearer on your afternoon activities or the reason for you becoming a
virtual recluse.’

‘I’m a very private person, Ellie.’

‘He said that about your boss too,’ I nodded. Dan stood
up quickly and ran a hand through his hair.

‘I have things to do, I need to go. Are we going
tomorrow or what?’

‘Wow, tone down the charm Casanova, it’s a bit
much.’

‘Tone down the unwanted sarcasm. Are you coming or
not?’

‘More inappropriate talk.’

‘Ellie!’ he barked.

‘Fine, but I still don’t know the dress code.’

‘Wear that black knitted dress you wore on
Christmas Day, that would be fine. See you tomorrow. Be ready for seven o’clock
and I’ll come and get you, if you’re wearing stupid heels again I don’t want
you breaking your ankle. Lock the door behind me, please.’

‘Yes, Sir!’ I responded to his retreating back. I could
have sworn he stalled, his hands balled into fists and he let out a sexual
growl, before striding out and shutting the door without looking back.

‘Yep, you definitely know how to pick them, Ellie
Baxter,’ I nodded as I went and locked the door and left the key in, just in
case. As much as I wanted to resist him, I knew if he strode in here with sex
on his mind, I wouldn’t want to resist. I wondered if it was possible to have a
love/hate relationship while having great sex, and concluded that was
exactly
what I already had with him. I tucked up in bed with a book and my iPad and
sent Brooke an email.

Just checking in. Minimal sightings of Dan
today, but he did come to ask me to accompany him to the New Year party at the
local pub tomorrow. It will be nice to get out. The airport has reopened, but I
can’t get an earlier flight so I’ll land about seven-thirty on Saturday night
if you can bring Maisie to get me? Take out and champagne on me. Spoke to the
agents today, take in some ID whenever you want and they’ll give you the key.
I’m dreading saying goodbye to Dan, it’s going to hurt, but I can’t wait to
start my new life in my new home with my new job and some fun nights out with
my best friend. LY xx

Ellie

The snow had nearly gone,
so I went for a run in the morning, making it about halfway around the island
before turning back. I put the bed linen in to wash and tumble dry as I did
some cleaning, then spent the afternoon having a pamper session in the
bathroom, prettying myself up for the party later. I shaved, painted my finger
and toe nails in a sparkling gold and used the straighteners on my hair to
leave it sleek and shiny. I put on some minimal face coverage and did my lashes
long and dark with black lined rims and a pale gold shadow that showed off the
gold flecks in my green eyes. I took my new maxi dress off the hanger, I’d
purchased it for Zac’s birthday, but figured it was perfect for a New Year
party. It hung on me perfectly, the halter neck showing off my toned arms and
sculpted shoulder blades, and the slit up the side my shapely calf and thigh.

I pulled on my gold high heeled sandals and did a
twirl in the mirror. I was over six foot tall with them on. As I looked at
myself I nodded, Brooke was right, I needed to go out when we got home, I
was
attractive, I shouldn’t have any problem garnering attention. The more guys I
dated, the more likely I was to find one I sparked with, like I had with Dan. I
sprayed a touch of perfume and heard a knock at the door. I carefully headed
down the stairs and froze at the bottom as I looked up at the front door. I’d
left the light on and Dan was standing facing the loch, his hands tucked into a
pair of dark indigo jeans, which showed off his muscular thighs and that
seriously pert backside. He had on a pair of brown leather brogues, a black
jacket and had topped it off with a checked grey flat cap. As I walked to the
door he turned around for me to see he was wearing a tucked in white shirt,
black waistcoat and a thin black tie as well, the top button of his shirt
undone. I gulped. He looked seriously sexy, but I was also surprised, this was
a stylish hip look that I saw on guys in the city. I wouldn’t have put Dan down
for this. I thought he’d be in jeans and boots with a checked lumberjack shirt.
I unlocked the door and opened it.

‘Hi,’ I whispered breathlessly, as I tried to
control my reaction to seeing him look so good and
smelling
him. He had
on some aftershave that just enhanced his natural scent. Lynx needed to bottle
it and call it “Ejaculations on Tap” as women would rush any guy wearing that
and happily seduce him.

‘Hi,’ he replied as his eyes and nostrils flared
as he looked me up and down. I noticed his jeans rapidly expanding. Damn it, he
had an erection and that made my nipples peak, which he spotted immediately.
‘You’re cold, take my jacket,’ he advised as he shrugged it off and put it
around my shoulders, standing far too close to me as he did it.

‘You’ll be cold though,’ I objected as I had to
stop myself from leaning forward a fraction and kissing him.

‘I’ll be fine. You look stunning, Ellie.’

‘Thank you. You’ve surprised me, you look … so
stylish.’

‘I told you I’m not just some hill billy,’ he
responded with a frown.

‘I never said you were, you’d look good in
anything, but this look is very now in the city.’

‘Maybe I’m the style setter and they take their
cues from me. Checked flannel shirts will be all the rage next season in London.’

‘Maybe so,’ I laughed. He placed his hand in the
small of my back making me hitch my breath, and steered me out onto the decking
as he locked up for me and pocketed the key.

‘I think hopping onto my hip or around my waist
isn’t going to work with that outfit.’

‘I’ll walk. I can walk, you know.’

‘I know that, but you might want to dance tonight
without a sprained ankle,’ he advised as he bent down. Before I had a chance to
object he’d swept me up into his arms and started to walk.

‘Dan,’ I protested as I tried to control my
breathing.

‘Don’t start,’ he sighed as he looked down at me.
‘Can we just have a fun night? I’d like to remember tonight as a good night.’

‘Me too,’ I nodded. ‘What’s that noise?’

‘I persuaded Pete to send someone with the boat to
save us taking the bus. They stop so many times and I’d like to have a drink
and not worry about steering my boat back across.’

‘You have some serious pull around here,’ I
suggested as I looked up at his strong jaw. He smiled and shrugged.

‘So are you looking forward to going home on
Monday and seeing your new house?’

‘It will be nice to start my new life, yes,’ I
nodded, not correcting him that I was leaving on Saturday. We remained silent
as he headed towards the jetty, then I heard him sigh heavily.

‘I’m really going to miss you.’

‘I’ll miss you, too.’

‘You will? Even with my fluctuating moods?’

‘Even with those, because happy Dan is an amazing
Dan, someone anyone could, l … like,’ I corrected myself from saying the word
“love” at the last second.

‘But not my alter ego Stan?’ he looked down at me
with a raised brow.

‘No, Stan really isn’t much fun to be around, try
to keep him under wraps when I’m gone.’

‘I’ll try,’ he nodded. He went to say something
else, but frowned and shook his head. I heard the sound of wood creaking and
stiffened up.

‘O God, don’t carry me on the jetty, what if you
fall?’

‘I won’t, but if you feel safer I’ll set you down
as long as you hold my hand just in case, ok?’

‘Ok,’ I nodded. I felt sick as I stood next to him
and looked at the dark water below us and tucked up closer to him as he weaved
his fingers around mine and we watched the boat approaching. It wasn’t the
large boat that had broken the ice the other day, but a smaller one with a
small indoor section. It pulled up alongside and Dan gently led me to where it
had tied up. I screamed as I felt myself being tipped backwards as Dan lifted
me up again. ‘You could have warned me,’ I gasped as I thumped his shoulder.

‘Sorry. Here Conn, take her for me will you, just
make sure you don’t have grease on your hands to ruin her dress or I’ll never
hear the end of it.’

‘Aye Dan, no problem.’

‘I feel like a piece of cargo,’ I grumbled as I
was handed from man to man then set down in the boat.

‘Precious cargo, lassie,’ smiled Conn with a nod.
‘Dan’s a wee bit particular when he wants things done.’

‘Yes, thanks, Conn, Miss Baxter doesn’t need to
hear about all of my traits, thank you,’ he replied as he cast off the ropes
and effortlessly jumped into the boat. ‘Come indoors, you’ll be warmer and it
will stop you panicking about the water.’

‘Thanks,’ I smiled, surprised when he took my hand
again in front of his friend. He took me to sit down in the small cabin and I
went to remove my hand from his, the energy flowing between us was so
distracting, but he simply held it even tighter. ‘I thought we were going just
as friends, friends don’t link fingers when they hold hands,’ I whispered.

‘We are going as just friends, but that doesn’t
mean I want to sit and watch you with anyone else, by holding hands like this
everyone will know that you’re off limits.’

‘O my God, you’re unbelievable,’ I gasped as I
scowled at him. ‘So you don’t want me, but you don’t want anyone else to have
me?’

‘It’s not that I don’t want you Ellie, but no, I
don’t want anyone else to have you.’

‘This time next week you’ll have no idea who’s “having”
me, Dan, so you won’t care.’

‘I’ll care, I just won’t have to see it.’

‘So what if I meet someone I really like tonight?
I’m single, maybe I’m up for a night of passionate sex with a stranger.’

‘You won’t, not when the memory of how good I was
is still fresh in your mind.’

‘Wow, and the award for cockiness of 2013 goes to
you. I’m changing your name to a double barrelled one. Dan Complex Arrogant.’

‘I notice you’re not denying the fact that I was
amazing.’

‘Well I’m pretty inexperienced aren’t I, it was a
pretty low benchmark for you to exceed,’ I bit back.

‘You’re seriously telling me that you think sex
gets better than
that?
’ he exclaimed as he studied my face. ‘I’m
very
experienced, maybe not lately, but I have history and I’m telling you that’s as
good as it gets, Ellie. When you’re enjoying your new life and picking up guys
back in London, you’ll always be comparing them to our few nights together.’

‘And I’ll always remember how none of them took
cockiness to your levels or had secret lives they refused to tell me about or
treated me like crap the next morning.’ I yanked my hand really quickly out of
his and stood up and moved to the other side of the cabin and glared at him.
What was most annoying was that I knew he was right, I had a feeling I was
never going to have sex as amazing as it had been with him, no one was going to
compare.

‘Please don’t scowl like that, you look even
hotter,’ he sighed as he grasped an obvious erection in his jeans. I silently
cursed my body for automatically reacting. I felt my nipples straining against
my jade lace bra and my inside lubricating in readiness for him. I watched a
smile of satisfaction spread across his face as he looked at my chest, so I
grabbed his jacket and pulled it even tighter around me to stop his prying
eyes.

‘I’m cold,’ I muttered. He just smirked, folded
his arms across his chest and widened his thighs so I had to avert my eyes with
a gulp as I saw the protrusion in his jeans. We stayed silent as Conn took us
across the loch, up towards the village and I watched out of the window
fascinated as the lights of the houses along the shoreline came into view. It
was only my second time leaving the island in nearly four weeks. I was
surprised at what a large community it was. The boat slowed and I smiled as it
drew level with a smart decked area, festooned with coloured paper lanterns and
twinkling fairy lights.

‘We’ll be outside at midnight to watch the
firework display from the hotel which is over there,’ Dan advised as he pointed
further up the loch to where I could see faint lights glowing. ‘For now we have
a sit down meal and then it’s a traditional Céilidh dance with flutes, and I
think they have a bagpiper as well.’

‘Do you come every year?’

‘I came once, the first year I came up here.’

‘With a girlfriend?’

‘Of sorts, and that’s all of your personal
questions for the night,’ he advised as he quickly stood and held out his hand.
I stood up and went to walk out, but he grabbed my arm. ‘You either hold my
hand or I carry you in. Either way everyone’s going to know you’re with me,
Ellie. You choose.’

‘Hand then,’ I sighed. I sensed that I really
didn’t have a choice when he set his mind to something. He helped me step out
of the boat and Conn waved us off as he disappeared to moor it, up in the small
village harbour.

‘Ready?’

‘To party? Sure,’ I nodded.

‘I meant for the looks you’re about to get.
They’re not used to seeing me out and about, let alone holding a strangers
hand.’

‘O right, I’m not about to be lynched by all the
local lasses who have their eyes on you am I?’

‘What lasses?’ he frowned.

‘Clueless,’ I laughed. ‘Pete said you’re pretty
hot property in the village.’

‘I think you’ll be as well, which is why you don’t
leave my side until I give you permission.’

‘Understood, Sir,’ I advised and saw his gaze
darken. It seemed that turned him on. ‘You’d better have your jacket back, warm
as it is, it ruins my entrance in my new dress,’ I advised as I shrugged it off
and he let go of me to pull it back on, before lacing his fingers with mine
again. He led me to the French doors at the back of the pub and as he opened them
we were hit with the noise of excited chatter. As we stepped into what looked
like a large function room, all set out with surprisingly elegantly dressed
long tables for dinner, the chatter gradually slowed until the pub went silent
and all eyes were focussed on us. I felt myself blush and Dan squeezed my hand
then dipped his head and kissed my temple and a murmur went around the room,
before Pete pushed his way through.

‘Dan, Ellie, welcome. Come and have a wee dram to
warm you up after the ride.’ He shook Dan’s hand and grabbed my free one,
picked it up and kissed it. ‘Miss Ellie, you look very beautiful this fine
night. What’s happened to your arm?’

‘O,’ I looked down at it, I’d forgotten how nasty
it looked with the dressing off. I had a long cut with the steri-strips holding
it together, but it was really bruised all the way around. ‘Where I fell
through the ice.’

‘Very lucky Dan was home,’ he nodded.

‘I was, very lucky indeed.’

‘Everyone,’ he announced to the room who were
still looking at us, ‘this is Dan from the island and his … lady friend, Miss
Ellie.’

‘Just Ellie is fine,’ I smiled. As Pete led the
way and we followed the chatter started up again and I saw the looks we were
getting as people gossiped. As we stood at the long function room bar, a few
people came to greet Dan and he released my hand and put his arm around my
waist as he politely asked how they were and how business was going. I watched
in awe at the ease in which he slipped into polite chit chat and how everyone
seemed to treat him like he was some kind of celebrity. Dan it seemed had many
sides and I’d only witnessed a few. Why did he hide himself away? It seemed he
could be a natural people person when he wanted to be. I excused myself to go
the ladies and noticed his eyes followed me to the door and as I left I heard
the noise of everyone talking rise.