Practically Perfect (38 page)

‘Yes,’ agreed Dorothy, ‘but I’m afraid we couldn’t let you have your dog with you. It’s just the whole wear-and-tear thing. They are a bit hard on the paintwork.’

Indignation rose and then fell again in Anna as she remembered what Rob had said about it being difficult to find somewhere to rent where she could keep Caroline with her.

‘That shouldn’t be a problem. Ro— A friend could look after Caroline for me. And it shouldn’t take me too long to find somewhere to buy.’

Dorothy rubbed Anna’s arm in a friendly way. ‘It’s a dear little house. I have no idea why no one wants to spend their holidays in it just now. If you took it on for at least a month, you could have a special rate.’

Ted laughed. ‘Specially large!’

While his wife was giving him a playful push, Sue and Ivan, who had also been at the dinner party, appeared. Like Dorothy and Ted, they wanted to see her house.

Later, having told Chloe about the offer of a holiday cottage to rent, Anna complained to her that if she wasn’t careful she’d have to spend the whole week showing people over her house. ‘I’ll have to keep it permenantly tidy.’

‘Horrid,’ Chloe agreed, ‘but if people see what you do, it’ll help you get commissions in the future.’

Anna acknowledged this truth with a sigh as Chloe rushed off to tend to Harry who’d fallen over and wanted ‘Mummy’.

Anna was feeling tired and hungry and just a little disgruntled when Rob reappeared at her side. He had a paper carrier bag in his hand, something rolled up under his arm, and Caroline.

‘Sorry it took so long. I got caught chatting. Anyway, come on. Caroline’s fed up and needs a proper walk, and you need food. We’re taking a picnic into the woods.’

This time she didn’t argue and took hold of the carrier bag. It was surprisingly heavy and it clinked.

‘I brought a bottle of my own, to celebrate the house being finished, and stole some food. There’s enough to feed a regiment.’

Anna peeked into the bag. ‘Oh, champagne! As long as you haven’t brought rose petals …’

‘What?’

‘Never mind. I was distracted for a moment.’

‘I’ve got a rug to sit on as well.’

Anna took hold of Caroline’s lead thinking that if they didn’t have so much to carry, they could have walked arm in arm. But then the whole world would have suspected them of being an item, not just Chloe and Laura.

‘It’s a shame we couldn’t find anywhere a bit more private,’ said Rob a little while later.

‘This is fine! There’s a lovely patch of sunshine here.’

‘But we’re right by the path.’

‘I know, but it’s so tiresome when people keep trying to find better picnic spots and keep moving on. In the end you always find yourself somewhere not nice at all, because you’re so hungry and desperate.’ Anna paused. ‘Laura’s a bit obsessed with the right picnic spot.’

‘Here it is then,’ said Rob, smoothing down the rug.

Anna arranged all the food while Rob did the honours with the champagne. She got the giggles. It was partly because of the champagne, which she shouldn’t really have had on an empty stomach, partly the food, which had got quite mushed up on the journey, and partly because Caroline insisted on sharing the rug with them. Nothing either she or Rob did could get her off it.

‘It’s not funny,’ said Rob, laughing himself. ‘I planned a nice romantic picnic and I’ve got to share it with a bloody great dog and any number of passers-by!’

Several sets of party guests had decided to take a woodland stroll and had seen them fighting to keep a bit of rug dog-free, and trying to rescue bits of quiche from the bottom of the bag.

‘It is funny, and it’s very nice.’ Suddenly the sun and the champagne got to her. ‘I think I’ll just sunbathe for a bit.’

‘This is very peaceful,’ said Rob, beside her.

‘Mm.’ Anna shut her eyes, feeling wonderfully relaxed.

‘You must have been working so hard lately.’

‘Yes. It was fun, but now I don’t need to do it any more I feel really tired.’

‘You could go to sleep. I’ll guard you.’

She opened her eyes. Although the thought of Rob guarding her while she slept made her feel she was in a Gothic novel, it was rather a waste of his company. ‘No need to do that. You’d get bored waiting for passing dragons out to snaffle sleeping maidens.’

He chuckled and she glanced at him. He was lying on his side with his head supported by his hand and his hair had flopped forward a bit. His mouth, Anna decided, looked particularly sexy from that angle.

To stop herself reaching up and touching it with her fingertip, she said, ‘Oh, I nearly forgot to tell you – one of Chloe’s friends has a house to rent. It’s a holiday cottage but, as you said, I can’t have Caroline. So can I take you up on your offer?’

‘Mm,’ he murmured. ‘I can, of course, have Caroline but I’d very much rather have you.’ He ended on a husky whisper and Anna closed her eyes again, waiting for the feel of his mouth on hers, when she heard her sister’s voice.

‘There you are!’ said Laura, with Chloe close behind her. ‘Dorothy who’s renting you the house? She’s been looking for you. She wants to make some arrangements. Oh, sorry,’ she added belatedly. ‘Have we interrupted something?’

Rob sighed. ‘Oh no, that’s fine. I’ve realised that attempting to run your love life on a public footpath is fraught with difficulties.’

‘Tell you what,’ said Laura, trying to make good her blunder, ‘give me a key and then perhaps Rob could drive you home?’

‘Of course I could,’ said Rob. ‘I’d be delighted.’

Anna produced the key from a cord around her neck and handed it to her sister. ‘We won’t be long,’ she said. ‘Put the kettle on and get out the Chinese menu. Are you up for that, Chloe?’

‘Mm. Absolutely,’ said Chloe, excitedly.

‘And what about you, Rob?’ Anna was suddenly shy. ‘Will you join us?’

‘Yes, do,’ said Laura, ‘I’d really appreciate a chance to
get
to know you better.’ Chloe nodded in agreement but Rob shook his head ruefully.

‘I’m afraid I can’t. I promised I’d babysit for my sister. Her usual girls have all got something on and there’s only me left.’ He looked at Anna. ‘I was going to ask if you’d like to help me, but if you’ve got your sister …’

‘Sisters need to be attended to,’ said Anna resignedly. ‘Especially older ones.’

Rob chuckled. ‘Come on then, on your feet.’ He put out a hand and pulled Anna up.

‘Don’t forget to have a word with Dorothy,’ Laura called back. ‘You can move in really soon. I’ll be able to help you!’

‘And me,’ Chloe added.

‘Lovely!’ said Anna, not sure that she meant it.

‘And I’ll make sure she and Caroline get home safely,’ Rob said firmly.

The moment their voices were no longer audible, Rob pulled Anna into his arms. ‘I don’t think I can wait any longer for this.’

Anna was still fuddled from champagne. It took her no time at all to fit her body to his, close her eyes and submit to the waves of pleasure his mouth created with hers. They paused momentarily for breath and then locked back together. Rob’s hand moved to her waist and lingered there longingly. She put her hand behind his head and gently stroked the back of his neck: the space between his hair and his collar. Anna never wanted to be anywhere else, ever, except in Rob’s arms. As Caroline’s confused whimpering penetrated her consciousness she realised that Max, accomplished kisser that he was, could take lessons from Rob.

Reluctantly they separated, both breathing deeply. Anna swallowed and cleared her throat. She looked up at Rob. ‘I think we’d better be getting back.’

He too sounded husky. ‘Yes, stay here much longer and who knows what might happen?’

Anna knew very well what would have happened and was only sorry that neither the time nor the place was right.

They walked back to the car arm in arm. The field was nearly empty; only a couple of families playing French cricket were enjoying the late afternoon sunshine.

‘Much as I love my sister, and Will, I kind of wish they weren’t staying the night,’ said Anna.

‘Well, I don’t mind them staying the night at all. I’ve got to be at my sister’s, remember?’

Anna sighed deeply. ‘I know.’

‘There’ll be other times, Anna,’ he said gently.

‘Oh I do hope so!’ she replied.

It was a sociable evening. Anna and Laura went round to Chloe and Mike’s to eat their takeaway, and the air was full of chat about Anna’s new rented house to be visited the next day, and laughter and reminiscence about the party. Anna struggled to concentrate. Her mind was full of Rob. When she finally got to bed she tried to think about the following day. After they’d checked the rented house, and if it was OK, moved some stuff into it, Laura and Anna were going to pick up the keys of a couple of houses. She knew she’d have to say sensible things about them. They were both empty, and both in need of major renovation, but now all she could think about was Rob’s mouth, his hands, his soft, crisp hair under her fingers. I don’t know about being in love, she thought as she drifted off to sleep, but I’m certainly in lust!

Chapter Twenty-Three

IT SEEMED A
lifetime had passed since the picnic, but as Laura drove Anna and Caroline to Rob’s house, it was, Anna realised, only just over a week.

With Laura staying and Rob’s heavy workload and own family commitments it had been hard to get away, but Anna and Rob had managed to snatch a walk together early one morning. Anna had left a note for Laura, taken Caroline and stolen out of the house and along the lane to meet Rob.

Mist wreathed the fields and valleys, transforming the landscape with its gauzy whiteness. As she looked over to the distant hills she felt separate from her everyday life, as if she really had been transported somewhere more magical than a village in the Cotswolds. When she saw Rob waiting by the car her heart leapt and she smiled, half laughing at herself for her imaginings, realising that nothing more mysterious had happened to her than falling in love. But what was more mysterious than that?

He wrapped his arms around her while she was still holding on to Caroline’s lead. ‘I can’t be long,’ he murmured into her hair. ‘I’ve got a site visit at nine.’

‘I can’t be long either. Laura and I have got a very lengthy to-do list.’ She muttered this into his fleece, unable to get her arms round him because of holding Caroline.

‘And am I on the list?’ Rob muttered back.

‘You were number one, only of course I didn’t actually write you down. Can we put Caroline in the car?’

Reluctantly, Rob let her go and took hold of Caroline’s lead. Caroline, unaccustomed to being ignored, looked up at Rob reproachfully. He chuckled, stroking her head and ruffling her ears, then led her round to the boot of the car and put her inside.

Anna got into the front seat and waited for him. She wished they could just drive off and leave everyone and everything behind. She sighed. She was being silly. They were very lucky; they had found each other and nothing was likely to stop them being together – except their respective sisters. She sighed deeply again, but smiled.

‘Do you want a wood or a view or both?’ he said as he joined her in the car.

‘The nearest, but a wood for preference.’

‘Right. Only a little way then.’

Anna felt giggly and wistful at the same time. It felt strangely illicit, sneaking out of her house so early. ‘This feels a bit odd,’ she said.

‘It’s because we’re both so frantic. There’s a guilty pleasure in stealing time away from what we should both be doing.’

Anna laughed. ‘Which is sleeping.’

He glanced across at her. ‘I’m finding it very difficult to sleep just now.’

She nodded. She was too.

‘Come on, let’s walk.’

He parked the car in a lay-by near a wood and let Caroline out.

‘Do you think we can take Caroline off the lead here?’ said Anna, thinking how frustrating it was having one arm trapped when she wanted both of them round Rob.

‘Probably, but not just yet. I’ll take her.’

He put his other arm firmly round Anna and they stumbled down a steep dip before they reached the path on
the
other side. It would have been easier to walk if they’d separated, but neither of them was willing to do that. ‘This is like a three-legged race,’ Anna said. ‘Can we let Caroline off now?’

‘In a minute. There’s something I want to check.’ He pulled Anna up the opposite side of the dip. There was a break in the trees and Anna was just about to exclaim at the beauty of the view when Rob put his finger to her lips. ‘Look,’ he breathed.

There in the clearing, just below where they were standing, was a herd of deer, about half a dozen of them. They were downwind of Anna and Rob and weren’t aware of them. Anna gazed in rapture at this unexpected sight until a pheasant squawked its way in their direction and the lead hind raised her head and saw Rob and Anna, with Caroline, ears pricked. The deer set off into the woods at a gentle gallop.

‘That was unbelievable,’ she breathed, still finding it hard to take in that she had actually seen a herd of wild deer.

‘I’ve seen them here before,’ said Rob, ‘although not often. Often enough for me to want to keep Caroline on the lead, though.’