‘I don’t know what to say, Daniel. I don’t know what the right answer is to give you. I didn’t want you here; I didn’t want anyone here, and yet having another person around to help fill the space has made me feel more positive about things. I just don’t know whether it’s fair to take advantage of you when you’re clearly vulnerable. I feel like I would be exploiting you for my own selfish needs.’
Daniel gaped incredulously. She thought she would be taking advantage of him? He shook his head and gave a little snort of disbelief. ‘Perhaps we should stop worrying about it and take advantage of each other.’ He’d only meant to lighten the mood, but horror filled him when she paled and he shook his head frantically. ‘Oh, shit, no, not that. I didn’t mean it like that! I didn’t mean that we should take advantage of each other sexually. Oh, crap, I just need to stop talking before you throw me out on my arse.’
***
Mia bit her lip and tried not to laugh. The utter horror in Daniel’s voice was amusing and yet a tiny part of her hurt at the forcefulness of his denial. What a contrary, emotional headcase she was. How could she be terrified he was propositioning her one moment and insulted when he clearly wasn’t the next?
Her animal hindbrain decided that it had been quiet for long enough and conjured up an image from the first night when Daniel had stood in almost the same spot he occupied now, stripped to the waist as he washed his hair at the sink. She remembered all too clearly how the light caramel tone of his skin had glowed warmly in the soft light, one small trail of water rolling down the centre of his spine. Mia closed her eyes and shuddered. Her animal hindbrain needed to shut the hell up. She loved Jamie; she didn’t want to think about another man. She wasn’t ready.
Mia focused again on Daniel and his shamefaced expression and offered him a rueful smile, hoping her face didn’t look as hot as it felt. ‘Don’t forget the rest of the bags that are still in the car. I’ll start carting these upstairs and then I’ll see about making some lunch. Richard will be here soon to give you a hand with the furniture and he’s bound to want feeding.’
The hopeful look on his face sent a wave of sympathy through her. Whatever had brought him to her doorstep—serendipity, fate, or just a well-meaning meddling friend—this half-broken man needed a safe place to stay. Madeline and Richard had reached out to her when she’d been at breaking point, perhaps it was time to give a little of that support back to someone else.
Opening the bags on the table, she began to sort through the contents. Pulling out the wrapped packages of new bedding, she stripped the plastic from them and put the stiff cotton sheets into the washing machine. There was nothing worse than the scratchy, itchy feel of them straight out of the packet. Daniel returned with an armful of bags, pausing to toe off his boots at the door. He looked like a kid at Christmas as he plonked the bags down with the others then peeked in the top of a few of them.
At this angle, she could see one or two silvery strands in the dark beard covering his chin. He’d trimmed it sometime over the past couple of days, cropping it short to just cover the skin of his jaw. His hair still tangled over his collar, no discernible style to it, but he was beginning to take some care over his appearance. He caught her studying him and a hint of speculation shone in his eyes. Feeling flustered, she made a performance of getting the washing powder and fabric conditioner from under the sink and set the machine going.
Once the sheets were done, she would make up his bed. The sage green cover held the hint of a jacquard pattern. Nothing too flouncy—he would look ridiculous in a flowery bed. Too dark and masculine for frills and frippery. The weight of his gaze rested between her shoulders and the air seemed too thin. Everything had been fine until he mentioned sex and now she couldn’t stop thinking about him in that way.
She rolled her shoulders, trying to shrug off the uncomfortable feelings. That side of her had frozen up, like a fly trapped in amber, the moment she lost Jamie. She’d been happy to stay that way. A few friends had sent gentle hints over the past months, coded messages asking if she was getting out at all, the odd mention of a lovely guy they knew who was on his own. She’d ignored them all. Deep down she knew twenty-eight to be too young to write herself off the dating scene for ever, but it had felt wrong, like a betrayal of Jamie to even entertain the notion.
He’d be furious, of course, at the thought she’d put herself in eternal stasis, but she missed the feel of him beside her so much it had been easier to cut herself off completely. Having a man around the place was bound to stir things up. It didn’t have to mean anything other than a simple biological recognition. Besides, Daniel didn’t seem to be in a fit state for a relationship. Maybe he had a girlfriend, a wife even. There was no telltale sign of a missing ring on his finger, but not all men wore them.
Whatever, there was no reason she needed to act on any of these silly feelings—biological recognitions, remember. Yes, biology was to blame. She just needed him to be biological somewhere else for a bit until she could get herself back on an even keel. Fixing a cheery smile, she turned to face him, keeping her eyes focused just past his left shoulder. ‘It’ll be cold tonight; can you check the basket by the fireplace and stock it up with wood from the pile behind the barn?’
He leapt to his feet like a greyhound loosed from the trap. ‘Sure, of course. I’ll do that now.’ He barely paused to shove his feet in his boots before clattering out of the kitchen. Well that’s embarrassing. Staring at the poor man like a mooning schoolgirl had obviously unsettled him. If they were going to be living under the same roof for a while, she needed to get a grip on her silly imagination.
Chapter Eight
Daniel took his cue and left the kitchen, glad to be able to put some distance between them. As soon as the denial had left his lips, he hadn’t been able to think about anything other than what Mia might feel like in his arms, under him, pressed deeply into the new mattress as he explored her lush little body. He imagined how her shapely hips would cradle him softly, so unlike the clash of hip bones he’d experienced with Giselle.
He paced the scruffy patch of driveway outside the kitchen door, circling the car as he admonished himself for being such a rotten, dirty bastard. Mia deserved better than this; she deserved his respect and his friendship. That was all this was, all either of them needed it to be.
Gravel crunched and Daniel was relieved to see Richard and Madeline pulling up in their car. This was just the distraction he needed to get his head back to where it needed to be. Recalling his mission to fetch some wood, he loped to the stack and gathered a good armful. Madeline met him on the way back, all smiles, and he dutifully leant down to let her buss her lips across his cheek in greeting. Richard rested his hand briefly on Daniel’s shoulder and Daniel’s knees wobbled for a moment as the easy warmth and affection offered by the older couple soothed his battered heart.
He was amazed anew at how they had just taken his presence in their stride and now he was apparently another lost waif that they had taken under their wings. He smiled gratefully as Richard took some of the logs from him and they followed Madeline into the kitchen.
Daniel paused on the threshold between his bedroom and the en suite, clouds of steam from his gloriously hot shower billowing behind him. His bedroom looked perfect, and it was his bedroom regardless of whether Mia realised it or not. The dark wood of the masculine bedframe gleamed richly. Madeline had polished the old furniture with beeswax and they had all been amazed at how well the wood had come to life under her ministrations.
The mattress had been a bitch to wrestle up the stairs, but it nestled perfectly in the frame, the mountains of crisp cream and green pillows scattered at the head of the bed just begging for him to sprawl amongst them. Brass-based lamps with dark green shades framed the bed on two old chests that he and Richard had unearthed in the Aladdin’s cave that was hidden in the barns.
Daniel had promised himself another trip to the barns in the morning and this time he would take his camera with him. There we
re so many oddities that had caught his eye and he was eager to explore. He had an idea in his mind that he could put together a record for Mia of the progress of the work on the house. A private album that he would build for her as they slowly tamed the sprawling monster together. It was the first time in a long time that he was itching to get his hands on a camera and his internal instinct to frame and capture moments in time was stirring again.
He also wanted to explore the possibility of using some black and white shots of the pictures he had taken in the garden to decorate the walls of his room. If Mia liked them, he’d gladly put some other ideas together. The thought of his art gracing the walls of the house appealed to him.
‘Daniel, dinner’s nearly ready.’ Mia’s welcome call drifted up the stairs and galvanised him into action. He swiftly dried off and dragged on some loose cotton trousers, a T-shirt and the essential thick socks required to stave off the cold floors of the house, and then hurried down to the kitchen.
The ever-present radio was on and he paused in the doorway to watch Mia shimmy around the table as she placed cutlery and plates at what had become their usual seats. He often found himself watching her through the day as she got caught up in different songs. The uninhibited joy Mia clearly found in music drew his attention time and again.
Daniel winced at a particularly hideous chorus from Mia and put his hands over his ears to tease her as she rounded the table and caught sight of him. With an unrepentant shrug, Mia danced over to the Aga and lifted out a huge cast-iron casserole dish from one of the many mystery doors in the front of the stove.
The rich scent of beef stew hit Daniel’s nose as he crossed to the fridge and retrieved two bottles of water. He felt the saliva pooling just under his tongue. Mia had been covered in flour to her elbows earlier, making dumplings that she had then dropped in the top of the stew. Daniel felt and heard his stomach growl in appreciation at the good meal to come. He grabbed a pot holder, placed it in the centre of the table and quickly stepped back as Mia lugged the heavy casserole over and placed it on the holder.
He took his seat and waited patiently as Mia filled his plate and then her own before she sat down opposite him. Daniel lowered his face closer to the plate and breathed deeply, drawing out the moment of anticipation before he dug his fork into his meal.
Daniel raised it to his mouth and blew gently, fragrant steam rising to curl in front of him, and he smiled across the table at Mia and raised his hand a fraction more in a gesture of acknowledgement and appreciation. The beef melted across his tongue and Daniel said a silent prayer of thanks to whichever serendipitous spirit had steered him towards this place in time.
The house truly was a haven, and the small comforts he received daily from his hostess in every meal she placed before him just reinforced his desire to stay. He imagined offering pre-dinner drinks to guests on the patio in the summer as Mia laid one of her heavenly meals out on the dining room table. Richard had pointed out the battered dining room table and chairs in the barns earlier that day, and Daniel wanted to examine them further.
The high-backed chairs had tapestry cushions on the seats, faded and threadbare. Richard had mentioned that Madeline had a project planned to embroider new covers, recreating the original designs. Daniel decided he would get them out into a decent patch of light and take a series of photographs to help Madeline.
***
Mia took another mouthful of her dinner as she flipped idly through her notebook. She hadn’t decided which room she would tackle next although she thought that it would be best to stick with the first floor and get at least three more bedrooms completed. That would take them through March and hopefully towards some slightly warmer weather and they could then turn their attention to the main rooms on the ground floor. She was half-conscious that her thoughts on the work ahead were now being framed in her mind as things that they needed to do.
The original deadline of a week that she had set for Daniel was up in the morning and she had already decided not to mention it. They were rubbing along together fine and Mia didn’t feel inclined to raise the subject again. She glanced across the table and wondered what had Daniel so deep in thought. His focus sharpened back from the middle distance and his mouth quirked, a flash of white teeth showing through the dark, close-cropped hair of his beard. She’d never considered herself a fan of facial hair, but the style suited his strong bone structure.
‘I think we should take a day off tomorrow, Daniel. I need to have another look upstairs at the other three en suite rooms as I decide which one I want to work on next. I’ll leave the master suite for the time being though. Now that we’ve finished your room, I want to revisit some of the designs I’ve been mulling over,’ Mia said.
He gave her a funny lopsided grin, as though she’d said something to amuse him, but his answer was serious. ‘That would work perfectly for me as I was hoping to explore out in the barn a bit in the morning. I saw some fantastic pieces out there and I want to take a few shots if that’s all right with you?’
Mia was momentarily confused and then remembered the camera he’d been carrying when he’d first arrived. She wondered if photography was a hobby or something more.
‘Sure, whatever you like,’ Mia said with a nod as she rose from the table, gathering their dirty plates to begin the ritual of tidying up after their meal. Daniel got up to help her and switched the kettle on, both settling into an already familiar routine as they split the chore between them. The kitchen was soon clean and tidy and they each clutched a mug of hot tea. ‘I might take this up with me, if that’s all right?’ Daniel said around a half-stifled yawn.
‘Sounds like a plan.’ Mia gathered her notebook and samples and ducked under Daniel’s arm as he reached over to flip the kitchen light off. He followed her up to the first floor and she paused briefly to exchange goodnights before carrying on to the top floor. He turned towards his bedroom.
Mia stood at the large bay window and stared over the back garden and out to the sea beyond. They had been graced with a sunny day, although the wind was fierce and white clouds scudded across the pale blue sky. The sea was a stampede of white horses crashing into the dark sand.
Sheltered behind the thick glazing, the sun felt good on her face and Mia imagined sitting curled up in the window seat she was planning for the wide window area. There was a local joinery company based in the village—a father and son team—and they had already made an excellent job of repairing the rotten porch steps at the front of the house.
They’d quoted to repair the internal staircases and the work was booked in for April. They had also been full of helpful advice about refurbishing the wooden floors.
It had been down to them that Mia had decided not to replace a lot of the carpets once she’d had them ripped out and disposed of. Not one of the carpets had been worth salvaging. The few that weren’t rotting away had been filthy and such a hideous collection of patterns and colours, Mia hoped never to see their like again.
Mr Robinson and his son Jordy were both calm, steady men and together with Richard, they’d helped Mia with the initial clearance and strip of the furnishings. They were all of a type—the men in the area—something about being bred close to the sea, according to Madeline. It was hard to get an overinflated sense of one’s own importance when faced with the vastness of the open water on a daily basis.
The doors to the main barn swung open, the movement catching Mia’s eye. Daniel was exploring again. He loved the barn and spent any free time they granted themselves poking around inside. She watched in fascination as Daniel carried out each of the dozen heavy dining chairs, including the two carvers that graced each end of the vast, wind-out cherrywood dining table.
It was an original Victorian piece and Mr Robinson had nearly wept at the sight of its sorry condition. He was an old-school carpenter, taught by his father, who’d been a boat builder. He’d moved to Exeter to train under a master craftsman when he showed a natural affinity to shaping wood. His training had i
ncluded French polishing and the table was waiting patiently under a waterproof tarpaulin until Mr Robinson could restore it to its former glory.
She watched Daniel pace around the chairs in the yard, snapping shots from all different angles, making sure he took plenty of close-ups of the faded embroidery seat covers. They were a cornucopia of flowers, birds, fruit—each one unique and although they blended as a group, there were several distinctly different styles as though stitched by more than one hand. Perhaps a fireside project for the women of a family who had once graced the house?
Mia unlatched and shoved up the large sash window in the centre of the bay and shivered as a blast of cold air rushed in. She burrowed a little deeper into the over-large Aran sweater, which was another of Jamie’s items that she hadn’t been able to part with. The sleeves were double-rolled to stop them slipping over her hands and it fell to her knees. She stuck her head through the gap and leaned out as Daniel took a few steps closer to the house.
‘What exactly do you think you are doing with my chairs, Daniel Fitzwilliams?’ she asked with a mock-stern tone to her voice.
‘Richard mentioned yesterday that Madeline would be working on new covers for them and I thought it would help her to have a few pictures, that’s all. You don’t mind, do you? I checked the yard and made sure I put them in dry spots…’
Chapter Nine
Daniel trailed off as Mia ducked back inside slamming down the sash window behind her. Okay, clearly she did mind. He placed his camera on the barn steps and returned the chairs carefully to where he’d found them before securing the main doors. He picked his camera back up and hurried towards the house. He toed off his boots in the mudroom, already well trained to the ‘no shoes in the house’ rule.
Sunrise at Butterfly Cove Page 6