‘Are you sure?’ I asked.
‘Positive, I’ve always been tight when it comes to food, especially pizza. How do you think I managed to get all these sexy arse curves?’ she winked as she teased me.
‘Well, you know where we are if you change your mind.’
‘I won’t, but thank you for offering. Happy New Year, Georgie, enjoy your romantic evening.’ She blew me a kiss over the hedge and I blew one back.
‘Happy New Year, Charlie. I have a feeling this is going to be your year. Dr. Fitton is going to see what’s been in front of him all this time and sweep you off your feet.’
‘One can dream,’ she sighed, with a faraway look in her eyes. I smiled at her, then stepped in the house and heard her greet Kitt as his car door opened and I shut my front door.
I found Weston in the kitchen opening a bottle of wine, and I leaned on the doorframe as I raked my eyes up and down his lithe body. He was in his dark blue jeans with a navy waistcoat and a pale blue dress shirt. He had a casually smart style that I found so attractive, but even when he’d taken me to a gym in town to supervise my workouts, seeing him in his sweats had turned me on too. He was the perfect package. Well, mine anyway.
‘Liking what you see, gorgeous?’ he chuckled as he poured two glasses.
‘Loving what I see. Would it traumatise Bertie if I threw you down and we went at it on the kitchen floor while he watched?’
‘I doubt it, but it would traumatise me if he tried to mount one of us from behind or licked in the wrong place.’
‘Ewwww, ok, no floor sex, but he’s too small to jump up on the sofa unaided, right?’
‘I think so,’ Weston grinned, handing me my glass and kissing me again. He almost made me spill my wine as he rendered my body a heated puddle on the floor. ‘But I have plans for you that don’t involve sofa sex until at least midnight.’
‘Plans? What plans?’
‘I’ve booked us a table at The Cock & Bull for a meal, then we can walk back and enjoy the rest of the night with Bertie in front of the fire.’
‘The Cock? The Cock in Dilbury?’ I squeaked, my stomach sinking like it had lead boots attached to it.
‘Yes, we’ve never been. As it’s your local, I thought it would be nice to try, plus we don’t have to worry about driving or taxis.’
‘I just … I assumed we were staying in. We don’t have to go out, do we?’ I twisted my fingers together nervously, trying not to overreact.
‘Well no, but with it being New Year’s, they had a special menu on and I’ve paid upfront. What’s going on? I thought it would be a nice change,’ he said, setting his wine down on the island.
‘I’m just not in a “going out” kind of mood,’ I replied, air quoting my words and biting on my lower lip.
‘Hmmm, the Georgie Basset I’ve been dating for seven months is quite the social butterfly, always ready, willing, and able to go out. Aren’t you feeling well?’ he asked, striding over to place the back of his hand gently on my forehead to check my temperature.
‘I’m fine, I just don’t really want to go to The Cock,’ I shrugged, grabbing my wine and beating a hasty retreat to the lounge. I set my wine on the coffee table and perched on the edge of the armchair as I bent down to fuss over Bertie, who was stretched out on his back in front of the fire. I grimaced as I heard Weston follow me in.
‘What’s wrong with The Cock? I hear nothing but good reports about it.’
‘There’s nothing wrong with it, Tony and Joyce have done a wonderful job building up a great food and drink trade. At least that’s what I’m told.’
‘Then why don’t you want to go there? And don’t make any more excuses as I can see right through them. You’re hiding something from me,’ he said firmly. I huffed out a sigh and nodded. Damn him and his expert people-reading skills. Sometimes it sucked that he knew me so well, while I still had so much to learn about him.
‘She still works there, the Dilbury hussy,’ I muttered as I scratched Bertie’s belly and he let out a series of happy whines and grunts.
‘The barmaid who had an affair with Greg? That’s why you don’t go in your local?’
‘Yes, and it wasn’t an affair, he’s still with her. It’s a relationship,’ I shrugged, like it wasn’t a big deal, but it was. It was my local and I wanted to feel free to walk in there without the humiliation of having to face her, or him, or worse, both at the same time. As I couldn’t, I didn’t.
‘Well, that settles it then,’ Weston confirmed, yanking me up and holding me against him.
‘Thank you, I knew you’d understand,’ I smiled, tracing a pattern over his heart with my fingers.
‘I think you misunderstand. We’re definitely going now.’
‘Weston! Didn’t you hear what I just said?’ I protested.
‘Yes, and I’m not going to allow their appalling treatment of you to force you out of your local pub. You have every right to walk in there with your head held high and for everyone in the village to be set straight that he had the affair, not you. That Mrs. Vickers has a mouth as wide as the Channel tunnel on her.’
‘No disagreement on that front, but you won’t change my mind. I’m not going. There’s no way I’m walking in there,’ I stated stubbornly. I eyeballed him as he held my gaze, his equally stubborn demeanour not wavering. I glared at him. It was a battle of wills and there was no way I was backing down. ‘Weston Argent,’ I shrieked as I was suddenly lifted up into the air and tossed over his shoulder.
‘Very well. If you won’t walk in there, I’ll carry you. I won’t tolerate you being bullied, Georgie.’
‘You’re bullying me right now,’ I hissed, smacking his firm backside, then shaking my palm and wincing at the sting that radiated through it.
‘No, I’m making you face your fears,’ he stated as he strode out to the hall and grabbed his keys off the hall table.
‘What about Bertie, we can’t leave him.’
‘The fire is covered, he had his dinner earlier, and there’s a bowl of water in the utility. He’ll be fine for a few hours,’ Weston said as he opened the door and stepped outside, holding me firmly as I tried to wriggle out of his grasp.
‘I don’t have a handbag or any money on me,’ I objected as he pulled the door shut behind him.
‘You don’t need anything, it’s my treat.’
‘Treat? You call this a treat? Charlie, Charlie!’ I screamed as he strode up the front path and I spotted her from my upside-down position, chatting to Kitt as they sat on her bench. ‘Help me, I’m being kidnapped against my will! Owww, what the hell was that?’ I exclaimed as he smacked my backside firmly.
‘Screaming is very unladylike behaviour, Georgina,’ he said, mimicking my mother. ‘Hey, Kitt, good to see you again.’
‘You too, Weston.’
‘Stop struggling, Georgie,’ he said, smacking my bottom again.
‘Oh you … you … brute. Put me down. Charlie, seriously, do something!’
‘I wouldn’t be shrieking if he had me over his shoulder like that,’ she called back as they stood up to see what was going on. ‘It’s seriously hot. I’m getting images of him just wearing those firefighter trousers and braces, his bare chest and biceps all oiled up.’ She giggled, Weston chuckled, and Kitt laughed as I swore at her.
‘It’s not hot. He’s forcing me to go to The Cock,’ I moaned, as he stepped into the lane.
‘Are your neighbours always so brutally honest?’ Kitt asked with an astonished look on his face.
‘Not Weston’s,’ Charlie laughed, swatting his arm. ‘She meant The Cock & Bull pub. She won’t go inside and I think it’s a great idea he’s forcing her to. You have every right to be in there, Georgie,’ she called, as Weston almost vaulted the stile opposite her front gate. ‘Don’t let either of them drive you out.’
‘Our friendship is officially over, Charlie,’ I yelled, losing sight of her behind my swinging hair as Weston continued his determined march across the paddock towards
the back of the pub. I slid my hands down into the back pockets of his jeans, my fingers curling around his penknife, the metal surprisingly warm from being so close to his body.
‘Don’t even think about stabbing me in the backside, Georgie Basset,’ he warned as he spanked me again.
‘Will you stop that? You’ve read too many of Charlie’s books. Not all women find a spanking a turn on, you know.’
‘It wasn’t meant to be a turn on for you. Maybe I just like having you at my mercy.’
‘Well, just remember what I might do when I have you at mine later in bed. I’m seeing a ménage of the non-sexual variety as Bertie snuggles down for the night, right between us,’ I hissed.
‘Right, after a week apart? I’d like to see you try and resist. Your self-control when it comes to me is appallingly weak,’ he correctly observed.
‘Sometimes I hate you,’ I muttered.
‘You’re too nice to hate anyone, Georgie,’ he replied as he made short work of the next stile and continued across the rear car park of The Cock. ‘If you were capable of hating, you’d have been back in the pub sooner and called them both out in public for what they did to you.’
‘So why are you forcing me to do it now?’ I whined like a petulant child. ‘It’s New Year’s Eve, they’re bound to be in there.’
‘I’m not forcing you to do it,’ he stated as he crouched and gently set my feet back on the ground. ‘If anyone’s going to say anything, it will be me. Let me handle it, ok? I’m not going to spend the rest of our lives avoiding our local.’
‘Rest of our lives? Our local?’ I repeated.
‘Rest of our lives,’ he nodded. ‘And as for the “our local” bit, that was a figure of speech as I spend more time here than at home.’
‘A home I’ve never even been to,’ I reminded him.
‘About that,’ he huffed, running his hand up into his hair. ‘There’s something I need to talk to you–’
‘Oh God, I knew it. His car’s here. That’s Greg’s flashy car.’ I pointed at the Porsche sitting on the forecourt.
‘Red, right, what a surprise that is,’ Weston scoffed as he looked at it.
‘Come on then. If we’re doing this, let’s get it over with,’ I sighed.
‘You’re going in voluntarily?’
‘Don’t act so surprised. You manhandled me here to do just that. Besides, I’m sort of intrigued to see his reaction when he discovers that I upgraded to a much hotter model than him,’ I shrugged.
‘I’ll pretend you didn’t just objectify me and take that as a win,’ Weston replied with a shake of his head, the corners of his mouth curving into a faint smile as he took my hand.
‘You’d win hands down every single time, handsome.’ I pursed my lips and lifted them up to let him meet me halfway. ‘You’re everything he wasn’t. Everything I didn’t know that I needed.’
‘Georgie,’ he whispered, closing his eyes as he dropped his forehead to mine.
‘Soppiness over. Move it, mister. My new-found courage is going to fade in about thirty seconds, so we need to walk through that door before it runs out on me and I follow it.’
It was almost as if the universe had stolen everyone’s voices, that or my hearing, as there was an eerie silence as we walked in holding hands and all heads turned to face us. I swallowed a ball of anxiety in the back of my throat as Weston gave my hand a reassuring squeeze.
‘Evening, everybody,’ he said loudly.
‘Evening,’ came a chorus of voices, and I felt all eyes scrutinising us, including a few furtive glances from the women over in the corner to my left by the blazing fire. I twisted my head and took a sharp inhalation to see Greg staring at me open mouthed, his arm slung around Rowena. My hackles began to rise when I saw her complete focus was on Weston as she checked him out.
‘Is that him?’ Weston asked quietly.
‘Yes,’ I whispered, nodding as I looked back at him.
‘I ordered a bottle of champagne with the meal. Why don’t you go and see what table we’re at and I’ll join you in a moment,’ he suggested.
‘You’re not coming with me?’ I asked hesitantly, cringing as I watched Rowena flounce past me towards the toilets, first shooting me daggers, then giving Weston a sickly smile.
‘No. I’m going to have a quiet word in his ear.’
‘Weston, I don’t want any trouble,’ I warned.
‘No trouble, Scout’s honour,’ he saluted.
‘Were you even in the Scouts?’
‘Yes, as a matter of fact I was. Where do you think I got the penknife? It’s my lucky thing, I’ve had it since I was seven. I promise there’ll be no trouble unless he starts it. I just want to make it clear that you’re owed a public apology and that if he ever sees you again, belittling you or making you feel uncomfortable isn’t something I’ll tolerate. From either of them. Now do as you’re told and go and see what table has been reserved for us.’ His tone left me in no doubt that was his “Captain giving the orders” voice and he expected immediate compliance. He dipped his head and slowly brushed his lips deliberately over mine, letting everyone see that we were together in any way but as friends. A gentle push propelled my legs in the direction of the bar.
‘It’s good to see you in here again, Georgie,’ Tony smiled as he stepped forward, polishing a beer tankard with a tea towel.
‘Can I tell you in about an hour if it feels good to be in here again?’
‘I know what they did to you, and I find it despicable. But I can’t fire a barmaid for her bad choices outside of work, or bar him when he’s done nothing against me and the missus. I don’t want no trouble in here though.’
‘He promised me there wouldn’t be any and I’ve no reason to doubt him.’
‘You sure about that?’ he asked, as we heard a high-pitched squeal that sounded suspiciously like Greg emanate from the corner. I grimaced as Tony stepped to his right to see past me, and I looked over my shoulder and frowned. It seemed like Weston was just leaning down, one hand on the small table as he spoke to Greg. There didn’t appear to have been any punches thrown, or any form of bodily contact, but Greg looked terrified as his eyes flicked over to look at me, then back to Weston as he nodded vigorously.
Weston straightened up and slapped Greg on the back, before spinning around and sticking one of his hands in his back pocket as he walked over to join me with a smile on his face.
‘So, where do you want us?’ he asked Tony as he brushed my hair away from my face and kissed my temple gently.
‘Table six, follow me through,’ Tony said, eyeing him suspiciously. He flicked his head towards the opening to the small restaurant, which took up the other large room of the downstairs of the pub. I breathed a sigh of relief as we headed through behind him to see we were next to the fire that backed onto the one in the pub. There was a wall separating us from Greg and Rowena’s view. With any luck, I could forget all about them until we were ready to leave.
‘Ok?’ Weston asked, rubbing the back of my neck as he scanned the set menu that Tony had placed in front of both of us.
‘What did you say to him?’
‘Nothing much, just making it clear that I wouldn’t tolerate any abuse coming your way,’ he shrugged. ‘I think I might have the scallops to start and a steak with the peppercorn sauce. How about you?’
‘He virtually screamed.’
‘Where’s that on the menu?’ he asked, not looking up at me.
‘Weston, I’m not being funny,’ I warned.
‘No punches were thrown, I didn’t lose my temper, and he’s still alive. Now, I’d really prefer not to spend the rest of my night with you talking about your ex, if that’s ok with you?’ His eyes lifted to mine and he quirked an eyebrow. I sighed and nodded.
‘Scallops and steak with peppercorn sauce sounds perfect,’ I replied.
‘Excellent. Now kiss me like you really missed me,’ he ordered, as he pulled on my neck to bring me closer to his lips.
�
��I did really miss you.’ I flung my arms around his neck and gave in to the most perfect kiss I’d experienced in a long time. I loved that I was with a man who wouldn’t let me hide from my fears and got his point across without losing his temper. It was just such a shame that he didn’t feel able to confront his own fears, or let me help him to.
‘Tell Joyce that was the best steak, and bread and butter pudding, that I’ve ever eaten,’ I told Tony when he came over with the bill.
‘She’ll love to hear that. Never been to any fancy cookery school, my missus, but by God is she talented. You can see why I have this pot on me,’ he laughed, grabbing his protruding belly and giving it a wobble with both hands.
‘You can eat well and still have a six-pack. Weston has a huge appetite.’
‘I’ll bet he does,’ Tony chuckled with a wink, making me blush and Weston laugh.
‘How much would it cost to replace one of your stools?’ he asked as he started peeling some notes out of his wallet.
‘Well, that’s an odd question to ask a fella, isn’t it?’ Tony replied, as I gave Weston a curious look. It was a strange question.
‘Humour me,’ Weston said as he put enough money down to cover the meal, and a substantial tip, on the table.
‘I guess around fifty pounds. Why?’
‘I might have accidentally damaged one, so here’s the money to buy a replacement.’ I watched with my eyebrows raised as Weston put another sixty pounds onto the table, then abruptly stood up and shook Tony’s hand and began to talk over his objections. ‘Thanks for a great evening. We’ll be coming in a bit more often from now on. Georgie, ready?’ He gave me a look that told me he didn’t want me to question his odd behaviour.
‘Ermmm, yes, ok.’
‘How about I check the stool you might have damaged first before you pay me for it,’ Tony suggested.
‘No need, I’m pretty sure I did. Happy New Year, Tony. See you again.’
The Great Escape Page 19