Not Just for Christmas

Chapter 30

Chapter Thirty

B riefly, Erin wondered if she’d dreamt her night with Lewis. He wasn’t beside her in the bed when she woke, and as she looked groggily around the room, there was no evidence that he or Molly had been there.

Someone was knocking lightly on the door.

“Who is it?” she asked while checking the time to make sure she wasn’t supposed to have checked out already.

“Lewis,” he said through the door.

“Hang on a second.” After some scrambling around, she pulled on underwear and a vest top, then remained behind the door when she opened it.

“You could’ve opened it naked,” he said with a wicked grin.

She pulled him inside and only just managed to close the door before his arms were around her and he was kissing her hungrily.

“Good morning,” he purred when he finally pulled back.

“Good morning.” Her chest fluttered with joy at being in his arms. “You smell good,” she said, as she took in his crisp work shirt and fresh appearance. “You’ve showered and everything, haven’t you? ”

“I took Molly for a walk and nipped home to shower and change.”

Erin frowned. “How long have you been up?”

“A while,” he said with a shrug. “Did you sleep well?”

“Very well.” With her arms draped around his neck, she ran her fingers through his hair.

“I checked and room eight is free, so I booked you into it for the next week.”

“ A week? I can’t stay for another week.”

“Why not? You said you don’t need to be back at work until January.”

“I don’t, but I’m not sure I can stay for a week.”

“There’s a party here on New Year’s Eve. You should stay for that.”

“I’m supposed to be at a party with my friends.” Not that they’d mind if she cancelled. Spending the evening with Lewis was a tempting alternative.

“The room is reserved for you for a week,” he said. “Just see how you feel. You don’t need to decide now.”

She gave him a soft kiss, then stopped abruptly. “How much do the rooms cost?” she blurted out. Not that it really mattered. She was happy to treat herself.

“I’ll take care of it,” Lewis said.

“No, you won’t.” She gave a firm shake of the head. “I can pay for myself. I only wondered, that’s all. The hotel isn’t cheap, is it?”

“No. But it’s quieter now that the Christmas guests will be leaving. Since the room would have been empty, I can heavily discount it.”

“That would be nice.” She tightened her arms around him, pulling him closer. “I’m definitely okay with a discount.” With her forehead resting against his, she felt a sudden burst of nerves hit her stomach. “This all feels a bit surreal,” she told him shyly. “I don’t do stuff like this.” She shook her head. “Am I really doing this?” Another thought hit her. “What are the other staff going to think?” She knew one of them definitely wouldn’t be happy.

“Ivy isn’t working much over the next week, if that’s who you’re worried about. But they’ll just think you’re staying longer because you’re enjoying yourself so much and want to explore the area more.”

Which wasn’t even a lie. It just wasn’t only the Cotswolds she wanted to explore, she thought as he pressed his lips to hers for a tender kiss.

“I’m really glad you’re staying longer,” he said, breaking the kiss too soon.

“You have to work now, don’t you?” she asked.

“I have to get a few things done this morning.” He pulled a key card from his back pocket. “But you need to pack and move to room eight, anyway. I should be able to take the afternoon off. We can go out somewhere.”

“That sounds perfect.” She took the key from him. “I’d really love to see your house.”

“Let’s go there this afternoon then,” he said and gave her a hasty kiss before he left.

It ended up being the middle of the afternoon before Lewis could get away from work, but Erin had kept herself amused in the lounge, alternating between reading a mystery novel and messaging with her friends and family. Her mum called her as soon as she heard her plans to stay a little longer at the hotel. Eagerly, she asked questions about Lewis, which Erin answered in a nervous whisper while scanning the room in case he or any of the rest of the staff appeared.

When he finally came looking for her, he was full of apologies. His promise to take the rest of the day off placated her and they set off for the five-minute walk to his place.

She was certain the chocolate box cottage on the outskirts of the village always looked beautiful, but with the dusting of snow, it was like something from a postcard. The thatched roof gave a quaint yet simultaneously sturdy air, while the ivy which crept all around the green front door gave it a fairy tale quality.

“It’s gorgeous,” Erin said, drifting through the front gate when Lewis unlatched it and set off along the paved front path. “This is really yours?”

Grinning, he looked back at her. “Yes.”

“It’s beautiful,” she whispered. “And I guess it’s true what they say – hard work really does pay off.”

A muscle in his jaw twitched, and he looked as though he were about to comment before he clamped his mouth shut.

“I’ll bet it’s just one big rundown mess inside,” she teased as she caught up to him and Molly.

“Absolutely.” One corner of his lips quirked upwards as he slipped his key into the door. “It’s an absolute disgrace.”

It wasn’t, of course. The inside was as picture perfect as the outside and Erin wandered from room to room, taking it all in with wide eyes. Everything looked new – from the paintwork to the plush carpets to the sumptuous cream couch.

The farmhouse-style kitchen overlooked a long garden with a sturdy oak tree in the middle and a beautiful dry-stone wall around the border. Erin spent a few minutes staring out before leaving Lewis to make hot drinks and wandering back to the living room with Molly at her heels.

At the fireplace, she stopped and stared at the painting hanging above the mantelpiece.

“Now I know why you were amused by my choice of painting,” she remarked when Lewis arrived behind her and snaked his arms around her waist. “It’s not just similar, it’s exactly the same. ”

“Not to brag, but mine’s bigger,” he said, holding her tightly against his chest. “And it’s the same view, but there are subtle differences.”

“I’ll have to bring mine over and we can play spot the difference.” They moved to the couch and she sank into it, curling her legs under her while she sipped at her tea. “It’s really a lovely house,” she told him. “I don’t know how you can bring yourself to spend so much time at work when you could be chilling out here.”

His cheek twitched again, and he picked up his drink. “I guess I’m one of those people who isn’t very good at relaxing. Life feels easier when I’m busy.”

Erin blew on her tea. She never really understood people who couldn’t slow down. Even though she thoroughly enjoyed her job, she was always happy to get home. If she had a home as perfect as Lewis’s, she was sure she’d begrudge ever having to leave it.

“This actually makes me contemplate moving out of the city,” she said without thought. “A place in the sticks is suddenly very appealing.”

The way Lewis fell silent made her self-conscious.

“Don’t worry,” she said feebly. “I’m not about to suggest moving in together even though I am completely head over heels in love with your house.”

It drew a small smile from him, but hadn’t lightened the atmosphere as she’d hoped.

“I actually love London,” she said, trying to dispel any fear he had that she really might suggest moving in with him. “My flat isn’t as perfect as this place, but I love it.”

“Yeah?” He leaned on the arm of the couch. “What’s it like?”

“It’s small, but cosy.” A smile spread over her face at the thought of it. “My furniture is mostly brightly coloured and mismatched, but everything has a story behind it. ”

“There aren’t a lot of bright colours around here,” he pointed out. “It’s a lot of beige and grey.”

“You have lovely pictures,” she said, looking around. As well as the oil painting above the fireplace, there was a selection of other enchanting landscapes. “Are they all by local artists?” She thought of the jewellery he’d bought his sisters from a local jeweller and his story about the socks for his ex-girlfriend.

“Mostly,” he said, his eyebrows pulling together as he looked from one picture to the next.

“You really love where you live, don’t you?”

“Yes.” He gave a subtle nod. “It’s hard not to when you live in one of the UK’s most desirable places to live.”

“I’m not sure that’s true. Most people want what they don’t have. The grass is greener elsewhere and all that.”

A smile pulled at his lips. “I like where I am.”

“That’s good.” Except her mind insisted on jumping ahead, questioning what that would mean for them if they kept seeing each other. One of them would have to make a change if they ever wanted more than a long-distance relationship.

Taking a sip of her tea, she pushed the thought aside. She’d known Lewis for a week and while she could absolutely imagine a future with him, she really didn’t need to get herself into a tizzy, wondering exactly what that future would look like.

“Have you eaten today?” she asked when Lewis’s stomach growled.

He looked thoughtful. “I’m not sure.”

“Have you got any food in? We could cook something.”

“Probably not, but we could go shopping, or order a takeaway.”

“Let’s go shopping,” she said, enjoying the idea of wandering around the supermarket with him and then pottering around his homely kitchen.

After all their lovely, romantic trips over the last few days, doing something mundane felt like a pleasant change.