Emmerdale : Bleeding Love (Ross Barton/OFC fanfic)

That Time When... They Met Again

Ollie loved the drive from Home Farm into Emmerdale village. Living in London meant she was starved of nature and gorgeous scenery and long, winding country roads that lead nowhere in particular. As her white Range Rover flew down the narrow lanes she realised today was the first since Dad died that she hadn't woken up with an anxious knot in the pit of her stomach. Maybe it was having her family around her. Or maybe it was this place. So far, with the exception of her meeting with the rude guy leaving The Woolpack, everyone had been exceptionally friendly. Emmerdale was a small, but tight-knit community which meant it was hard to avoid someone if you didn't get along with them. But she doubted she would meet Mr. Rude again anyway. He didn't look like the kind of person who would make his home in a small out-of-the-way village.

A few moments later she parked outside of Café Main Street and went inside. The small, but cosy establishment was busy; lots of people were sitting around tables and on the comfy sofas as they drank coffee and chatted with friends and neighbours.

"Hello, love, what can I get you?" asked Brenda Hope as Ollie walked up to the counter. Brenda owned the café with her husband Bob and the two of them always had a big, welcoming smile for anyone who came into their café.

"Hello, Mrs. Hope," smiled Ollie. "Just a coffee to take away, thanks."

"Coming right up." Brenda set to work on the coffee. "And it's Brenda," she gently reminded with a smile. "So, how are you settling in up at Home Farm?"

"Oh, you know," shrugged Ollie. "Early days. But it's nice up there. Gorgeous place. Quiet."

"We all need a bit of that. Must be nice spending time with your sister."

"It is," Ollie politely replied. "I don't see enough of her."

Brenda handed her the coffee and after paying and saying 'goodbye', Ollie made for the door when who else but Mr. Rude himself sauntered in, slamming into her.

Again.

The lid on the Styrofoam cup in her hand slipped and fell to the floor as the red-hot coffee splashed over the back of her hand and down the front of his bomber jacket.

"Watch it!" he complained, right before realizing who'd bumped into him. "You." He rolled his eyes. "Again."

Ollie bent to retrieve the lid from the floor. "You really need to watch where you're going," she said, giving her hand a little shake. The coffee burn was beginning to sting.

"Right back at you, sweetheart. This is becoming a habit. Am I gonna have to take out a restraining order?"

Ollie gave him a heavy-lidded look. "I'd like to be by," she said ignoring his remark. "Excuse me."

"You're excused." He stepped out of the way, allowing her to pass. "Apology accepted by the way."

"I didn't give you one."

The smirk formed quickly on his mouth. "Whoa, easy, tiger. Buy me a coffee first," he said and winked.

Ollie smoked him with a look of pure contempt. "What is your problem?"

"Right now, you. This little pastime of yours is getting old. Bumping into blokes and now, ruining their clothes." He looked down at the wet stain on the front of his jacket. "What we gonna do about that then?"

"Send me the dry cleaning bill," Ollie said sarcastically as she shoved by him and out onto the street. Much to her annoyance he followed her.

"Unless you wanna buy me a sticky bun and we call it even stevens?" he said.

When she turned he was right behind her and much too close for comfort. Their bodies brushed ever so slightly and when he gave her another wink she had to fight from curling her lip. She stepped back, putting some space between them.

"How about you buy the bun and I tell you where you can stick it?" she said, all fake sweetness.

If there was one thing Ross enjoyed it was a woman who wasn't shy in matching his verbal banter and this one, not only was she witty and smart, she was drop dead gorgeous. Too bad she acted like she had a stick up her backside or he might have been tempted to give her a go.

"That's no way for a lady to talk," he replied with a wide grin. "You kiss daddy with that mouth?" Her eyes immediately narrowed and he waited for the comeback that never came. She was seething but somehow managed to hold back and it made him curious; but then she turned and flounced away, leaving her expensive perfume lingering on the air and he forgot all about it. "So I didn't catch your name," he called after her.

"That's because I didn't give it," she tossed over her shoulder.

Ross scraped his teeth over his bottom lip, admiring the sway of her hips in the tight jeans and smiling to himself. He had no idea who this firecracker was but he had a feeling it was going to be fun finding out.

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[Bleeding Love] COPYRIGHT. © ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Debra Jay 2015