Don't Call Me Baby

Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Lola Takes a Ride

I wasn't expecting the others back until around 3:00pm. They were going to have lunch on a neighbouring estate so I had at least four hours to kill. As I had never been to the country I decided that it would be good exercise to take a walk, so equipped with a pair of borrowed wellies and tweed cap, I left the house in high spirits. After the events of the day before it would be nice to spend some quiet time alone and I would be safely away from any predatory men. Hardy had told me there was a walking trail easy to spot just beyond the lower paddock where we were shooting the day before, and I made my way there.

I must say that even for a city girl I could really appreciate this beautiful autumn day. Even the odour of manure that I could faintly detect on the wind didn't dampen my newly growing love for the countryside. I was appreciating the pollution free air and the fresh soft breeze in my hair, and after an hour decided to find somewhere to eat the packed lunch that Mrs. Mac had made for me. I spotted a tree trunk in a meadow so climbed over the wooden fence and made my way there. I was finishing up Mrs. Mac's fruit cake with a swallow from a bottle of water when I could hear horse's hooves in the distance.

A lone rider was making their way towards me. The horse was large and black and had a streak of white sweat on its chest. The rider was a man I could see now, dressed in a red hunting jacket. As they got closer I could see it was Joe! He was a hell of a persistent stalker I thought waiting for him to reach me.

"Lola baby," he shouted in greeting as he reined in his horse and dismounted. "I got separated from the others," he explained. "And, oh boy, now I'm glad I did." He grinned. He dismounted, tied his horse to a branch sticking out from the log and came to sit close beside me. We exchanged pleasantries. I must admit I felt a little anxious and at the same time excited about being alone again with Joe. He took his riding hat off and his curly dark hair blew in the wind. Yup my heart flipped again. It seemed to jump a lot these days. I edged away from him slightly and he noticed.

"Don't worry Lola, I won't eat you," he said, "not unless you want me to." Oh Boy! I blushed. "Besides, your 'boyfriend' won't like it." I almost blurted out that actually Julian wasn't my boyfriend, but I managed to control myself. I didn't respond and we fell into a silence. Eventually he said, "I know you two aren't dating Lola." I turned to him startled and began to protest but he held up his hand. "It's obvious. You're not his type. There's no spark there like there is between us." He was presumptive as well as sexy. There was actually a spark between Julian and I, but it was icy not hot like with Joe. With him it was all smouldering carnal anticipation.

"How do you know what his type is?" I asked, curious not confirming his suspicions.

"I just know," he answered. "Look Lola, I don't know what you two are up to, but I really don't think it should stop us from getting to know each other better." He put his hand up to brush my hair out of my face. Oh dear, this is how it starts Lola, I cautioned myself. He suddenly pulled my head towards him.

I just didn't know how to stop him. Nor did I want to. I stared at his full generous lips that were beginning to part, remembering how wonderful his kiss was in the stables yesterday. He kissed me gently, "Lola baby, you shouldn't fight it, don't fight the inevitable," he instructed. Some instinct told me the contrary, that I would regret this bad boy a lot, but I didn't fight it. Some cream cakes just need to be eaten. Sometimes in order to get rid of a temptation it was best just to succumb to it, I thought as he wrapped me up in his arms, tongue probing gently, as he pulled me into his broad chest. For a brief second, Julian's scowling face popped into my head, but Joe managed to sweep it away as he began giving me soft kisses behind my ear and down my neck.