Plus-size Perfect

Chapter 9

The charity ball was a blast. Eva enjoyed every minute of it. Torin says it is because she had such perfect company and Seth says it is because Morgan was not there. She and Peter flew out to meet her parents in Switzerland very early Christmas morning and did not come back for the charity ball. Peter as the host of the New Years Picnic, the 1st of January for all his employees, had to fly back to be there on time. Morgan decided to stay with her parents for another week and Peter was quite fine with it. Then at least there will be peace for Mira, Seth, Eva, and Torin. The picnic was a huge success too. Torin and Eva won the rowing contest, and Seth and Mira the water in the bucket run. Seth and Torin was head in head with the bow and arrows, until Eva came and beat the two with six straight shots in the middle of the target. Both of them could not believe it, so she had to run for her life. Seth caught her and dumped her in the river after which she threw him with mud. Then they started a war and everybody was throwing mud at everybody else. Isla and Cameron also could not get free of the mud splatters. Afterwards Cameron said it was the best picnic he had in years and the employees second him on that. Some of them even mumbled it was because the snobbish wife of their boss was not there. The nearer the days to the start of college came the quieter Eva got. Torin thought it was because it would be a new place and new people but she said no she actually is seeing forward to her time in college. A Week before he was due back in Blackhood he asked Eva to go sailing with him. She just loves the ocean. They enjoyed the little trip out the harbour with the medium sized sailboat. When he came to a little cove near the coast, he takes the boat in there, where the water was a bit quieter. Eva sits with her bare feet over the side when he comes and sits next to her. He is wearing swim trunks today and even lost his shirt somewhere on the deck. She turns her eyes somewhat and watches him through her lashes. Why is she suddenly so acutely aware of Torin? Is it because he kisses her so often? Is it because she does not see many other single men lately? There were always the schoolboys, not that she ever noticed any one in particular. On the other hand, is it just the fact that he is so sexy and she cannot miss looking at him? She is going to miss him an awful lot when he has to go back to Thornton next week that is for sure. "Eva ... Lass, whit ar ye thinking? Ye look sad and sit so still and ye dinnae say a word. Is something wrong Lass?" She shakes her head and smiles when she looks at him. "Nae Torin, there is naething wrong. Ye should ken by now that I am nae the chirpy talkative kind of girl. I was just enjoying the quiet calmness of the ocean around us." He bumps her shoulder. "So am I bothering ye and disturbing the quiet when I want tae talk tae ye?" She bumps him back with her shoulder and laughs. "Nae off course nae, that is nae what I mean. Ye can really talk if ye want tae." He looks out over the water and then suddenly at her. "I ... um ... ye ken I was bored with high school mathematics a few years ago and I actually hav my bachelors of engineering so I enrolled tae dae my Doctorate in Philosophy. I decided tae apply for another teaching job at college level, teaching undergraduate mathematics tae mechanical engineering students and they told me last week that I hav the job." She looks at him enquiringly. "Ar ye leaving soon and where is this new job?" He sees her eyes look sad and for a moment, he wonders why. "I hav tae start the 15th just like ye and I am nae gaun anywhere Lass. I will be lector, at yer next door college here in Thornton." He sees her face lights up and he feels good to know that she is happy he is going to stay here. It means that she does actually cares if he goes or stays. He sits his arm around her shoulder and lifts her face to him. "I hav a lot of plans for the future ye ken Lass, and if I leave now I willnae be able tae see it through." What starts as a soft kiss turns into a heated make-out session. He pushes her down with his body and he kisses her face and neck. His hand is underneath her shirt and he is rubbing her tummy and over her ribcage. When his hand reaches the underside of her breasts, she becomes still in his arms. He lifts his head and smiles before he kisses her on her nose. "Dinnae fash Eva, I willnae dae anything more than touching ye, I promise, ye ar save with me ..." He feels her relax and he kisses her and even sucks on her neck again, just under her ear before he lifts his head and looks at her. "Did ye hear anything from yer parents recently?" She cannot believe in a moment like this he would talk about her parents. "Um ... e ... I had a phone call from my Da last week, saying they are visiting Morgan and Peter in a few weeks but nae after that. Why dae ye ask?" He starts to laugh and puts his face in her neck. "I am just making sure this hickey I gave ye will be gone when ye see yer parents again." She gasps and pushes him away. He rolls of her and lays on his back on the deck laughing. "It is nae funny Torin." She hits his arm and he laughs some more. "Ye should have seen yer face Lass. It was priceless. I am sorry I marked yer lovely neck, but I am nae sorry for the rest of what happened between us." She looks at him and sees very clearly that he is aroused and she turns scarlet and looks away. Torin turns on his tummy with a groan and a pained face but grabs her hand when she wants to get up. "Sorry about that love, I dinnae want tae embarrass ye, it just happened. I think we should gae back home. Then I can concentrate on getting us safely home and ye can relax on the deck. He stands up and kisses her cheek before he starts getting the boat ready to sail back. She sits at the rail again with her legs down where the water splashes over her legs as they sail. She still feel a bit embarrassed but she knows things like that sometimes do happen. Not that she ever was the reason for a man to get aroused around her. It was the first time she actually experienced it. Her heart is beating fast and she tells herself to relax. It does not mean anything except that Torin is without a woman for too long. She always wondered whom of the young teachers he took out from time to time, not that anybody saw him with any girl in Blackhood. Back at the docks behind the Thorn Castle, he helps her down the boat but keeps her hand in his. "Eva, please dinnae be angry with me. I ..." She looks shyly at him. "I am nae angry Torin, just a little embarrassed that is all. Forget about it now, please?" He brings her hand up to his lips and kisses her knuckles. "Thenk ye Eva, I will try tae behave better in future, but ye dinnae make it easy for a man." She does not answer him because she does not know what to say.
The dreaded weekend of her parents' visit arrived. Peter invited Eva, Torin, Seth, and Mira for dinner on Friday night. Morgan did behave but was very cold towards her Sisters and Brothers-in-law. Eva asked her parents if they wanted to have dinner at her house Saturday or maybe Sunday lunch but her Mother declined and said they will come for tea on Sunday morning. She was not happy when Eva told her it would be fine but it will be after Sunday mass, since she will be going to church. Sunday Torin came to pick her up for church and when they walk into the church, he takes her hand and pulls her towards the place where his parents are sitting. She sits between him and Isla and she sees her parents sitting on the other side of Peter and Morgan in the same row. Her Mother gives her an angry look and her Dad smiles and nods at her and Torin. Then Seth and Mira come in and sit next to Torin, which makes Isla smile broadly and Mildred pinched her lips tightly. Eva smiles and winks at Isla just before Torin takes her hand in his and place it on his leg. She knows her cheeks are pink but she ignores Torin. She baked delicate pastries and even chocolate cupcakes for tea the previous evening, so she invites everybody for tea at her house. Morgan immediately declines, but Peter says he is going and if Morgan does not want to go, she can wait in the car or walk home for all he cares. That off course makes Seth laugh aloud and Mira pinches his side. Back at her Dower Castle Mira cannot express enough how much she loves this mini castle house. Eva with Torin's help have put a big table under her small pergola and put everything out there for everyone to enjoy. Eva has watched her Mother, Morgan, and Isla enough to know precisely how to hold a proper morning tea. Isla winks at Eva when her Mother actually compliments her. "Well Evanora, I cannae believe it, but I must say yer tea table is lovely and this orange tea tastes wonderful." Eva smiles and  wants to laugh when she sees Torin lifts his cup behind her Mother's back in a cheers. "Thenk ye Mother." Morgan is still moody but at least she takes the tea and a plate with cake Eva give her. It is when she looks at the teapot and cups that she suddenly looks enquiringly at Eva again. "Where did ye get this Royal Albert tea service Eva?" Eva laughs and looks at Torin with mischief in her eyes. He is waiting for her answer and when she answers, he almost spits his tea on Mildred's back. "Well ye see, Lord Thorn, my poor old landlord ... is such a nice auld soul. He furnished this Dower Castle with some of his auld family's furniture pieces. Ye must see my room. I think the auld soul is a bit of a romantic too. I hav this huge four-poster bed with only the best linen on it and lace curtains. He also gave me this Royal Albert tae use as I see fit. I think I should knit him a lovely wool knee blanket for the next winter just tae show my appreciation." Isla, Cameron, and Peter are openly laughing. Seth cannot contain himself and laughs aloud. "Aye Eva, I think a blanky is just what the poor auld soul needs. Ye should look after the auld man. The poor soul is still a bachelor after all these years. Maybe he will like a young bride tae keep him warm in the cold Scottish winters." Mira pinches Seth's side again and he jumps away. Obviously, she knows who Lord Thorn is. Torin looks like he is going to die, after the hot cinnamon tea went up his nose. Eva slaps him unseremoniously on his back and he flees in through the kitchen and to the bathroom. Eva takes one of the teapots to go in and refill it and the others start talking about the Thorn Castle but no one mentions the real Lord Thorn. Inside the kitchen, Eva waits for the kettle to cook, when Torin comes and stands right at her back. He pushes her into the counter and puts his hands on the counter on either side of her. Crowding her in. She feels the heat from his body and she gets goose bumps all over her body, when he whispers in her ear. "Ye ken, the poor auld soul will abide his time and when ye least expect it Lassie, he will pounce on ye." Seth comes into the kitchen and stops in his tracks when he sees them. When he chuckles and speaks behind them, Torin stands back very slowly and a scarlet Eva tries to pour the hot water into the teapot. She rattles and has to put the pot down and takes a deep breath before she tries it again. "Och nae, caw canny Lord Thorn (be careful), the parents of the wee Lass are just outside the door. Behave yersel auld soul." He takes the teapot from Eva. "Relax a moment Evie, breath, and ye, auld soul cam wit me. Leave her alone she will follow." He pushes Torin out the door and moments later Mira comes in. "Evie, is everything alright?" Eva laughs and nods. "Yes Mira everything is perfectly alright I just want tae get another plate of pastries. She grabs a plate, fills it with more pastries, and ushers Mira outside. They are just in time to hear Torin telling everybody of his changed plans for this year. His Mom is ecstatic about the news and Cameron is happy that Torin is going to be a lector at the same university all three of the men graduated at. It is a proud moment. Mildred is also quite impressed when she realizes that Torin is not just a normal high school Mathematics teacher. She did not know he had a Bachelors in engineering and when she hears he is trying to finish his Doctorate in Philosophy she is more impressed with him. Then Mira tells everybody that Seth also finished his Bachelors in economics last year in Florida. Isla hugs him to her. "Ye are a naughty boy Seth, why dinnae we get an invitation tae yer graduation?" He blushes and puts his arm around his Mom. "I am sorry Mom, but I had a photo shoot in Hawaii. So I walked up the stage received it, ran off the stage and just made the airplane in time". With that explanation, his Mom let it slides and they start talking about other things. Eva stays out of Torin's way for the rest of the time and they all go to Isla's for a late lunch before Charles and Mildred have to head back to Blackhood.