Trying Not To Love You

Part Twenty

Chapter Twenty

A/N As you asked so nicely...but you won't be getting two chapters every day, ok??? ;)

Three shampoos later the acrid smell of smoke seemed to be easing and she was starting to feel a little better, finding her freshest pyjamas she felt human again. Coming back to the kitchen, she put the kettle on, tea might help her calm down, then she went back to the laundry to sort out the rags she’d just dragged from her body earlier, unsure whether they were worth saving. She ignored all that had happened after the fire, because she wasn’t able to process the argument or the insinuation that followed. She wasn’t the type to bury her head in the sand...much, but today she was. Life and to go on and she needed her wits about her ALL the time.

As she was loading the washing machine she heard a sound behind her, she presumed it was the animals, maybe Tinker was attacking one of the other cats, or even Tessa. She’d been acting strange since bloody Sonny had arrived on the farm now that the feral animal had a friend, but she also knew the fire, so quickly after the storm, had distressed them all too. So Martha made for the feed room. Then stopped dead in her tracks.

At the far end of the feed room were the stairs up to Sonny’s old bedroom, but that wasn’t what had stunned her, at the bottom of that staircase was the shower that was designed for tack and muddy boots, but he’d used when he was living upstairs, and now, stood there completely uncaring was Sonny, stark naked, water coursing off his body, the shower still running behind him.

Not wanting to see the smug look on his face, she dropped her eyes, but that was a bad move. After all he was totally naked, and completely uninhibited. As he reached for a towel she could hear him laugh at her discomfort. But he made no effort to move or cover himself, instead she was forced to decide which part of him to look at. His bare feet were strangely erotic, so she lifted her eyes, his hair dusted thighs, no, she thought...not safe...as her eyes rose further she could feel heat wash over her. Yep, she paused at his waist, not wanting to gawp, but unable to drag her eyes from him, and that was impressive too. One thing she could say was that Sonny Carter was an impressive specimen.

By the time her eyes had flitted over his body, the flat stomach, broad shoulders, and chest that was sculpted from his boxing training, he was hardening under her scrutiny. Finally she met his knowing eyes, and they were laughing at her as he towelled dried his hair. The rest of him was dripping wet, yet he deliberately chose to dry his hair first. The man had no shame.

Turning on her heel she stormed back across the rooms to the sanctuary of the kitchen, his laughter ringing in her ears.

Like she was ever going to sleep after all the adrenaline and excitement of the fire...and then there was Sonny. She shuddered at the memory, hating that her blood heated at the thought of him stood, drenched...naked. She wasn’t one of those women, she wasn’t like the women in the village.

After writhing from side to side unable to settle, then pacing the length of her bedroom repeatedly, she was no calmer, and definitely no more tired. With a sigh she finally admitted defeat and gave up on any attempts to sleep. The house was still in darkness, her father hadn’t stirred, she could tell that, and there was no sign of Aunt Lucy...or the lodger, as he would be known from now on. It was becoming more and more difficult to live in the same house as him. He had no restraint, he was a walking time bomb, and then there was the debacle tonight after the fire. How would she look him in the eye again? What was he trying to prove? It was all so frustrating.

Would tea help? She doubted it, but it was four am, she couldn’t really have alcohol now, as appetising as it seemed. Putting the kettle on, she was just making for the fridge when she felt a presence behind her. Turning she saw Sonny leaning against the doorframe, dressed this time in a t-shirt and dark pyjama trousers, a strange look on his face.