Sweetly Isolated (The Swallow Barn Cottage Series, Book 1)

Piping Hot... Coffee

Tina minced to the bedroom door and peeked. Bloody hell, the man was massive! Not a man - a bear! He was currently sprawled, taking all her bed, and one hairy leg was sticking out from under her duvet. Tina cringed. She fancied her men blond, lithe, and intellectual, just as all - two, she'd had two - her exes had been. John Holyoake's legs and forearms were covered in thick black hair, to match the mane of thick, coffee coloured waves. She couldn't see very well at the moment, but she seemed to recall he had a beard. Tina shuddered and fled.

She sat down on her sofa, pulled her knees to her nose - as she always did when she needed to concentrate - and gave out a long noisy exhale. She had two sources of information on the man presently enjoying her Egyptian cotton sheets. The first one was her good acquaintance Brigit, who worked in the publishing house that took care of Tina's creations. Brigit had dated Holyoake two years ago for a couple of months - and never stopped complaining since then. Apparently, the man was respectful, considerate, a feminist, and an excellent shag - plus cold, emotionally unavailable, and terrified of even a shadow of commitment. Just as he's terrified of flying, Tina thought. Has he been getting sloshed and crawling into strangers' cottages over his fear of being introduced to a chick's parents or having a toothbrush in the other person's flat?

The second source of data was her ex August Anderson. Tina shook her head and pulled her afghan over her shoulders. Thinking of August - especially around the Christmas time, which was when he'd dumped her - made her sad.

She was starting to get warm and dozing off. The last thought she had was that the fortnight would go so much faster if she could ensure John Holyoake didn't find out who she really was.

***

Day 1

She woke up with a startle, sat up sharply, and listened. Her cottage was blissfully quiet, and she gingerly climbed off her sofa and tiptoed along the hall. No sounds came from the bedroom. Good, she thought. She wouldn't be able to deal with the furry menace before the first sip - or a pint of - coffee.

She was slouching in her kitchen chair, sipping the second giant mug of coffee, when she heard "Bloody hell!" barked in her bedroom.

The man was clearly up.

Tina squared her shoulders and fixed a firm glare on her door. It took her 'guest' a few minutes to finally make his appearance. She shortly wondered what kept him so long: was he trying not to chunder due to a horrible hangover, or perhaps he was looking for an escape route, since he'd just woken up in a woman's bed, and - as we all know, she thought venomously - that was a no-no in his books?

He was neither hung over or trying to escape. He apparently had been looking for his trousers - and that was the only item of clothing he'd found. Dark denim jeans sat low on his hips - unbuttoned, his belt unbuckled! Tina made a croak-like sound in her throat.

"Morning," he said calmly.

Tina hadn't regained her voice yet.

"You're not my sister," he stated and looked her over. His left eyebrow jumped up sardonically.

"You think?" she bit back.

What a cantankerous, puffed up, overbearing, pompous, condescending git!

He looked around him and then glanced out of the window, seemingly utterly unfazed by what was happening - and Tina decided she hated him more now!

"I'm in Lower Woulds, though." He pointed at the landscape outside with his long index finger. "That's the All Saints Church. Hm."

"Hm?!" Tina repeated, her voice breaking out of sheer disbelief. "Is this all you have to say?"