curiosity. Iâve already learned you donât have horns and a tail, which makes me wonder what else my parents have lied about. Iâve discovered youâre a gentleman. I like you.â
The pot of water heâd put on the other element came to the boil, and he added penne pasta.
âTell me more about your pubs. Do you do meals?â
âWe have a cook in each pub and do classic pub foods. Shepherdâs pie. Steak and onion pie. Fish pie. Roast dinners on a Sunday.â
âChips? I have a weakness for French fries but donât get to eat them often.â
âYour mother has a huge say on your meals.â
âIâm afraid so. Sheâs big on salads.â
âWhy do you let her and the rest of your family order you around?â
âBecause they mean well. I know they love me, but they forget Iâm an adult. Iâve told them Iâm not a rabbit and require more than salad to keep me alive.â
He clicked the fingers of his right hand. âDamn, I was going to do a side salad to go with the pasta.â
She rolled her eyes. âThe relevant word is side . I get to eat something else too.â
âWhat do you do in your spare time?â
âI readâmostly romances and mysteries. I enjoy movies and television. Iâm a rugby fan although I havenât seen any live games. I wanted to play rugby, but my mother quashed the idea. She allowed me to play hockey and encouraged me to learn to golf.â
âHockey and golf?â
âHitting the ball got rid of some of my frustration.â
âI see. What else do you like doing?â
âI cook and could do dinner parties if I were allowed. Iâm fine if I follow the recipe, but experimenting doesnât usually end well. I love music, although I have the voice of a frog. One day I intend to do more traveling. The little Iâve done to date has whetted my desire to explore more of the world. What about you?â
âIâm one of those horrid rugby players. I still play for a local team during the winter season when I can manage the time. I can sing, although I donât do it often. Travelâwe have that in common, although I donât get time to do much due to the pubs.â
Dinner passed in conversation, with not a single awkward pause. Dallas wouldnât have thought theyâd have such easiness, that sheâd be so interested in his childhood years, his rugby team and the regulars at his pubs. They did the dishes together, then sat by the fire, drinking the last of the bottle of wine.
âWhat do you do when youâre on your own here?â
âI catch up on sleep, watch a movie or do office work before it gets out of control. And I spent a lot of time renovating. My brothers helped when they were free.â
âSo this is a male domain. I thought youâd have a different woman here every weekend.â
âIf youâre asking if this is where I entertain my harem, the answer is no.â Marie was the only woman whoâd spent any time here, and sheâd hated the isolation. Itâd been a storm then too, and sheâd panicked because the phone lines were down. Sheâd thought they were going to run out of food and die. Sheâd refused to visit the cabin again. âYouâre one of the few women Iâve had to visit.â
âIâm honored. When are we getting to the sex again?â
âWhen Iâm ready.â He narrowed his eyes, stifling, yet again, his desire to laugh. âAnd not a moment before.â
âI obviously have the wrong idea about this agreement between us. I thought thereâd be a lot more sex, enough to make me walk funny.â
âCome here,â he said in a decisive manner and set his glass aside.
She rose and came to him without hesitation. âIs it time now?â
âYes. Pull down your sweatpants and your panties. No, leave your top half clothed.â
Her