Secrets of a Chalet Girl by Lorraine Wilson Read Free Book Online Page B

you do it.
    She glanced at the muscles still visible beneath Zac’s T-shirt. He was gorgeous and seemed lovely. And the connection between them felt pretty…incredible.
    Incredibly scary. I don’t think I’m ready for this.
    “I look a right state.” Flora grimaced and pulled the duvet up to her chin. “I’m not sure where I left my bag last night.”
    “You look lovely, trust me.” Zac smiled, putting the tray down on the bedside table. “I put your bag in here with your clothes.”
    He opened a small cupboard underneath and brought out her evening bag, scrutinising the beadwork closely. “This is really good. I’m guessing you made this, right?”
    “Yes,” she said, feeling a little shy. “It’s one of mine.”
    “You should definitely do something with this. You’re wasted in book-keeping and you can’t be a seasonaire forever you know?”
    I do know!
    Her hand tightened around the croissant she was holding. “Well, yes, obviously I know that.”
    Emotion bubbled up inside her, she couldn’t identify it but it felt dangerous, as though if she didn’t control it something catastrophic might happen.
    “I did some research for you last night.” Zac didn’t seem to be picking up her mood. He produced a sheaf of papers.
    “Did you sleep at all last night?” She looked incredulously at the paperwork. Instinctively she wanted to withdraw, to pull back into her shell and hide from the world. She didn’t want to connect, to share, to expose herself for scrutiny. Her dreams were just that – hers.
    And she’d had enough of being told what to do for a lifetime.
    “I don’t sleep much, only four or five hours a night and when I’m up I like to work, to do something productive, you know?” Zac enthused, spreading the papers out on the bed.
    “Right.” Flora absently shredded her croissant, her appetite fading. All of a sudden she wanted to be on her own. “It’s very kind of you but I don’t need your…help.”
    The bubbling, churning emotion surged inside her. The rapidly rising tide of emotion made her jittery, scared she wouldn’t be able to control it. The smile on her face was frozen into place, her cheeks aching. If she left now would that be rude?
    Today of all days she needed to be alone. She was an emotional liability - guilt, fear, anger and loss cannoning around inside her, looking for an external target to strike out at. She couldn’t unleash the tsunami on Zac, it wouldn’t be fair of her.
    “I don’t mind helping, it’s no trouble.” Zac didn’t seem to be getting the hint, he was too taken up with whatever plan he’d formulated. “I think you need to start small and sell through eBay and etsy.com. Maybe set up an online shop once you’ve got enough stock. Here are some guides explaining everything you need to know and the taxation implications depending on which country you decide to base yourself in.”
    Flora slipped out of bed. “That’s great Zac, thanks. Look I’m really sorry but I’m afraid I’ve got to go. I’ve just remembered I promised to do something for Holly.”
    “I thought you had some time off?”
    “It’s, er wedding related stuff,” Flora bluffed. “I’ll go and get changed and you know…go…”
    Really? That’s the best you can come up with Flora? Brain, please engage my tongue because you’re both doing a crap job!
    But the panic was rising inside her.
    “Do you want to hang out later? I could teach you to snowboard?”
    Flora shuddered inwardly. Accept help in another field in which she was inexperienced and he knew everything? No thanks. Absolutely no way.
    If she saw Zac again it had to be on an equal footing. This was freaking her out too much.
    “Um, maybe,” she replied. “I’ll get my phone and we can…trade numbers?”
    Zac caught her eye and in a sudden flash she remembered what it had been like having him inside her. She looked away, down at the floor and fled to the en suite to get dressed as quickly as