The Pleasures of Autumn by Evie Hunter Read Free Book Online Page A

work and was on her second cup of herbal tea by eleven.
    He raised one blond eyebrow in disapproval.
    ‘Except at weekends,’ she said, trying to placate him. She did need his help if she wanted to get out of this mess.
    ‘Pretend it’s the weekend,’ Niall said as he dished up four eggs onto his plate and poured himself a mug of coffee.
    Sinead opened the container of organic muesli and poured fat free yoghurt over it before sprinkling some myrtle berries on top. She hunted for the grater and finely shredded half an apple on top, squeezed lemon on the other half and put it into the fridge for later. Finally she sliced a finger of fresh ginger into a glass and poured on boiling water before topping it up with cold.
    Niall watched in fascination. ‘Are you for real?’
    ‘What?’ she snapped.
    ‘You’re not actually going to eat that … that stuff? I wouldn’t give it to a hamster.’
    Sinead dug a spoon into her bowl and raised it to her mouth. The yoghurt had softened the grain mixture. It might not look like the most appetizing thing in the world but it was full of nutrients. She took a mouthful and chewed.
    And chewed. The oats weren’t quite softened yet. Maybe she should leave it for a while longer.
    ‘I dare you to swallow it.’ His grin was openly challenging.
    With a last vigorous chew, Sinead swallowed and smiled at him. ‘Says the man who has just eaten three eggs for breakfast. Maybe you should add some roughage to your diet.’
    ‘Four eggs, and my diet is fine, thank you. What’s up with you that you don’t have any real food in the house?’
    ‘I have real food.’ Well, she had until yesterday. The police had taken away the oddest things for examination and the rest she had dumped because she didn’t know how long it had been out of the fridge.
    ‘You need a bit of meat on you. You’re too thin.’
    She snorted. She had gained ten pounds in the last few months. Since she had given up being Lottie, her weight had crept up. She had been a plump teenager and dancing kept her weight under control.
    She had always loved dancing. The ballet classes she had been dragged to with her cousin had started a life-long addiction, but it was the dance classes taken during college that had transformed her. Latin, Tango and Zumba kept her fit, but her first burlesque class was arevelation. She discovered that putting on a mask or a costume enabled her to leave shy Sinead behind and become someone who was flirtatious, sexy and confident.
    Her early dance training had given her the poise and flexibility to become a professional and when she had arrived in London, she had braved her first audition. The hours were better than waitressing, but harder on her feet. Even though she performed only part time, to fit in with her MA studies at Sotheby’s, Lottie quickly became a star on the burlesque circuit.
    Moving to Geneva and working extra hours to master her new role at the museum had taken its toll in a way she hadn’t expected. While trying to impress her employer with her serious, studious side, she had lost something.
    She hated to admit it, but she missed being Lottie. Her alter ego wouldn’t have allowed Niall to bully her in her own home and Lottie wouldn’t have permitted him to leave her bed this morning without a rematch.
    ‘You didn’t seem to mind earlier.’
    And that was obviously the wrong thing to say. He put down his knife and fork, reached across the breakfast bar and touched her cheek.
    Sinead stared at the button of his shirt, unwilling to raise her eyes to meet his face.
    ‘Look at me.’
    She kept her eyes fixed on his shirt button, hoping that he would stop. Instead his hand cupped her face and he raised her chin until she was forced to look into his eyes.
    ‘That was concern. Not criticism. And as for earlier, I liked you just fine.’
    The smouldering heat in his eyes told her that he meantit. He released her chin and leaned back but not before she realized that she was