“Here.” I held out my hand. “Let me help you up.”
“Thank you, but I can manage.” She got up and walked around me in the direction of the shed.
“I said I was sorry. Oh, and you’re welcome, Red.”
Oh, shit. Wrong thing to say. My mouth was running away from me, and it was out before I could stop it.
She whirled around, eyes blazing, cheeks a deep red.
Is this how she’d look if we had angry sex?
“I told you, don’t call me that. Is it too much to ask?”
“Is it too much to ask that you could at least be polite?” I hissed. “We are plot neighbours, after all.”
“I don’t care what we are. I asked you to do one thing for me. One thing. And you appear incapable of even getting that right. I think it’s for the best if we try to avoid each other.”
“Suit yourself. Fine by me. Have a nice day, Red,” I said with a little more vehemence than I meant, because my dick was roaring to life in my jeans.
She stomped off, muttering under her breath. So much for thinking we could be civil to each other. As for angry sex? I think Marcus was wrong on that score.
* * *
Felicity
The man had gotten under my skin, and it was driving me insane. And this was why I tried to avoid peopling at all costs. Especially with the male of the species.
My dating life had been a disaster from the word go. And as for sex, well, let’s just say, I think my toys are a safer bet. They don’t let you down, are not selfish, and guarantee the user satisfaction each time. For one stupid minute, I wondered if Luke was good in the sack. Probably not. I bet he was selfish as hell once he’d got his end away.
Nope, do not even dwell on it, Fliss.
Shaking the idea of seeing what I thought would be a very fit, naked body from my mind, I focused on getting the plants I needed for my aunt.
“Hello, dear. How’s your aunt doing?” a lady with a messy grey bun and smiling eyes greeted me inside the shed.
“Hi. She’s doing well, thank you. Impatient to be back to normal.”
The lady laughed. “That sounds like Dolly. You probably don’t remember me. I’m Sally. You used to come here when you were younger. I’d remember your beautiful red hair anywhere.”
I blushed and stammered. I’d never been good at accepting compliments, especially after being teased to death about my hair colour at school. My mind wandered back to Luke calling me Red.
Stop thinking about that idiot.
“Yes, I did. I’m so sorry, I don’t remember you.”
“Probably because I had black hair back then.”
Then it came back to me, and I smiled with genuine affection. “You were the lady who used to bring those delicious cupcakes when we had evening picnics.”
Those evenings at the lottie where everyone used to bring contributions to what usually ended up being a great feast full of laughter made me smile. Everyone had stories to tell, and I smiled harder as I remembered Toby bringing the music.
“Thinking of those halcyon days, love?”
My eyes felt misty all of a sudden. Those days, I used to communicate at the lottie. Fun times with more laughter than I’d had in a lifetime since then.
Where had I lost myself? When did I lose my sense of fun and happiness, locking myself away from the world? I couldn’t remember the exact time, but it made my heart ache. I used to run around the lottie with kids my own age, laughing and playing hide and seek. Then there were all the fun of prize-giving events and evening parties. I still couldn’t quite remember when that had all changed and I chose to lock myself away playing computer games. Probably when I reached high school and other kids made fun of my hair colour and freckles.
“Are you okay?” Sally had stood up and taken hold of my hand.