rottnest romance #6

The next white-knuckle read of the only Bills and Moon romance set on the beautiful island: Larissa Kidd unwittingly helps Nick with his erections, he gratefully asks her for a shandy...read on...

Once outside she took a few deep breaths, and started to feel something close to normal again.

After a minute or two he emerged through the courtyard entrance.

“You have a lovely cottage, Larissa. It’s given me some ideas to work into the design I want to use for Parakeet Bay.”

“Great,” she replied, trying to sound enthusiastic. She couldn’t believe it. It looked as though she had assisted his development – albeit entirely against her will. It was too awful to think about. In less than an hour her world had been turned upside down by this marauding businessman from the mainland.

He must have sensed her despair, or seen a trace of it on her face. “Are you alright?” he asked.

She returned his look, forcing herself to smile. “No, I’m fine, thanks. Why shouldn’t I be?”

“Fine. I’m going back to our hotel now, to see how Ashleigh has managed to settle in. would you like to join us for lunch in a while?”

The mere invitation filled her with dread. “No! Er, I mean no, thank you. I should get down to the office soon and do some work.”

A quizzical look crossed his face. “Your sister told me it was your day off.”

That Marjorie, she thought savagely. “Well, when you work for yourself, you don’t really get to have days off, do you?”

“How about tonight, then, after you’ve finished? We could have a drink at the Lodge.”

“I’m afraid not,” she replied. “I do have a previous commitment.”

“Oh well – never mind. We’ll be on the island a few days, so I dare say we’ll bump into each other again sooner or later. See you around.” With a friendly grin he turned away and began to stride along the path back to his hotel.

She watched his tall figure recede down the road. What he said was true – Rottnest was a small place, and there was a good chance they would encounter each other again before he left. In the past, she had liked that cosy aspect of the island. But now she was suddenly regarding it in a different light. She most definitely didn’t want to bump into him while he was here.

“Morning, Larissa! How are you today?”

She looked around, and her heart fell. It was Mrs Squire, who worked at the bicycle hire shop. She had stopped on the road, astride one of her bikes. She was the island’s most notorious gossip. Had she seen Nick leaving her cottage?

“Morning, Mrs Squire. I’m fine thanks.”

“Lovely day. I see you’ve been entertaining someone – is he someone special?”

“Not at all. Just a business acquaintance.” Oh no – so she had seen him leaving. Now it would be all over the island in a matter of minutes that she had a lover.

“A very handsome man, I couldn’t help notice,” the woman on the bike said eagerly. “What’s his name?”

“Mr Montagu – I don’t know his first name,” Larissa lied. “I think that’s my kettle boiling, Mrs Squire – got to go – bye.” She hastily beat a retreat inside her cottage, seeking refuge from the inquisitive woman. Considering the awful morning she had had so far, the brief encounter with Mrs Squire seemed to top it off in an appropriate way.