British Black Sheep - Lauren Smith Page 0,17

would never know they were seventeen years apart.”

Brie laughed. “Well, to be fair, Brendan is old for his age.”

“And Morgan is too young.” The countess chuckled. “Well, I should let you sleep. Call me if anything changes, and don’t forget to text me your address.”

“I will,” Brie promised and hung up. She returned to the kitchen where Mrs. Fellers was toiling over a large pot on the stove and cutting up some potatoes and leeks.

“I know it’s late, but you both must eat. Dinner will be ready in ten minutes, if you want to settle in upstairs.”

Alec handed Brie the tea Mrs Fellers had made for her. It was smooth and she tasted a hint of honey.

“Thank you, Mrs. Fellers. We’ll be back down shortly.” Alec nodded for Brie to go back into the hall. “If you take my briefcase, I’ll carry the suitcases,” he offered.

“Sure.” She would have carried her own luggage, but she wasn’t about to refuse the help. Her body still felt off, and part of her was still trembling from the whole ordeal.

She picked up her purse and backpack, along with Alec’s briefcase as she watched Alec heft the two large suitcases and carry them upstairs ahead of her. She had to admit the rear view of the jeans he wore was mouthwatering. He gave her all sorts of wicked thoughts, ones she would feel bad about later. After everything she’d been through tonight, she deserved a little mental self-indulgence.

Alec navigated the narrow hall with ease despite the bulk of the suitcases, but he paused at the top, glancing in one room and another before he looked back at her in confusion.

“What’s the matter?”

“Well…there’s only one bedroom. This other room,” he jerked his head to the room behind him. “Is the water closet.”

“But there are two beds, right?”

He shook his head.

“One bed?” She clarified as he carried the suitcases into the bedroom. When she followed him inside, she saw there was indeed one bed, cleaned by the looks of it.

“Hoo boy. Maybe she has a couch. One of us could…”

“No couch. I saw her living room. It had only a couple of armchairs.”

Brie stared at the bed. “Okay, so we’re both adults. We can share a bed. Without things…you know…”

“We can,” Alec agreed, but she heard a distinct note of uncertainty in his voice.

“Which side would you like?” she asked. Brie did her best to act casual, but her heart was pounding at the thought of sharing a bed with this gorgeous man.

“By the door, but I can sleep on either side.”

“That works for me.” She set her purse down and he pushed his briefcase under the bed to give them room. The quilted coverlet and the rustic furnishings made the room feel warm and inviting, though perhaps a little too inviting.

They rejoined Mrs. Fellers in the kitchen, where two bowls of homemade potato and leek soup were waiting for them. The creamy hot soup was full of flavor and just eating it made Brie feel a lot calmer after everything that had happened.

“Now, you’ll be wanting a hot shower or bath. There’s a bath in the room upstairs. Towels are in the cupboards. If you think of anything else you need, just let me know. My room is down here on the first floor.”

Once they were finished, Mrs. Fellers bid them good night and headed off to bed. Brie found the dishwasher and Alec cleaned the bowls and spoons. Once everything was loaded, she glanced at Alec.

“Do you mind if I have the first shower?”

“Not at all. I showered at my apartment between flights.”

She retrieved her shower kit and a fresh change of clothes from her suitcase before heading into the bathroom. It was bigger than she expected, with a tub that had shower doors. She closed the door to the hall, stripped out of her clothes, and cranked the hot water on.

It took a moment for the water to heat, so she stood shivering and bare, with one hand beneath the cool spray testing for warmth. By the time she got inside, she was nearly shaking, but it wasn’t at all from the cold. She tried to wash her hair and face and not think about the crash now that she was alone…but it was all she could see.

The look on Alec’s face. The masks dropping down. The sound of the plane grinding against the ground. She’d been unable to breathe as she waited for it to explode. As she waited for them to