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OK, OK, don't labour the point 'I've enough for two if you'd like to stay,' she said shortly, her tone less than enthu¬siastic—to put it mildly

Travis didn't appear to notice 'Really? Great, I'd love to If you're sure' Black eyebrows quirked as he smiled

Wretcheds cra table, I'e with a tray on your lap' There was the little breakfast bar and that here she usually ate, seated on one of the two stools the cottage boasted, but the tininess of the space would mean she'd be shoulder to shoulder with Travis and that was out of the question She wouldn't be able to eat a thing

'A tray is no problem,' he said easily

A tray ht not be, he most certainly was As Travis went to stand up, Beth said hastily, 'No, you sit where you are and I'll call you when it's ready The cottage is so tiny' She took his glass 'I'll bring you out another glass of wine'

'Thanks' He slanted a look at her under half closed lids, his voice still suspiciously acquiescent when he said, 'Sure I can't help? I feel guilty landing on you like this'

You've done quite enough already 'No, it's fine I won't be a minute' She smiled briskly and marched away

Once inside the cottage, Beth stared down at Harvey who had followed her in How on earth had she come to find herself in this position? Onein peaceful tranquillity and enjoying the sulass of wine and took it out to hinore what she had said and follow her inside

He was sitting with his legs outstretched and his eyes shut, his face lifted to the dying sunlight He looked big and hard and as sexy as hell, and as she stared at hi like a bolt of electricity shot down to her toes,them curl She had to sice before she could mutter, 'Here's your wine,' and she made very sure their hands didn't touch as she passed hilass

After scuttling back into the cottage, Beth stood for a alloping heart This was stupid She had to get a grip She shut her eyes tight and then opened the blankly across the room

After atwo trays with cutlery and napkins, annoyed to see her hands were trehtly She breathed in and out deeply a few ti OK, so she was sexually attracted to Travis—she adht the reality for the last three weeks and it wasn't the way to handle this She had to be honest with herself

She lifted the stea casserole out of the oven and on to the small steel shelf at the side of the hob

She was a groo schoolgirl in the midst of a first crush Sexual attraction was the saht your will to bear Mind over et involved in a casual relationship with anyhimself could walk in here and she wouldn't be tempted

She had believed in Keith, utterly and totally, and if she could get it so uarantee she couldn't do so again And she wasn't prepared to take such a risk That left the sensible option If she didn't let herself become vulnerable then she couldn't be hurt And the way not to be vulnerable was not to get close to a man

She reached for the dish of thinly sliced layered potatoes on the second shelf of the oven and they sizzled at her, the butter and seasoning she'd sprinkled over the looked delicious

She had several friends who could handle one-night stands and relationships with no strings attached perfectly well, but she knew she wasn't made that way She'd had lots of other boyfriends, one or two quite serious, before Keith, but she had never fully committed in a physical sense because that certain undefinable so Keith was the first ht be the last She gri the casserole on to the oven-warolden-brown potatoes But better that than being taken for a ain

'I ?'

As the deep rich voice from the doorway startled her, Beth allanced at Travis It was the best bit of acting she had done for soed nonchalantly, her voice airy as she said, 'No, it's all under control Go and sit down and I'll bring the trays through in a moment or two'