Read Online Country Pleasures by Primula Bond - Free Book Online

Sparks of electricity seemed to crackle off her. He shifted very slightly back on his haunches, and held her away from him. He stared at her neck, her throat, down at her dark-red shirt. Janie followed his gaze. The shirt, like most of her clothes, was loose, but her march through the rain had made the fine linen cling to her, emphasising the twin curves of her breasts. The man slowly formed a smile as he took in the bulges of soft flesh, and Janie pushed her shoulders back so that the breasts were clearly outlined – two inviting mounds waiting to smother him. It was just as Sally had suggested – some lucky guy was going to press his face in there. And Janie’s tits, her whole body, had been tight with longing ever since the remark had been made.
    â€˜All in one piece, doctor?’
    The man’s fingers pressed harder into the dip at the base of Janie’s throat, causing her to catch her breath.
    â€˜All very much in one piece. I was just checking you hadn’t hurt your neck as well from that bump. You’ll live.’
    â€˜Not if you keep strangling me. I should go,’ Janie said again, tilting her head away from him. He had just appeared in the farmyard; crept up on her she thought. Perhaps he had been watching her. Perhaps he had been watching the cottage. He had big hands that were squeezing her neck, for God’s sake. They were in a deserted barn in the middle of a rainstorm and, even if she screamed, no one would hear her.
    â€˜Of course you should,’ he answered. He took his hands away and rested them on his legs. Now her neck felt cold. ‘Although I’d rather you stayed. It’s damn lonely, this place. I’d quite forgotten. But I don’t normally wrap my hands round the necks of intruders. Then again, you don’t fit the usual description of an intruder.’
    â€˜Which is?’
    â€˜You know, balaclava, hairy, carrying a sawn-off shotgun … Male.’ She waited. ‘They’re not usually swathed in someone else’s anorak, smooth-skinned, carrying a couple of logs … Female. But still I have this weird feeling I’ve met you before.’
    â€˜That must be the oldest line in the book.’
    â€˜I know it sounds crass, OK. Then I guess you remind me of someone I used to know. And I think I remind you of someone. That’s the reason that you’re not afraid of me, as most people would be. You should be trying to run away. I’m pretty menacing, don’t you think? Especially when I catch people breaking the rules. I mean, you’ve seen my shovel.’
    One of his front teeth overlapped the other very slightly, though the others were dead straight. His smile broadened, and the uneven teeth simply made the smile more attractive. His lips were red, and wet where his tongue ran across them while he waited for her to speak. She struggled to keep a straight face.
    â€˜No, I’m not afraid of you. I’m just waiting for my chance. I’m not leaving without my logs.’ She didn’t want to say ‘I’m not running away because I’m horny as hell.’
    â€˜You’re putting it on. You’re not a natural-born felon. So why so brazen?’
    â€˜It’s concussion, probably, or too much wine. My friend and I have been carousing all afternoon.’ Janie raised her chin. ‘You probably recognise me because you spotted us arriving at the cottage over the field. Difficult to miss us, with all our bags and stuff.’
    â€˜That’s not it. I only arrived here myself this afternoon, and I’ve been up here all that time. Too wet to go out spying on the neighbours. Didn’t even know I had neighbours.’
    â€˜Well, you’re wrong about one thing. I haven’t a clue who you are. All I know is that you’re not the cross-eyed Maddock, which is a relief. We both know what I was doing here, but what were you doing, prowling about in the rain as if you own the