Page 90 of Moonlight Kisses at Willow Tree Hall

‘Well, the staff all retired one by one, and there just weren’t enough of us for the harvest,’ said Arthur, leaning down to give Dylan an apple to munch on.

But there might be now, thought Lily. However, she stayed silent. The family had enough on their hands these days without adding more to their workload.

The old Lily would have probably got on and harvested the apples herself, she thought with a smile to herself. But she had promised not to take on too much work and she was determined to make good on that. With a wistful glance back at the orchard, Lily carried on walking with Arthur.

Leaving Arthur and Dylan back at the main house, she wandered on towards the stable block to see if Skye was around. She had heard that Skye was very artistic. Perhaps she would have an idea as to theming for the album launch.

But it was late and the stable block was quiet. She realised it was gone five o’clock.

However, there was banging and hammering coming from another building nearby. She seemed to remember Arthur referring to a dairy house. Perhaps that was it.

Expecting to see Will, she was amazed to find Jack hammering nails into one of the very thick walls. She allowed herself to stare at his sweaty torso which his T-shirt was clinging to. The man had certainly kept himself in good shape over the years.

He suddenly turned around and she found herself embarrassed that he had caught her watching him.

But he smiled. ‘Hey,’ he said. ‘What are you doing here?’

‘I was looking for Skye and heard you hard at work,’ she told him.

‘I’ve heard on the grapevine that you’re now an events organiser again?’

‘Maybe. If I can pull it off, that is.’

‘Don’t sell yourself short,’ he told her.

‘I dunno,’ she said. ‘I don’t have any real skills. I’m not artistic like Skye or good with flowers like Eleanor. I can’t really do anything. Anyway,’ she said quickly, changing the subject. ‘What are you up to in here?’

‘Will thought the shelter might come in useful if it rains this weekend.’

‘Why? What’s going on this weekend?’ she asked.

‘The monthly market,’ he told her.

She suddenly remembered it being on the planner. ‘So you’re still helping out around here with the electrics and so forth?’

‘Guess so.’

She looked away, embarrassed. ‘I had no idea you were such a handyman,’ she said, looking around the room. Anywhere but straight at him.

She heard Jack take a step forward. ‘Oh, I’ve always been good with my hands,’ he told her.

She took another glance at his sweaty torso and found herself gulping.

‘You’re so smooth,’ she said, giving him an exaggerated roll of the eyes to try and alleviate her embarrassment at the way he was making her feel.

‘I’m many things, but smooth isn’t one of them,’ he told her.

That was right, she found herself thinking. He was rough. Tough. Passionate.

And she wanted nothing else but to kiss him at that moment.

Thankfully, he seemed to have read her mind and stepped forward to take her into his arms. She was squashed against his hard chest as his lips crushed hers. It was a hot, passionate kiss and every bit as good as she remembered his kisses to be.

When she stepped back to catch her breath, his eyes were hooded and dark.

‘I knew there was still passion in there somewhere,’ he said, his voice gruff.

But his words upset her. ‘I can be passionate when I want to be,’ she told him, a little hurt.