Summer of Love by Marie Ferrarella (easy to read books for adults list .TXT) 📕

I was coming along the path but decided I was hallucinating.’ He smiled at her and her heart lifted when she saw the warmth in his eyes. ‘I don’t think any of the coffee-house chains has set up an outlet in the hills yet, have they?’

‘Not so far as I know. It must be an oversight on their behalf,’ Emma said, chuckling.

‘Oh, I’m sure they’ll realise that they’re missing a trick,’ he assured her. ‘Give it a few more months and I expect you’ll be able to buy your double cappuccino with hazelnut syrup on the slopes of Mount Everest!’

Emma laughed out loud. ‘It wouldn’t surprise me. It never fails to amaze me just how many coffee shops there are. Every town and city seems to be awash with them.’

‘I have a theory about that,’ Daniel said gravely. He bent towards her and lowered his voice. ‘I think they’re a front for alien invaders. I mean, think about it. All those hissing and gurgling machines can’t just be making cups of coffee, can they? They’re probably powering up the spaceships that are hidden in the basements.’

It was so ridiculous that Emma couldn’t stop laughing. She clutched her aching sides. ‘Don’t! I feel sick from laughing so much.’

‘Sorry.’ Daniel didn’t sound the least bit repentant. He grinned down at her. ‘I won’t tell you my theory about burger bars, then.’

‘Oh, please, don’t! I don’t think I can take any more.’ Emma wiped her streaming eyes and smiled up at him, feeling her breath catch when her gaze met his. Why was Daniel looking at her that way? she wondered dizzily. He didn’t love her; he never had loved her. And yet there was something in his eyes that made her heart start to race.

‘Looks like the weather is about to change.’

He turned to stare across the hills and the moment passed. Emma shuddered as she looked at the black clouds that were amassing on the horizon. Had she imagined it or had Daniel really been looking at her as though she meant the whole world to him?

She took a shaky breath when she realised how ridiculous that idea was. Daniel might care about her but only in the sort of impersonal way he would care about any woman he’d had a relationship with. She would be a fool to imagine it was anything more than that.

Emma stood up abruptly and shrugged on her jacket. Although the sun was still shining, she felt chilled to the bone and knew that it had little to do with the impending storm. Picking up the flask, she offered it to him. ‘There’s some coffee left if you want it.’

‘Thanks.’ He took the flask from her with a smile that held nothing more than gratitude. Unscrewing the lid, he filled the cup and offered it to her first. ‘Do you want some more?’

‘No, thank you. I’ve had more than enough.’

Emma could hear the edge in her voice and hated it because of what it represented. She wanted to remain indifferent to Daniel, to not allow him to affect her in any way, but it was proving impossible to achieve that. It worried her that she was so responsive to his every mood. If she was over him then she shouldn’t care how he felt about anything. Including her. The thought was too much to deal with on top of everything else.

‘I think I’ll head back,’ she informed him coolly. Bending down, she picked up the haversack and went to swing it over her shoulder, stopping abruptly when he put out his hand.

‘I know this is really cheeky but those aren’t sandwiches, are they?’ He pointed to the package sticking out of her bag and Emma nodded.

‘Yes, I thought I might have my lunch while I was out.’

‘But you’ve changed your mind?’ he suggested.

Emma could tell that he suspected he was the reason for her change of plans and shrugged. The last thing she wanted was for Daniel to think that he could exert any sort of influence over her. ‘I’d prefer to get home before the rain starts.’

‘Of course. But if those sandwiches are going spare, I wouldn’t mind them. I’m afraid I’m not as well prepared as you are.’

He gave her a tight little smile and Emma knew immediately that he hadn’t believed her excuse. She handed him the sandwiches, refusing to dwell on the thought. Let him think what he liked—she didn’t care!

‘Thanks. I’ll see you later, I expect.’ He sat down in the spot she’d recently vacated and opened the package. Emma watched as he selected a thick ham and cheese sandwich and bit into it with relish. If he was at all disturbed about ruining her plans for the day, it certainly didn’t show, she thought bitterly.

‘Actually, I’m going out this evening,’ she said abruptly. Although she hadn’t planned on going out, the thought of spending the evening with him was suddenly more than she could bear, and she hurried on. ‘I don’t know when I’ll be back, so I’ll see you tomorrow.’

‘Right. Have fun.’

Whether or not he believed her was open to question and Emma didn’t waste any time worrying about it. She made her way back along the paths until she reached the stile. It had started to rain now, a fine drizzle that obscured the view of the hills. As she stepped down from the stile, she couldn’t help wondering if Daniel would be all right. Although he had enjoyed walking in the area when he’d done his training here, it was easy to get lost. Maybe she should have made sure that he got back safely?

She took a deep breath. Daniel had made it clear five years ago that she had no rights where he was concerned. He wouldn’t thank her for worrying about him now!

CHAPTER SEVEN

DANIEL finished the sandwiches and wadded the cling film into a ball. Tucking it into his pocket, he drained the last dregs of coffee from the cup. The clouds were