An Aussie Christmas Angel by Clare Revell Page B

“Talking about me?” he asked.
    She leaned back against his firm chest. “Always, because there is so much to say about you.” She chuckled. “Seriously, we were just talking about the match and the riot.”
    “It was hardly a riot,” Pip said. “From what I’ve read about English soccer violence, that wasn’t even a fracas.”
    “Pretty standard for those particular fans,” John agreed. “But Pip wanted to go to a game and it’s the only one she was here for.”
    “Fair enough.”
    “Let me show you the house and garden.” He took her hand and led her outside. Out of sight of the window, he pulled her into his arms and kissed her cheek. “Hello.”
    She grinned at him, the warmth from his lips searing into her skin. “Hello.” She snuggled against him. “You did have me worried earlier.”
    “I’m sorry. It’s just when you said you were going to see a friend…”
    She giggled. “I was being totally honest. I wasn’t lying. Not my fault if you didn’t twig what I meant.”
    He nodded. “True.”
    Snow lay on the grass, and she shivered despite the warmth flooding her from his touch as she glanced around. “It’s pretty out here. And such a big garden. You must have had so much fun growing up here, playing games and so on with your sisters.”
    He wrapped his arms around her looking at her. “Yeah, we did. Dad put a makeshift net up one summer, using two bamboo sticks and a piece of string, and we played badminton out here. Now we have table tennis. It’s over behind the shed. It’s hilarious playing that on a sloped lawn. I’ll get it out later. Play both you and Pip. Or we can put the pool table up in the conservatory.”
    “That would be warmer tonight. And it’d be fun. Though I warn you now, I’m a pool shark. And you have a swing.”
    “Yep. We spent hours on it when we were kids. Want to try?”
    “Sure.”
    John brushed the snow off the seat and dried it with his sleeve. She settled onto it and he began to push her. “Bet you never imagined you’d do this.”
    “Nope. It wasn’t even on my to-do list, which it probably should be actually.”
    He laughed. “Sit on a swing in a snowy garden in December?”
    “That as well.”
    He pushed her higher. “Can you see over the fence?”
    She looked as she soared into the sky, his firm hands catching and re-launching her each time. “Wow, look at the open space.”
    “Yeah, we’re on the edge of the estate. There are two fields between us and the river. That’s flood land so they get pretty wet when the river bursts its banks, but the water’s never come anywhere near the house in the eighteen years we’ve lived here.”
    “That’s good. Does it flood often?”
    “Every winter, usually around February. Sometimes the river gets as close as the pylon, but even that’s half a field away, so we’re not really in any danger.”
    “Just as well.” She smiled. “I’d hate to have come all this way to drown.”
    “Not likely to happen, but I wouldn’t let you drown. I’d jump in and save you” He stilled the swing and wrapped his arms around her.
    “So gallant of you.”
    “That’s me.” He stilled the swing and smiled at her. He held her gaze and then gently kissed her cheek. He ran a finger down her face. “We should go in for dinner.”
    A shaft of disappointment filled her. She’d hoped for a proper kiss. She’d come so far to see him. But maybe it’d be worth waiting for. Glancing over at the house, she saw his family in the conservatory watching them. “We have an audience.”
    “I know. And I’d rather our first proper kiss wasn’t a PDA.”
    “PDA?”
    “Public display of affection.” He winked at her.
    She pointed a finger at him. “Sensible man. Besides, it’s cold out here and we probably shouldn’t abandon Pip for too long either.”
    He nodded. He pulled her to her feet and took hold of her hand. “Then let me give you a guided tour of the house before you have the best toad in the hole