The following evening, Freya lay back on the pillow in cottage with a sigh of pleasure. ‘Whew, that was … pretty mind-blowing.’
‘For a moment, I thought you were going to give me marks out of ten.’
‘What do you mean?’ She propped herself up on one elbow, staring down at Travis, who’d called round after the gallery had closed. Travis smiled. ‘You looked so intense, so angry when you er … were in the throes—’
She squealed in horror. ‘You were not watching me when I was … how could you!’
‘I couldn’t help it and besides I love making you feel like that: making you lose control. Even if,’ he said, a cheeky grin creeping onto his lips, ‘you did look as if you’d been plugged into the electricity.’
‘You horrible man!’ Freya said, her cheeks firing up. ‘Well, at least I made you take off that bloody smart watch.’
Travis scowled. ‘I’ve no idea why.’
‘Because I read an article about men with smart watches using them to monitor their heart rate during sex, and logging how many times they do it in the health app.’
Breaking into laughter, he pulled her on top of him. ‘I swear to you that the last thing I was doing while we were having sex was monitoring my heart rate. It would probably have exploded the watch anyway.’
‘You think?’ Freya rested on her elbows, pinning him down. Her toes raked his calves.
‘Definitely. Though I might put it back on so I can tell when I’ll be ready to go again.’
‘No! I’m on duty. What if a guest needs me while I’m in bed with you?’ Freya struggled to her feet, but Travis pulled her back down.
‘I need you,’ he said before swooping down on her lips for a kiss.
Later, they cracked open beers and sat in front of the fire, digging into noodles with chopsticks. Wrapped in a fluffy robe, Freya had her feet in his lap. The TV was on mute and a holiday ad flickered on the screen showing silver-haired couples dining on the deck of a ship.
‘Mum’s probably lying on a private island with Neil …’ she said.
‘Do you mind?’ Travis scooped up his noodles.
‘Not now. I was a bit taken aback when she first told me they were off on the cruise together. I hadn’t realised things were that serious with him, but now, I think she deserves to be happy and as things have turned out, it suits me to be home alone for Christmas.’
He smiled. ‘I’m glad you’re home alone … I like the tree.’
‘You do?’ Freya looked at her tree, a modest-sized silver tinsel affair standing proudly in the corner of the room. ‘Mum gave it to me. She bought a new artificial one and thought I might like it. I treated myself to new decorations. Most of our properties have been dressed for Christmas since the first of the month by professionals, or we use the owners own decs. It’s what guests expect unless they’ve come here specifically to get away from it all.’
He laughed. ‘Bree made me “add some seasonal touches” to the gallery. She said I’d look a real Grinch otherwise.’
‘You don’t like Christmas?’
‘We never made a big thing of it. Couldn’t afford to. Mum did her best but Dad was usually away or in the pub. There was one year …’
‘Yes?’
‘One year when it snowed like hell and the village was cut off all over the holiday. I must have been about eleven.’
She sat up. ‘I remember that!’
‘We came down to find three sledges under the tree. I’m not sure Bree was impressed because she was fourteen by then, but Seb was so excited. Mum was quietly fuming, asking Dad where they’d come from. He told her not to ask but we didn’t care. We couldn’t wait to try them out so Dad took us up to the field above Bannerdale Park. We had the best time ever.’ His eyes lit up with pleasure at the memory of it. ‘I don’t remember him being at home again. It was our last Christmas together … He left and never came back. I think the sledges were a guilty gift to salve his conscience.’
‘I’m sorry, Travis.’
‘No need for the tiny violin. You and your mum have been on your own for years.’
‘Not often. We usually got invited to one or other of my grans.’
‘I remember your granny. She gave me and Seb packets of Haribo once. I think she felt sorry for us.’
‘She passed away a few years ago. She was a force of nature. We went to Neil’s last year and Mimi’s the year before – and we went to Tenerife once. To be honest, Mum was always glad to come home and I just wanted to get the Big Day over with and go out with my mates over the holidays.’
‘I’ve been abroad most times, or on my own – I declined a lot of invitations. I don’t want to be the bloke they ask out of pity.’
‘They wouldn’t have done that, but I do know what you mean.’
He ran his hand up her thigh. ‘We do need to talk about Christmas Day. Bree’s invited me and Seb for lunch.’
‘Oh?’ Freya said. ‘That’s nice.’
‘It would be difficult for me to say no and anyway it’s been a long time since we were together.’
‘Why would you say no?’
‘Well, I thought we might spend Christmas together and I know Bree would be OK with it, but unless we go public – to her and Seb, which is kind of the same thing – it could be awkward to explain why you’re there.’
‘There’s no need. I’ll be fine,’ Freya said blithely, thinking that somehow, spending Christmas Day together with or without his family, felt like a step on from ‘no strings attached’.
‘We can spend the evening together though. I can get away.’
‘I don’t want to spoil your day. It’s important you and the family have time together.’
‘Bree’s looking forward to it. Seb needs it …’ He sighed. ‘He was so pissed off about the open mic night. I’m not sure he’s forgiven me yet.’
‘He’ll simmer down,’ Freya said, realising how much family meant to him. If she’d thought she could have Travis to herself – she was wrong. Was she naïve to think she could compartmentalise their relationship? Was it even realistic to keep it under wraps? Then again, it was no one’s business but their own. Why did couples become public property?
‘Maybe.’ Travis stuck the empty noodle carton on the table and balanced the chopsticks inside. ‘It was a terrible idea to think he wouldn’t mind. He’d specifically asked me to stop managing him.’
‘He will come round, if you can prove to him you aren’t.’
‘Naw. It would never work.’
‘It’ll never work unless you try.’
He shook his head. ‘I should probably stick to minding my own business. Jeez, I’ve got enough of it. I’ve a tour in the week. One of your guests as it happens.’
‘Really? The leaflets helped?’
‘They did. There’s a group of friends staying at Garside Lodge. They saw the leaflet, went on my website and phoned Bree while I was at the wedding. I said I’d do a trip for them midweek. They wanted to make a day of it so Bree suggested arranging picnics from the posh deli in the village. I’m picking up hampers with hot chocolate and mulled wine to have after the shoot. It’s added value to the trip. More than worth my while. People are looking for “experiences” now, something unique and a special treat.’
‘I’m impressed. Well done Bree.’
‘She’s full of good ideas. I just wish Seb was that easy to please.’
‘Hmm.’ Freya’s eye was drawn to Travis’s camera bag in the corner of the sitting room. He hadn’t wanted to leave it in his car in the public car park near her cottage.
‘Have you thought,’ she said, treading carefully, ‘about taking Seb on a shoot?’
‘What? With these four clients? I don’t think that’s a good idea?’
‘No. Though they might like it.’ Freya laughed. ‘I was thinking of just the two of you. Brothers. Take him out on a shoot. I don’t mean a commercial one, I mean for pleasure. Share your passion for what you do.’
‘My passion?’ Travis didn’t smile as she expected. He rubbed his finger along the blade of her foot, lost in thought – almost sadness on his face. Despair even. He must be so worried about his brother.
She touched his arm. ‘He’ll find his way. Your coming back here is probably unsettling for more than me.’
His head lifted. ‘Let’s not compete on that one.’ He ran his chopstick down her sole.
‘Hey! No!’
‘Ticklish?’
‘Yes, and now I have chow mein sauce on my foot.’
‘I could lick it off,’ he said, then pulled a face. ‘Yuk.’
She smiled. ‘That’s what you said when the vicar told us to hold hands.’
‘I had my reputation to maintain,’ he said, ‘And let’s face it, your palms were very sweaty.’
‘I was terrified. I thought I was going to throw up.’
‘Good job you ran out of the church then.’
‘You are impossible.’
‘I do try.’
She caught sight of at the clock. She could ask him to stay over. She wanted to.
‘Is that my cue to leave?’ he said.
Freya hesitated then muttered. ‘You … don’t have to …’
He raised his eyebrows. ‘Oh, but what if the neighbours saw us?’
She was stung by his sarcasm yet also felt slightly foolish. ‘Travis … I was only trying to stick to our arrangement.’
‘And staying over at each other’s places isn’t part of it? How’s that going to work?’
‘It isn’t. I realise that. It isn’t practical – and not much fun, so that’s why I’m inviting you to stay.’
‘Hmm.’ He affected great interest in her ankle, half circling it with his fingers and thumb, before replying. ‘That’s very tempting but I have to be on the road by five. There’s snow forecast and I want to be ready to capture the sunrise over the Solway and I’ve left my long lens at the cabin. Not to mention, I have a little job to do involving a wedding.’
‘Are you blowing me off for a lens?’
‘I’m afraid so,’ he said, lifting her feet from his lap gently. ‘This is what happens when you get involved with a photographer.’
She got up. ‘When will we see the wedding photos?’
‘I promised to have them ready for when Roxy and Ravi are back from honeymoon after Christmas.’
She nodded. ‘I won’t ask for a preview. That’s their prerogative.’
‘I wouldn’t have shown you,’ he said sternly.
She lifted her arms around his neck and kissed him. ‘Not even if I tried very hard to persuade you?’
‘No. Although … I’m not sure how long I could hold out under severe pressure.’
She laughed and handed him his coat. ‘Then I’d better not put you to the test.’
He sighed. ‘I’m not sure whether to be disappointed or relieved. I’ll see you tomorrow. Dinner at Squirrel Cabin?’
‘I’m on phone duty at the office but I can finish at ten. Enjoy the fells. Think of me delivering Christmas hampers to thirty properties. See you tomorrow night.’
‘I can’t wait.’
She sighed, savouring the past few days of delicious sex and Travis’s company. This arrangement was going even better than she’d expected.