looks...combed. Even if all I then do all day is slouch on the sofa behind a good book.”
She nodded slowly.
“So turn around. I’m going to do something to your hair.”
“You can’t. I mean, you’re a famous actor, and I’m…”
“Someone who needs her hair tamed.” He looked at her. “Inside this famous person is a normal bloke, who has to wash dishes for his mother the same way you do.”
“My hair isn’t long enough for anything, is it?” she asked, trying to ignore the image of him, shirt sleeves rolled, up to his elbows in soapy water filling her mind.
“Sure it is.” Matthew rose and went behind the chair. “Have you got a hair band?”
“Fi keeps some in the middle drawer of the sideboard.”
Eva didn’t argue as Matthew pushed her into the lounge. He was trying to be nice. Her mind went over and over what he’d said, as he gently combed through her short hair. She’d forgotten just how good it felt to have someone else do her hair.
When she opened her eyes, his face was inches from hers.
“You’re smiling.”
She smiled faintly. “If I were a cat I’d be purring about now.”
He grinned. “Don’t give me ideas.”
“I wouldn’t dare. Fi showed me the video clip of the whole Titanic meets Jolly Roger thing.”
Matthew laughed. “That went down so well that Tinkerbelle is planning on a queen of the fairies line this afty, just as a one off, not a regular thing.”
“Would you like some coffee? It’s the least I can do.”
His eyes twinkled. “Coffee sounds wonderful. Let me get your coat.”
Eva’s heart stopped. “My what?”
“Coat. And shoes. Are they in the hall?”
“No, in my room, but I don’t need my coat.”
“Yes, you do. We’re going out for coffee.” Matthew hung his coat, scarf and hat on the back of her chair. Without another word, he pushed her into the hallway. “Which coat is yours?”
“Black one.”
He tossed it to her. “Put it on while I find your shoes.”
She shook her head. “No.”
“No isn’t in my vocabulary. Where are your shoes?”
“In my wardrobe. But my room’s a mess, and I haven’t made my bed…”
“ Pfft… It can’t be any worse than my brother’s bedroom when we were kids. Couldn’t even see the floor.” He vanished down the hall.
Eva closed her eyes. She couldn’t believe this was happening. The actor she had a crush on, was bullying her. Was bullying the right word? Strong arming her into doing something she didn’t want to do, but she wasn’t putting up much of a fight. Every part of her shouted no, but her arms slid into her coat, and her fingers fastened the zip.
Matthew knelt at her feet and slid her shoes on. “You know, if you got Velcro ones, you’d be able to fasten them yourself. And don’t tell me there isn’t a point. I’ve seen you in church, so I know you do go out sometimes.” He finished tying the laces. “There. Oh, I got you something.” He reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a paper bag.
“What is it?”
“Open it and find out.” He put on his coat and bent to pick his hat and scarf from the floor.
Eva opened the bag and pulled out the contents. Yellow leather fingerless cycling gloves fell into her lap.
Matthew smiled. “To protect your hands.”
“Thank you.”
“Not that you’ll need them now, because I intend to push you.” He moved to the front door and opened it.
Terror flooded Eva. Her heart pounded and a lump stuck in her throat. “No…”
“Yes,” he said. He put her bag on her lap. “I assume you have a door key.”
She jerked her head in response, her whole body shaking. “It’s raining.”
He tossed her the umbrella from the shoe rack. “So use this.” He tugged his cap over his eyes. “Ready?”
“No…” It came out more of a strangled gasp than the firm answer she wanted.
“Too bad.” He began pushing the chair to the door.
“Matthew, don’t, I can’t…” Tears filled her eyes and panic completely took
She nodded slowly.
“So turn around. I’m going to do something to your hair.”
“You can’t. I mean, you’re a famous actor, and I’m…”
“Someone who needs her hair tamed.” He looked at her. “Inside this famous person is a normal bloke, who has to wash dishes for his mother the same way you do.”
“My hair isn’t long enough for anything, is it?” she asked, trying to ignore the image of him, shirt sleeves rolled, up to his elbows in soapy water filling her mind.
“Sure it is.” Matthew rose and went behind the chair. “Have you got a hair band?”
“Fi keeps some in the middle drawer of the sideboard.”
Eva didn’t argue as Matthew pushed her into the lounge. He was trying to be nice. Her mind went over and over what he’d said, as he gently combed through her short hair. She’d forgotten just how good it felt to have someone else do her hair.
When she opened her eyes, his face was inches from hers.
“You’re smiling.”
She smiled faintly. “If I were a cat I’d be purring about now.”
He grinned. “Don’t give me ideas.”
“I wouldn’t dare. Fi showed me the video clip of the whole Titanic meets Jolly Roger thing.”
Matthew laughed. “That went down so well that Tinkerbelle is planning on a queen of the fairies line this afty, just as a one off, not a regular thing.”
“Would you like some coffee? It’s the least I can do.”
His eyes twinkled. “Coffee sounds wonderful. Let me get your coat.”
Eva’s heart stopped. “My what?”
“Coat. And shoes. Are they in the hall?”
“No, in my room, but I don’t need my coat.”
“Yes, you do. We’re going out for coffee.” Matthew hung his coat, scarf and hat on the back of her chair. Without another word, he pushed her into the hallway. “Which coat is yours?”
“Black one.”
He tossed it to her. “Put it on while I find your shoes.”
She shook her head. “No.”
“No isn’t in my vocabulary. Where are your shoes?”
“In my wardrobe. But my room’s a mess, and I haven’t made my bed…”
“ Pfft… It can’t be any worse than my brother’s bedroom when we were kids. Couldn’t even see the floor.” He vanished down the hall.
Eva closed her eyes. She couldn’t believe this was happening. The actor she had a crush on, was bullying her. Was bullying the right word? Strong arming her into doing something she didn’t want to do, but she wasn’t putting up much of a fight. Every part of her shouted no, but her arms slid into her coat, and her fingers fastened the zip.
Matthew knelt at her feet and slid her shoes on. “You know, if you got Velcro ones, you’d be able to fasten them yourself. And don’t tell me there isn’t a point. I’ve seen you in church, so I know you do go out sometimes.” He finished tying the laces. “There. Oh, I got you something.” He reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a paper bag.
“What is it?”
“Open it and find out.” He put on his coat and bent to pick his hat and scarf from the floor.
Eva opened the bag and pulled out the contents. Yellow leather fingerless cycling gloves fell into her lap.
Matthew smiled. “To protect your hands.”
“Thank you.”
“Not that you’ll need them now, because I intend to push you.” He moved to the front door and opened it.
Terror flooded Eva. Her heart pounded and a lump stuck in her throat. “No…”
“Yes,” he said. He put her bag on her lap. “I assume you have a door key.”
She jerked her head in response, her whole body shaking. “It’s raining.”
He tossed her the umbrella from the shoe rack. “So use this.” He tugged his cap over his eyes. “Ready?”
“No…” It came out more of a strangled gasp than the firm answer she wanted.
“Too bad.” He began pushing the chair to the door.
“Matthew, don’t, I can’t…” Tears filled her eyes and panic completely took
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