Love by Beth Boyd

intimate. She wasn’t looking for to fall in love, especially not now or in the near future. Adam wasn’t a one night stand sort of proposition. Maybe someday they could get together, once she had established herself as a successful painter and an income of her own. Then she would have time for marriage and possibly children. There was no way she could be a painter and have a baby. She had seen one of the most promising girls in her final year at art school fall for a fellow student and get pregnant. Now she was supporting both her child and husband. He was still doing his own thing and she was working full time in a boring office job. He still swanned off to art openings while she went home to clean, cook and look after the baby.
    No thank you, thought Karen. Get out now while you still can, she told herself. The attraction to Adam was so strong that when he touched her whole body felt weak. Then when he’d remembered the kiss and the dress she had been wearing, it was all too perfect. She was almost grateful for the pain in her shoulder. She needed time to think.
    “ No. I think I had better get home and get into a hot bath. It’s the only thing which makes it feel any better,” said Karen. She was only telling a half truth as a massage would have been heavenly, but she couldn’t risk losing control of herself. This man was in a different league from the ones she normally slept with and easily kept emotionally at arm’s length. “It’s been a brilliant afternoon. In fact it’s been a brilliant day. Thank you for an incredible lunch and for feeding the beast too.” Karen stood up and called Humphrey, “Come on Humphrey, bedtime for you, bath-time for me.”
    Adam offered to walk her home. He seemed puzzled by her sudden mood swing.
    “ No, It’s not far. Don’t worry, I think I’ll find my way.”
    “ Well at least take a coat,” said Adam firmly. “I can hear the wind whistling, it’s freezing.” He fetched her the pea coat and held it out for her.
    Somewhat reluctantly Karen slipped her arms into the coat and moved quickly away from Adam lest he offer to button it up for her. She must get away from him. She was in danger of losing the very firm control she always kept on her emotions. As she hurried back to the cottage, Humphrey at her heels, she shone the torch Adam had insisted she take ahead of her. She felt a sense of disappointment mingled with relief. On an emotional level she felt as though she were on a wall looking into a secret garden which held exciting and yet unimagined pleasures. Dare she enter and if she did would she be trapped there forever? What kind of lover would he be, controlling and firm like he was about everything else?
     
    Back in the relative safety of the cottage, Karen heated herself a tin of soup and made a cheese sandwich. Not quite the gourmet standard she had experienced at lunch and the little black and white terrier was not quite as exciting a dinner companion as Adam but he was certainly far less dangerous.

CHAPTER FOUR
     
     
    Karen spent most of Thursday avoiding Mrs Maybury and her vigorous cleaning. Mrs Maybury had obviously decided that the absence of her employer was a perfect opportunity to get at all those dusty corners and spider webs that artistic folk were inclined to ignore. Karen felt that her presence only inhibited Mrs Maybury in her wholehearted pursuit of dirt. Humphrey’s bed was hung on the line to air so Karen collected up Adam’s coat and torch and decided to drop them off on the way to the beach for Humphrey’s walk.
    She rang the bell and admired again the gothic effect of Adam ’s front door. There was no reply and she was surprised to find how disappointed she felt. After all this was the man she was going to avoid, bringing back his coat was just plain good manners. She walked over to peer through the garage window. The car was gone. That was that. She would have to drop the coat and torch back at Gran’s.
    She wondered where he