Roses in June by Clare Revell Page B

needs me, then he calls me, and we have regular meetings. I just prefer acting to being lord of the manor.”
    The wind picked up, and rain began to fall from the now total cloud cover. Thunder rolled in the distance. Dawn pulled her jacket collar around her neck and zipped it up as far as it would go. “But you’re both, whether you want to be or not.”
    And both the actor and the lord of the manor were way beyond her reach even if she could have them.
    She tilted her head. “Kinlan is an unusual name.”
    “It’s Mother’s maiden name. She had no brothers and didn’t want the name to die out with her marriage.”
    Lightning flashed across the sky, and the rain fell harder. Gabe grabbed her hand. “We need to find shelter.”
    “Might be an idea.”
    He pulled her across the field to the clump of trees. “It should be drier here.”
    The storm grew closer, and rain tipped down around them.
    “Is this safe?” Dawn asked. “My mother always said never stand under a tree in a thunderstorm.”
    Lightning flashed again, sizzling filled the air, and a tree across the field burst into flames. Gabe grabbed her hand. “On reflection, I’d say your mother was right, and this wasn’t at all safe.” He glanced around and pointed with his free hand. “There’s a cabin over there. Perhaps we can shelter on their porch or something until the storm passes.”
    She ran with him and dashed up the steps to the cabin. Even to her untrained eye, the sagging tiles and peeling paintwork made it pretty run down and dilapidated. They stood on the porch, and Dawn ran her hands through her hair trying to shake out some of the water. “It doesn’t look lived in.”
    Gabe knocked on the door. “Hello?” No one answered, so after a moment, he tried the door. It swung open with a creak. He stuck his head inside. “Hello? Is anyone home?”
    Still no answer came. “I guess no one is home.” He took her hand again guiding her inside.
    He swung his torch around. The small one room cabin was devoid of furniture, and a thick layer of dust covered the floor. “This will do,” he said. He rubbed his hair with his hands showering water everywhere.
    “I feel like a drowned rat,” Dawn said.
    “You look like one, too.”
    “Thanks. You can take this directness too far, you know,” she said raising an eyebrow.
    Gabe grinned. “You’re welcome.”
    The storm grew closer, and Dawn stripped off her wet jacket. She found a nail on the wall and hung the jacket there to drip dry.
    Gabe came up behind her, his strong hands running over her damp arms. “You’re soaked.”
    She turned to face him. “So are you.”
    His face was inches from hers, his gaze captivating her. What was it about his eyes that drew her in and swallowed her whole? Something flickered deep in his eyes again.
    “I’ve never met anyone like you before.”
    “You must have.”
    “No.” He leaned closer, his forehead touching hers.
    The storm outside mirrored the one consuming her. Lightning illuminated the whole room; thunder echoed a reply almost immediately as Gabe’s lips brushed against hers. Sparks shot through her, rivers of electricity making the hair on the back of her neck stand up.
    Gabe pulled back, not saying anything.
    “Think we got here just in time,” she said. She turned easing from his grasp and moved to the window, for an instant thinking she saw someone outside in the rain. “I used to hate storms. They have so much power and can cause so much harm…”
    Lightning lit the room again, and Dawn jumped seeing Gabe right behind her. She hadn’t even heard him cross the room, the drumming of the rain drowning out his footsteps.
    His hands ran down her arms. “Not still scared of storms, are you?” He pulled her against him, sliding his hands round her waist, holding her securely, his head leaning against hers.
    “Not now.” She leaned back; his scent mixed with the dust and dampness. Her heart pounded in time with the rain, the storm’s