Page 33 of Filthy Rich Temptation

Lottie gives it a suspicious sniff. ‘It’s cheese!’

‘Well, clearly it’s very special Lottie cheese.’

She peels apart the bread to look inside, her eyes filled with wonder while Sadie shakes her head at me and smiles – and it’s that smile that hits me. The one I want to see again and again.

She hasn’t been the same since we got back on land. And though it’s quieter here, like I hoped, she’s quieter too.

And don’t get me wrong, she’strying.But it’s the obviousneedto try that’s killing me.

‘All right, Lottie,’ I say, ditching my sandwich and planting my beer in the grass. I wipe my hands off and get to my feet.‘I have a mission for you.’

They both blink up at me.

‘A mish’un?’ she slurs.

‘Yup. We need someone to guard the perimeter…’

‘The ’imeter?’ she echoes, frowning hard.

‘That’s right,’ I say, nodding seriously, while my brain gives me the side-eye. ‘That pigeon looks mighty shifty and there could be more on the way.’ I grip my hips, roll my shoulders back, and strike what I consider to be prime superhero pose. ‘I need someone small, fast, and brave to fly around us for exactly thirty seconds.’

She looks at the pigeon, looks at me, the pigeon, then me…

‘Do you need a demonstration?’

She nods.

Sadie’s eyes go wide –Are you seriously doing this?

It would appear so.

You sureyoursandwich wasn’t the one laced with something?

But then, desperate times call for desperate measures…

And off I go, whirling around the roses, arms flung out like an airplane, engine hum engaged.

Oh Axel… you really would die!

The pigeon, nonplussed, backs up but stays surprisingly close.

Maybe the thing’s more cuckoo than pigeon.

And you’re calling the bird cuckoo; have you seen yourself?!

But it doesn’t matter, because Sadie is laughing. Truly laughing. And Lottie – she’s dancing on her feet, ready to join in the fun. Mission accomplished.

I stop short of the blanket, and nod to my mini recruit. ‘What do you reckon, soldier? You got this?’

She’s already flapping her arms. ‘I can d’it!’

‘Excellent… I’ll hold onto this for you.’ I prise the sandwich from her grasp. The last thing I want is a scene worthy of a Hitchcock movie as she’s set upon by a stream of pigeons begging for the toddler-mushed delight.

‘Now, GO!’

Off she races, her throaty engine sounds putting my own to shame. And Sadie lets out another chuckle, her eyes crinkling at the corners, their blue depths sparkling bright.

‘That’s more like it,’ I say, dropping back down beside her.