No Place Like Home by Maxine Morrey

Author:Maxine Morrey [Maxine Morrey]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Published: 2019-02-24T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 10

It was half eleven when Ellie wearily padded downstairs the following morning. Although her body and pounding head told her to stay in bed, manners won over and she forced herself from the comfort of the duvet and into the shower. Pulling on a shirt and well-worn, faded jeans, she went downstairs to face the world.

The world, however, appeared to still be asleep – at least this little corner of it. Ellie mumbled to herself and debated about returning to bed. Deciding against it, she made a cup of instant coffee and headed out to the porch, taking a deep breath full of the fresh morning air. A small stack of blankets remained on the chair from the cook out and Ellie took one from the pile as she passed, laying it loosely over herself as she snuggled into the cushions on one side of the swing. Sipping the hot liquid, she waited for the caffeine to start hitting her system, in the meantime letting her mind wander freely. Eventually it found its way to Ben.

For some reason, Ellie’s tired and slightly hungover brain seemed to decide that this was a good time to ponder, and maybe rationalise, why she was experiencing feelings for him now, after all these years. Ellie wasn’t sure it was the best use of her time – and definitely not the safest for her heart – but right now she didn’t have the energy to change the subject so she just let go and went along for the ride.

On the face of things, Ben’s attraction was pretty cut and dried. One look at him could tell you that. He was utterly gorgeous and extremely sexy with both attributes magnified by the fact that he had absolutely no idea the effect he had on women. But then he’d always been like that, so why was she just now succumbing to his charms?

Aside from the few dates she’d conceded to go on, Kate was right in her comments about Ellie having been working all hours. Although the excuses she made about deadlines weren’t lies, perhaps Kate and the others were closer to the truth than she wanted to acknowledge when they told her that she was hiding from reality in her job. Her painting and illustrations led her into another world. A world where she never had to think about violence and pain, a world that was gentle and peaceful where nothing and no one could hurt her. She took another sip of the coffee, wrinkling her nose as she realised she’d spent longer than she’d thought turning things over in her mind, letting the remains of her drink go cold. Placing it on a small table that stood to the side of the swing, she pushed herself off into a gentle rock with one foot before tucking it back under the blanket again. Quickly she stopped the swing again, the movement doing no favours for her hangover.

Looking out across the dancing wheat, golden in the

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