The Man in the Buff Breeches Read Online Free PDF Page B

he is looking at my photos. He picks up one of my mother, sister, and me. It was taken at my eighteenth birthday party.
    “Your family?” he asks.
    “Yes.”
    “Do they live close by?”
    “My mother died five years ago, and my sister lives in Canada.”
    He replaces the photo. “I’m sorry, Shona. You must miss them.” The sympathetic cobalt eyes caress me, stirring a sorrow that I had under control years ago.
    “Yes, I do.” To my horror I can feel moisture gathering in my eyes. Pull yourself together. “My Dad is still alive. He lives in Southampton—so not entirely abandoned.” I smile, trying to lighten the mood.
    He moves on and picks up one of the elephants.
    Oh, no— perhaps Lyn was right. I should have culled them.
    “I collect them,” I say feebly. “And people tend to give me them as presents. Everywhere I go, I bring back one as a souvenir.”
    He chuckles. “So I see. I like this one.” He picks up a white onyx elephant rearing up on its back legs, its trunk raised.
    “Yes, that one’s…” I just stop myself from saying, Alfred. Sadly I have names for them all. “From Kenya,” I add.
    He reverently sets it down and studies the next one. “Fascinating,” he murmurs.
    I send him a scolding look. “Don’t mock my collection. This is only half of it. If you are not careful, I will subject you to a resume of every piece.”
    He places the elephant back and grins. “I love elephants—I have one myself.”
    I giggle. “Indian or African?”
    “I’m not sure. I bought it on a school trip to Paris.”
    “You bought an elephant in Paris?”
    “The shop ran out of Eiffel towers. I thought an elephant was a good substitute.”
    I gesture for him to sit, but of course he waits for me to do so first. I put the glasses down; he picks up the bottle, twists the wires, and pops the cork with easy grace. Obviously use to champagne. He fills the glasses and hands me one.
    “Thanks.” His fingers graze mine as I take the drink, and I just about stop my voice from wobbling. “I suppose your work has taken you to a lot of exciting places.”
    “Europe and America mostly,” he says. “How about you? Henry said he met you and Lyn in the Caribbean.”
    “That’s right, he did. It’s a beautiful place full of laid-back people. Definitely somewhere I must return to someday. Have you been there?”
    “No. Not yet.” He narrows his eyes. His meaning is clear, and I am already back in the Caribbean, lying beside him on a sun lounger.
    “Where else have you travelled?” he says, easing closer and sneaking a hand along the back of the settee. He smells of that delicious soap again, and I try to subdue my baser thoughts and search my brain for some intellectual travel conversation.
    “The most exciting place I think I have been is Kenya. It was so beautiful and unspoiled.”
    “Great place for elephants,” he says with a grin.
    “Are you making fun of me?”
    “No, lots of people collect things. I think it’s cute.”
    Cute! Hey, cute’s good, I suppose . I take a sip of my drink. It’s delicate, crisp, and expensive tasting.
    He gestures towards the nearest elephant. “I’d love to see the whole collection sometime.”
    “You are either being polite or quite mad. You have no idea how many I have. They are tucked away everywhere.”
    He looks around the room. “Well, we must seek them all out some time.”
    Really—someone actually wants to see my collection? We are obviously made for each other.
    Nick checks his watch. “I have dinner booked for eight fifteen so we better make a move. Italian okay? Antonio’s was recommended.”
    Antonio’s! “Yes, I know it.” Never could afford to eat there, but I know it.
    He helps me into my coat, and I am careful to lock the door securely as we leave. Outside, he leads me to a shiny black BMW. Not flashy, but classy, I decide as I sink into the leather upholstery. I’m surprisingly hungry, and my mouth is watering already at the thought of