I shook my head, as if to shake out the ridiculous feelings that had flooded my body at his touch, and unzipped my suitcase. Having packed light, I was organised, showered and in my pyjamas fifteen minutes later. The noise of the pub drifted up through the rafters, but I didn’t mind. There was something soothing about it, rather than annoying. Grabbing my hairbrush, I began to sort out the tangles my hair had accumulated whipping in the wind as we’d gone to collect the hire car. A few ouches and winces later, I’d got them all out and the brush glided through the hair I’d carefully straightened after my shower this morning. Suddenly that all seemed such a long time ago. Perhaps I was more tired than I thought. The day had certainly had its trying moments. I sat down on the bed and sank back into its wonderfully soft comfort just as my stomach gave a loud growl. I’d only had a juice for breakfast and then ruined my good intentions by the hot chocolate and slice of cake but, as it was, that hadn’t stayed in my system all that long anyway so I reckoned I could probably discount those calories. Suddenly I was starving but, glancing at the time on my phone, I knew the kitchen would be closed, plus there was the small fact I was now wearing Snoopy pyjamas and it wasn’t exactly the sort of place that did room service. My stomach let out another loud, complaining grumble and I curled up into a ball, hoping to be able to ignore the pangs long enough to get to sleep.

A knock at the door made me jump and I stared at it for a moment before reaching out for the light, pushing myself back up from the bed and padding over to the door. I turned the key and pulled it open a crack to find Lorcan on the other side.

‘I thought you might be hungry.’ He indicated the plate he held in one hand that had the most mouth-watering-looking sandwich on it.

‘Oh!’ Manners kicked in. ‘Thank you.’ I pulled the door open further, hiding myself behind it as he entered, putting the sandwich and a large, steaming mug on the desk that stood to one side of the window. ‘There’s a chamomile tea there too. Soothes the nerves and should help you sleep.’

See? This was what was so damn annoying about the man. One minute he was a teasing, full-of-himself pain in the arse and the next minute he did something thoughtful and caring.

‘Thank you. That was very kind.’

‘I’ve also changed the cake-tasting to the afternoon. I didn’t think, after today, you’d much feel like doing that at ten o’clock in the morning. Calum is going to meet us at the castle on Sunday now we’re not rushing.’