‘Madame de Silva,’ she managed to husk.
He smiled, remembering Savannah had looked sensational in Madame de Silva’s slinky gown, which was another reason he’d been only too eager to drag her off the pitch. But while he was reminiscing the wounded look returned to Savannah’s eyes. ‘But Madame couldn’t look half as beautiful as you do right now in your track-suit,’ he assured her gently.
And before he could stop himself he dipped his head and kissed her very gently on the lips. He thought for a horrible moment she was going to push him away. She was certainly crying again; he could feel her tears wetting his face, and he could taste them.
‘You’ll catch it,’ she warned, her eyes wide with concern when he released her.
‘Your sore throat, do you mean? I certainly hope so,’ he said, kissing her again.
She wasn’t nearly finished with saying hello to Ethan yet, as he released her when the door opened and everyone piled in. In typical English spring fashion the rain had chosen that moment to pour down, and there wasn’t enough space in the club house or even the large marquee her parents had erected to accommodate everyone who had turned up for the opening ceremony.
Ethan quickly went about introducing himself to her parents, and then Savannah watched him mingling easily with everyone else. They had a marvellous team of workers on the farm, some of whose families had lived on the land adjoining theirs for generations. It was thanks to these lifelong friends that Savannah’s parents had been in a position to accept Ethan’s offer of a cruise, and she was glad he had the opportunity to meet them and thank them personally. Maybe Ethan could never be part of her life, but perhaps he understood now how special her life on the farm was, and how family and friends were a precious and integral part of that life.
As Savannah watched Ethan ease his powerful frame through the crowd of noisy visitors in the cosy farmhouse kitchen, it wasn’t possible to think of him as the same man she’d first met. When he came out to socialise he radiated friendliness. Perhaps that should be her next project. If she could bring youngsters with similar injuries to Ethan’s into contact with him, he could give them the confidence to live their lives to the fullest.
Was she only dreaming, or would that really be possible? The first step would be persuading Ethan to take a full part in the scheme…
She would just have to try a little harder, Savannah concluded, passing round the savouries she’d baked. ‘Ethan.’ She caught up with him by the window, where he was holding a conversation with the local mayor. It was so hard to make him hear her with a scratchy voice. ‘Excuse me,’ she squeaked politely. ‘Do you think I could borrow you for a moment?’
‘Would you excuse me?’ Ethan asked the mayor politely.
As soon as they found a space, she launched right in, ‘Ethan, we need you.’
‘You’re speaking again?’ His facial expression ran the gamut from relief to wry to mock-weary in the space of a breath.
‘Happily, my voice is coming back,’ Savannah agreed, ignoring Ethan’s groan. She couldn’t sing the praises of hot water, honey and lemon stirred with a cinnamon stick highly enough.
‘Sorry?’ Ethan dipped his head very low until his ear was level with her mouth. ‘You’ll have to speak up; you’re still croaking,’ he teased, turning Savannah’s ailment to his advantage.
‘If you think you’re going to distract me with that wicked look…’ He probably would, she realised.
‘Go on,’ Ethan prompted.
‘We need you, Ethan,’ she said, not messing about. ‘And not just for a flying visit every now and then.’
‘Ah…’ He looked down at her sternly, but he was smiling inwardly as he remembered the house he’d bought close by. He’d see Savannah, though what she was proposing for the scheme was a step too far for him. He couldn’t let the youngsters see his scars and put them off their game. ‘You’ve touched on the one subject I’m not prepared to discuss,’ he said flatly, and when she squeaked at him he put up his hand. ‘Are you quite sure your throat is getting better? Only I can’t tell you how peaceful it’s been since you lost your voice.’
‘Well, I found it,’ Savannah assured him firmly. ‘And it’s getting better all the time.’
‘No,’ Ethan said flatly when Savannah put her proposition to him outside the club house by the fence. ‘How many times do I have to say no to this idea of yours?’
‘As many times as you’re asked—until you say yes,’ she told him steadily.
‘Savannah, I should warn you, I don’t succumb to pressure.’
‘There has been the odd occasion,’ she reminded him brazenly, using tactics she should be thoroughly ashamed of but wasn’t.
‘Don’t you know you’re playing with fire?’ he warned, seeing her eyes darken.
‘Am I?’ she asked. She was all innocence as she angled her face towards him. ‘Perhaps that’s because I’ll stop at nothing to get you properly into this scheme.’
‘Well, I never thought you’d sink this low,’ Ethan murmured with his lips very close to her mouth.
‘Then you have a great deal to learn about me.’
Dragging her close, he kissed her again.
‘Though I have to admit,’ she admitted breathlessly when Ethan released her, ‘That I usually try to make sure that when you and fire are concerned there’s no one else around.’