Fourteen
I’d told myself I would only have one glass of wine. I’d also told Marcus the same thing. And yet I lost count after the third, I think. But once I’d realised I hadn’t got my phone, and the ramifications of that fact had fully dawned on me, I seemed to sober up.
More so when Melody screamed out joyfully that it was snowing, and pointed to the large flakes falling into the back garden of End Cottage, lit up by the outside lights on Marcus and Adele’s patio.
‘I’ve had a lovely time,’ I said, getting slowly to my feet, unsure of how steady I might be. ‘But I’m expecting a call from … a friend, and my phone’s on charge in the cottage, so I think I’d better say a huge thank you for this evening, and make my way back. We were … supposed to be meeting up later. I think.’
‘Oh that’s a shame,’ said Adele, sounding genuinely sad I was leaving. ‘But do pop round again whenever you like. And feel free to bring your friend.’
‘Is this someone you’d like to be snowed in with?’ Noelle asked, as if reading my mind.
Heat rushed to my cheeks. ‘Well, I wouldn’t say no,’ I said, regretting it immediately.
‘Oooh,’ said Adele, jumping up from her armchair. ‘Is it someone in Fairlight Bay?’
Now my cheeks were burning.
‘It’s someone I knew a long time ago,’ I said, moving towards the door.
‘Between us, we know almost everyone in town,’ Adele informed me, following close behind.
‘Adele,’ said Marcus, laughing, as he got to his feet. ‘You’re embarrassing Lucy. Leave her alone, or she won’t want to come back.’
They all got up now and followed me into the hall, apart from Alec who was looking out of the front window.
‘Does your friend own a motorbike?’ Alec asked, popping his head around the door frame.
‘Erm. Why?’ I asked, unsure how to answer.
‘Because one is just pulling into the parking area, and … Oh. I recognise that bike. I think it might be Sam.’
‘Sam!’ I shrieked, half in delight, half in surprise.
‘Sam?’ Marcus queried. ‘You mean Sam Worth?’
‘Of course,’ said Alec, as if there wasn’t anyone else called Sam in Fairlight Bay.
‘Sam’s your … friend?’ Noelle’s eyes lit up, as did Adele’s, and they exchanged knowing glances.
‘Oh yes,’ Adele sighed. ‘I can see why you’d want to be snowed in with him.’
Marcus raised a brow, and then laughed when she blew him a kiss.
‘But I’d rather be snowed you with you, my darling,’ she hastily added.
‘I had my photo taken on one of Sam’s special bikes last summer,’ said Melody, in such a matter-of-fact tone that it took the wind out of my sails and I stood and stared at her.
‘You did?’ I asked, unable to conceal the disbelief in my voice.
‘She did,’ Alec confirmed. ‘It was for an ad campaign Sam was running, and the bike she was sitting on was a Ducati Panigale V4, one of the most high-performance sports bikes that’s street legal. Melody was seven at the time. The next shot was of a girl called Bryony, who was thirteen, and the next was of Sara, who was eighteen, then there was Jenna. She’s a model Sam often uses, and she’s in her late twenties, and then came Penny. She was around thirty, and, well, you get the idea. Funnily enough, Tilly was in the final photo. She’s in her seventies. The ad said something along the lines of, ‘You’re never too young to dream, and never too old to live that dream.’
‘I’m getting a bike just like it when I grow up,’ said Melody.
‘We’ll see,’ said Alec, shaking his head at me, and mouthing the word, ‘No.’ But he was smiling.
‘Well,’ said Marcus, opening the front door, as Sam was striding across the wooden bridge, having removed his crash helmet. ‘I don’t think Sam’s here to see any of us, is he? Although, it would be rude not to invite him in.’ He met my eyes and smiled. ‘But perhaps you should retrieve your phone first, and ask him if he’d like to pop in for a quick drink. We won’t be offended if the two of you have other plans.’
He winked at me as he handed me my jacket, and he waved at Sam, as did everyone else behind me. Sam stopped in his tracks for a split second, before waving back.
‘I’ll leave the door on the catch,’ said Marcus, and he closed it behind me as I stepped out onto the path and hurried towards the front fence.
From the glow of the streetlights as Sam reached the one nearest to me, I could see he was frowning, as if he wasn’t sure what was going on.
‘Hi,’ I said. ‘This is a lovely surprise.’
He looked cross. ‘I’ve been calling you for over an hour. I thought something might’ve happened to you. Or that you were mad with me, or something. I see I was wrong on both counts. Is everything okay with Marcus?’
‘Sorry. I left my phone on charge in the cottage and I’ve only just realised. I was on my way to get it when we … saw you. Marcus and Adele had invited me for drinks, remember? And he’s just said you’re welcome to join them. If you want to, that is. Or not. If you prefer.’ I shivered, suddenly feeling how bitterly cold it was outside compared to inside End Cottage.
‘You’re freezing,’ Sam said. ‘Let’s get you indoors.’ He seemed to hesitate for a second as though he wasn’t sure which way to go.
‘I’m going to get my phone.’ I pointed towards Far Cottage. ‘You’re welcome to come with me. And then, I don’t know if you had plans, but we can come back here, where, as you saw, they’re all having drinks. Or…’ I let my voice trail off and turned towards Far Cottage.
‘We’ll get your phone, and then we’ll see,’ he said, falling into step beside me. ‘I can’t believe it’s snowing.’
‘Neither can I. But Tilly said it would, remember? I told you during lunch. I think.’
‘Did you? I don’t remember that.’
‘Oh. Perhaps I didn’t. It’s been a very strange day.’
‘You can say that again.’
‘It’s been a very strange day,’ I repeated.
He grinned at me. ‘Funny.’
‘Were you really worried about me?’ I shot him a look and he met it.
‘Yes. Don’t ask me why, but I was.’
‘You’re weren’t just miffed because I wasn’t answering your calls? Or because you thought I wasn’t.’
‘Miffed?’ His brows furrowed but he laughed. ‘No. I wasn’t miffed . I was concerned.’
‘Concerned that something had happened to me? Or concerned I might be cross with you?’
‘Can we not do this right now, please?’
I stopped at the front door and turned to look him in the eye.
‘I want to know. It’s important.’
‘Why?’ His voice sounded husky and there was something in his eyes as he held my gaze, while snowflakes danced around us. He pulled the two sides of my jacket closer together to keep me warm, and then leant towards me, his body just inches from mine. ‘Why is it important, Lucy? Isn’t it enough to know I was concerned?’
I shook my head vigorously, the wine I’d imbibed, clearly having an effect on me.
Several tendrils came loose from my chignon, some of which fell around my shoulders, and some, across my face. He reached out one hand and brushed them away from my eyes, his fingers touching my cheek, and sending ripples of heat to every part of me.
I swallowed and tried to maintain my breathing at a steady rate, but my heart was racing and my legs were feeling weak.
‘No. Because one means you care about me, and the other means you were thinking of yourself.’
The shock in his eyes was evident and he stepped back and stared at me.
‘I’m not sure what’s going on here, Lucy, but as I explained today, I don’t do relationships. I don’t get involved. I’m not looking for anything other than a good time. If that’s going to be a problem for you, say so now. We haven’t seen one another for ten years. Please don’t try to make this into more than it is.’
‘More than it is! You were the one who wanted to have a drink to catch up. You were the one who called and asked if you could join me for lunch. You were the one who asked if I’d like to spend the week with you. Please explain how, exactly, I’m the one who is making more of this than it is.’
His brows shot together and he glared at me, and then he turned abruptly and marched away. I thought he was leaving, but he spun around and stormed back.
‘Okay. Yes. That was all me. I admit that. But … that’s because something special happened between us ten years ago, and I’ve never felt with anyone what I felt with you back then. Seeing you again today was like … I don’t know what it was, but I do know I wanted you so badly today that it took every ounce of strength for me to walk away and leave you this afternoon. I want you, Lucy. More than I’ve ever wanted anyone. But that doesn’t mean I love you. Or anything stupid like that. It just means I had the best sex with you I’ve ever had in my life. And I wanted to experience that again. I wanted to see if it would be as good this time. I wanted … I don’t know what I wanted. But I do know what I don’t want. And that’s this. This drama. This … questioning. This … whatever this is.’
‘So it really is just about sex for you then? All you want is a holiday fling. A week of sex and then we go our separate ways. Just like we did ten years ago.’
‘Yes. That’s exactly what I want.’
‘Well fine. Come in and let’s have sex then. Because you know what, Sam. That’s all I want from you too. Just sex, sex, and more sex. Nothing but sex. Okay?’
‘Okay!’
‘Fine.’ I rammed the key in the lock, flung open the door, and stepped inside. ‘Well? Come on then.’
He made a sort of strangled sigh and then he gave a nervous laugh and ran a hand through his hair, shaking his head as he did so.
‘What the hell just happened?’ His voice was calmer now.
I calmed down too. ‘I have no idea. I think I’ve drunk far too much wine today. I should probably sleep it off.’
‘That might be sensible,’ he said.
I let out a sigh. ‘Don’t stand out there, Sam. It’s snowing. Come in and I’ll make some coffee.’
He hesitated. ‘Are you sure?’
‘I’m sure.’ I walked along the hall and threw my jacket on the back of the sofa and then I kicked off my boots.
He followed me inside and his eyes scanned me from head to toe.
‘What?’ I asked, standing up straight. I may have pulled my shoulders back and stuck my chest out just a little.
He shook his head as he removed his leather jacket. ‘Don’t shout at me, but you look … fantastic.’
I burst out laughing. ‘You look pretty good yourself.’ He really did. He was now wearing smart black trousers and a white shirt.
He grinned. ‘Thanks.’
‘Sit,’ I said. ‘Unless you’d rather stand.’
‘No. I’ll sit.’ He dropped onto the sofa and stretched out his long legs, and then he looked at me and added, ‘Unless you need a hand.’
‘No thanks.’ I walked into the kitchen area. ‘I think I can make coffee. Even if I am a little drunk.’
As it turned out, I couldn’t. The coffee machine was like something from the future. On an alien planet.
‘Erm. I may need your help. This machine seems to have got the better of me.’
He looked at me and grinned, before getting to his feet. ‘Yep. Leave the machines to us men,’ he joked.
Rather annoyingly, by the time I got the milk from the fridge, coffee was flowing into two cups.
‘You’ll have to show me how you did that. Or you’ll have to come back tomorrow and make me my morning coffee.’
He raised one brow. ‘So the night of sex, sex and nothing but sex is off then?’ He was still grinning.
‘I’m afraid so.’
‘Damn. I was looking forward to it.’
‘So was I. But I think the moment has passed, don’t you?’
He shrugged. ‘I guess so.’ He put the cups on the counter and I added milk to both.
‘Sugar?’ he asked.
‘Yes, honey,’ I replied, then quickly added, ‘Sorry. That was a joke.’
He grinned again. ‘Do you take sugar?’
‘No thank you. I’m sweet enough.’
‘Hmm,’ he said with one brow raised.’
I raised both of mine and pulled a face and then I turned to look outside. Snow was falling thicker and faster now and I could see through the sliding doors that it had already settled on the patio.
‘It’s really coming down. Tilly, that woman I mentioned, said we’d have a blizzard and that I might get snowed in. That we all might.’
‘Really? Do you mean the Tilly who’s married to Willy? Willy Trotton’s wife?’
He came and stood beside me and we stood and watched the snow.
‘I don’t know her surname but she owns the bridal shop in town. Fairlight Brides, it’s called. Ah. But you no doubt avoid shops that have even the slightest connection to weddings, don’t you?’
‘I do,’ he said, darting a quick look at me. ‘But I know Tilly, and her husband, Willy, and their dog, Billy. If Tilly said there’ll be a blizzard, then there’ll be a blizzard. I don’t think she’s ever been wrong as far as the weather is concerned.’
‘Really? Wow. The Met Office should employ her.’
He grinned over the rim of his cup. ‘I think they did, once upon a time. But she wanted to open a shop.’
‘A bridal shop,’ I said, rubbing it in and giving him a little nudge with my elbow.
He gave me a hard stare, and then he laughed. ‘Yeah. That.’ He let out a long slow sigh. ‘I’d better get going before too long. Bikes are fine in all weather, generally speaking, but the lanes here can be treacherous in snow and ice, especially as they’re not well lit, and the gritters won’t be out for several hours, knowing the local authority. And as you said, it’s really coming down now. At this rate, I might have to walk home.’
‘Or stay,’ I said nervously, half into my cup that hovered just below my mouth.
His head shot around and his eyes met mine as I glanced up at him. A slow smile crept across his mouth as he leant sideways a little, so that our arms were just touching.
‘Or stay,’ he repeated. ‘But I thought we’d been over this. Sex is off the table tonight.’
‘Who mentioned sex? I just said you could stay. And it’s still only eight. It might clear up before bedtime.’
He held my gaze but I could see he was holding back a laugh. ‘Bedtime? Are we six?’
‘You are,’ I said. ‘Don’t be facetious. You know perfectly well what I meant by bedtime.’
‘I have no idea. Enlighten me.’
‘I meant later. Much later than it is now. Ten or eleven. Or midnight. I don’t know what time you go to bed.’ I moved my arm away from his.
He moved closer. ‘It depends who I’m with. I’d happily go to bed at six with you, Lucy. Would you like me to stay?’ His eyes darkened with desire.
I gave a little shrug, not wanting him to know how much I wanted him to stay.
‘Would you like to stay?’ I asked.
‘Very much.’ His gaze held mine.
‘There’s a second bedroom,’ I said.
‘Ah. I see. That’s great. Then I’ll stay.’ He gave a small smile. ‘In the second bedroom. If you’re sure that’s okay.’
‘I’m sure. I’d worry if you drove off in this weather. Or if you walked. You might be found frozen to death or something. Better to wait until morning once the gritters have been out.’
‘Yes,’ he said, his eyes twinkling mischievously and his mouth twitching into a smile once again. ‘Much better to wait until the morning.’
‘Would you like some wine?’ I walked around him to the fridge.
‘Hadn’t we established you’ve had more than enough already?’
I thumped my empty coffee cup onto the counter.
‘Are you telling me how much I should, or shouldn’t, drink?’
‘Nope. Absolutely not. Drink as much as you like. But none for me, thanks. Even if the gritters come out, it’ll still be icy tomorrow, so I need to take care.’
I opened the fridge. ‘We’ll be snowed in tomorrow, remember?’
‘Ah yes. Hmm. Perhaps I should go, after all.’
I slammed the fridge door shut. ‘Don’t you want to be snowed in with me?’
He turned to face me. ‘I can think of nothing I’d rather be than snowed in with you. But I’m not sure it would be wise.’
‘Why not?’ I folded my arms in front of my chest.
‘I hate to open recent wounds, but I’m pretty sure I told you how much I wanted you. Staying in the second bed for one night is going to be hard enough, but doing so for two, is going to be impossible.’
I leant on the counter and gave him my sexiest smile. ‘And I think I told you that I wanted you too. I’ll admit, I’d prefer something more than a holiday fling. I want to be in love, and be loved. I want a relationship, I’ll admit that. But, like you, I had the best sex of my life ten years ago, and, like you, I’d rather like to know if it would be that good again.’
‘So … what, exactly, are you saying?’
I shrugged, and moved around the counter, leaning back against it and crossing my legs at my ankles. I reached up and pulled out my chignon, shaking my head so that my hair swung loose around my shoulders, and then I licked my lips.
‘I’m saying, we’re both adults. If we can be honest with one another and tell each other exactly what we both want this week, then I see no reason why we couldn’t have a repeat of that wonderful week in July, ten years ago.’
He stiffened and sucked in a breath. ‘Are you being serious? There’s nothing I want more. I think I’ve made that abundantly clear. But you said you want a relationship. I can’t give you that, Lucy. I could pretend, but that wouldn’t be fair to either of us.’
I shook my head and twisted the knot-tie of my wrap dress around my finger.
‘I don’t want you to pretend.’
His eyes travelled down to my waist where the knot-tie was the only thing holding the two sides of the front of my dress together.
‘What do you want me to do, then?’
‘I want you to be you. I want you to be honest with me this week. But I also need you to understand that I want to be cuddled. I want to feel special.’
‘I can do that. And you are special, Lucy. I told you that ten years ago. And I’ll tell you that now. Why do you think I couldn’t wait to see you? I don’t normally run after women, but I dropped everything today to be with you. That must tell you something.’
‘Not everything. You met your dad tonight. But that’s fine. I’m not complaining. I’m simply putting the record straight.’
He sighed. ‘Yeah. My dad.’ He shook his head. ‘You wonder why I don’t do relationships. I’ll tell you why. My parents met when they were both eighteen. On holiday, as it happens. But they thought they were in love and they got married within a matter of weeks. Mum had me a year later, and a year after that, they were getting divorced. Mum’s been married four times since then. Dad’s been married three and is currently living with his most recent girlfriend. Tonight, he wanted to ask me if I thought he should get married again. Can you believe that?’
I was so surprised I couldn’t reply right away, but I finally asked, ‘What did you say?’
Sam looked cross and he turned away. ‘I told him that if he wanted the truth, I’d say no. But that we both knew he would do it anyway. And he will. I can guarantee that before this summer is out, I’ll be going to yet another one of my parents’ weddings. Would you like to take a bet on how long this one will last?’
I suddenly understood why Sam didn’t do relationships. At least, I thought I did. His parents were hardly an advert for a good relationship, were they? And definitely not for marriage.
I walked across to him and I slid my arms around his waist. His muscles tensed beneath my touch and he sucked in a breath, and then he spun around and swept me into his arms, kissing me with so much longing, and passion, and intensity that I thought I might faint.