Chapter 34
Cal
Bea fell asleep first and Cal lay awake marvelling at this amazing woman he’d invited into his home.
He hadn’t been lying when he said that was something he didn’t normally do.
But Bea was only around for a short while, so it was pointless grabbing an evening here and there.
They had to make the most of the time they had.
It didn’t mean he was making a commitment to her.
And even if he liked her a little more than physically, what did it matter?
She was going back to the US soon, so he’d need to get over it.
Plus, he was serious when he’d said he wasn’t getting into any more relationships until the baby drama was over.
The baby drama. Oh God! Cal didn’t want to think about that; the sex that had potentially brought a new life into being was nothing compared to what he’d just experienced with Bea.
He’d been walking around blind, accepting half-hearted because he thought that was as good as it got.
Thank goodness Bea was so provocative in the coffee shop that day.
Even if they could never have a future, he knew now not to settle for anything less than astounding.
The moonlight cast Bea’s long red waves in a warm glowing balm and Cal reached out to touch them. What if I never meet anyone as incredible as her? What if I don’t want to?
He pulled away, rolled onto his back and closed his eyes. He needed to switch off these pointless thoughts so he could get to sleep.
The next morning, Cal awoke before Bea and lay watching her in the morning light streaming through the windows.
Last night, they’d fallen asleep without shutting the curtains.
She was perfect, tendrils of luscious scarlet cascading across the pillow, the soft swell of her breasts rising where the covers stopped.
He wanted to reach down and cup those, let her stir, a light buzz of sexual arousal bringing her round from whatever dreams she was enjoying, have his hand move lower, caressing and stimulating her until that shimmering buzz was all-encompassing rhapsody. He couldn’t wait to see her come again.
There was an intensity in the room, in his thoughts, nudging at Cal.
He’d noticed the beginnings of it last night, and it was here again now but louder in the morning light.
There was something about just watching Bea.
Not only did he want to reach down and touch her, he wanted to hold her, to pull her to him and be as one with her.
Those were dangerous thoughts. Hopefully, getting in the fresh morning surf would help clear the heid.
Cal threw on some boxers and went downstairs to make a light breakfast. They’d need some energy before their surf, then they could feast on whatever they wanted, food and otherwise.
There was only one hitch to getting into the cool morning waters and that was getting Bea a wetsuit.
This meant texting his sister, Cara, to ask if he could borrow her spare.
But Cal didn’t want to text Cara because then Cara would want to know why Cal needed the wetsuit and would no doubt insist on bringing it round, which would inevitably lead to her seeing what was happening between him and Bea.
Maybe, if he timed it right, he could pop out to meet Cara on the road while Bea was in the shower. Not that he wanted to hide Bea from his family. He just didn’t need any more questions about his personal life than the baby situation had already caused. He sent his sister a text.
Less than ten minutes later there was a knock at the front door. Cal knew before he even opened it who it was. Exactly what he hadn’t wanted to happen. He should have gone to Cara’s unannounced.
‘Morning, Car’.’ Cal raked his hand through his hair and tried to look pleased since his sister was effectively doing him a favour.
‘Morning. I thought I’d save you the bother of coming round and… Oh, hello again.’
‘What?’ Cal turned to see that Bea was standing in the kitchen wearing a pair of his sweatpants and a t-shirt from the chair in the bedroom, a look which, despite its casualness, sent flames of desire through him.
How could one woman be so sexy first thing in the morning, in his own clothes no less?
‘Morning, Cara!’ Bea said, brightly, approaching the door.
‘Hi again, Bea, isn’t it?’ Cara was exuberant with friendliness, although Cal knew that she’d be lining up a thousand questions in her brain and he fully expected MI5 style interrogation at some stage in the next five seconds.
‘So nice to see you again. I brought this wetsuit for you. It’s a spare a friend left ages ago, so you’re welcome to keep it. ’
‘Oh, that’s incredibly kind of you,’ Bea said, with faultless politeness. ‘Thank you. I can’t wait to go surfing.’
‘Aye, thanks, Cara,’ said Cal. ‘You didn’t have to come over. I’d have come and got it off you.’
‘No problem. I was taking Freddo for a walk, anyway.’ Cara motioned to the small white West Highland terrier at her feet.
Bea leaned down to ruffle the dog’s fur. ‘Oh, he’s gorgeous.’ Freddo took to her, panting in delight. Something warmed in Cal that she was so friendly to animals.
‘He likes you.’ Cara looked up at Cal with a face full of annoying knowingness. Had she clocked the way he was gawping at Bea? Dammit. He loved his sister, but she didn’t miss a trick.
‘And I like him.’ Bea stroked the dog’s ears. Cara grinned at Cal, deciding to focus on the alternative meaning to this statement, and forced a smile back that said, yes, I know exactly what you’re thinking but we’re not having this conversation any time soon.
‘Okay, well thanks, Cara.’ Cal moved the door a fraction towards his sister. ‘I’ll bring back the wetsuit during the week.’
‘Honestly,’ she said. ‘You’re welcome to keep it.’
‘Thank you. That’s very kind of you.’ Bea stood up again. ‘But I’m heading back to the States in a couple of months.’
‘Oh, what a shame.’ Cara’s face fell as if she were genuinely saddened by this.
He could see her visually trying to nudge him, as if she wanted him to tell Bea not to go, that she could stay with him, which he would never say because that wasn’t what they’d agreed and wasn’t what Bea wanted.
And if he was going to say it, it wouldn’t have been in front of his sister.
‘Aye well, why live here when you could live in New York?’ Cal wondered if a hint of resentment came through in his words. He hadn’t meant them to sound that way. Was he jealous of New York because it would soon get this wonderful woman back and he’d be on his own again?
‘You should show her some of Scotland before she goes back,’ Cara declared.
‘Aye, Cara, thanks. I’m on it. That’s why she’s here. We’re going surfing, remember?’ Cal was lightly hinting that he’d like to get on with the morning pursuit they had planned. This conversation was irritating him slightly, as well as eating into time he should be spending with Bea.
‘In fact,’ said Cara. ‘You should come to the party for our dad. She should come to Dad’s party, Cal.’
Cal couldn’t believe Cara had said this, although, if truth be told, it was typical her.
His father’s party was a personal family-and-close-friends affair at a sensitive time.
He knew that Cara knew this, but that she would be so proud of their dad that she would want it to be a celebration for everyone to attend.
Although, he suspected something else. Cara would be able to tell from the way he glanced at Bea that he was smitten.
If she saw an opportunity to expedite Cal settling down with someone, then she’d take it, whether that person lived in Edinburgh or three thousand miles away in New York City.
Cara meant well; it was just that that she stormed in all guns blazing.
He had to be grateful that she hadn’t mentioned the baby this morning.
‘I don’t know if Cal’s told you—’ Cara began.
‘Cara!’ Cal spoke firmly to his sister. ‘Thank you for the wetsuit. We both appreciate it, but…’
Cara’s face flooded with some understanding.
‘No problem, I understand,’ she said. ‘I’m getting ahead of myself.
They doled out all the family reserve out for the firstborn.
’ She winked at Bea. Cal bit his lip. If he’d been trying to retain any family mystique, his sister could put paid to those plans in an instant.
‘Sorry about that,’ he said to Bea after he’d closed the door. ‘My sister can be quite … interfering.’
‘I thought she was charming,’ said Bea. ‘Just like her big brother.’
This was enough to loosen the knot of frustration that Cara had created in Cal’s gut.
It hadn’t helped that all the things she’d suggested were thoughts that had already run through his mind, including the possibility of Bea coming to his father’s party.
But it had felt like too much. It could be dressed up as showing her the best that Scotland has to offer: an insight into Scottish family life that the average tourist would never experience.
But it could also come across as too full on, as if he were imagining himself as her boyfriend, taking her to meet his family for the first time.
Bea wasn’t that sort of woman. No-strings lovers didn’t come to family gatherings.
And she didn’t have an expression of expectation on her face, which suggested she wasn’t bothered about being invited.
Cal enveloped Bea in his arms. ‘Well, thank you very much,’ he said, roused by mere seconds of her closeness to her.
‘You are a sight to behold in my clothes.’ He murmured into her neck, ‘But I will have to ask you to take them off,’ and skimmed along the neckline of his shirt where Bea’s cleavage was visible.
‘Oh, that’s right,’ said Bea. ‘I’ve got a wetsuit to put on.’
Cal loved this woman’s cheeky wit: how she could know exactly what he was thinking but subvert his words to make them mean something else, all in the name of teasing him.
A product of that lively mind he’d previously interpreted as making her high maintenance when she was simply vibrant and alive.
And boy did she bring him alive. A hundred per cent vital, from his brain to his toes and one other exceptionally vital place in between.