Chapter Three
To say that I was slightly inebriated by the time dinner arrived would probably have been an understatement.
But I couldn’t work out whether it was the drink going to my head or the jealousy that coursed through my veins at watching Emma flirt with my stepfather.
And with James and Diana for that matter.
The four chatted intimately with Daniel’s father being graced with their attention at regular intervals so as not to leave him out.
Daniel and I were simply left to make our own entertainment.
Poor guy too. Although appealing in an athletic jock kind of a way, Daniel was just way too boring.
He seemed incapable of any discussion outside the track and field, he clearly had no intellectual qualities, and saw hard work as a thing “the grown-ups” did.
His father had obviously given him an easy ride in life and coupled with his sporting ability, his brain had yet to be tested.
Still, he found me interesting enough if his avid attention was anything to go on and that meant I was in good stead to please my stepfather.
“What say you, Abi?”
The question came from the man himself, Dad. All heads turned to me expectantly and all I could do was stare back blankly.
“You’ll have to excuse my daughter, she may be a beauty but her mind leaves something to be desired,” he said, the humor in his voice not quite meeting his eyes. He wasn’t impressed at my lack of attention.
The men around the table jeered, except for Daniel who had taken my distraction to mean that I was very much into him and what he had been saying. Poor sap.
“She certainly isn’t cut from the same cloth as you, Edward,” Diana said to my stepfather, the flirtatious purr to her voice delivering the insult with ease and causing my hackles to rise. Bitch!
“Well, we can’t all be as perfect as the acclaimed businessman Edward Sawyer, else life would be boring.” My voice dripped with sarcasm but I was past caring.
My stepfather’s gaze narrowed on me, the pulse working in his jaw the only sign of his simmering temper. “I was suggesting, Abigail, that you take Daniel for a nightcap.”
The way he stressed my name was all the warning I needed, the last time he had said it in such a way he had delivered me the ass spanking of a lifetime.
And it wasn’t like he had done it in private either.
After catching me fucking one of the stable hands he had yanked my bare body right out from under the guy, bent me over right there and then, and spanked me until I cried.
It was his way of making sure the dude never came near me again.
And then rather than sack the guy, he made sure he stayed on as a constant reminder of my shame and as a warning message to anyone else who showed any sign of interest. The humiliation was enough to send heat to my cheeks once more and I took up my drink, keen to remain composed.
“No problem, Daddy.”
He twitched at my sickly sweet reference, but seemed happier that I was on side once more.
“I don’t expect that we will see you later, we have quite a bit of business still to discuss and the ladies have lots to catch up on,” he looked from Emma to Diana as he said the latter and I followed his gaze.
The two women shared a look that made me uncomfortable but I couldn’t fathom why. I was over-sensitive for sure.
“Like I said, no problem.” I pushed myself up from the table and deposited my napkin. Part of me didn’t want to leave the room. Or rather, didn’t want to leave Emma. The other part felt completely out of place in their company. “Come Daniel, I’ll show you just what Daddy’s cellar has to offer—”
“Ah, avoid the cellar, Abi,” my stepfather hurried out unexpectedly, “that stuff is reserved for special occasions.”
I looked at him, puzzled. He loved to show off his drinks collection. This evening seemed like the perfect opportunity.
He didn’t elaborate however and ultimately I couldn’t really care less what we drank. Drink was drink.
“I’ll take the decanter from the side then.”
Not waiting for a response, I grabbed the said booze along with two fresh glasses and made for the door. Daniel was beside me in a second, his eagerness for some “alone time” more than apparent.
Robert, Daniel’s father, eyed us both, his face breaking into a wide grin as he said, “Don’t forget we’re setting off early tomorrow, son; try and get some sleep, won’t you?”
Heat crept into my cheeks at his meaning.
Some people had no decency. My eyes flicked to Emma who was watching me, her expression unreadable.
Did she know how badly I wanted to be with her instead?
Why was Dad so keen to palm her off with Diana?
The two women had only just met. But if I was honest, it was the tone in which he had referred to them “catching up” that bothered me.
There was a sexual undertone, of that I was certain. ..
“Thanks for that, Dad,” Daniel said, in mock gratitude and then he gestured to the doorway. “Shall we?”
Shifting my attention from Emma, I nodded and with more cheer than I felt, I bid them goodnight and headed for the door.
“I’m sorry about my father, he can be a bit brash at times,” Daniel said once we were out of earshot.
“No need to apologize, I know exactly how it feels to be shown up by one’s illustrious father, stepfather or otherwise.”
“Seems we do have something in common then?”
I glanced at him sharply, concerned that he had picked up on our lack of connection but his eyes danced with amusement and I couldn’t help but smile. His honesty was both welcome and refreshing.
“Let’s take this to the terrace and see what other similarities we can uncover,” I said, making the statement intentionally provocative. I was in the mood for some fun, anything to keep my mind from the worrying direction of my thoughts.
“Sounds good to me.”
I led us through the halls to the back of the house where the doors opened onto the terrace. Pushing them ajar, I gestured for Daniel to precede me.
“You’re quite the modern woman,” he said, picking up on my typically masculine gesture.
I shrugged and stepped out. The warm night air hit me full force, its freshness mixing with the alcohol in my blood and causing my footing to falter.
“Here.” Daniel was quick to take up my arm and remove the bottle and glassware from my hand.
“Thanks,” I said, dropping into a nearby sun lounger and kicking off my shoes. I could feel the stress leave my body as I sunk into the plushness of the bed and basked in the soft orange glow of the disappearing sun.
“Wow, that is something special.”
Daniel’s comment drew my attention. He was staring out at the far-reaching countryside, his gaze serene as he faced off the sunset.
He looked younger, less hard. His features softened by the low light, his brown eyes taking on its honey glow and mirroring the color of his hair.
He really was quite handsome and in the intimacy of our beautiful surroundings I could feel the stirrings of desire spark within me.
Plus, he was right. Before us, the countryside stretched as far as the eye could see, completely unspoiled by the trappings of the modern world.
It formed a breathtaking backdrop to the kidney-shaped pool and sun terrace on which we sat.
I couldn’t help the sigh that escaped me as I acknowledged this was one of the reasons I stuck around. ..
“It is,” I said softly.
My words drew his gaze. “And yet you sound so sad?”
I couldn’t make out from his words whether his question was born of concern or scorn but experience told me it was the latter.
“I know what you’re thinking: dumb, spoiled rich girl, doesn’t know she’s born,” I rushed out.
He dropped to the lounger next to me and placed his hand atop my own, cutting off my outburst. “Not at all! Christ, if anyone can understand what it’s like to be a part of this world yet feel utterly alone, it’s me.”
I eyed him as though seeing him properly for the first time, both inside and out, and the loneliness I felt inside combusted with the sudden heat of desire.
I wanted him, right here and now. I wanted the complete abandonment and utter distraction of a wild sexual encounter.
But I couldn’t. My mind was a mess and the alcohol was making it hard to think straight.
I raised my eyes to his, about to say something but the heat I saw in his gaze stopped me.
He wanted me just as much as I wanted him.
“You know, we could take this somewhere more private,” he suggested, his tone low.
I wanted to, I really did. But the sensible part of me, the part that realized alcohol wasn’t the best aid when it came to embarking on new friendships of any kind, was still with me.
Spying my hesitation, he picked up the bottle and poured us both a drink. “Or we can just drink up and enjoy the view?”
I nodded, relief sweeping through me. “For now,” I agreed, raising my glass to his and settling back into the bed.
He mirrored my position on his own lounger and we lay there watching the sunset, conversation flowing between us freely now that we were alone.
I asked him about his training and he quizzed me on my riding.
Knowing what made him tick made passing the time easy and as each drink flowed through me, the sexual awareness began to mount.
By the time we had polished off the last of the decanter, my mind was made up.
“How about I get us another and we take it upstairs?” I said, propping myself up on my side so that I could lean toward him.
He copied my move, stopping with his mouth mere inches from my own, his heated gaze falling to my lips. “Sounds like a mighty fine idea.”