Chapter Sixty-Seven
The next morning, Brodie woke up with a huge smile on his face.
Flora’s head rested on his chest and he could feel her breath against him, as she slept.
This felt like a new start. He was so glad Flora had listened and was giving him another chance.
She stirred next to him, moving her head gently to look at him.
‘Morning, beautiful,’ he murmured, gently stroking her hair.
‘Good morning.’ She smiled as he reached out to brush a lock of hair away from her face.
‘Are you okay?’ He really hoped she was and that she didn’t have any regrets. They had only stayed at the pub for one drink last night, barely able to keep their hands off each other and desperate to be alone.
‘Yes,’ she said, meeting his gaze. ‘No regrets.’ Her voice was firm as though she had read his mind.
They lay for a few moments, and he tightened his arms around her inhaling her scent and that light floral perfume she wore that he loved.
Brodie never wanted to let her go. Not ever again.
He had an idea. He was going to take her somewhere really special to him.
Somewhere he had never taken anyone else before. ‘I want to show you something.’
She raised an eyebrow, amused. ‘I think you showed it all last night.’
He smiled slowly as he recalled every moment. ‘Actually, something else.’
‘What, right now?’ Flora pushed herself up on one arm and traced her finger over his lips.
‘Well, in a little while. If you’ve got time.’ He laughed, clasping his hands over hers and gently pushing her back, pinning her arms above her head. Then he started kissing her gently along her jaw and down her neck.
* * *
Much later when the morning had moved into the afternoon and they had showered together, they sat in his kitchen drinking coffee and eating toast. ‘This is one of the benefits of being self-employed,’ he joked. ‘You can be more flexible with your time.’
‘I agree. That is one benefit I could certainly get used to. I hope you didn’t need to be anywhere today, though?’
Brodie shook his head. ‘Just loads of admin to catch up with. But it can wait.’ He watched as she finished her last piece of toast, his eyes lingering on hers. ‘Right, are you ready for an adventure?’ he teased, standing up.
‘Sure,’ she smiled. ‘Let’s go.’
‘Where are you taking me?’ Flora laughed, as she allowed herself to be led along the high street.
‘A place I love and I think you will, too. Come on, it’s not far from here. I promise.’
She smiled, half protesting, but didn’t let go of his hand. ‘You’re lucky that I trust you.’
He glanced back nervously. ‘Do you?’
She squeezed his hand. ‘Yes, Brodie, I do.’
Flora followed him as he led her along a narrow path that she hadn’t noticed before. It was a winding trail that went behind the village and was hidden between trees.
‘How have I never seen this?’ she asked, slightly breathless as they started to scrabble up a hill.
He shrugged. ‘It’s very easy to miss.’
The path grew steeper, but Flora kept up with Brodie and after a short climb, the trees thinned out and they stepped into a clearing.
She stopped and gasped as she looked back at the view.
The loch stretched out before them, gently glistening in the late afternoon sunshine.
She could see the gently sloping hills in the distance and the roofs of the cottages in the village below.
It was peaceful. It was perfect. ‘You can see your gran’s house,’ he said pointing over at the boathouse. ‘And my flat.’
‘Wow,’ she said, nodding. ‘What an incredible spot.’
Brodie was watching her, his eyes fixed on her face and not the view. ‘I thought you might like it. I hoped you would.’ He stood beside her, hands in his pockets, eyes now ahead. ‘I sometimes come up here to think.’
Flora glanced at him, realising something in him had shifted. He seemed a bit more vulnerable now.
‘About what?’ she asked gently.
‘Just stuff. Everything. Nothing. Life, mostly. You. When things feel a bit overwhelming, this place seems to help me feel like me again.’
‘Me?’
‘Yes, despite my behaviour to the contrary over recent weeks, our being apart killed me. I came up here regularly to think. About you. About what I’d lost. About what I could do to try and win you back.
And if I should try and win you back because you would be leaving.
Then I thought if we were meant to be, we would find a way .
. . and I couldn’t stop thinking about the worry I saw on your face that day when I came back from the rescue. I hated seeing you so upset over me.’
Flora nodded and they stood in silence for a moment, something unspoken between them.
But she knew she needed to reassure him.
She wanted him to know that was her choice and it was only because she cared about him.
She loved him. ‘That’s not for you to worry about, Brodie.
You’re not responsible for me and my emotions.
’ She put her hand on his face. ‘I know how much being on the crew means to you. I would never ask you to stop doing it or tell you what to do. You should be very proud of what you do. I am.’
He reached for her hand and kissed it, then pulled her towards him.
‘Thanks for showing this place to me, Brodie. It means more than you know.’
‘I’m glad. I thought you’d love this place too. It’s the perfect spot for some peace and quiet and there’s even a bench.’ Reaching for her hand, he laced his fingers through hers. ‘Come on, let’s sit for a while.’
They sat quietly together, the silence comfortable between them.
Then, slowly, he turned to her and reached to kiss her.
The feel of his hands on hers sent a jolt through Flora and a smile flickered on her lips as he moved a hand to her jaw.
He brushed his lips against hers and kissed her tentatively, deepening it when she responded.
She laughed softly, still breathless from his kiss.
‘If you keep kissing me like that, I may never want to leave this place.’
A grin tugged at his lips. ‘That was part of my plan. And I meant what I said yesterday, Flora.’
She tilted her head to the side, looking at him quizzically.
‘When I said I love you. I meant every single one of those three words.’
Flora felt her stomach fizz with anticipation. ‘I love you, too . . . These weeks have been so hard for me as well, harder than leaving Edinburgh. I felt I had found something — someone — special and suddenly you were gone, and I didn’t understand why.’
‘Well, I’m not going anywhere again,’ Brodie whispered, his lips against hers, before kissing her again, this time more passionately, a promise of what was still to come.