Chapter 19
Chapter Nineteen
F elipe made Rebecca jump when he stepped out of the door just as she was about to enter the hotel. He hoped she didn’t suspect he’d been lurking there waiting for her return after her drink with Will.
‘Sorry, didn’t mean to startle you.’
‘Felipe! I didn’t see you there.’
‘Lost in thought?’
‘Something like that,’ she said, a smile hovering about her lips.
‘It’s still early…’
‘Will has a lot of work to do.’
‘Fancy a walk on the beach? It’s such a lovely night.’ He looked up at the moon, which was high and full and glowing luminous in the clear, bright sky. ‘I could do with clearing my head.’
Perhaps asking Rebecca along wasn’t the greatest idea because it was her that his head needed clearing of.
He enjoyed her company, that was all. Although she was easy to be with and asked very little of him, she never let him take an inch.
She never took him too seriously and that was a refreshing change.
She treated him with such a light-hearted attitude…
it was infectious, made him feel much less worried about all the million and fifty things waiting for him on his desk.
‘And you can tell me what’s going on with Will.’
‘Okay,’ she said with such alacrity it gave him a sense of foreboding.
Walking through the balmy night air with the moon glowing above them, they approached the dark wooden staircase, their steps loud in the quiet night. Beyond them, the cliffs cloaked in dark shadow ranged, silent and stern, as if guarding the land from the magic of the sea.
Down on the beach, Felipe took a long, slow breath, his soul immediately calmed by the peaceful rush and retreat of the sea, washing in and out, as regular as the seconds ticking by on a clock. Moonlight skimmed across the water, rippling across the waves, like quicksilver pooling and spreading.
They both kicked off their shoes, leaving them at the foot of the stairs, and he linked his hand in hers.
She paused and looked up at him. Inside him something settled as they walked to the water’s edge as if drawn there by the tidal pull of the moon.
The move to take her hand was instinctive, a moment of solidarity, the two of them sharing this peaceful oasis in the night, and he was pleased that she didn’t pull away.
The water lapped at their feet, icy tentacles trickling over toes. He felt the sand thicken around his feet when they sank slightly, as if the landscape was trying to absorb him too.
A warm wind blew off the sea, teasing the curls in Rebecca’s hair, which had been Cristina’s handiwork this evening, although, since her hair was naturally straight, they had since drooped.
‘So how did it go with Will?’
She raised a hand to brush an errant curl from her face as if to delay answering.
Felipe beat her to it, grazing her face with his fingers as he tucked it behind her ear, wondering if Will had any idea what he had in Rebecca.
Temptation shimmered but he held back from kissing her even though he wanted to.
‘He thinks he loves me,’ she said. ‘And he apologised for sleeping with that other woman.’
‘ Thinks he loves you,’ Felipe repeated.
‘Felipe.’ She nudged him with her elbow. ‘You don’t know him. He’s very careful and precise. This is a big deal for him and a very big step after his wife’s death. He wants to take things slowly.’
‘I guess,’ said Felipe flatly, thinking he should be happy for her.
This was what she wanted. ‘Come on, let’s walk,’ he said, putting an arm around her shoulder and hoping that she wouldn’t push him away.
He wanted her touch. They were friends. To his relief she melted into him and he drew her close.
Friends touched, he told himself, comforted by the feel of her body next to his.
She sighed.
‘What’s wrong?’ asked Felipe, attuned as always to her moods.
‘I feel as if I ought to feel guilty, but I don’t,’ she said.
‘For what? Us sleeping together?’ He could read her so well.
‘Yes.’
‘And do you?’
There was a pause as he waited for her answer.
‘No,’ said Rebecca with her usual forthright honesty.
‘Well then, there’s nothing to feel guilty about.’ The relief was palpable.
‘But what if I wanted you to kiss me again?’ she asked.
Butterflies danced low in his belly at the thought of taking her face in his hands and kissing her slowly and thoroughly in the moonlight. He turned and took her in his arms, looking down at her, the moon casting a shadow across his face. ‘Then that is entirely up to you.’
‘But I love him. I’m so confused. We’re going to take things slowly– I think that probably means I shouldn’t kiss you anymore.’
‘I can’t answer that for you. Do you want me to?’
‘Yes,’ she whispered, her face a little anguished.
He knew that perhaps he shouldn’t add to her confusion, but his longing to kiss her was sharp and sure.
And he was too selfish not to succumb. Rebecca was like the other half of him, a perfect fit.
Being with her was so easy and natural. She expected so little that he found himself wanting to give her more.
But how could he give her more? With his family, the hotel and so many people relying on him for their livelihoods, he couldn’t take on the responsibility for making her happy, for making promises he wasn’t sure he could keep. She deserved more.
That was it. He was helping her. Helping her learn what she deserved.
What she should expect from that lightweight Will– because he was a lightweight if he couldn’t see what was right under his nose.
Rebecca deserved everything, and this time when he leaned in, holding her gaze because she looked back at him with so much trust, there was no giggling, no smirking or smiling.
Her eyes were strong and true, holding his without hesitation.
He lowered his lips to hers, his hands cupping her waist. When she wrapped her arms around his neck, he pulled her closer and she met his mouth, kiss for kiss, her lips moving over his.
The soft kiss was gentle at first then deepened with both of their mouths questing and seeking.
He opened his mouth and his tongue touched hers, heat sparking.
The lazy control was gone and she pressed her body against his, her mouth demanding a response, and he kissed her back.
He heard himself groan into her mouth. Blood rushed to his groin and he hardened.
She ground her hips against his, rubbing at him.
He pulled back slightly. ‘Rebecca, are you sure you want this?’ he whispered.
‘Yes. No,’ she murmured back, one hand stroking the hair at the nape of his neck, the other sliding under his shirt, caressing his hip above the waistband of his trousers.
A sudden wave from the incoming tide caught them unawares, the cold lapping at their feet. Reluctantly they pulled apart.
‘Saved by the sea,’ murmured Rebecca, cradling his face with one hand. ‘I’m sorry. I probably shouldn’t. We always said this was just a fling… Maybe it’s run its course now.’
‘You have nothing to be sorry for. And nothing to feel guilty about. We’re friends… and neither of us made promises to each other or anyone else. Give yourself time to find out what you really want.’
‘You’re right. You’re always right. And Will has agreed to take things slowly.’
‘Although,’ whispered Felipe, ‘seeing how someone else appreciates you might stir him up a little. Give him a nudge.’
‘What? You want to make him jealous?’ asked Rebecca, a little incredulously.
‘Why not?’
She bent at the knees and cackled. ‘That’s hilarious.’ Felipe felt a little hollow at her dismissal of him until she added, ‘No one has ever been jealous over me.’
‘Well, they should be,’ he said, surprised by how tight his throat was.
Couldn’t Will see what a treasure she was?
‘Besides making him feel jealous, I like spending time with you. We have fun. Why don’t we make a date for me to take you cycling?
I’ve had some more ideas about setting up a cycling retreat.
Kimberley and Alonso are interested. I spoke to them yesterday and I’d really like to run some ideas past you.
I’ve also mentioned the idea to Inês, who didn’t hate it.
’ He paused and pulled a face. ‘She didn’t love it either, but it wasn’t an outright no.
And… she’s prepared to consider the idea of you using the hotel and equipment for a weekly evening class.
Perhaps once she gets used to the idea, you can squeeze a few more in. ’
She grasped his arm. ‘Oh, Felipe, you are a sweetheart.’ Rising on her toes, she kissed him on the cheek. ‘You’re so lovely.’
The words gave him a warm glow inside.
‘It’s all an act. Come on. If we want to walk, we haven’t got that much time before the tide comes in.’ He took her hand and together they wandered along the empty beach accompanied by the shush of the sea and the silver light of the moon. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d felt so at peace.