Driving Me to Christmas (London Loves Book 5) (13 page)

Verlaine held Sam’s hand as they ran through the garden in the rain towards the little summerhouse at the end of the grounds. It looked charmingly delightful – like a wooden beach hut, but on a grand scale. The windows were huge, and the whole thing seemed to be octagonal in shape. They halted outside, panting to catch their breath, and Verlaine grabbed the key from under the mat – where apparently it was always kept. He opened the creaking glass door for Sam, and she rushed inside.

Verlaine flicked on the lights behind her, causing a bulb to smash, which made Sam jump. She giggled, then looked around the beautiful room. She saw that the wooden walls were painted blue, and long velvet drapes covered the massive windows. The stone floor was strewn with Arabic rugs, which were incongruous against the wicker furniture and plywood bookcases. It was like a high-class junk shop. Sam could hear the sea crashing against the rocks in the near-distance, as well as the pattering rain on the glass roof.

She turned her head and saw that – leading off the main space – was a tiny kitchen, a bathroom, and a bedroom. Sam suddenly felt nervous about being alone here with Verlaine – it was like they were at the end of their first date and she’d just come in for coffee.

“It’s cold, isn’t it?” Verlaine said.

Sam suddenly remembered that her clothes were drenched from the deluge outside.

“Freezing!”

He padded over to a panel by the door and opened it. Then he flicked a switch and suddenly the cabin was filled with the sounds of pipes creaking and water rushing into the heating system.

“Should warm up soon,” he said.

“Thank you,” she said.

Verlaine grinned, then strode into the kitchen, leaving Sam to drip on the rug. She took off her coat, and hung it on the hat stand.

“You wanna glass of wine, baby?” Verlaine called from the kitchen.

“Is there some?”

He swaggered back, holding a bottle of red and two glasses.

“Everything you want is here, my love. You can have a bath to warm you if you like?”

“Really?”

“Sure.” He bent and kissed her tenderly. “I love you, Sam. I hope you know that.”

“I love you, too.”

“I really am sorry about –”

“It’s okay. Let’s not dwell on it. I know it was a misunderstanding.”

“I’d never hurt you. Not intentionally.”

“I know.”

He poured them both a glass of wine, and they clinked glasses.

Sam kissed him. His hair was damp from the rain, and his stubble was growing back, making him look rugged and sexy.

She sipped her wine and allowed the soothing alcohol to seep snuggly into her brain. “I’d love that bath. I could do with warming up.”

“Oh, sure!”

He sped off to the bathroom and Sam heard the sound of metal taps screeching, sputtering, and then water flowing into the tub.

She wandered over to look at an old family portrait. It was an oil-painting probably based on a photo. There was a girl wearing a 1940s dress, with bunches in her hair and a big grin on her face. Her parents, who were standing behind her, had love in their eyes and tender expressions. A younger brother was playing with a wooden car on the ground. They were outside this summerhouse. Sam smiled. It’d looked lovely in its prime.

Verlaine wandered back and massaged her shoulders. “Bath’s nearly ready. You okay?”

She turned and kissed him. “Yeah. Do you know who these people are?”

“Not really. My grandmother used to say the girl was her, but I’m not sure if she was kidding me.” He squinted at the painting as if seeing it with fresh eyes. “The little girl looks like a younger version of you, don’t you think!”

Sam peered at the girl. She couldn’t see the resemblance so she changed the subject. “Did you come here every year with your grandmother? Every Christmas?”

“Yeah. She lived in the big house for a while – rented, I guess. She was a lovely lady; you remind me of her actually.”

“Oh god!”

“No, but in a good way! She was so sweet and kind. Just like you.”

“Aw, thank you. You’re sweet and kind, too.”

He drew Sam into his arms. “I love you, baby. I love how you were so willing to forgive Rebecca after everything she did tonight.”

“Rebecca’s just misguided and unhappy. She’s suffering and looking for ways to ease her suffering, that’s all. She’s a human being with feelings, just like everyone.”

“Well, I think Rebecca’s a manipulative bitch, and not to be trusted after what she did. And I think she’s planning something even worse.”

“Maybe. We can’t know that.”

Sam listened to the rain falling hard outside. She gazed into Verlaine’s eyes. He winced.

“Is there something you wanted to say, baby?” she asked.

“Gemma thinks you need to toughen your heart so’s you don’t get hurt, but I don’t think you should ever change. Always keep that innocent spark, won’t you?”

“I like being the way I am. It makes me happy to try to understand people. It makes life easier for me and them.”

“I love you exactly as you are. And I’m gonnna keep an eye on you – I won’t let anyone hurt you.”

“You’ll protect me from my own childlike naivety you mean?”

“No. I’ll just love you and do my best for you.”

A nasty thought suddenly struck Sam. It was out of her mouth before she could stop it. “Did you come here with Rebecca? To be together, I mean.”

“Nope. Never.”

“Really?”

“Really. This is my special place. I’d come here to be alone. To escape from the family and to think about everything. And sometimes my grandmother would find me. We sure did have some fun back then.”

“You miss her, don’t you?”

“Yeah. But it’s gotta to happen to everyone, right?”

Sam’s mum filled her thoughts. Her heart twisted painfully with how much she missed her. “Yeah, unfortunately.”

Verlaine kissed her on the forehead. “Hey, your bath’s ready.”

He led her to the bathroom, where Sam saw that he’d lit some scented candles and dimmed the lights. The bathroom was small and cosy, and the bathtub took up most of the space. It was a huge old ceramic freestanding tub, and it was currently full to the brim with bubbles. It was steamy and warm in here, and very snug.

Grateful joy spun through her. “This is so romantic!”

“Allow me to help you out of those wet things, madam,” he said.

Arousal surged into her thighs, replacing the innocent romance. “Okay!”

Verlaine lifted Sam’s T-shirt over her head and threw it to the floor, so she unzipped her jeans and eased them off, then removed her bra. Verlaine stared at her for a beat – smiling in awe at her body as he always did whenever he saw it. He came back to life, grabbed her panties, and pulled them down, dropping to his knees and looking up at her with a loving expression.

She cupped his chin with her fingers, wondering whether he was about to propose. But she realised his mind was on other things as he moved his face towards her clit and gave it a teasy lick. Sam gasped as the blissful pleasure stabbed her. Verlaine threw her a grin, as if he was planning to give her oral on his knees.

But then he stood up and put his hand out. “Would madam like some help getting in her bath?”

Sam took his hand and laughed – it
would
be shame to waste this hot water, and they could make love afterwards when she was warm and relaxed. She lifted her leg and placed a cold foot into the soothing bubbles. Then she let go of his hand and her other leg followed. She stood there for a moment and leaned over to kiss him.

“Thank you for this.”

“Get in, sweetheart; enjoy!”

She bent at the knees and eased her chilly body down into the warm suds. It was the perfect temperature; not too hot, but lovely and toasty. The ambience in the room was tranquil. The candles and Verlaine gave the room a rosy glow, and the wine had given Sam an inner radiance, too.

“Are you joining me in here?” she asked.

“No. It’s for you to enjoy, goddess.”

He sat on the edge of the tub and gazed at her. She grinned contentedly. It reminded her of childhood bath-times, when her mum would sit on the edge and wash her.

Verlaine reached his fingers into the water. “Gimme one of your feet.”

Sam stuck one leg in the air and rested it on his lap. She was pretty flexible thanks to doing yoga, so it was quite comfortable. Verlaine maintained eye contact as he massaged her foot, sending dizzy lust up her leg and between her thighs.

She groaned. “That’s so good, baby.”

“Glad you like it.”

He bent forward and ran his fingers up to massage her calf, then he made his way towards her thigh. He was leaning over her now and he’d shuffled closer, so he was easily able to reach down and trace his fingers around her pussy.

“You like this?” he asked.

Sam closed her eyes and grinned. It felt so secure and childlike, yet incredibly sexy. She opened her eyes and smiled at Verlaine. His face was full of adoration, and she knew she could trust him to the ends of the universe and back. He gently eased his fingers inside, and started to stimulate her G-spot, gazing lovingly into her eyes the whole time. It felt so innocent and comforting. He was here for her pleasure because he loved her, and she understood that now. Verlaine was no pushover, but he’d do anything to ensure she was happy. His thumb lightly brushed her clit and rubbed back and forth, applying the perfect amount of pressure. His fingers continued to massage her G-spot, and she sank into the beautiful feeling, happy to let him to do this for her. The ecstasy whirled up through her thighs and into her stomach, washing over her body. She realised that this wasn’t going to be a disappointing little cunt-sneeze like when she did it for herself in the bath. The feel of Verlaine’s fingers merged with her flesh and the pleasure exploded across her writhing body like wildfire. She heard herself crying out involuntarily with pure lust as her essence dissolved into the warmth of the room, and the delicious orgasm delivered wave after wave of intense delight into her soul.

She ducked under the water, feeling the warmness all around her. Verlaine stayed with her, making sure she was fully satisfied. Then, needing to breathe, she thrust her head above the water and inhaled. The residual tingles zigzagged over her body, and she drifted back to the bathroom, feeling reborn. She opened her eyes and giggled.

Verlaine was grinning in wonder. “Nice?”

“Amazing!”

“Good – I’m glad you enjoyed it.”

“But, Verlaine, you know, there’s plenty of room in this tub for two, and quite frankly, I think we could both do with a good wash. Why don’t you strip off and join me? We can see how much pleasure there is yet to come this evening!”

He tore off his T-shirt, revealing his gorgeous toned chest. “That’s a great idea. I’m coming in!”

Rebecca was slightly afraid of her mother, but she knew her intentions were noble. Well, noble for
their
benefit at least. She carried the silver tray of coffee things into the living room, where Ellie was reclining on the worn-out leather sofa, flicking through the pages of a glossy magazine. As Rebecca set the tray down on the chipped antique table, Ellie glanced up with a stern expression – which was a stark contrast to the brightly-coloured Christmas decorations. Rebecca shivered. The eerie silence was filled only by the loud tick-tock of the looming grandfather clock, which seemed to be unashamedly eavesdropping, anxious to know the details of Ellie’s latest plan.

The fire hadn’t been lit yet, so it was chilly in here. The high ceilings and wooden floors did nothing to warm the atmosphere, and Ellie’s natural coldness made Rebecca feel positively frigid.

She bent to pour her mother a coffee, then handed her the china cup and saucer, which Ellie took in her manicured fingers. As Rebecca poured herself a coffee, she wondered how many other mothers and daughters were spending Christmas Eve morning plotting how to win back a lost love.

Rebecca hoped her Christmas wishes would come true at the ball tonight.

Ellie slurped her drink. “Sam and Verlaine seemed like the exemplary happy couple at breakfast. Why would that be? After our plans to sabotage their relationship yesterday?”

Rebecca tried to get comfortable on the tatty sofa. “They didn’t fall for it, mother. Sam even caught me straddled over Verlaine’s lap in the car – which should’ve added to the damage – but she’s too laid-back; she forgave him almost immediately.”

“What a stupid girl.”

“I know. And he’s too gooey-eyed about her to let me seduce him. But I think I undermined her confidence last night. I’ve found her weak spot – she wants everyone to like her, and I told her no one here does. She’ll be wondering why.”

Ellie added another spoonful of sugar to her coffee and stirred it. “Well, good, because you need to stop Verlaine from proposing to her. I’ve heard rumblings that he’s planning to do it tonight at the ball. If
you
want him, then you need to be more proactive. And you need to do it fast. You must stop that proposal, Rebecca. Understand?”

“I’m trying mother. But I think he really loves her. It makes things difficult.”

“No, it’s simple. You just need to make him really love
you
. This is important. He’s our last hope.”

“I know. But how? We’re running out of time – we fly home next week.”

“Let’s first focus on breaking him and Sam up, then you can step in. If he’s planning to propose at the ball tonight, then we need to sabotage that. I’d suggest trying to get her in a compromising position with one of her sex-maniac friends. Making Sam jealous didn’t work, but maybe we can make Verlaine envious instead.”

Rebecca shifted her weight, making the leather sofa creak. “Yes, perhaps that’s the way to go. I’ve already told Verlaine to watch out for Sam and Scott – hopefully that’s sown doubt in his mind. Maybe I can set them up.”

“Let’s hope so. I want to finish what I started.”

“Yes.”

They shared a collaborative smile. Rebecca’s chest surged with tingling optimism. There was a chance they could pull this off – and then they’d live happily ever after.

Ellie dug in her Gucci handbag and pulled out an item of jewellery. “Here, look at this brooch.”

Rebecca looked. It was a red art deco peacock-shaped piece, roughly the size of Rebecca’s palm. The detail was immaculate and Rebecca was captivated by the sparkly gems which were encrusted in the gold. She coveted it, wishing it was hers.

“It’s beautiful,” she said.

“Yes. It’s a family heirloom of Patty’s, which was passed down the generations. It belonged to her great-grandmother, who bestowed it to her grandmother, and then to her mother. It’s financially worthless, but it’s very precious to Patty for sentimental reasons. She always loved it and she expected to receive it when her mother died.”

Rebecca wrinkled her nose. “So why have you got it?”

“Patty’s mother gave it to me. Do you remember when Patty and I fell out, just after her mother died a few years ago?”

“Yes, but you said that was because of Patty’s stress from the funeral.”

“That’s what we decided to tell everyone. Patty didn’t want it to be common knowledge that her mother had favoured me over her. But I’d engineered it that way. I spent many hours doing nice things for Patty’s mother, all in the hope of getting what I wanted. I freely admit to you, Rebecca, I was using her; manipulating my way into her inheritance. But I didn’t get what I wanted, not ultimately – she left her biggest asset to her only grandson. I tried hard to get her to bequeath
that
to me, but all I got was this worthless piece of junk.”

“Does Verlaine know about this?”

“I think Patty confided in Verlaine about the brooch, but not about the other matter we’re here for.”

Rebecca’s insides rushed with excitement. Yes, that other matter. How clever of her mother to think of coming here to stake their claim. And how fortunate Verlaine had cancelled his trip to Thailand. This could solve all their problems.

“So you and Patty are obviously friends again now?” Rebecca asked. “You seem okay in each other’s company. She even invited you back here for Christmas.”

“Patty’s a very forgiving person. Stupid, too.  After her mother’s death, I grovelled for forgiveness, throwing myself at her feet – metaphorically speaking – and ingratiating myself back into her life. I knew my ultimate prize was still waiting for me. And all I needed was to wait for your ridiculous marriage to Ken to inevitably die.”

The insult twisted in Rebecca’s ribcage, and she transferred her gaze to the flickering lights on the Christmas tree. But maybe it was true – Ken had cheated on her and now their ridiculous marriage was dead. She pulled herself together; this wasn’t the time for sulking. She focused back to her mother.

Ellie hadn’t even noticed she’d hurt Rebecca’s feelings. She dropped her cup and saucer down on the oak table, making the china rattle. “If only I’d discovered all this when you and Verlaine were originally together! It would’ve been so much easier to get him to marry you then. But now that you’re back on the market for a husband, I can claim what’s rightfully mine. And if you do as I say, neither of us will ever need to work again, not once we get our hands on this house.”

Rebecca placed the brooch down on the arm of the sofa. “I know. I’ve tried marrying for love and look where it got me. This divorce is costing me a fortune and we’re saddled with father’s debts. You’re right – this is the perfect solution. I will marry Verlaine, and we’ll be financially secure for the rest of our lives.”

“That’s the attitude, my girl. Now, I think you should persuade Sam to wear the brooch tonight. Loan it to her as a peace offering. Then, when Patty sees it, she’ll be shocked and upset. And poor little Sam will be devastated – her confidence will be completely undermined, because she’s so desperate for people to love her – she seems to really care what Patty thinks. Scott will undoubtedly comfort Sam – which will make it look like they’re in love. Verlaine should likely comfort his mother; thus abandoning Sam. The evening will be ruined and the proposal will be abandoned – all because of Sam.”

“But Sam will say
I
gave the brooch to her. They’ll know I set her up.”

“No, no. You just say you found it in your room. Say that it must’ve been left there by the previous resident. I can always mention that I left it for Patty to find – with the intention of returning it to its rightful owner. We can come out looking good in this, Rebecca. We can get Verlaine on your side and against Sam.”

Rebecca punched the air. “Yes. Tonight my goal will be to destroy their relationship once and for all. And I’ll be delighted to step in as a shoulder for Verlaine to cry on. And perhaps even more!”

Ellie squeezed Rebecca’s knee. “Good girl. Now come on, drink your coffee and we’ll have a wander around the grounds. As soon as I get my hands on this place, I’ll send in the bulldozers. I think some luxury apartments will look wonderful up here on this cliff, and in a few years’ time, no one will ever know this old house existed.”