Love (21 page)

Adam and Karen drew apart, laughing. Adam planted a large kiss on Amanda
’s cheek.

“
Here’s one for my future sister-in-law,” he said.

Amanda raised her eyebrows and looked meaningfully at Karen who was too happy to care.

Karen had an awful thought, “What about dinner?” she said to Amanda.

“
I’ve booked a table for us for after the show. If that’s okay?” Adam interjected. “Although I’ve suddenly realised that you may already have arrangements with your family.”

“Do
n’t you two worry,” said Amanda. “I’ve alerted the family to this possibility and we’re all going back to my flat for a meal. Gran phoned me yesterday to finalise the arrangements.”

“
Well, thanks for telling me,” said Karen indignantly. “You knew I was worried. I’m beginning to think that Gran has been a prime mover in all of this from the very beginning. I just wonder about the sudden necessity for her to sit in the Australian sun while I shivered in her studio. It was all a bit too convenient.”

The rest of the family joined them and renewed their acquaintance with Adam. Gran, he greeted with a kiss on each cheek and a wink.

Karen gave her grandmother a hug and whispered in her ear, “You are an old fraud. But thank you. Thank you very much.”

Her grandmother snorted and tried to look innocent,
“What me? Humphrey, by the way, sends you a big lick.”

After her family left, Adam waited with Karen until the last guest left the gallery. Vincent Morrow came over to tell her how pleased was with the sales and congratulated Adam on his fine purchase.

“So
where are we going for dinner?” asked Karen as they stepped into the cool night air. She shivered and buttoned her jacket. Adam put his arm around her shoulders.

“
I’ve reserved a waterside table for us at a quality establishment,” he said. “I hope you’ll like it. I’m rather fond of it myself, especially the owner. He’s a really nice chap.”

Adam waved down a black cab and helped Karen in. She sat back and gave a sigh of relief.

“I’m so glad that’s over,” she said.

“
I haven’t said anything about your work,” said Adam. “I bought the portrait you did of me because I didn’t want it out of the family. But I’m going back to look at the rest when the gallery’s a little less crowded. I want an original Karen Packer in every room.”

As the cab swept through Regents Park, Karen wondered where the promised waterside restaurant could be. Could it be that floating Chinese restaurant near the zoo, she wondered. But they sped past the brightly lit boat and then turned into a little square. She did not see any sign of a restaurant. It looked like a residential area. She waited on the pavement while Adam paid the driver.

“
Are you sure this is the right place?” she asked.

““
Yes,” he said pushing open a wrought iron gate. He steered her up the path to the shiny red door of a square white Georgian house. The front of the house was covered in pale pink clematis.

Adam took a key from his pocket and Karen clicked.
“It’s your house, isn’t it? she said. “I can’t believe how dumb I’ve been.”

Adam ushered her into the hall and helped her out of her coat.
“I promised you a table for two by the water so come and see.”

He took her hand and led her through to the dining room. A square high-ceilinged room with two sets of
French doors opening on to a narrow balcony with an ornate wrought iron balustrade. In front of one of the windows a table was laid for two. Karen went to the window and looked down; below she could see the reflected lamplight shimmering on the black water of the canal.

“
Would you like to see the rest of the house or would you like to eat first?” asked Adam.

“
I’m too wound up to eat yet.”

“
Right then. Come on, I’ll show you round.”

They started at the top of the house which was a huge unfinished loft space lit not only by windows but by a glass cupola.

“What an amazing space!” said Karen.

“
I especially hoped this would appeal to you. It has always seemed to me to be the perfect room for a studio. You might prefer to work away from the house,” Adam did not finish.

Karen said,
“You’re right it would make a marvellous studio. Most painters would give anything for a space like this.”

“
But you’re not sure that you would want it? You’re evading the issue again, Karen.”

“Me
? What about you? I didn’t hear a word from you in nearly three months except some bloody postcards. What was I supposed to think? You didn’t phone. Though I gather from Morgan you were in constant communication, and I quote.” The anguish of the last months all came tumbling out. She had felt hurt and bewildered by his seeming indifference.

“
You’re really upset. I had no idea. I thought you wanted time and space to think and to finish your show. You’ve always been so independent and you were so determined to let nothing interfere with your painting. I only did what I thought you wanted. You could have called me if you had wanted to. Morgan always knew where to get hold of me, you only had to ask her.”

“M
organ! Well, she would have. Does she have a key to this house too?”

“
You can’t be jealous of Morgan. It would be like me being jealous of Amanda or your grandmother.... or Humphrey! Morgan is a part of my life but you are all of my life. Oh, Karen. I’m sorry. I’ve made a mess of this. The last thing I wanted was for you to be unhappy, for even a moment.”

Karen
couldn’t help but be convinced about his relationship to Morgan. He was so clearly surprised that she should think that it was anything other than friendship. Still, he had never actually told her that he loved her. He was presuming rather a lot or did he want a platonic marriage based on friendship. It wasn’t the sort of marriage she wanted. She had never thought about marriage until she had met Adam. It was all or nothing. She did not want any half measures.

“Th
ere’s something else bothering you. Or are you still convinced that I’m desperately and secretly in love with Morgan?” Adam took Karen by the shoulders and looked into her eyes as if to pry the truth from her.

There was no escaping his gaze.
“That’s just it. You’ve never said you love me.” There. It was out. She might as well grasp the nettle now.

“
But you know I love you. Everything I have done since I met you shows that I love you. I’m in love with you and I love you and I like you. How could you think otherwise? Morgan guessed right away, when she saw us together. Your grandmother knew. Are you the only one who doesn’t? For a painter, you are surprisingly lacking in vision.” Adam bent his head down and kissed her.

When she had time to breathe, Karen whispered shakily,
“You are always joking... about bedrooms, rings, marriage... I never know when you’re serious.”

“Speaking
of bedrooms. I want you to come and see the rooms in question.” Adam took Karen’s hand and eagerly led the way downstairs.

A broad hallway opened into four bedrooms. Adam opened the nearest door. It was a beautiful room with huge sash windows overl
ooking the canal and the garden. It had a polished wide board floor and because it was completely white it looked enormous. Adam went in and opened another door into the bathroom which led through to a similar bedroom on the other side overlooking the square below as well as the canal.

“
As you can see they’re completely white, like a blank canvas, waiting for your instructions. You can do what you want or you can always get in a decorator if you’re too busy. I don’t want you to feel that it’s my house. I want you to feel equal.”

Karen was overwhelmed by it all. The man she loved was offering her himself and a home with a studio for her to continue painting in. She felt as though she was in a dream from which she would suddenly be rudely awakened.

They went back into the hall. Adam opened the door into another bedroom.

“Th
is is where I’m sleeping now,” he said.

Karen looked round at the comfortably furnished room dominated by the huge king-size bed. Over the bed there was a small painting. She moved closer. It was the water colour of the Cove that she had bought for him in St Ives. On the bedside table, in a leather frame, was a picture of herself in her dressing gown sitting in the wicker chair in front of the window.
”

Adam followed her gaze,
“That’s my travelling companion. I take her with me wherever I go. So, do you want to bounce on my bed?” Adam teased. “We can jump up and down, no one is looking.”

Karen was tempted. It was an awfully big springy looking bed.

“No more time wasting, Miss Packer.” With one swift movement Adam picked Karen up and dumped her unceremoniously in the middle of the bed. Before she could move he lay down next to her and took her face between his hands. There was no mistaking the need and the passion as his hungry lips sought hers. Karen felt her body respond as her whole being opened up beneath his touch. His hands caressed her waist and hips in their black silk sheath.

He groaned and said into her hair,
“It’s a beautiful dress.” He reached for the zip at her back and with one hand deftly unzipped her and slipped it off.

Karen unbuttoned his shirt and as skin touched skin Adam shivered
in ecstasy. Adam unsnapped her black lace bra and moved his hands to hold her breasts. Karen’s nipples throbbed and only found relief as he moved to take each tender point in his mouth. She ran her nails up and down his strong muscular back and then her hands cupped his manhood.

This time there would be no holding back. They had waited for each other and the fire of their mutual need burned now unchecked. Adam shrugged off the last of his clothes and pulled her to him. He carefully rolled down her tights, bending to kiss the soft smooth
skin of her inner thighs. Only her black wispy pants remained. He slipped a finger under the elastic and sought her moistness. Karen groaned and pressed her body against his, feeling the hard evidence of his need for her.

He reached for her hand and pulled it down to below his taught stomach and gasped as she ran her fingers along his
taut length. “Now do you have any doubts about how I feel about you?” he managed to whisper.

Karen smiled as he leant back and removed the last barrier of clothing between them. She wanted him with every fibre of her being. So much that it was almost painful. His hand moved down to bring some measure of relief to the throbbing
centre of her desire. She felt his strong fingers explore the warm wetness until they found the nub of her. She cried out as he found the right rhythm of his gentle stroking.

“
No, not like this!” Karen said. “I want all of you.” She pulled him down towards her clasping his buttocks in her hands.

“
Are you sure?”

In response Karen pulled him closer and wrapped her legs around his thighs. Adam was lost.

“Oh, God! You’re so beautiful, Karen.” He entered her and moved slowly back and forth.

Karen was driven wild by the
deliberate tempo of his movements. She urged him on with frenzied caresses of his back and thighs. He responded to the answering movement of her thighs with increasing vigour as they crescendoed together in an explosion of pure physical satisfaction. Her whole body convulsed.

With a shuddering groan he
came, satisfied at last, and fell limp against her soft shaking warm body.

After they had shared a long hot shower made longer by a surge of desire, Karen put on Adam’s dressing gown. Adam pulled on some shorts and a sweater.

“
I think you need a drink, and something to eat. Then, we can discuss arrangements for the wedding. I was hoping for June, how about you? Or, if that’s too long, we can get married next week.”

They didn
’t sit by the window in the dining room. By the time they had gone down to Adam’s huge cosy kitchen and Karen had sat at the pine table watching Adam make scrambled eggs and fry some bacon and tomatoes, it didn’t seem worth bothering. Karen felt as though she had come home. As they ate they argued back and forth about a suitable date for the wedding.

“
I suppose mum and dad would like me to get married from home. On the other hand, they’ve got Amanda’s wedding this spring. I don’t know if I could stand the endless fussing about lists and flowers and arrangements. It’s even driving Amanda mad. Everyone is falling out with everyone else,” said Karen.

“
How about we get married in Cornwall? We could have the reception. No, cancel reception, make that a party, at my house. Your family can stay with your grandmother and we can put up the overflow at the Trelawney Hotel. It’s a not the Ritz but it’s clean and comfortable.” Adam continued, “In fact, I might just rent the whole place. You must have lots of friends you’d like to help us celebrate and I have a few myself.”