Restoration (11 page)

He grinned and pulled her up to him. His arms went around her and he brought his lips to her neck. She wanted to lean into him, revel in the feeling of his skin on hers, but couldn’t bear it at that moment. His fingers drifted across her jaw and paused.

“I think we can test it later. I need a shower right now. You didn’t give me enough time to clean up this morning. I feel nasty.”

“I think you’re lovely. But go if you must,” he said, pouting slightly as he let her pull away from him.

Bathroom
was not the right word to describe the spa-like setting Grace walked into. The floor was
tile, but surprisingly warm on her naked toes.

Heated floors . . . nice. I wonder if the rest of the rooms are like this?

The shower was big enough for two people, encased in thick panes of glass with a sliding door. It was equipped with showerheads on each side. Across the room sat a deep, egg-shaped soaking tub and an honest-to-God fainting couch. She opted for a steaming shower and made plans with the tub and a bottle of wine for later.

As she stepped into the hot spray of water, she felt her muscles instantly relax. Her shoulders carried all of her tension and she could feel the knots release as the water poured over her body.

What is the matter with me? He’s not John. He is Drew, a completely different person. I can’t ignore him the whole time we’re here.

She felt anxiety bloom in her chest as her heart argued with her head.

He’s not John, but he might as well be. Why haven’t I told him yet?

She grabbed for a washcloth and looked around for the soap. The suite was equipped with a variety of bath products, all located outside of the shower. Shower creams, bubble baths, bath oils, and body butter graced the vanity counter. Dripping wet, she stepped out and chose a delicious shower cream that smelled of orange blossoms. She was in the midst of gathering shampoo and conditioner when Drew walked in.

His eyes went wide as he saw her naked form. “Sorry, sorry,” he said, backing up and averting his eyes.

“It’s fine. Not like you haven’t seen it before.”

She stepped back under the spray of water and closed the door. She watched him through the glass as she soaped up her body. He was naked from the waist up and the muscles in his chest flexed and moved as he set out his toiletries. She noticed the slight puckering of a scar on his right side, a silvery sheen over the skin.
Appendix maybe?
Her eyes drifted to the defined muscles of his abdomen and up the planes of his chest. Their eyes met in the mirror. Drew bit his lip and dropped his gaze. Her mouth went dry and she slid open the door.

“Would you give me a hand? I can’t reach to wash my shoulders and back.”

He smiled wickedly and quickly let his pants pool to the floor. “Love to.”

His hands were cold as he ran them up and down her body. She squeaked out an unintelligible sound of protest and retreated under the spray of hot water. Turning around, she handed him the soapy washcloth. He smoothed it across her back and down around her hips.

“Done.”

His voice rumbled against her ear, the rasp of it combined with the scrape of his stubble on her skin made her shiver. The cloth dropped to the tile floor with a loud smack. His hands gripped her hips and he pulled her to him so she could feel his length pressing against the small of her back.

“Thanks,” she whispered.

His hands moved from her hips down to her thighs, massaging and traveling toward her center. She turned around, shaking her head. Washing her hair slowly, she was aware as he watched her movements. His eyes were intensely focused on her and he was clearly frustrated. She smiled at him, turned around, and bent down to pick up the soapy washcloth.

“You’re dirty. Let me wash you.”

She moved the cloth across his chest and farther down, following the line of dark hair that led to his obvious arousal. Her fingers were covered in soap and she dropped the cloth as she grasped him with both hands. A sharp breath escaped him and his eyes rolled back in his head as she moved her hands up and down him slowly, squeezing as she traveled. Abruptly, she removed her hands and let the water cascade over him, washing the soap from his body. A slight whimper came from his lips.

“Close your eyes,” she said, dropping to her knees and taking him in hand again.

“Grace.”

His knees trembled as she stroked him and they almost gave out when she placed her lips around him and took him in her mouth slowly.

“Oh, Christ,” he muttered as he shot his hand out against the wall to hold himself up. His breath came in short gasps.

She continued her attentions, proud of the reaction she was able to evoke.

“I’m gonna . . . Grace . . . stop,” he warned, trying to pull away.

She grabbed his hips and held him in place. She heard a loud groan as he reached his release. She’d never done this with anyone. It had always seemed so dirty. But for some reason, with Drew she was turned on. When she was sure he was spent, she pulled away. He slid down to his knees and pulled her to him under the cascading water.

“That was fantastic,” he murmured against her forehead, eyes heavy and clearly satisfied.

“You’re welcome.” She smiled, happy with herself as she stood and got out of the shower, wrapping up in a fluffy white towel.

“Wait, wait. Where are you going? It’s your turn.”

“Consider it an IOU. I’ll cash it in later.”

She dressed quickly in a pair of jeans and a white long-sleeved shirt. She couldn’t believe her brazen attitude. The thrill of being totally in control, of knowing what she could do to him, was liberating. Her hair was still wet so she swooped it up into a high ponytail and applied a light powder to her face.

Drew came out of the shower still looking dreamy-eyed and sated. His hair was dripping and water beaded on his shoulders. She watched as he toweled off and dressed, his careful selection of clothing not escaping her notice.

As he selected his socks, he gave each one a squeeze. She would have found this behavior strange if John hadn’t always done the exact same thing, making sure they were the same thickness. She used to tease him about it every time they dressed together.

Stop it. They are not the same.
She chastised herself for taking this intimate moment and making it about John. Her heart clenched when Drew’s eyes locked on hers and his face broke into a broad smile.

“So, what shall we do today?” he asked.

“You’ve been here before. How about you play Scottish tour guide?”

“Aye, lassie, ye cannae pick a better guide than me,” Drew said with an over-exaggerated Scottish burr.

She giggled and collected her purse while he finished dressing. “Oh, good. I’ve always dreamt of having my own personal Highlander. Where to first?”

Chapter 12

The sun hung low in the sky when Grace and Drew stepped out of the hotel and onto the bustling streets of Edinburgh. Fall was giving up the fight to winter and the air was crisp, almost cutting in the wind. She zipped up her coat to her chin and tucked her hands into her pockets as she braced herself against the chill.

“Cold?” He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her close.

Trees were shedding their fall foliage along the sidewalk in piles that crunched under their feet as the two of them walked along slowly. She let her eyes wander over the deep-green rolling hills, scattered with historic sites and tourist attractions.

Edinburgh was an astounding city. The beauty of blending modern and historic architecture was something that was missing from American design.

“You’re smiling like a loon, love.”

“I’m in awe. A place like this is so perfect for me. Structures that are four-hundred-and-fifty years old are standing tall next to brand new modern buildings.”

She gestured to the city around them. “America is so young, we don’t have this.”

As they walked up the Royal Mile toward Edinburgh Castle, she took her hand out of her pocket and fitted it into his larger one.

“Thank you for this.” She looked up at him, feeling a cascade of emotion course through her.

He smiled in answer and squeezed her hand.

“Edinburgh is a special place for me. I’d planned to take you to a few more places today but um, we were slightly . . . delayed.”

Her face heated as a blush crept onto her cheeks. “Yes. Yes, we were.” She cleared her throat. “So, why is this place so special?”

“This is where my parents adopted me.” He looked around. “Well, not right here. But in Edinburgh.”

Her heart flipped at the mention of his adoption. “So, you’re a Scot, then?”

“Aye,” he said. “And ye better watch yerself, lass.”

She sidled up closer to him. “Did I ever tell you I’ve got a thing for Scots?” She smiled wickedly. “Do you wear a kilt?”

He grinned and they continued on the path. During their tour of the famous castle, she stopped frequently to take photos. Drew chuckled as she snapped pictures of the design elements rather than the typical touristic photo opportunities.

It took over two hours for them to see the entirety of the castle, and by the time they were back on the Royal Mile, Grace was starved. She could smell food cooking at the nearby restaurants and it made her mouth water. A glance at her phone told her it was early evening. No wonder she was so hungry.

“Food?” he asked, tipping his head toward a small pizzeria tucked away between two larger restaurants.

“Pizza? Really?”

“Trust me. Best pizza in Scotland.”

He was right; the crust was thin and broke like a cracker in her mouth. She ate half of a pizza by herself before she remembered Drew was there.

“This is so good.” She smiled and reached for her wine.

“You like pizza I take it?” He chuckled.

“There’s a very good reason I run so much. I love food.”

“Oh, good. I figured we’d save the haggis for tomorrow.”

She blanched slightly at the thought of eating sheep’s organs. Drew burst out laughing when he caught sight of her expression.

“Maybe we’ll save that one for the next holiday?”

Nodding, she took a large drink from her wine glass. She let the rich liquid sit on her tongue and savored the flavor as it passed over her taste buds. “This is good wine.”

He nodded and filled his glass. “Enjoying Edinburgh?”

“Oh, yes! It’s amazing. I mean, I traveled a lot when I was studying, but never got to spend much time in the UK. I was mostly in France and Rome. I’ve always wanted to come here.”

“What kept you from traveling after college?”

“Oh, John was never able to leave work for long. It wasn’t that he never had time off, he just didn’t like to go away for long trips, in case there was an emergency. He was very dedicated to his job. You know, saving people.”

Drew cast his eyes down at his wine. “I see.”

“What about you? You said you’ve been here many times. What’s your favorite place in Edinburgh?” she interjected, eager to change the subject.

“Well . . .” He rubbed at the back of his neck absently. “There are so many places worth seeing. I suppose if I were to come here on my own, it’d be for the scotch. This is
the
best place in the world for it.”

“Let’s go taste some,” she offered as she polished off the last slice of pizza.

“Really? You don’t strike me as a scotch drinker.”

“Actually, I’m not. I think I’ve tried it once. I guess if I’m going to try it again, this is where I should do it.”

He cocked one eyebrow and took her hand. “You’re fantastic.”

Grace and Drew walked side by side down the streets of Edinburgh, pausing to watch the sun set behind the castle. She was warm from the scotch tastings they’d just finished.

“I’m really surprised that I actually enjoyed drinking scotch.”

“Mmm, it’s sort of an acquired taste, isn’t it?”

“I like the way it leaves me all warm and fuzzy.”

“I like the sound of that,” he said, pulling her to him and nuzzling her neck.

He was actually quite the scotch aficionado. She enjoyed watching him taste each variety. He spent a lot of time inspecting the amber liquid and smelling the strong aroma before taking a sip. She noticed the way his throat worked as he swallowed and found herself wanting to collect the droplets of liquid that remained on his lips with her own.

The walk back to the hotel was calming and helped her focus on things other than his mouth. Fuzzy from the alcohol, she felt like she couldn’t trust herself around him. It was becoming increasingly difficult to remember they’d only known each other a few short months. His resemblance to John made it hard to feel like he was new to her life.

The chill in the air had become more noticeable and she shivered under her light coat. He wrapped his arm around her and pulled her gently toward the hotel. She snuggled in closely to his body and sighed.

“Tired?” he asked as they walked up the steps to the hotel lobby.

“A little. I was just thinking.”

“About?”

“My life up until now.”

Drew tensed and stopped at their door. He moved away slightly and reached in his pocket for the key.

She felt the loss of him acutely.

“Things are just so different.”

“Good different, I hope.” His voice came through softly.

“Yes, but I’m having a hard time keeping my perspective.”

His eyebrow raised in question.

“It’s just, we’re moving so quickly into something that seems serious. I don’t know what I’m supposed to do. What’s right, you know? I hadn’t been on a single date since John.”

“I see.” He raked his fingers through his hair. “I’m sorry. This trip was too soon.”

She watched, disheartened to see a blank mask cover his face.

He opened the door to their room and walked over to the ornate desk under the window. He kept his back to her as he emptied his pockets and removed his shoes.

She immediately regretted her words. She walked over to where he stood and wrapped her arms around his waist, leaning against his back.

“That’s not what I meant. I’m so glad I’m here, and with you. I just come with a lot of baggage.”

He turned to face her and pulled her to his chest. He set his chin on top of her head and took a deep breath.

“Me, too.”

The weather was beautiful as the sky pre
pared for the sun to rise the next morning. Dark, blue-velvet coloring faded to a lighter blue, then gave way to a slightly golden hue at the horizon when Grace looked out the window.

It was six o’clock and most of the world was still asleep, but her eyes had popped open at five-thirty. Her mind was running a million miles an hour. She laced up her running shoes and tucked in her earbuds while Drew snored quietly. She needed some time to work through her confusion and running was the best way to think uninterrupted. She closed the door to their room as quietly as possible and headed out into the calm of the morning.

The streets were near empty, the only traffic on the road was early morning runners like her. She turned on her music and started off in the direction of Holyrood Park. Her heart was racing as she set her pace and synced her breaths to her gait. She needed to settle her mind and get a good rhythm if she was going to enjoy her run.

As she turned a corner and approached the park, she began to feel more serene and sure of herself. Her legs stretched and moved smoothly; her feet hitting the pavement a familiar and friendly feeling. As she ran, her thoughts drifted to the situation she found herself in with Drew. His revelation about being adopted had struck a chord. Though John had never said anything about being adopted, that would explain everything.

She felt at war with herself. She’d told Drew about John, but left out a key piece of information. Now that things between them were starting to become solid and meaningful, she knew it needed to be said. Finding out from anyone but her would end in disaster. She could tell just from his body language that John was a sensitive topic. Drew tensed at any mention of John’s name. Imagining how he would react to the news that they were practically identical put her stomach in knots.

I can’t tell him until I’m sure. Not until I know why they look so alike. I’ve got details of his adoption; Scotland at age eight weeks. Now I just need to get the Oliver family to talk. I can Skype Marianne next week. God, what a conversation that’s going to be.

As she ran and mulled over the possibility of John and Drew being brothers, thoughts of the day John died flashed in her head. She’d been in the middle of packing up her bedroom, preparing to move in with him, when her phone had rung and she heard Marianne’s barely intelligible voice on the other end telling her John had been killed in an explosion.

The memory was still painful, but somehow not as sharp. Now that Drew was a part of her life, it became bittersweet, dulled by the mystery of their likeness.

Her heart pounded in her ears and she was drenched in sweat as she rounded the corner that would take her back to the hotel. Holyrood Park was much hillier than she was used to, and, as she climbed the stairs to the top of Arthur’s Seat, her legs burned. She stood at the top of the cliff and stared at the scenery before her. She could see the entirety of Old Town, all the way to Edinburgh Castle. The town was bathed in early morning sunlight, casting a golden glow over the buildings.

Her four-and-a-half-mile run should’ve been a piece of cake; instead it ended up taking her over an hour because of the unfamiliar terrain. As she caught sight of the hotel, she slowed, her muscles trembling slightly from over-use.

How am I going to face him?

She reached the steps and took a moment to stretch her hamstrings before heading up to her room. The lock clicked quietly and she walked into the smell of coffee brewing and the sound of the shower running. She sat on the bed and took off her running shoes and sighed in relief when she was able to stretch her toes.

Drew came out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped low around his waist.

“Morning, love,” he said with a sleepy smile on his face.

“Morning.”

“Where’d you run to, then?”

“Holyrood Park.”

“Ah. Up to the top of Arthur’s seat?” His smile was mischievous when she nodded. “You’re going to need a hot soak in the tub. I’ve done that once. Arthur’s seat is a rough run, but the view is spectacular. I’ll go out and bring us some proper breakfast while you soak.”

She was about to protest, but could already feel her muscles stiffening. “All right. Thanks.”

“Next time, wake me up. I’d love to run with you. Much better than breaking my neck looking out for you all the time.”

She poured herself a cup of coffee, padded into the bathroom, and started the water in the tub, setting her mug carefully on the windowsill. She stripped her clothes and jumped in the shower for a quick wash.

While she was massaging her scalp with shampoo, her thoughts turned to Drew in the shower with her the day before. Her breath came quicker and a dull ache began between her legs. She ran her soapy hands down her body and over her breasts.

“Grace? How do you take your eg—” He stopped and stared at her, open-mouthed. His eyes changed from questioning to burning in an instant.

She realized her hands were still on her breasts. She quickly moved them and finished rinsing her body and hair.

“Over medium.” She stepped out of the shower and grabbed a towel.

“What?” he asked, eyes still locked on her.

“I like my eggs over medium.”

He shook his head. “Right. Right, I’ll just . . . I’ll be back.” His voice was hoarse as he tried desperately to avert his gaze.

Grace laughed. “I’ll be here.”

She reached out and grabbed the sleeve of his jacket. “Don’t take too long.” She rose on her tiptoes to kiss him lightly before turning toward the steaming bathtub.

The tension in her muscles eased slowly as she soaked in the hot water. She sipped her coffee and tried not to think about the glaring reasons she should not be with Drew.

I can’t keep seeing him. What will they think back home? I know what they’ll think. They’ll say I’m twisted. That I’m dishonoring John.

Then there was her heart, aching to see him even now and feel his arms around her.

She pulled the plug and let the water drain as she rose and toweled off.

The rest of their day consisted of sightseeing. Drew took her to see St. Giles Cathedral, the Palace of Holyrood House, and they even found time to rent a couple of bicycles and ride around Edinburgh. As they sat together at a café outside of Edinburgh Castle, enjoying a light dinner, she listened to him talk animatedly about his family and their past vacations in Scotland.

“My parents brought me here each summer for at least a week. They liked to keep me connected, I suppose.” His eyes crinkled at the corners as he smiled.