The House at the Bottom of the Hill (27 page)

‘You’re making those little noises,’ he said. ‘Those sighs.’

Making noises with him? Already? She hadn’t realised. ‘Sorry.’

‘The breathy ones,’ he said, butterfly kissing her throat. ‘The ones I like best.’

Well, if he liked them, maybe it was okay to keep sighing them, because she didn’t think she’d be able to hold them inside her.

‘I want you on the bed, sweetheart.’ He pushed her gently backwards until the back of her knees hit the mattress.

Charlotte allowed her body to sink to his bed. He’d called her sweetheart. What did that mean? And how did she feel about it?

He kicked his shoes off and undid the belt on his jeans, then the stud and the zip.

Charlotte drank in the sight of his abdominal muscles and then his chest as he pulled his white T-shirt up and over his head. A man made for loving. Body tanned, muscles defined. He discarded the trousers then bent to the dumbbell rack he used as a bedside table. He took what he needed from a box and slipped it on, his body already hardened and obliging.

Charlotte sighed at the glory of him as he lowered himself carefully on top of her, kissing her lips. ‘I like this part.’

So did Charlotte.

‘I love undressing you.’ He pushed the cardigan off her shoulders. ‘Seeing your flesh appear.’ He threw the cardigan to the floor. ‘I missed you.’ Everything about him sent waves of familiarity over her; the scent of his body, the heat he threw off.

‘Now this.’ He lifted the hem of her singlet, his fingers caressing her midriff. His thumbs brushed over her breasts.

Charlotte raised her arms over her head and allowed him to pull the singlet off.

‘Very nice underwear. But I’m going to remove it.’

Oh, God, yes please.

The warm smile in his eyes danced over her as he undid her bra, slid it from beneath her and sent it to the floor with a flick of his wrist. He undressed her, unhurried, taking his time to kiss each part of her body as her shorts, her pants and then her running shoes flew to the floor.

You couldn’t get any closer to a person than this, she thought. They were breathing into each other, skin fusing where it touched, with a sensual current.

‘Touch me, Charlotte. Put your hands on me.’

A wall of masculine strength, his perfect upper body raised from hers. She ran her hands from his shoulders to his tightened pectoral muscles and down to his waist. Then she gripped his arms, curling her fingers into biceps that didn’t budge beneath the pressure.

‘Alright?’ he asked.

Charlotte nodded.

He took her hand in his, raised it to his mouth and kissed her palm. ‘You’re so soft. I love your skin.’ He kissed her mouth, his lips open and warm. His clean-shaven cheekbones slid over hers and their noses clashed as they fought for satisfaction.

He ran his fingertips over her face then pressed his thumb against her mouth. Her lips parted under the slight pressure. His gaze moved over her features, down to her shoulders, to her breasts, her waist and to her hips.

Something about the way he was behaving, the way he was treating her, sent ripples of astonishment through her.

‘I thought you wanted to talk,’ she whispered.

‘We are talking.’

Charlotte tried to regain some balance, wanting time to speed up so that she reached the spine-tingling moment of release, while at the same time, fascinated by the rising anticipation he created in her.

‘I like this part of you.’ He took her face in his hands and kissed her forehead. ‘And this part.’ Her cheek, then her mouth. She tilted her chin so he could reach her throat. His hands moved down her body and cupped her hips, moving to between her thighs. ‘And especially here.’

Oh, my God! She rose to his touch and arched as his fingers brushed her.

‘Am I getting this right?’

She nodded, unable to speak.

‘You’re raising my temperature, Charlotte.’

His? Hers was off the scale. ‘My heart’s thumping …’

‘I feel it.’

‘Yours isn’t.’

‘It will, I promise you.’ He smiled at her. ‘This isn’t going to be over soon. I’m going to take my time with you.’

Wow. This was some chat.

Up until now their love-making had been a game. Filled with sexual fervour, yes, but a still a friendship game. They’d had fun, had laughed and teased during and after. This felt consummate.

‘Stay with me. I’ve only just got started.’

She’d do her best.

He slid his body down hers, slowly and deliberately feasting, and up again, covering her. She knew how every part of her body felt beneath his lips.

‘Now my heart’s thumping,’ he said, looking into her eyes.

‘I feel it.’

Where was the jocular dialogue they used to get themselves into sex and out of it? Those words smoothed the way for each, until they got dressed, kissed briefly and said goodbye. Without them she didn’t know what to do next because she felt so much passion; it outweighed lust about twenty to one. What
was
this?

‘Are you ready?’

She’d been ready for what seemed like hours. She tugged him to her, willing him to do it.

He took her slow and steady. Cradling her yet sculpting himself against her. Her skin burned and her mind went into a frenzy as delirious shockwaves engulfed her. Full-bodied sensations from slow, deliciously tantalising sex sank into her muscles and her bones. He smelled so Goddamned wonderful. If desire had an aroma, Daniel wore it and the fragrance enveloped the air, wrapping them both. Their limbs were tangled and warmed from their energy. Her legs were around his hips, pulling him in further. His arm anchored her body, hand at the base of her tingling spine, holding her and leading her.

‘Daniel …’

‘I know.’

He knew how to wind her up and keep her there. How and when to let her down. Oh, please let that be soon.

He curled his fingers in her hair, fastening her to him as he moved her towards the moment. Their eyes held. She wanted him physically and emotionally and in a split second she recognised the same want in him. ‘Now we’re running,’ he said, his voice low and his words devoted only to her. ‘Run with me, Charlotte.’

To hell with running, Charlotte’s blood galloped through her veins.

Pressed together, holding onto each other, moving in unison Charlotte felt, for the first time in her life, the joy when two people shared the moment. Coming together heightened the feelings and the release. It tightened the bond between two bodies willingly joined in mind-blowing physical exertion, leaving her overwhelmed, dazzled and breathless.

She stared at the ceiling and the little bubbles of flaked paint around the lighting fixture as her breathing relaxed. Daniel lay over her, his head buried next to hers in the pillow. No movement from either of them yet—they were all sighed out—but this time, there were no soft jibes at each other either.

Eventually, he lifted from her. He laced her fingers with his and kissed her.

‘Daniel, we … I mean, we, you know—at the same time.’

‘Yeah, and that’s normally something people have to work on.’ He kissed the tip of her nose. ‘The timing thing.’

‘Yeah,’ she agreed with a nod. ‘We must have pushed a button, or something.’ It had never happened to her before and she hadn’t expected such powerful sensations.

‘The passion button,’ he said, a Hotshot smile so wide on his handsome face, she knew that he was filled with the same infinite gratification at what they’d achieved as she was.

Wow. So this was the aftermath of extreme pleasure. It left her feeling emotionally shattered.

Dan shrugged into his T-shirt as Charlotte stepped into her running shorts. He snuck a glance at her. He usually hid his interest in how she got dressed. Didn’t want to embarrass her. She seemed to prefer it that way, although any number of times he’d wanted to hug the breath out of her and thank her for making him feel so … whole. On this occasion he was almost ready to get down on his knees and ask her to move in with him.

‘We’ve got the party Friday night,’ he said.

‘I know. Julia’s booked solid all day.’ Her mouth curled in a smile. ‘I think Mrs J wants fancy treatments—probably to impress Ray the farmer. I only just managed to get a late appointment so I can posh myself up.’

‘I was wondering, Charlotte …’ He watched her slide the tight singlet over her head and shoulders. ‘If perhaps you’d like to come with me. As my date.’

She looked across the room at him. Her mouth opened. Her fingers held the hem of the singlet. ‘You’re asking me on a date?’

Given the long pause, Dan didn’t feel he had to repeat himself. He nodded.

‘Wow,’ she said softly, eyes widening at him.

‘
Wow
good or
wow
bad?’

She went back to the singlet, pulling it down over her bare midriff. ‘Actually, Daniel …’

Dan’s heartbeat skipped.
Actually, Daniel
… Here it came. A negative. ‘Yeah?’ he asked, his throat thickened.

‘I was thinking perhaps we ought to back off for a bit.’

‘Really?’
Why
? The unspoken word burned in his mouth.

She lifted her face, hands resting at her sides. ‘It’s a little tricky now that I have Grandy at the house.’

He shrugged and slid his hands into his jeans’ pockets. ‘It’s not sneaky if we come clean.’

She shook her head. ‘Not a good idea.’

‘Why not?’

She sat on his bed, picked up her sneakers and slid her foot into one. ‘Let’s wait until I’ve got the committee on my side, shall we?’

‘So that’s not a definite no?’

She let out a bewildered-sounding laugh, then slipped her other sneaker over her red-painted toenails and onto her foot. ‘Please don’t push it. Please.’ She looked up suddenly.

Dan smiled. ‘Have you gone shy on me, Red?’

She returned his smile, warmth on her cheeks. ‘A bit.’

‘Sorry. Forget I asked.’ He moved to the end of the bed and picked up her sports cardigan. ‘Come here, then. Let me do the gentlemanly thing and help you with your coat.’

She stood and turned her back to him, sliding her arms into the sleeves of the cardigan he held out. Dan unclenched his fingers from the soft material and slid his hands down her arms. Maybe he’d try again later, when she’d had time to think about his offer. Hell, when
he’d
had time to think about it. He’d extended a romantic offer her way and she’d refused.

‘Hey,’ he said as she ran her fingers through her hair, neatening it from the tumble his hands had left it in. ‘Got a few ideas about the tourist thing you were talking about.’

‘Oh?’ Interest sparked in her features.

‘Yeah.’ He pushed his hands into his pockets again. ‘I was thinking we might see what we can come up with at the party. You know … chat to a few people about what they’d like in town and what they wouldn’t.’

‘I’ve got a few ideas too.’

‘Great.’ He headed for the bedroom door, unlocked it and held it open. ‘Let me get you a coffee, see if we can hatch some plans for this quaint old town of ours.’

‘Good idea. I’ll switch the machine on while you put your shoes on.’ She looked over her shoulder. ‘I don’t fancy a run now.’ She walked into the corridor. ‘I probably look like I’ve been for one anyway.’

Dan stuck his feet into his sneakers and laced them. So she didn’t want to be with him while Grandy was living at the B&B. It would take up to two weeks to get the gear to fix Grandy’s farmhouse. Dan wasn’t sure he could take another two days without Charlotte, let alone two weeks. And he wasn’t talking about being in bed with her. He meant
with
her. Next to her, laughing with her, touching her. Just …
with
her.

He followed her into the empty bar. ‘Okay.’ He pulled the portafilter from the coffee machine as Charlotte settled onto a bar stool. ‘One flat white coming up.’
And don’t draw a heart in the froth
. But he wanted to draw two hearts, intertwined. Man, what was happening here?

He packed the ground beans into the filter. Maybe she’d said no to a date because of everything that was going on with her. Everything Dan didn’t understand. He had to know what had happened to her and the only way he could do that was to drag the internet one more time. And how would that make him feel? Like a damned traitor.

C
harlotte turned to Grandy at the open door of the Town Hall, her arm tucked in his.

‘Ready?’ he asked.

‘You look so handsome, Grandy.’

He pulled at the knot of his green tie. ‘I look like a stuffed turkey about to be carved.’

Charlotte laughed and squeezed his arm. ‘Thank you for escorting me here. I’m a bit nervous.’

‘No need. You got friends here now, you know that. And just wait until Dan sees you in that dress.’ He winked.

The warmth of the summer evening cloaked Charlotte’s bare shoulders and arms. The skirt of her vintage dress swirled around her legs and the diamantes on the bodice shone in the moonlight. Music from the jukebox Daniel had provided for the evening bubbled on the air, joining the chatter and laughter to dance down Main Street.

‘You know about Dan and me.’

‘Don’t worry, Charlotte. Not about anything. Not tonight.’

‘Sounds good.’ She had need of some freedom. A need to smile and chat and feel reasonably whole, even if only for a few hours. She stepped inside, the town’s patriarch and guest of honour at her side.

Someone turned the music down and Slim Dusty’s voice faded beneath the cheering and clapping.

‘Nonsensical,’ Grandy murmured.

Charlotte laughed. ‘Enjoy it. This is all about you.’ She stepped back and applauded along with everyone else as Grandy gave a bow.

People came forwards and shook his hand. The men slapped him on his shoulder and the women kissed his cheek. Charlotte retreated further. She smiled and nodded at those who spoke to her and felt a flush from the welcome but she longed to turn and greedily search the room for Daniel.

She glanced around the hall. Red, white and blue bunting lined the walls. The glitter-ball spun from the highest rafter. She brought her attention down and found Daniel. He stood over by the food-laden committee table, hands at his sides, staring at her. She held her breath, then nodded hello.