The Road to Her (25 page)

“Holly.” Elise looked at me with mock seriousness.

“Are you sure this is what you want?”

“The champagne?” Elise leant her head to one side and widened her eyes. “Yeah, it’s what I want.”

“Be serious.”

Without answering me, Elise unhooked her arm from mine, drained her drink, then slowly took my glass from me. She put both our glasses down on the table and took my hands in hers, then stood, pulling me to my feet, too. Still silent, she looked down at my lips then slowly lifted her gaze back up, until she was looking back at me, as if she was looking right into my soul. She was utterly mesmerising, and I was incapable of resisting her any longer.

“I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life,” she said softly.

There was a pause while we both stood looking at each other, eyes roaming over one another’s face, both of us knowing what was about to happen. Elise looked adorable and sexy and loving and vulnerable and a million other beautiful things, and I knew by the look in her eyes that she wanted me as much as I wanted her. I instinctively pulled her to me and kissed her more deeply and urgently and with more longing than I’d ever kissed anyone before, Elise all the while pressing her lips hard back onto mine, running her hands up my back, making my skin prickle against the material of my dress.

“I think you’re fabulous,” she murmured against my lips. “I want to keep you forever and ever.”

Still kissing, she pushed me backwards until I was against the wall of the lounge, then slowly—so slowly—started pulling my dress down far enough until I was able to wriggle myself out of it, lifting my feet and kicking it away to one side.

She held my arms above my head with one hand, whilst her other hand stroked my bare skin, making me catch my breath, giving me goosebumps up and down my arms. She stopped kissing me for a second and looked down at me, her eyes fixed on mine.

“You’re beautiful,” she whispered.

I freed my arms and clasped them behind Elise’s neck, closing my eyes and leaning my head back against the wall as Elise started kissing my throat and neck, then suddenly stopped. I opened an eye and glanced at her.

“Don’t stop,” I pleaded. “Please.”

“So where should I kiss you next?” Elise grinned.

I pointed to my lips. “Here would be a start,” I said.

“No, no lips allowed.” Elise brushed her finger over my lips.

“Okay,” I said, laughing. “Here?” I pointed to my collarbone and instinctively tilted my head back as Elise started kissing it, tracing her tongue over it, nibbling gently at my skin over and over again.

“Next?” she finally said, still brushing her lips over my collarbone.

A shiver ran down my back. I loved the way she was teasing me, touching me. I loved how she was kissing me, so gently and lovingly. Even though she was asking me each time, I knew that she knew exactly where to touch me and how to kiss me, and she knew just how hard or soft I wanted it, making my skin tingle and the blood rush in my ears.

I liked this game. I liked it a lot.

Before I’d had a chance to point to my neck, she was already kissing it. I felt myself getting giddier with each kiss as Elise slowly nuzzled at my skin, just below my ear, her hair falling gently against my skin.

“Next?” Elise murmured, still kissing my neck, before lifting her head and meeting my eyes. The look in her eyes was enough to nearly send me over the edge as I pointed to my stomach, laughing as Elise obediently fell to her knees. She put both hands on my hips and started running her tongue up and down my skin before moving her lips lightly over it, alternatively kissing and licking. I pressed my head back against the wall and threaded my hands into her hair, thinking that I might explode at any minute.

Finally, when I couldn’t bear it any longer, I spoke.

“Elise?”

“Mm-hmm?”

“Take me to bed.”

Chapter Twenty-five

I never believed I could ever love someone again after Grace left me. She’d taken away every ounce of trust and confidence from me, so that I really thought I’d spend the rest of my life alone. I guess that’s what being dumped does for your self-esteem, huh?

But now here I was, the morning after what had been possibly the best—and longest—night of sex I’d ever had, and I thought maybe I was going to be all right, after all. Elise had been amazing and so loving and thoughtful and caring, I thought that if I’d died right there in my bed, I’d have at least died happy.

I woke up entwined with Elise, her head in the crook of my neck, my arms wrapped round her shoulders, my leg hooked up over her hip, just cradling her like I didn’t ever want to let her go. I looked down at her, still fast asleep in my arms, hardly daring to believe she was here with me, and felt a surge of love for her. I loved that she wanted me as much as I wanted her, and that she wanted to be with me, not with or Robbie or anyone else. Just me. I brushed her hair softly away from her eyes, leaning down and kissing her forehead, tracing my fingertips up and down her bare arm, reluctantly stopping when I saw her stir. I couldn’t wait to spend every single minute of every day with her, or to fall asleep with her at night and then wake up and find her in my bed next to me, just as she was now. I wanted her totally and utterly, day after amazing day. Because she
was
amazing. And she was mine.

She began to wake up, just as I was still gazing down at her, and peered up at me through sleepy eyes. When she saw me looking at her, a smile spread across her face that was so sweet it made my heart soar. She sighed contentedly, a long, deep sigh that only comes with pure happiness, her body tensing and shaking slightly against mine as she stretched and suppressed a yawn.

“Hey,” she said, reaching over and stroking my face.

“Sleep okay?” I asked, putting my arm under the duvet and stroking her thigh.

“Eventually.” She laughed. “Someone kept me up half the night.”

She rolled onto her back, pulling the duvet up, and lay there, gazing sleepily at the ceiling. She pulled her knees up and stretched her arms out above her head, linking her fingers, pushing her hands out in front of her, and stifling another yawn.

“Last night was amazing,” I said, remembering, still lying on my side, just watching her, taking in every detail of her perfect face.

“Totally awesome.” She broke into a reminiscent sort of smile. “You’re awesome, too.”

“Do you really mean that?” I asked.

She turned and looked at me, lifting up her elbow long enough to allow me to shuffle over and nestle my head against the crook of her neck, then curled her arm round my shoulders.

“Of course I do,” Elise replied, sighing contentedly as I draped my arm across her front, idly running my fingers over her ribs and across her stomach, loving how she squirmed with pleasure every time I ran over a particularly sensitive spot on her skin. “Do you really have to ask that?”

“I’m just checking again,” I said slowly, “that you’re not having second thoughts about everything.”

“About us?” Elise asked. “No, I’m not having second thoughts.” She hesitated. “Although…”

“Although what?”

“Just that you know we have to be discreet about all this,” she said.

“I know, yes,” I said, my heart getting heavy. “You already said, and I already said I will be.”

“I’m just paranoid that someone’s going to find out.” Elise hugged me tighter. “I’m sorry.”

“How will anyone know?” I tried not to sigh audibly; I really didn’t want to be having this conversation again. Not now. “No one’s going to find out.”

“Unless someone sees me leaving your apartment later,” Elise said quietly. “After having seen me arrive last night.”

“Did you see anyone follow us, Elise?” I asked.

“No,” she replied meekly.

I propped myself up on one elbow, reaching up to push her hair from her eyes. “And since when have I ever had reporters camped outside my apartment?” I made big eyes at her. “Chill.” I thought for a moment. “And, anyway, even if anyone did see you coming here and leaving again, why would they assume we’re sleeping together?”

“True.” Elise rolled her eyes. “Ignore me,” she said. “I’m being stupid.”

I nestled myself back into the crook of her arm once more. “You are,” I said, squealing as she playfully dug her fingers into my side. “I’ve slept over at Bella’s before now—do you think people will think we’re an item?” I squealed again as she dug her fingers in harder.

“Don’t mock me,” she laughed.

“But you can see how ludicrous it sounds, can’t you?” I said, stroking her arm.

“I can,” she sighed. “Sorry.”

I looped my arm tighter around her, enjoying the warmth and feel of our entwined bodies.

“I could lie like this all day,” I whispered into her neck, my eyes getting heavy again.

We lay in silence, wrapped up tightly in each other’s arms, Elise’s chin resting on the top of my head as we dozed, listening to one another breathing softly.

“We should do something today,” I murmured. I pulled myself away and propped myself up on one elbow, ignoring Elise’s grumbles about being moved. I looked down at her, tracing a pattern on her collarbone with my fingertips. “Considering we have the day off. What do you think?” I thought for a minute, then remembered my recurring dream about being in a boat with Elise. “You know what I’d really like to do today?”

Elise shook her head.

“Take a rowing boat down the Thames,” I said.

“No,” Elise said firmly. “I don’t think so.”

“What?” I said, taken aback by her blunt reply. “Why not?”

Elise looked at me, her face serious. “Because we’ll be seen,” she said. “We’ve just been talking about discretion, Hol. What’s discreet about taking a boat down the Thames?”

“We won’t be seen!” I said. “C’mon, it’ll be fun.”

“It won’t be fun when we’re plastered all over the papers in the morning if we’re spotted,” Elise said.

I stopped tracing my finger across her skin and fell back onto the pillow, staring up at the ceiling.

“Will it always be like this?” I asked. “With you being too afraid to be seen out with me?”

“Don’t be cross with me, Hol,” Elise said. “I’m sorry.” She lay on her back beside me and stared up at the ceiling, too. “Why can’t we just hang out here all day?”

“
Hide
out here all day, you mean?” I said. “I don’t want to. I just want to spend the day with you doing something different.”

“So we spend the day here.” Elise patted the bed.

I turned my head to look at her and saw that her face was etched with anxiety.

“What exactly are you scared of?” I asked. “Okay, I was with you up to a point about not being seen creeping out of my apartment at six in the morning with last night’s clothes on, but it’s not like two co-stars are never seen out with one another, is it?” I pointed out. “We were always being seen out with one another before we actually got together. You weren’t bothered then.”

“Because back then it wouldn’t have been written all over our faces that we were a couple,” Elise said, exasperated.

“And you think it is, now?” I sank my head back onto the pillow. “We’re hardly hanging signs round our necks, are we?”

“But rowing a boat together?” Elise said. “Could that be more obvious?”

“It’s just rowing a boat, Elise,” I said. “Not making out on the top of Nelson’s Column.”

“Don’t be like this,” Elise pleaded.

“Like what?”

“Grumpy,” she said. “Argumentative. I just wanted to have an awesome day with you, that’s all.”

“So did I,” I said. “So come rowing with me! If we see any paps we’ll talk to them, tell them it was Kevin’s idea for us to be photographed together the day after the ceremony. We’ll make it out to be nothing more than a clever public relations move by the people at work.”

“And where exactly would we take this boat?” Elise asked. “And, more to the point, do you have any idea how to row one?”

“No idea,” I said. “And, uh, no idea, either! Just think about it? It’ll be fun.”

“And you think we could wing it if we were spotted?” Elise asked. “Maybe even turn it to our advantage?”

“Mm-hmm.”

Elise thought for a moment. “Okay, I’ll think about it,” she finally said, drawing me down to her and pulling the duvet over our heads. “As long as I can have some other fun while I do.”

*

“Can you at least look as if you’re enjoying yourself?” I pulled on my oar and frowned.

Elise had given the idea of taking a boat out due thought and—after much persuasion—had agreed to an afternoon of messing about on the river with me. I’d been stoked that she’d finally buckled and had agreed to come—albeit with certain limitations that she had set—so we’d hired a skiff and had set off at a slow pace down the Thames, from a small town just outside London. It was a typically temperate English day, the sort that, despite having the sun shining down, still had chilly wind that made muffling up against it crucial. It was good to be dressed casually after the dresses and heels from the night before. I was cosily secure in a hoodie, jeans, and jacket, with the warmest beanie ever pulled down over my ears. Elise looked lovely, as always, and casual in cargo pants and a big, cosy fleece. As much as I loved her when she was dressed to kill, she looked totally cute dressed down.

“I’m on edge,” Elise said, looking around her. “I can’t help it.”

“Just who’s going to recognise us anyway?” I said, looking around as the boat sliced through the water. “You’re totally unrecognisable for a start.” I waved a hand at Elise’s striped hat and matching scarf, which was wrapped up round her face.

She pulled her sunglasses down from on top of her hat and put them over her eyes, pulling them down onto her nose slightly and peering over them towards me. “I just don’t feel comfortable out here, that’s all.”

We rowed on down the river in silence, the slow
plip, plip
of the oars dipping in and out of the water the only sound we could hear. I watched Elise from the corner of my eye as I rowed, at the excruciated look of anxiety engraved across her face, her brows knitted as if she was carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders rather than enjoying a day out with her girlfriend.