[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
'Kids get over most things,' he said, his voice taking on a slight edge.
'Fortunately.'
She was in no position to throw stones, of course. Biting her lip, she
turned her head away, staring blindly at the rapidly darkening
seascape.
Drew gave a sharp sigh. He stirred and took his hands from his
pockets, seeming to hesitate. 'Why don't we go for a walk ? It's a
glorious evening, and we only have two more days.'
She had tried not to think about that. The holiday had gone too
swiftly. Tomorrow Holly would be away for most of the day, and the
next would be their last. After lunch they would have to pack and go.
'All right,' she said.
'Will you need a jacket or something?'
Karen shook her head. She was wearing a denim skirt and a peach-
coloured, loose textured-cotton top with roomy push-up sleeves. 'I'll
be warm enough.'
'Come on, then.' He put his hand at her waist as they went down the
steps to the sandy ground, then she waited while he turned back to
close the door behind them, cutting off the shaft of light from the
house.
The sudden darkness was disconcerting, but in a few minutes the
moonlight proved to be bright enough to see by. The sand glimmered
whitely, and creamy waves slid with a sibilant whisper up the gentle
slope, eddying round their bare feet as they reached the water's edge'
and turned to walk along the curved length of the beach.
Drew's arm came about her, holding her firmly to his side, and she
didn't resist. It felt good. They walked in silence until stopped by the
jutting headland that marked the end of the beach. They stood in the
shadow of its pale, sheer bluff, not very high but difficult to climb,
with scattered flax and scrubby, dry-leaved manuka bushes at the top.
Karen turned to go back, and Drew's arm slipped from her shoulder.
He caught at her hand, and then the other one, so that she had to face
him in the twilight. She couldn't see his expression, only his eyes
were a brief glitter in the dimly seen mask of his face, and when he
spoke she saw a glimpse of his white teeth. 'Wait,' he said.
She stood expectantly, half in hope and half in trepidation. She wasn't
sure what she wanted of this encounter, nor what Drew might want of
her.
'You look so young,' he said quietly. 'Watching you with Holly,
sometimes you don't seem much older than she does ... especially
when you do your hair like that.' He lifted a hand to touch the
ponytail, and his thumb brushed her nape. His fingers found the
elastic tie that had already slipped a little, and he slid it further until it
came off and her hair spread across her shoulders. 'That's better,' he
said. 'At least you don't look quite such a child.'
'Drew ...' She moved her head a little, a token effort to pull away
from his hand as it threaded through her hair.
'Shh,' he said, and placed a finger on her lips with a gentle pressure.
Then the pressure eased, but he was stroking her mouth with his
finger, back and forth in a light, erotic touch, and his other hand
travelled from her hair down her back to her waist, pulling her to
him.
His finger left her lips, and his hand strayed across her cheek,
brushing back a strand of hair, slipping under it to curve about her
nape.
'Drew ...' she whispered. 'I don't know that this is a good idea.'
He tugged gently at her hair, tipping back her head. 'Why not?' he
murmured, his lips just touching hers and then lifting a fraction,
going to her cheek, and caressing her neck, then returning to tantalise
her mouth, his breath warm on her lips as he whispered, 'You want it,
don't you?'
She felt herself begin to tremble, her mouth softening and parting
even as she moaned, 'No, I ...'
'Liar.' He took her mouth properly this time, his lips hard and
compelling, making her accept him, making her respond.
She was going up in flames, her blood on fire. When his arms
tightened about her she pressed herself against him, and felt the
answering throb and thrust of his desire. She swayed on her feet, and
he released her mouth and buried his lips in the curve of her neck and
shoulder. He shifted his stance so that he stood with his legs apart,
supporting her, and his mouth went to the hollow at the base of her
throat, his tongue probing the accelerated pulse that beat there.
She clung to him, dizzy and hot and drenched in passion. Her loose
top rode up under his hands, and he pushed them under the fabric to
touch her skin, his fingers finding the pliant groove of her spine, than
exploring her ribcage and the curve of her breast. As his palm closed
firmly over it, she gasped, and his mouth took hers again with blatant
sensuality. Fireworks were exploding in her brain, his mouth and his
hands sending waves of pleasure rippling through her.
He suddenly broke the kiss, still holding her, and said, with his cheek
against hers, his voice unsteady, 'Let's go back to the house.'
She swallowed and nodded. He kissed her forehead and her eyelids
and turned her with his arm hard about her waist towards the house.
Once he stopped to pull her into his arms again and kiss her deeply,
but her response was less headlong than before. He held her away,
trying to see her face. 'Something wrong?' -
Karen shook her head, quite unable to reply. But as they neared the
house, she was aware of a growing sense of unease. The mindless
wanting began to recede, and caution took over. She had never
intended anything like this. She didn't think that Drew had, either. A
long time ago she had learned that the results of a few moments'
impulsive passion could lead to consequences both unforeseen and
irreversible. She had for many years been in control of her life and
her emotions. Never again, she had vowed, would sexual desire
override her rational thought processes. She had determined to be
strong. And it had worked, until now. It didn't make any difference
that Drew was legally still her husband. If she allowed the
lovemaking he had begun to go its full course, their relationship
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]