The Little Guesthouse of New Beginnings: A gorgeously feel-good and heart-warming romance to escape with

by Donna Ashcroft

  ‘This is a terrible idea,’ Connor murmured to no one in particular as he dived, expertly hitting the water, before gliding up beside her.

  ‘Look up,’ Madison demanded as she floated on her back, her painted pink toes pointing upwards. ‘The stars are incredible. Honestly, I’ve been all over the world, but I’ve never seen anything quite like that.’

  Connor complied, studying the sky for the first time. The glass panels were completely clear and offered an uninterrupted view outside. Madison swam closer and Connor felt the faint brush of her skin as she pointed into the darkness. ‘Even when I was in Australia the sky didn’t look like that.’ Tiny pinpricks shone between larger circles of light. Connor knew the stars and planets, knew all the constellations – if pushed he could probably reel off their names. Despite that, he’d never studied them, or spent more than a few seconds appreciating the beauty of the sky.

  ‘They’re nice,’ he agreed, knowing the words were inadequate. But he didn’t have the language in his head, couldn’t think of the right terms for the simple act of enjoying a view.

  ‘Nice.’ Madison laughed out loud, the noise echoing like music around the empty pool. ‘Connor, they’re absolutely stunning.’ She kicked off into the water and swam a couple of laps, her bright pink fingernails arcing through the air. And Connor watched her, feeling like a spectator – a man sitting on the outside with no idea how to join in. Until Madison dived and bobbed up beside him, her eyes dancing with humour. ‘Are you actually going to swim, or did you just come to look? Because if you’re busy calculating what materials you might need for the cafe, or thinking about what you’ve still got to do at The Hideaway, I might just have to admit there’s no hope for you.’

  Connor shook his head, his eyes catching on Madison’s face. Her cheeks glowed, and her long hair clung to her face, fanning over her tanned shoulders in gorgeous brown waves. ‘I’m appreciating the view,’ he admitted quietly, watching her face. Knowing, despite his better judgement, that he’d just taken another step towards madness. Perhaps due to tiredness, or some crazy need to prove Georgie wrong and show he was nothing like their father – that there was a lot more to him than work.

  Madison flushed but didn’t look away. ‘So will you swim? Let go of whatever it is that’s putting that sad expression on your face? Perhaps even smile?’ Her voice turned husky. ‘Because this is a beautiful place, and we’ve got it all to ourselves.’ She glanced around the still-empty pool. ‘It seems a shame to waste it.’

  Connor pushed off the bottom, letting himself float on the surface. He lay on his back, opening his eyes so he could appreciate the sky. The stars shimmered, perhaps giving their approval, but somewhere in the darkness, Connor knew his father was probably shaking his head.

  ‘Swim with me, Connor.’ Madison eased away from where they’d been standing and dived underneath the water again. She really did look like a mermaid. All tanned limbs, long trailing hair and a world of temptation. He saw a flash of red bikini as she slid to the surface and into front crawl. Connor hadn’t swum in a pool for years. In the summer he’d often go for a quick few strokes in the sea – another of his father’s habits he hadn’t managed to shake. But swimming had never been fun and it had never looked so elegant.

  Connor swam to the side, quickly catching up with Madison and overtaking her. He let his hands slip through the water and tried to clear his mind, doing ten laps in quick succession. Until Madison gently grabbed his foot and tugged, bringing him to an abrupt stop.

  Madison grinned and swam closer so their legs brushed. ‘Having fun?’ she asked, a teasing light in her eyes.

  ‘Yes,’ Connor said simply, because it was the truth. The headache had gone. His shoulders felt looser and the kinks of the last few weeks had already begun to work their way out of his system.

  ‘You look different.’ Madison studied him. ‘More relaxed.’ She moved away again and dived, leaving Connor wondering what she was planning next. Suddenly he found himself being pulled under. Beneath the water Madison looked ethereal, and even without goggles Connor could see the lean shapeliness of her body, the two tiny scraps of material forming her bikini. He tried to look away but his eyes were caught – like the original sailor being led to disaster, he’d been snagged in Madison’s trap. She grinned and began to swim away, but Connor reached out and caught her ankle, pulling her back towards him. She floated to the surface, and he followed her, bursting through the water to gaze into her smiling face.

  ‘Are you playing, Connor?’ Madison asked, delighted.

  ‘I’ve no idea. Perhaps, yes,’ he answered, because in all honesty he still had no clue what he was doing here, and the simple act of touching Madison’s ankle had made him feel more out of depth than the water they were swimming in.

  ‘Good.’ Madison’s eyes sparkled with humour and something else Connor didn’t recognise. ‘Then let’s add a wager. Whoever gets to the other side first buys the ice cream.’

  ‘Ice cream?’ In March – surely she wasn’t serious?

  Madison giggled, and the sound hit Connor’s solar plexus, filling it with warmth and an unexpected desire to connect. She glanced at the edge of the pool. ‘Let’s say best of three so you have a chance – but I’ll warn you, I’ve been known to cheat and I always win.’ Laughing, she dived suddenly, disappearing into the blue depths. Surprised, Connor paddled for a couple of seconds before plunging under the surface and following her.

  Madison could really swim. Faster than Connor had expected, and it took him a few quick strokes to catch up. He caught her ankle, pulling gently so in a couple more kicks he overtook her, reaching the other edge of the pool first, but they broke the surface at the same time. ‘You’re a quick study,’ Madison said, her eyes approving. ‘For a man who never plays, you catch on fast. So that’s one for you and two to go.’ She smiled again and Connor guessed what was coming next, so swam in front of her so she couldn’t dive under the water.

  ‘How about we go after a count of three?’ He started to tread water as their bodies drifted towards each other.

  ‘We could say that,’ Madison said with a quick snort of laughter. ‘But you’ll need to move out of my way.’ She let her eyes drift downwards, noting perhaps that they were almost touching, their bodies playing a game of cat and mouse in the tiny sliver of liquid space. Connor swam backwards as awareness skipped across his skin. He moved to the edge of the pool and grabbed on, facing the other side, ready to win.

  ‘One, two, three,’ Madison muttered, giving Connor no time to prepare before she dived and began swimming away.

  ‘Cheat.’ Connor laughed, following her – slower this time. He admired Madison’s form as she slid through the water. But as he swam after her, doubts began to creep into his mind.

  What am I doing here? There was so much to do in the cafe, more in The Hideaway, and hours of paperwork waiting at home. He didn’t have time to play with a beautiful almost stranger, a woman who within a matter of days had managed to burrow her way into his mind.

  Who knew what she’d be capable of, given time – or how long she’d even be around?

  Connor slowed and swam to the other side, surfacing next to her. This time Madison wasn’t smiling.

  ‘You stopped.’ She searched his face. ‘And somehow I’ve lost you. Where have you gone to, Connor Robertson? You were laughing a few minutes ago and now you look sad. You’re thinking about work?’ she guessed, shaking her head. ‘You’re thinking about work while you’re here…’ She swept a hand around the pool, taking in the sky. ‘Don’t you know how to let go?’

  ‘No,’ Connor admitted simply, watching the confusion and hurt skitter across Madison’s face. Coming here had been a bad idea. He’d been raised on a regime of hard work. One evening in this woman’s company wasn’t going to change that.

  ‘Don’t you want to?’ Madison asked, moving closer. ‘I’ve known you a lot of years, Connor, but I’ve never seen you laugh like you did a few minutes ago. I’ve never seen
your face light up like that. It looked good on you…’ She let the words come to a stop as she watched him.

  Connor’s heart thumped as he scanned Madison’s expression, his head a mass of confusion, his body burning with a fierce need. ‘And if I give in to it, where will it lead?’ he asked, knowing his voice sounded all wrong.

  ‘Honestly, Connor, who cares?’ Madison asked sadly, letting herself float so close that their legs touched. Connor stayed put, letting himself drift, until their bodies intertwined as the power of the water – or perhaps simple attraction – took over. Then he could feel the warmth of Madison’s breath, feel the heat of her body, and had to fight to stop himself from drawing her to him. ‘Because I don’t. I’ve liked you for a very long time, even when you could hardly bear to look at me,’ she whispered. ‘Even when you broke my heart at the age of seventeen by calling me a flibbertigibbet. I’ve admired you and wanted to get to know you better. And now you’re here with me, only you’re not…’

  Madison’s voice dropped on the last word and Connor felt her begin to retreat, gliding backwards away from him. In less than a minute he knew she’d get out of the water and change before they spent a quiet, uncomfortable drive back to The Hideaway together – and he’d lose this chance of getting to know this woman who confused him so much.

  ‘I am,’ Connor found himself saying, found his hand reaching out to hold hers. He didn’t want to spend the rest of his life sitting on the outside looking in. Didn’t want to spend it craving things he’d never give in to. He wasn’t his father’s son. He wasn’t a man too afraid to feel anything except contempt.

  Madison looked perplexed at first, then her eyes lit up as Connor pulled her gently towards him, until their bodies tangled again. Her skin was smooth and warm and every bit as soft as he’d imagined. She looked into his eyes and swallowed, her dark eyes questioning. ‘I am here,’ Connor said quietly. ‘I’m as present as you, I just don’t find it as easy.’ He stopped talking as she wrapped her legs around his waist. Wondering if he was right to give in to these feelings – knowing it was already too late.

  Twenty-One

  Madison slid herself nearer to Connor, relishing the hardness of his hips and the slight brush of hair from his chest. She took a chance and slipped one arm onto his shoulder, easing herself forwards so their noses almost touched, and noticed those wary eyes that fascinated her so much darkening. He looked conflicted but didn’t move away. Instead his eyes dropped to her mouth and she swallowed.

  ‘Well, this is unexpected,’ she murmured, determined to lighten the mood. Determined to lift the dark unhappiness from Connor’s expression.

  ‘Not entirely,’ he said after a long sigh. ‘I think this may have been coming since you got off that ferry.’

  ‘Destiny?’ Madison asked with a hint of humour – a man like Connor wouldn’t believe in such things.

  Instead of dismissing it, which she’d been expecting, Connor shook his head. ‘Inevitability. I’d call it the law of physics – we all know opposites attract.’

  ‘Well, if it’s science, I’d say there’s no point in fighting it.’ Was Connor actually going to kiss her? While she could see lust in his eyes, there was a huge dose of hesitation – or perhaps sanity – there too. Connor looked at her silently, and for a heart-stopping moment Madison thought he was going to retreat. Then he must have made his decision: he moved the hand that was still resting on the side of the pool onto her cheek, so he could tip her head and take her lips into a kiss.

  Madison wasn’t sure what to expect from Connor’s kiss. He was a practical man – a man who worked hard, who’d had his fair share of lovers – so she guessed he’d know what he was doing technically. But she didn’t expect the flare of heat that licked her insides as soon as their mouths touched – or the expert way Connor fanned the flames. His kiss was gentle, thoughtful, as though he could see right into her head. He eased her mouth open with his tongue and she let him, wrapping both arms around his neck so their chests meshed – setting a whole host of goosebumps off on a feverish march across her body.

  Madison had imagined that the kiss would be warm, that it would make her tingle. She hadn’t known his mere touch would set off a volcano inside her, or make her want to drag Connor to the nearest horizontal surface so she could have her wicked way with him. She pulled back slightly as she began to tremble, but couldn’t back away entirely. Instead she looked into his eyes.

  ‘Cold?’ Connor asked, a slight smile playing on the edges of his lips, as if he knew exactly what she was experiencing.

  ‘Surprised,’ Madison admitted. ‘I wasn’t expecting you to be quite so skilled.’

  ‘At kissing?’ Connor’s face lit up, taking Madison’s insides with it. ‘I may have spent most of my life working, but there are some things I found time for. And I believe if you’re going to do anything in life, you ought to do it well. I’ve found with a bit of practice, there’s not much you can’t learn to be good at.’

  Madison bit back the stupid burst of jealousy triggered by his words. ‘So if it’s all about practice, do you think we should try it again?’

  Connor smiled, his eyes creasing at the corners, his face losing some of the seriousness Madison had got so used to. He didn’t reply, but he did pull her nearer, and then their lips were touching again. Madison slid her hand up into Connor’s thick dark hair and tightened her legs around him. Within seconds she was moving, squirming, sighing, while Connor lit her from the inside out, kissing her again slowly – all warmth and quiet control. Which, on some subconscious level, annoyed Madison because Connor obviously wasn’t as lost in the kiss as she was – but that was probably a good thing as she was obviously losing her mind.

  It was only the loud noises from the changing rooms, the quick blast of a shower, that had them drifting gently backwards away from each other – although Madison couldn’t quite bring herself to let go. Perhaps because after all these years she finally had Connor where she wanted him, and he wasn’t pushing her away?

  Connor looked over Madison’s shoulder and gave her a wry smile. ‘We’re about to have company – I’m thinking no one’s going to mistake this for swimming.’ He looked down at their intertwined bodies and Madison unlocked her legs from around him, feeling the loss of heat immediately. She gripped the side of the pool, breathing heavily, and tried to concentrate on slowing her heart.

  How had that happened? She was supposed to be the free spirit, the sensual one. How had a man like Connor Robertson reduced her to jelly and made her feel so out of control?

  ‘Are you okay?’ Connor asked softly, his gaze searching. ‘Because you look shocked, perhaps a little off balance, which is something I wouldn’t have expected from you.’

  ‘Me neither… perhaps I just need a banana to stabilise my vitamin levels?’ Madison joked, hiding her confusion with humour. ‘I guess we should get out,’ she suggested, as two women appeared from the changing rooms, chatting to each other as they set their bags down on a couple of loungers, unaware of what they’d interrupted.

  ‘I guess we should.’ Connor watched her intently.

  ‘We’ve got our massage booked in half an hour.’ Madison cleared her throat, avoiding Connor’s eyes as she climbed out of the pool, picking up her towel and wrapping it around her.

  She turned to watch as he swam a couple of quick laps before making his way slowly from the pool. He looked every inch the dark-haired Adonis, a man very much in control. While she was trembling – more from emotion than cold – wondering exactly how far she’d fallen already, despite the fact Connor barely seemed affected at all.

  * * *

  ‘Ohhh, thank you,’ Madison hummed, as her massage therapist finished the hour-long massage by sliding her fragrant hands slowly across her back, before stepping away. On the massage table beside her, Connor didn’t make a sound, but she knew his therapist was just finishing working on his back too, because of the quiet slide of her feet as she moved around him.

  They
were both lying on their front, wearing nothing but underwear with fluffy white towels covering their bottom half. The lights had been dimmed, but not so much that you couldn’t see the white walls or candles burning in each of the four corners. The air was filled with a variety of scents, some of which Madison could identify – frankincense, jasmine, rosemary and peppermint, mixed with almond oil and the smell of fresh laundry.

  Madison tried to close her eyes again but as soon as she did, her head filled with Connor and the way he’d made her feel in the pool. She hadn’t said much in the half hour between getting out and arriving for their massage, or for the whole hour they’d been having it. But Madison had felt suddenly shy around him, unsure of what to do, while Connor had returned to saying nothing.

  ‘So we’ll leave you both here for about ten minutes – just stay lying in this position.’ The massage therapist eased the towel up to cover Madison’s shoulders so she wouldn’t get cold. ‘Feel free to chat, or to fall asleep. Just relax if you can – this is all part of the treatment. If you get up too fast you won’t feel as rested when you leave.’

  ‘Okay.’ Madison closed her eyes and the room fell silent as the therapists left. ‘So did you enjoy that?’ she asked Connor, wondering if by some miracle he’d actually fallen asleep. He hadn’t said a word during the whole massage – aside from a few quiet groans as the therapist had worked on him. She opened her eyes again, but couldn’t see Connor’s face because it was turned towards the wall.

  ‘I… yes.’ Connor turned his head so he could look at her. ‘I’ve never understood the fascination with therapies of any kind – seemed to me they were a waste of time. But…’ He wriggled one of his bare shoulders and Madison tried not to stare at the perfect muscles as they flexed, or think about how it had felt when she’d had her hands wrapped around them earlier. Around him. ‘I feel more relaxed, and the ache has gone.’ Connor’s lips curved. ‘What did you think? You made a lot of noise – most of it sounded painful.’