by Susan Elle
“I think you just broke a couple of ribs,” she tells him when she manages to refill her lungs.
“Then allow me to kiss them better.” Lifting the cover, he works his way down her body to her ribs and makes Catherine laugh. “Feeling better yet?” he asks, his hands reaching up to cup her full round breasts.
Despite a sharp intake of breath, Catherine says, “Not yet,” then his teeth and tongue go to work and her nipples harden abruptly. “Still hurts,” she tells him then gasps when his tongue moves up to find her ear and a hand moves down to cup the growing heat between her thighs. “Holy shit,” she breathes then cries out when he tips her over the edge of the first wonderful peak.
Wanting to pleasure him, as he is her, Catherine moves her hand down his spine and under his gloriously firm body. But Logan just bats her hand aside; trailing kisses from her ear to her lips, he stifles any protest.
She feels her world shift and spin when he takes the kiss so deep she is dizzy from it. “Inside me,” is all she can say when their lips part, but Logan just chuckles wickedly.
“Not a chance,” she hears him croon before diving back under the covers to feast hungrily all the way down her body until he reaches the apex of her already spread legs. Another knowing chuckle and then he is silent but Catherine gasps and cries out in pleasure, her responses driving him wild with the love he wants to show her.
“Logan...!” she yells desperately, “for pity’s sake,” she pleads and is relieved to feel him making his way back up her body.
“A lady shouldn’t beg,” he laughs as he moves over her.
“Fuck that,” she declares before moving to guide him inside her.
“I’d much rather fuck you,” he tells her then thrusts into Catherine holding her hips off the bed allowing her to meet him beat for fierce beat.
Their bodies climb higher than they ever have before and just when Catherine thought she might implode she hears Logan tell her that he loves her. She loves him too, and is easy with it now; even enjoying the feelings they share. Then her body tenses to erupt and Logan says, “Marry me, Catherine, be mine forever,” he begs her.
And just before falling off the edge of the world, Catherine screams her reply.
Much later, over a very late breakfast that Mrs Baines has cooked them, Catherine tries to back out of her commitment. “It doesn’t count,” she whispers frowning down at her scrambled eggs, “I was under duress at the time.” She puts a forkful of the excellent eggs in her mouth then wags the empty fork at Logan.
“You were under me,” he snickers, and she blushes bright pink.
“Will you stop,” and this time she uses the fork to indicate Mrs Baines in the kitchen, “she’ll hear you!”
“Good,” he smiles as the woman herself walks in with a fresh jug of filter coffee.
“It’s so nice to see you both happy and smiling,” she tells them, then hesitates when Catherine frowns.
“That’s because we have some great news,” Logan tells his housekeeper, and reaches over to pat Catherine on the back as she starts to choke on her eggs. “Catherine has accepted my proposal,” he grins broadly, “we’re getting married.” Oh, fuck it.
“Oh, congratulations,” Mrs Baines throws her now empty hands and the tea towel she’s holding over her arm up in the air, causing even Catherine to laugh at her exuberance. “It couldn’t happen to a nicer couple,” she says catching the tea towel and dabbing her eyes with it.
When Mrs Baines goes back into the kitchen, Catherine frowns over at Logan. “If she’s so damned happy for us, why is she crying for christ’s sake?”
“Then you are going to marry me?” he asks her. “I won’t show you your birthday present if you don’t say yes,” he teases
Getting up she backs away from him. “I’ll decide after I’ve seen my present,” Catherine tosses over her shoulder as she goes ahead of him out of the conservatory and heads for the lounge.
“I knew it,” he shakes his head in mock dejection, “you’re just after me for my money.”
They both laugh, and then Catherine says, “It’s your body I’m after, I can’t get enough of it,” then lets out a scream as Logan tickles her ribs.
“Over here,” he tells her and guides Catherine towards the large bay window.
Frowning she looks down at the floor and over to the nearby chair. “Am I going blind or is this the tiniest birthday present on the planet?”
He moves behind her, places a large gentle hand on either side of her head, and turns her to look out of the window. “Is that big enough for you...?”
A ginormous pink bow sits atop a blue sports car, the ribbon going all the way round it. “You have got to be kidding me,” she breathes, shocked and stunned and..., “I can’t take that,” she turns to look up at him, her head shaking, “It’s too much, Logan, I can’t possibly.” Bloody Nora, a fucking car!
His huge grin has not wavered she notes nervously. “Too late,” he tells her determinedly, and holds out a set of keys. “It’s in your name and everything – and I’ve already driven it so the garage won’t take it back,” he lies convincingly
“But...” She turns to see Mrs Baines smiling in the doorway. “I suppose you knew all about this,” Catherine accuses but can’t stop the smile that is tugging reluctantly at her lips. Honestly, ganged up on! But it is gorgeous.
Mrs Baines nods happily. “Aren’t you even going to sit in it?” she enthuses encouragingly.
Turning back to Logan, Catherine takes the keys he holds out to her. Hiding her growing excitement, she manages to frown, though none too convincingly. “I suppose it wouldn’t hurt to take a look,” she grumbles, then marches out to the front drive with Logan and Mrs Baines on her heels.
Walking slowly around the car, she fingers the outsized bow and laughs. “I hope you had to drive home with this on,” she jibes at him playfully, “I’d have paid good money to see that, wouldn’t you Mrs Baines?” and both women laugh at his uncomfortable smile.
“I had it delivered,” he tells her promptly, then could have bit his own tongue off.
“So, when did you get time to drive it?” Catherine asks, knowing she has found him out. Holding on to her frown for just a moment longer she cannot bare his anxious face. “Just kidding, I love it,” she tells him and flings her arms around his neck. They don’t notice Mrs Baines move discreetly indoors, they are too busy enjoying the moment. “So when do I get to drive it?” she asks moving to pull out of his arms.
“How about this afternoon...?” Logan replies catching her to him and planting a noisy smacker of a kiss on her still smiling lips.
“Why this afternoon? Is there something going on that I don’t know about?” Catherine imagines he probably has some sort of surprise birthday party planned.
Logan doesn’t hesitate, he can’t or he will lose his nerve. “Yes,” he replies, his smile now tentative but still in place, “we’re picking your sister up from the airport.”
“WHAT!”
If you have enjoyed this novel, by Susan Elle, continue turning the page to
sample a few chapters of her latest book, Tempest.
Prologue
Shenna pulls into a parking space having driven on auto-pilot since she got the call on her mobile telling her that her husband has taken a turn for the worse.
If the car is locked then that had been done on auto-pilot too - Shenna doesn't know anything other than the fact that Cade needs her, she just has to be in time.
Her feet have wings - she rounds the corner into the lift lobby and can see people waiting for the lifts to arrive. Veering off, Shenna takes the stairs even though Haematology is on the third floor. By the time she reaches the ward she is panting and trembling.
"It's alright, Mrs Williams," a kindly nurse that Shenna has come to know over the last weeks smiles her calming welcome and guides Shenna to a chair.
"I should get in there…see Cade…I need to tell him…I…" Shenna's voice fades away becoming as small as
she feels she is becoming.
Her wonderful husband, the man she loves with all her heart, is dying and there is nothing she can do to stop it from happening.
"Just take a breath, Mrs Williams, you look ready to collapse yourself," the nurse observes, frowning at her gaunt face and soft green eyes that seem impossibly large and desperate. Looking up she nods at a nurse that has just exited Cade's room and who signals to her that everything is ready. "Ok now, we've finished giving your husband a freshen-up and a shave," she smiles at Shenna, a warm sympathetic but encouraging smile. "He didn't want you to see him 'in the rough' he called it," and Shenna actually manages a shaky laugh.
"That's what he always calls it when he hasn't shaved," Shenna nods, "he hates going without a shave."
Getting to their feet, Shenna and the nurse walk over to Cade’s door. "He's alright, Shenna, we've increased the Morphine so that he isn't in too much pain, but not enough to make him sleepy." Giving Shenna's arm a supportive squeeze, the nurse walks back to the nurses' station and swallows back the tears that have balled up in her throat.
Shenna gives herself a mental shake and stiffens her spine. By the time she sits at Cade's bedside her lips are wearing a convincing smile and her eyes are warm with love.
"Wow, you look as handsome as the day I met and drooled all over you at uni'," she tells him and leans over to kiss his smiling lips.
They were holding hands and he gave hers a squeeze. "And you look every bit as beautiful as the day I first laid eyes on you - the day I tripped over my own tongue and my heart landed right at your feet." His smile lights his eyes with remembering. "Love at first sight - I never believed in it until I saw you, then every other woman just faded away, I only ever had eyes for you, Shenna."
"Ditto," she tells him and draws his hand up to her lips.
"You'll be alright, Shenna…I've made sure you won't struggle financially…no listen…," he tells her when Shenna frowns and shakes her head, "…it's important to me that I at least take care of your financial future - I just wish I could have taken care of you in every other way, too, but it's out of both our hands now."
Laying her head on his arm, Shenna has to fight back the tears that are threatening and the anger that has been growing in her every day since they found out about the cancer.
"I know, Cade," her hand still in his she turns her face to the side to kiss his arm, "I'm just being selfish and thoughtless - I'm sorry."
His other hand reaches over to stroke her hair. "You don't have a selfish bone in your body," he tells her and places a tender kiss on her hair. "Now climb up here and lay with me, I want to feel you in my arms for a while."
Lifting her head to look at him, Shenna eye's the IV line attached to his arm. She wants to be held by him, too, but she doesn't want to disrupt the source of his pain relief.
Following her gaze, Cade smiles encouragingly. "It's taped in good and secure - you won't hurt me, Shenna - just lay with me a while."
Doing as he asks, Shenna carefully lies down on the bed and feels his arms tighten around her. They lack the strength they once had, but hold her with all the love they ever did.
"I love you so much, Cade," Shenna tightens her hold on her husband. "I have something I need to tell you, only I don't know if it will please you or make the parting harder." And I can’t bear to hurt you, not ever, but especially not now.
His hand stills the stroking of her hair and lifts her chin so that he can see her troubled face. "Just tell me, Shenna, the parting is going to be hard no matter what."
Closing her eyes she hopes her news will give him some joy in his last hours and not add to the pain. "I'm pregnant, Cade - we're going to have a baby."
At first she feels him go perfectly still then his arms tighten around her. "A baby…are you sure?" He feels her nod against his chest and the brightest smile spreads across his amazed face and shines in his tear filled eyes. "A baby! Have you thought of any names?"
He sounds happy…but is that for me or is he really as overjoyed as he sounds? "I thought it might be nice to name a boy after his daddy, Cade junior," she tells him wistfully.
But Cade frowns and shakes his head. "No, Shenna, don't put that burden on the boy," he tells her softly. "He doesn't need the fact that he doesn't have a father rubbing in every time anyone uses his name."
"I never thought of it like that," and raises her head up to look at him. "What would you like him to be called?"
He considers, then smiles broadly. "Neirin, it's a sturdy Welsh name meaning 'modest' and 'noble' and my grandfather wore it well."
Shenna returns his smile and nods in approval. "Neirin it is…," she agrees, "…I always loved your granddad, and you're right, he wore his name well."
They lay quiet, each mulling over their own thoughts.
"So…what if it's a girl?" she shifts to look at him again. "Do you have a preference?"
"Well…I've always liked my mother's name, Nareene," Cade looks wistful as he thinks of her, "it means 'contented', and as long as she's tending her family that's just what she is."
Laying her head back down on his chest she smiles into him. "That's settled then - Neirin for a boy and Nareene for a girl."
Just that little conversation seems to have worn him out. Shenna can feel his breathing even out and shallow and knows that Cade has fallen asleep.
Chapter One
The Iceni Forest is cold and wearing a jacket of snow. The river that runs through it is more of a stream most of the time and is frozen over too.
"Come on, Neirin, if you don't get your skates on we won't have time for a walk," standing with hands on hips, Shenna shouts up the stairs to her four year old son.
"I'm coming," Neirin rounds the top of the stairs with the scarf he's been looking for hanging around his shoulders. Holding tight to the handrail, as his mother taught him, he makes his way down the stairs and grins up at Shenna.
Her heart melts and her snippiness evaporates. "Here now, let me put that on properly so you'll be warm enough." She wraps the scarf a couple of times around his neck then tucks both ends into his coat and fastens the top button over it. "Ok, you look warm enough," Shenna nods with satisfaction as she pulls his woolly hat over his ears. "Let's go."
Neirin loves the snow - he stomps his wellies in a soldier-like fashion, his arms swinging at his sides. "Can we go to the stream, please; I want to see the badgers?"
"Ok, but carefully - you know the rules, you wait for me before you go anywhere near the stream," Shenna reminds him, though she knows Neirin is sensible and she's taught him how to live safely in the forest.
Suddenly he stops and points up to a nearby branch. "Look mummy, it's Cyril," he laughs up at the red squirrel that seems to be watching the boy with interest. "We haven't seen him for ages."
Watching her son, Shenna enjoys his thrill of animals, always concerned if he hasn't seen one of his 'friends' for a while.
"It's been really cold over the last couple of weeks," she reminds Neirin, "Cyril probably just snuggled down for a while - but he looks fine."
The red squirrel turns its curious head to look at Shenna as she approaches, and gives a flick of its bushy tail.
"Here," holding her hand out to Neirin, Shenna gives him a few peanuts from her pocket, "that boulder looks about right."
Neirin takes the peanuts and places them carefully on the flattest part of the large rock. Going back to his mum's side, he watches as the squirrel scoots down the tree and tucks in to the treat.
When the ground is clear of snow, Neirin often throws the peanuts on the ground just a couple of feet away and the squirrels actually don't mind him standing to watch as long as he is still and quiet.
Taking his mum's hand again, he looks up with a happy smile. "Did the badgers snuggle down, too?"
"Probably," Shenna tells him as they approach the stream, "but we'll see if we can see any tell-tale signs of activity."
They walk together in contented silence. The forest is full of
birds and animals that an observant person can enjoy. Shenna takes out her binoculars and uses them to search the opposite river bank.
Handing them to Neirin, Shenna points about six feet up the rise of the bank. "There, do you see them…?"
Neirin points the binoculars in the direction his mum has indicated and sees the badgers' tracks. "They're alright," he looks up at Shenna with a grin, "I wonder if they'll have any cubs this year."
"Don't see why not…," she tells him, "…they haven't missed a year since we've lived here."
"How long have we lived here?" Neirin asks curiously.
"Your dad and I moved here about eight years ago - do you remember what I told you about your dad's work?" she asks Neirin.
"He looked after the forest," Neirin says proudly. "That's what I want to do."
"You do?" Shenna smiles down at her serious looking son and is thrilled to see the pride he has in a dad he never had the chance to meet. "Well, he would have loved sharing all of this with you. He used to enjoy teaching children all about the birds and animals that live in the forest and what we have to do to protect their homes."
"That's important," Neirin states as he takes hold of his mother's hand again, "or else they won't have anywhere to live and then they'll go ex…ex…"
"Extinct," Shenna finishes for him. "Yes, that's right and once that happens we never get to see them again."
"Ever?" Neirin looks up with startled eyes at his all knowing mummy.
"Never again," she emphasises softly. "But we can all help to prevent that from happening - even in little ways that don't cost any money and very little time."
"We can?" he asks with a studious frown.
Nodding, Shenna points to a small clearing and a crisp packet that is sticking up out of the thin layer of snow. "Even if all we do is make sure that our rubbish is properly put in the bin."
