“Yes… I… as long as… If Vi settles in,” I stumbled over the words, distracted by his thumb rubbing warm circles into my palm. “This is all a lot to absorb,” I said honestly. “You, this job… what we did… Hell, our whole history.” I took a deep breath and withdrew my hand. “I can see the house in the morning. We can talk about your ideas then, and I can work up some designs for you to consider.”
“And I want to see them,” he said. “I very much want to hear your ideas, your vision for this house. It’s only brick and wood now.” I stared up at him, his face so familiar. I’d almost forgotten how expressive his eyes were…
“I want you to turn these big, empty rooms into a home,” he finished. “And I have some particular needs we can discuss later on.
Here,” he gestured toward the heavy wooden doors. “I’ll walk you back to the cottage. I’ve almost finished laying the flagstones, but it’s dark… and I haven’t installed the lighting yet.”
We stepped out into the cooling night air and he slipped his jacket around my shoulders. He took my hand in his, and our arms swung gently between us as we walked. A big yellow moon hung in the night sky, streaked with thin clouds. I could smell the salt water.
I closed my eyes, letting his hand… his presence... at my side guide me. Without intention, I leaned into his arm, and we walked without speaking until we reached the stone wall that bordered the cottage garden. Raised beds held a variety of newly planted flowers. A handmade wooden swing set sat close to the back door, sheltered from the breeze that blew in over the water. An enormous wave of gratitude washed over me, knowing he’d done all this for me… for my child. I turned, putting my hands on his chest. His muscles flexed under my hands and I felt that powerful pull between us again.
“You should go in,” he said. “It’s cold.
Can I meet you here in the morning… about nine? There’s a lot to discuss.”
“I’ll come up to you,” I said quickly.
He ran his fingers down my arm. “Good. I won’t press you for more, not tonight.” He lifted my mouth to his, his fingers under my chin. His kiss was patient… sweet. “Just sleep...and we’ll start fresh in the morning.” But I could see in his eyes that he wanted to say more.
He ran a thumb across my bottom lip. “I thought that if I told you I was your new boss… well, that you just might disappear again. I wasn’t willing to take the chance.” He looked at me intently, and I flashed to being naked in his arms, his cock in my…
“Goodnight, Will,” I said, tearing myself away. “I’ll see you in the morning.”
I opened the door to the cottage and it closed behind me with a soft click. No need for a key, I thought with a blink. We’re the only ones on the island…
It took a moment for my eyes to adjust to the darkness. I stood waiting, as details of the room began to appear. Moonlight reflected off the water and through the tall glass windows. The living room was larger than I’d expected, and a short hall extended to the left. The bedroom doors were closed. Mattie and Vi must be asleep, I thought. Except that I heard shuffling sounds… and the first few notes of a waltz. I followed the music and found her, sitting at a piano in her favorite pink pajamas. She knew the keys, without even looking away from the view of the ocean. She played softly… quietly…
“You should be in bed, baby,” I said gently, as my mind raced. How had he known… to bring a piano to an island…? She didn’t turn around, but dropped her hands into her lap, her sign of acceptance. I wrapped my arms around her and picked her up, and she pointed to the hall and the door that was hers. She smelled clean and sweet as I tucked her under the covers and kissed her cheek.
I wanted to curl up beside her, to hold her and feel the reassurance of her light, sleepy breathing. But I was trying hard to follow doctor’s orders. And the specialist we’d consulted had agreed. I had to respect her independence and her need for space. Even though, in so many ways, she still reminded me of the baby she used to be, she was growing up. And I had to do everything I could to help my special child adjust to the world around her. Coming here, changing up the familiar rhythm of our lives, was a part of all that. I stroked her hair, humming one of my favorite songs, until she fell asleep. My beautiful girl…
She could play any piece she’d ever heard, after only hearing it once. Music came to her as naturally as speech came to other children. She used it to communicate, if you knew enough to listen. Savant, the specialist had said.
I closed her door and found my way to the room where Mattie slept. I curled up on my own bed, without bothering to undress, and listened to the soft sound of Mattie’s throaty snoring. My baby girl was getting close to her fifth birthday. On a good day, she might meet my eyes without looking away. She was gaining weight finally, but slowly. Donna had arranged to work with her in private sessions, and she was learning to draw simple pictures and letters. All of it was good news. But even with all the specialists, all the therapy, my baby girl had never used her voice. Not once. Not to cry, not to speak, not to call me mama…
I closed my eyes, exhausted, overwhelmed by the last few days. How could I even begin to deal with finding Will again… with discovering that he was my new boss… with the fact that only last night he’d tied me up and fucked me…? And left me wanting more…
I’d disappeared with my daughter to escape the bonds of the past. And now he was back, having moved heaven and hell to find me. He’d told me he didn’t want any more secrets between us, and yet he’d made sure Jane never told me his name. William Bond. My Will. I’d let go of him once… but never in my heart. I’d already admitted that much… He knew how much I wanted him still. And he wanted me…
But nothing was as simple as he thought. Not the past, and certainly not the present…
I was still wearing my mask… in so many ways…
And something inside me said that he was, as well…
I felt my chest rise and fall with a heavy breath, and felt my eyelids flutter with exhaustion.
He was the only man I’d ever wanted… and he’d given us a piano with a view of the sea…
And I fell into a restless sleep, dreaming of satin sashes and Will’s strong hands, all set to the soft, lonely strains of a Chopin waltz.
15
Will
I held my breath almost as well as she held her tongue.
We’d toured the entire house… well, almost all of it… before she’d said much more than good morning. When she finally spoke, the relief was exquisite…
“It’s lovely,” she said. “I’ve never seen anything like it. I studied most of the popular architects in class… but I don’t really see any of them in this. Who did you use?”
“I designed it myself,” I said, feeling a surge of pride. “The Bartlett Group worked up the plans from my sketches. And I took a leave of absence from the office so I could have a hand in the actual building.
I’ve always liked working with my hands…”
I caught her eye, certain I saw a spark. Then I caught her hand. It was the first time all morning I’d felt close enough to touch her.
“We should talk about color schemes… and textures that you like,” she said. She reached for the samples she’d brought, scattered over the dining room table.
“I want to start with the bedroom,” I said, not letting go of her. “Then the living room, and we can finish up with the dining room. The table stays. And my bed. This will get you started.” I took a check out of the pocket of my denim shirt and handed it to her, gratified to see her eyes widen. “I give you total and complete freedom.”
“Started…?” she breathed. “This is a small fortune… and you’re not interested in having any input…?” She blinked, confused.
“You can start tomorrow.” I kept her hand and led her into the kitchen. It was stone and steel, all rough and smooth, dull surfaces and shining ones. Skylights brought in natural light, enhancing the subtle colors in the marble and slate. “I packed a lunch for us this afte
rnoon. I thought we could take Violet down to the cove and let her gather shells. I should meet her, don’t you think? And I have a gift for her that won’t wait too much longer…” But she put her hands on my chest as I pulled her to me, stopping me before I could kiss her.
“I’m overwhelming you again…”
“I haven’t even thanked you for the cottage yet,” she answered. “Or the job… or the piano…” She looked into my eyes and I forced back the desire to unbutton her sweater. “You’ve already been too generous. How did you even know to put in a piano?”
“I remembered that you liked to play,” I answered. She seemed to visibly relax. “It seemed the right thing somehow.”
“The perfect thing,” she said, “more than you know… But let’s go to the cove on our own. We need to talk, and I know Mattie was planning to help Violet plant some tomatoes in the garden.”
“And my gift?” I asked.
“Can it wait a little longer?” She looked down from my eyes and stared at the buttons on my shirt. “Just a little while longer?”
Half a roasted chicken and the better part of a bottle of wine later, we were in each other’s arms. The blanket underneath us was bunched and covered with sand.
“Oh God, Will… I’m sorry… I can’t…” She sat up, pushing my hands away just as they slipped under the edge of her sweater. “I can’t just pick up where we left off at the club.” She ran her hands over her hair, disheveling it even more. “You’re my boss… I’m your employee, for God’s sake. And my little girl…”
I sat back, noticing how her lips had swelled and reddened. Kissing her was an intoxicating pleasure all its own… And the wine had softened her edge. She was flushed, ready to talk to me now…
“I’ve been on my own since before Violet was born,” she said. “I was too busy with classes and taking care of a brand new baby… I’d never have made it without Mattie and her sister, but at the end of the day, she was my responsibility… and only mine. I know you want something more to happen between us… but I don’t know how to have a relationship and a daughter. I don’t even know if it’s a relationship you’re looking for.” She was breathing and talking fast now. “For me, what happened at the club was an excerpt in my life. It was never supposed to involve my family… or affect my child…”
I stroked her arm as she spoke, tangling my fingers with hers. “A lot of things have changed since prom night,” she said. “What happened between us back then… well, it was something I never had again. At the club that night… I was there looking for a memory…”
“And you found me,” I answered. I lifted her hand to my lips and pressed my lips to her fingertips, “by accident, maybe. Except that I made damned sure it happened.” I looked at her hard, willing her eyes up to mine. “I wasn’t looking for memories. I was looking for you. And the bond between us is even stronger than ever. I know you feel it, too.”
I leaned forward to kiss her again, feeling that familiar heat surging through my veins. I felt her response… and let it build…
“I can only imagine what you’ve gone through,” I said, letting my lips move lightly over hers. “And how hard it is for you to trust…” I took her face in my hands and looked into her crystalline blue eyes. “But we belong together. We always have. I want all of you… every inch… every touch… every thought, every moment.
And I want you to trust me with more than just your body, Angel.”
16
Angelina
For the last three weeks, I’d managed to keep him at arm’s length.
It was easy enough to justify. I’d put in at least eight hours a day, placing orders, making phone calls, handling the complications of deliveries to an island. And I wasn’t even close to finished. There were drapes and carpets and artwork to select. And despite Will’s request, I hadn’t started with his bedroom. It was still waiting. And so were the particular needs he’d only mentioned. I had more than enough on my plate as it was. And so our relationship had stayed purely professional.
Even though he’d given me total control, I’d still run all the major choices past him for approval. But he’d always looked more closely at me than at the photographs. And there was something about his infinite patience that rattled me to the core. He hadn’t even tried to touch me, and yet I could feel the cord that bound us growing tighter every day. I was being pulled into his life and he was being pulled into mine. I knew a collision was coming. And the anticipation was building deep inside. Every day I put him off only made it grow stronger. And every day he was kind and patient and generous, I wanted to believe. That I could let him inside my secrets and he wouldn’t turn away. That I could give him my body without losing myself. That I could trust him not to break my heart…
Or, more importantly, my daughter’s…
Violet had remained a source of friction between us. He was eager to meet her, and it was understandable enough. She was his family, too, since he and Jimmy were half-brothers. It made him her uncle, I supposed.
I pushed away the shadows surrounding that thought, and tied my hair up into a loose ponytail. I’d already used every excuse I could think of. That she had the sniffles, that she and Mattie had taken the ferry into the city. That it simply wasn’t the right time. I’d seen it in his eyes, that he knew I was only buying time. And I knew I’d have to give in eventually. And so he was bringing Violet’s gift down to the cottage today. My stomach had been in knots all morning. I hadn’t known how to tell him about her ahead of time, so I’d simply said nothing. It had always been inevitable, that he’d find out sooner or later.
And even though there was nothing but love and pride in my heart for my baby, I dreaded seeing the look I’d seen so many times before. Embarrassment, discomfort… pity, when people realized my daughter was different from all the other children. I felt a vague wave of nausea, imagining that same look on Will’s face…
“Hi, baby,” I said, as Mattie brought her into my room. “Let’s put on an extra sweater and tie your hair back just like Mommy’s. Our friend Will is coming today to walk with us on the beach.” Mattie and I exchanged a deep look, there weren’t any secrets between us. “He lives in the big house on the hill and he has a birthday present for you.” I helped her into her sweater and smiled when she met my eyes. I let out a breath… it was a good day…
“You can collect shells and we’ll have cake when we get home,” I said softly. “Five years old…,” I said, more to myself than to her. Mattie put her hand on my shoulder. “My baby girl is growing up… I can’t believe it’s been so long…”
“We’ve got this, you know,” Mattie said, “no matter how he reacts. Violet’s life isn’t going to change, and she’s already surrounded with love.” She squeezed my shoulder and I looked at her. “Will’s nothing like Jimmy,” she said pointedly. “That was then… This is now.”
I pulled her arms around me, and for just a little longer, it felt like nothing had changed. But my heart was still beating too fast. And I knew after today, nothing could ever be the same.
We were waiting in the garden when he arrived with her gift.
Fifteen pounds of golden lab puppy on a pink satin leash. I shot him a look, and couldn’t help but smile at the expression on his face. You’d think he was the five-year-old and the puppy was his...
“I can’t believe you did this without asking me,” I said, in exasperation. “One child wasn’t enough, so you gave me another?”
“Consider me her proud papa… and at your disposal,” he answered against my ear. “I’m available at all hours, for leash patrol, puppy-sitting… stain removal.” He kissed my cheek and let his lips trail to my earlobe. It lasted less than a second and left my whole body aching for more.
“That’s incredibly sweet,” I said fast, as Mattie and Vi were heading over from the tomato plants. “But this… this could be overwhelming…
Violet’s shyer than other kids her age,” I said, protectively. But he was already ignoring me, kneelin
g down in the grass. Part of me noticed how calm and well-trained the puppy was. The rest of me was completely freaking out.
“Hello, Violet,” he said in a soft voice. “Your mama told me today is your birthday. This is for you.” He held out the pink leash, but she didn’t reach out to take it. I should have told him, I thought, as my stomach turned over. Why the fuck hadn’t I warned him?
“Her name is Mirielle, but I’ve been calling her Miri. But you can name her anything you want.” His voice was slow and steady. He put the leash in her little hand, and Mattie and I both let out a breath of relief. Violet had let him touch her hand, no matter how briefly. And she hadn’t pulled away…
“She likes to play on the beach, too,” he went on. “Would you like to take her for a walk? You can show her where you find your shells, and when she’s thirsty, we can give her a drink.”
He stood up and took my hand. Violet looked at the puppy who sat waiting patiently, and then up at us. When Violet put her hand on Miri’s head, I thought my knees were going to buckle.
“Shall we?” Will asked, with a grand, sweeping gesture toward the beach. And all the tension in my body burst out into laughter. He looked so sweet, so kind… so clueless. And I felt closer to him than I’d ever felt to anyone in my whole life.
“I told you it’d be fine,” he said, taking my hand and following behind my daughter and her new puppy. “I have a way with kids and animals…”
17
Will
I’d never have admitted it, but I was feeling every bit as much relief as I could clearly see on Angelina’s face.
Best Friend's Little Sister Page 21
