by Jennifer Rae
‘You needed help. I helped you. It was nothing.’
‘It wasn’t nothing. What if one of the others had found me out there on the terrace? Drunk.’
She shuddered as she thought of Casper. What if he had found her instead of Edward? She couldn’t see him carrying her up the stairs—it might have crumpled his jacket.
‘Thank you, Edward. For listening to my drunken rant and for taking me to bed.’ She gulped. ‘And for ignoring my propensity to throw myself at strange men,’ she added quietly.
She saw his face turn but he didn’t say anything. Instead he pointed to a fork in the road up ahead that led to a muddy pathway.
‘I want to show you something,’ he said as he walked alongside her.
When they got to the rise, the valley was spread out below them. Although there was a slight fog Olivia could see a patchwork of fields and acres of winter wildflowers. It felt magical. As if she’d entered another world.
Edward held her elbow as they headed towards an outcrop of rocks. He helped her find a foothold and they climbed to the very top. The rock was so large they could both stand on it. Edward moved closer, his sleeve against hers. She couldn’t feel it but she knew his skin was just beneath a few layers of fabric. The thought made her tingle.
Stupid, stupid, Olivia, she berated herself. Always wishing for things she couldn’t have. Always falling for the wrong men. Not that she was falling for Edward. She just wanted to feel his skin. That was just lust. Hot, dirty lust. She glanced at his profile. So handsome, so strong. She’d never been with a man like that. She’d never even been able to talk to a man like that. And now here she was—stuck on a big rock with a man like that.
Edward moved to the edge and sat down.
‘Come. Sit,’ he ordered, holding out his hand.
She took it, still mesmerised by his jaw and the way it was twitching. Her skin buzzed beneath her glove at his touch, so she sat down and quickly pulled her hand away. She had to stop fantasising about this man. He’d seen her naked. With no make-up! There was no way he’d be fantasising about her.
‘It’s beautiful,’ she murmured, looking out across the fields. And so was he. Shut up, Olivia.
‘We spent days out here when we were young. Hunting, fishing, exploring.’
His voice held a pang of longing. Fiona had said Edward hadn’t been back here in months. She’d said he hardly ever came home.
‘Do you miss it?’
Edward paused. ‘I do. I miss it very much.’
Looking through her hair, Olivia thought she caught his jaw working at the side of his face. She thought for a moment he was going to say something else, but he didn’t. So she lifted her hand to pull her hair across one shoulder. She’d have a better view of him if she didn’t have to peer through her hair.
At her movement he looked at her.
‘What’s that?’
A warm finger lightly pressed a spot right below her ear and Olivia went stiff. His touch was like torture. She remembered the way he’d touched her skin last night and the way she’d arched into his hand... An uncontrollable blush spread across her face. He drew his finger away and she reached up to her neck and rubbed the skin that still tingled.
‘It’s a tattoo. My sister has the same one.’
‘Are you and your sister close?’
‘Not particularly. Not now, anyway. We were when we were younger. But after she...’
For some reason she didn’t want to tell Edward about Ana. She didn’t want Edward to know. He was here, with her. Touching her skin and talking in that deep English voice. She didn’t want her sister interfering.
‘I keep my hair long so no one will see it.’
Olivia sat perfectly still as Edward’s face came closer.
‘What is it? An oar?’
‘A tennis racket.’ She shivered. He was still close. She could feel his breath on her neck. She wanted to close her eyes and push her neck into his lips, but he wouldn’t want that.
He came even closer and his scent circled around her. Warmth rolled off him in waves.
‘It’s cute,’ he said, close to her ear.
The tiny hairs on her ear stood to attention. Her nipples stood to attention. Her whole body was on alert. The green light was well and truly turned on and flashing. If he decided to throw her back on this rock, Olivia was pretty sure her long-forgotten parts would know what to do with the large, hard body of Edward hovering above them.
She had to get away from him—away from his scent and his warmth. She shifted her head, letting her hair fall back over the shoulder closest to him, but he lifted his hand and caught it.
‘Wait. Let me look.’
The way he spoke—all low and gruff—was as if he was saying something completely different. Something much hotter. Olivia’s bones disappeared.
She couldn’t remember the last time a man had spoken to her like that. She couldn’t remember the last time a man had been this close to her. No. She could. Just over a year ago. At her sister’s victory party. He’d kissed her in the hallway of her sister’s flat. Told her she was hot. But not as hot as her sister. She’d pushed him so hard the back of his head had hit the other side of the hallway. He’d sworn at her and left. Olivia had felt grubby and used.
But Edward didn’t make her feel like that. He seemed to bring her skin alive, to make her feel something else. Something much lovelier.
His hand held her hair and he pushed it back over her shoulder. His knuckles brushed her skin and she gasped. Slowly his lips came closer, until she could feel him breathing in her ear. So warm, so safe. Then, as her eyes rolled back, his warm lips pressed to the skin on her neck. Soft, gentle, reverent. She felt the wetness of the tip of his tongue as it came out a little to touch her skin and she shivered. The combination of his scent, his warmth, his strong hands and his hot lips made something burst deep inside. Something that she wasn’t sure she was quite ready to let out.
She pulled her neck away and her hair slid through his fingertips. She turned to face him.
‘Edward...’
His eyes froze. The expression on his face froze; then it went hard.
‘I’m sorry, Olivia,’ he said quietly as his eyes turned away.
She felt the cold envelop her when his gaze left hers. He was embarrassed. Shocked that he’d done that. She could feel his mortification and it mortified her.
‘Maybe we should get to the village. Meet the others.’
Edward’s voice was rough, embarrassed, and Olivia’s whole body burned. He’d realised who he was with. He’d remembered last night. That was the look in his eyes. Shock, realisation, disgrace.
Olivia needed to move—to get away from Edward and his too-honest reaction. And from the awful feeling that she was beginning to feel much more for this man than she had a right to.
TEN
‘You never told me, Will, how did you two meet?’ Edward looked at his brother. He was doing everything he could to avoid looking at Olivia.
Their walk down from the rocks had been awkward. Olivia hadn’t been able to get far enough away from him. What had made him kiss her neck he’d never know. Her skin was so silky and her voice was so sexy he hadn’t known what he was doing until it was too late. Until she’d pulled away and he’d realised he’d stepped over the line. He’d lost control. Which was not like him. She was bringing out the worst in him.
‘Actually, Olivia was going out with him first.’ Fiona’s little voice twittered.
Edward stilled. What the hell...?
‘What?’
‘No. That’s not—not right.’
Olivia was stuttering. What was she nervous about? He turned to look at her. He’d be able to tell what she was thinking if he looked at her eyes. But he couldn’t. She wasn’t looking at him.
/>
‘I wasn’t “going out” with Will. I mean we went out. Once. But it wasn’t like he was mine. I mean, you only did it out of politeness—didn’t you, Will?’
‘You went out with Will?’
Fire throbbed in his neck. The idea of his brother’s hands on her was making him sick. He reached for his beer and sipped it, trying to look casual. Inside he was anything but casual. That silky skin, those beautiful breasts... Had his brother touched them? Edward’s shoulders ached. He was going to have to hit something. Very soon. Or, better yet, someone.
‘Yes. Once. That was how Will and Fiona met.’
Olivia’s eyes finally met his and her chin tilted up. Defiant Olivia was back.
‘You were going out with Will and he chucked you for Fiona?’
‘No. No.’
‘You bastard.’ Edward directed a hard look at William.
‘Settle down, mate, it wasn’t like that.’ Will held his hands up.
Edward turned back to Olivia and his knuckles whitened where his hands were clasped together. ‘Were you two together? Were you intimate?’
‘Edward—what a question! Intimate? Who talks like that?’ Will shifted in his seat. ‘No. God, no.’
Edward didn’t watch Will. He watched Olivia and the way her shoulders slumped when Will said, ‘God, no.’ Had she wanted to be intimate with Will? Did she still want him? Was that why she was dressing in short dresses and laughing so much? Was she trying to attract Will’s attention away from Fiona?
‘No! No... It was nothing, Edward! Will and I just went out for dinner. That’s all.’ Olivia looked up at him, her blue eyes glassy.
‘When was this?’ Edward asked quietly.
‘It was the night Will and Fi met. Eight months ago.’
‘Did you like him?’
Olivia coughed and glanced at Fiona, then at Will. Edward didn’t take his eyes off her. A slow, pink blush crept up her cheeks.
‘Of course I did. Will’s great.’
‘I see.’
He couldn’t look any longer; he had to turn away. Olivia wanted Will. His Olivia. Wait—what? Olivia wasn’t his. She didn’t belong to him. He’d just met her, and put her into bed, and kissed her neck that tasted like honey. Sweet and thick. His body went hard again. Damn thing. He wished it would settle down and do as it was told.
Edward heard Will slurp his beer. ‘What happened to you and that dolly bird you were getting about with, Ed?’
Edward glared at him.
‘You know—that woman with the hair. The perfect hair. You should have seen her, Liv. Her hair was perfect. Every day. Even when she’d just got out of bed. I tried to mess it up once, but it wouldn’t mess. It just fell back perfectly.’
‘Idiot,’ said Edward.
‘What happened to her? What was her name?’
‘Penelope.’
‘Penelope. Of course. Perfect Penelope. What happened?’
‘Nothing.’
‘You mean you’re still with her? Is she still perfect?’
‘Can we change the subject?’
‘OK. Sure. Let’s talk about me. Did I tell you they’re looking for a senior manager? Guess who’s in line for the job?’
Olivia couldn’t guess, and nor did she want to. She was still reeling over Perfect Penelope. Of course Edward had a perfect Penelope. All handsome, lovely, financially secure and mentally balanced men did. And when they had a perfect Penelope they didn’t want a Loopy Livvie. At least not for long.
The memory of Edward’s lips on her neck made her blush again. She caught him looking at her and self-consciously searched in her pocket for her lip gloss but it wasn’t there. Damn it.
Why was he looking at her like that? His eyes were watching her as if he was trying to figure something out.
The fire they were next to was getting hot, so Olivia slipped the white jumper she had on up and over her neck. Her white T-shirt underneath came up, and when she untangled herself from the arms of the jumper she spotted Edward looking at her naked torso. Then his eyes bounced back to hers. She had to turn away. She couldn’t look at him. Not when the shame of that kiss flooded through her every time she looked at his lips or glanced at his long fingers on the tabletop.
He’d been angry at her all the way back, perhaps because he thought she was throwing herself at him. He probably liked women who waited, women who were more subtle. But Olivia’s mother had always told her she was as subtle as a fox in a chook pen. She’d never been good at hiding her emotions. It was probably why she had such bad luck with men. Maybe she should try holding back a bit more, teasing them. Ana was an expert at it and she had men flocking to her. But then Ana was six foot tall and looked like a Brazilian supermodel.
The lunch came and everyone ate silently. Olivia was glad Bunny and the others had already left. She knew Bunny would sense the tension. Then she’d tease her and Olivia would probably end up in tears. Or in a bar fight. And Olivia didn’t want to let her emotions show any more than they already had.
Edward didn’t look at her again. He was casually sipping his beer between bites—as if the kiss he’d planted on her neck earlier had meant nothing. As if he did that kind of thing all the time. He probably did. Or maybe he’d been thinking of Perfect Penelope when he’d kissed her.
Olivia stood abruptly. ‘I think I might head back.’
‘You all right, Liv?’ Fi looked up from her steak and chips. ‘You look a bit pale.’
‘I think the jet lag’s caught up.’
‘Do you want me to come with you?’
‘No, no. You stay. I’ll see you at the house.’
Before anyone else could protest she picked up her coat and left. Once outside she pulled the coat around herself, shocked for a second at the freezing wind, and put her head down to walk along the winding lane to the edge of the village.
Edward could have his Perfect Penelope. He deserved her and her perfect hair. They deserved each other. He was probably bad in bed anyway.
‘Olivia.’
Edward’s commanding voice made her stand stock still. He walked up behind her but she didn’t turn.
‘I’ll walk with you.’
Olivia didn’t say anything. She didn’t know what to say. She just waited for him to catch up, then kept walking. Edward said nothing more either. They walked in silence for a long time and the awkwardness grew. They rounded the corner and the village retreated behind them. Still they said nothing. Olivia pulled her collar up higher. The wind was getting stronger. Edward was silent next to her until she felt his hand on her arm.
‘This way.’
‘I thought the house was this way.’
‘Shortcut.’
His eyes were glowing, as if he had a secret. A smile lurked on his lips. She couldn’t help but follow him. They walked in silence for another ten minutes until they came to a very high black iron gate. The wind was blowing even more heavily and Olivia was grateful for the big puffy coat that made her look like a marshmallow man.
‘What is it? Where are we?’
‘I want to show you something.’
Edward’s voice had gone quiet. Olivia remembered what had happened the last time Edward had wanted to show her something. What was he doing? Trying to kill her?
She hesitated, shifting her eyes back to the road.
‘Olivia.’
Even through her gloves she could feel the cold of Edward’s fingers as he picked up her hand.
‘I’m sorry about before. I was just... I shouldn’t have... It won’t happen again.’
His eyes burned with sincerity. It wouldn’t happen again. A ball of disappointment dropped in her gut. Of course it wouldn’t happen again. He’d made a mistake, kissing her. She wanted to leave, go back to the house and pull the duvet over
her head. But he was pulling on her fingers.
‘C’mon,’ he said, and locked his fingers together, crouching down.
‘C’mon, what?’
‘Jump.’
Olivia looked up at the locked black iron gates.
‘Are you scared?’
He had a challenging glint in his eye and sexy half-smirk on his lips. Olivia gritted her teeth against the flutterings in her stomach. She could resist him and his sexy smirk. She put one foot on his hands and jumped, clearing the gates and landing clumsily on the other side.
‘Are you all right?’ he called through the gates.
‘Yes. How are you going to get over?’
Edward found a foothold in the iron gates and started to climb. Then he jumped and fell lightly to his feet next to her.
‘Now what?’
When his fingers looped through hers the breath caught in her throat. He leaned in closer, right next to her ear, and said, ‘This way.’
They walked through what seemed like a very dense forest until they arrived at a wall of shrubs. Before them was an opening, and on either side was a tall, pale statue.
‘That one is Aesop and that’s Cupid,’ he explained. Climbing tendrils of ivy curled around their bases. ‘See here?’ He pulled her over to the statue of a cherub figure with wings, eyes closed and holding a ball of string. ‘Cupid says, “Yes, I can now close my eyes and laugh: with this thread I’ll find my way.”’ He moved her over to the other statue. It was an old man in a long cloak, holding a book. ‘But Aesop says, “Love, that slender thread, might get you lost: the slightest shock could break it.”’
‘I don’t understand.’
‘Aesop represents Wisdom. Cupid thinks you can get through the maze guided by Love, but Aesop’s saying that you need Wisdom—or Love won’t last.’
‘Sounds deep.’
Edward chuckled. ‘I suppose it is a little. But when we were young we saw it as a challenge. Inside this maze are forty-nine statues. Each one represents one of Aesop’s fables. We’d bring a ball of string each and go through them all. We’d tie it to this statue and walk through. You had to figure out the meaning of each one before you could go on.’
