by Amanda Ward
“Careful Laura, this might become a habit,” Rhean warned her in a quiet voice. When their eyes meshed, Rhean’s had an expression Laura couldn’t quite put her finger on, but chose to ignore. Her hips swayed as she walked into the kitchen, but to her chagrin, she could feel his eyes on her.
****
“One I could become accustomed to,” he murmured to himself but could not stop himself from following her.
Rhean went into the kitchen and helped himself to the promised kebab and salad. Theo and James were at the dining table munching away. He sat down at the table and looked around for Laura. “Where’s your Mum?” he asked.
With a mouthful of food, James answered him with his head with a nod to a corner of the room. “Getting Maisie.”
Rhean nodded in acknowledgment, and looked at the doorway to the den. A few moments later, Maisie and her mother came into the room and sat at the table.
“Have you all thanked Rhean for dinner?” Laura reminded her children,”Though by rights, none of you should be hungry.” She looked pointedly at Theo and James. “And what happened to the pizza that was left out for all of you?” she asked.
Her sons grinned at each other, partners in crime. “Evaporated?” Theo countered cheekily. Laura groaned as everyone erupted into giggles—even Maisie.
Laura announced in a deadpan voice, “There are days when I wonder why I pushed.”
Rhean choked on a piece of kebab and James thumped his beloved headmaster soundly on the back. Leaning back in the chair, tears of laughter streamed down Rhean’s eyes cheeks, as his breathing returned to normal. .
They finished their meal through much giggling and chatting about their day. Even the boys were remarkably chatty and less sulky for a change. As Laura got up from the table, she went ’round clearing the plates and kissing each of her children on the tops of their heads. Her sons groaned and her daughter visibly shuddered.
“You know what though? I’m so glad I did push,” she said lightheartedly as she went into the kitchen to tackle the task of cleaning the dishes. Hearing the scrape of chairs, Laura called out, “Don’t forget to do your homework,” then smiled as she heard her children groan out loud.
****
A few minutes later, Rhean came through with the sauces and started to put them away. He switched on the kettle and with a tea towel in hand wiped the plates and cutlery as Laura washed. He studied her intently. Laura wasn’t a classic beauty who turned heads. His though, had turned toward her during the week she had been at the cottage on holiday, and he hadn’t looked away since. There was a fragility and gentleness about her. Laura’s emotions were always clear on her face — he could tell what kind of mood she was in just by looking at her. Her eyes, dark hazel flecked with gold were framed with thick lashes that swept over cheekbones the color of rose and pearl. Her figure was made for him to snuggle against and caress each curve and indent. She wore her bronzed, gold-streaked hair neck-length, pulled back in a barrette or in that just-washed way, kinking and curling against her forehead— the exact spot where Rhean felt the desire to put his lips.
It was all he could do in the quietness of the room not to turn her toward him and kiss her, the way he’d dreamed about for months. Although they started out as friends, for Rhean it had been love at first sight. The time that they spent together, grew into a deep, lasting love for him, and he knew there would never be anyone else. Rhean by nature was a patient man. Having spent thirty-four years waiting for her, he wasn’t about to frighten her off by making a move too soon. When the moment came, he planned to embrace it with every part of his being.
Working as a team, they soon had the kitchen cleared and hot drinks made. Rhean and Laura moved to the lounge where James leaned against the cushioned footstool with his laptop balanced on his knee. They laughed when Tubs attacked the computer’s mouse. As James moved the mouse out of the cat’s way, Tubs attacked his hand.
“That’s it,” he grumbled good-naturedly. “May I use the PC please, Mum?”
Laura nodded. “Go on, but if anyone else needs it, an hour at most okay?”
James closed down the laptop, put it on the poof and left the room.
“How you manage all day with them is beyond me,” she said to Rhean as she sipped her hot chocolate and looked at him.
“I don’t mind,” Rhean said. “I don’t usually teach nowadays. It’s mostly all administration, finance, forms, etc.” He let his head fall back against the sofa and closed his eyes. “Thank heaven it’s Friday,” he sighed.
Laura sat up. “How did you know I needed to do.......” her voice trailed off and she gestured with her hand toward the door.
“Give it some welly you mean?” Rhean’s eyes were still closed.
Laura nodded.
“That’s easy, you told me.”
Laura shook her head.”I never said anything at all.”
“You didn’t have to. I’ve known you for over a year. We see each other every day and spend more time together than most married couples do, except we don’t live together or...” He stopped before he finished the sentence and a flush of red spread across his sharp cheekbones.
“A bit like that old TV show, My Wife Next Door,” Laura remarked. Rhean looked puzzled.
“Great, I’m showing my age now. Look it up,” she told him.
“Oh I will do, but back to the original question. You changed your mannerisms.″ Rhean pointed to the heaped pile of magazines next to her chair. “And the biggie, getting your shopping delivered, not going out anywhere... I could continue, but I won’t.”
“So you guessed then?”
Rhean nodded.
“Yep, you weren’t going to ask for help, so I took matters into my own hands so to speak.” Rhean turned his body toward Laura’s, gazing at her intently.
“Worked though, didn’t it?” Rhean grinned at her, as his fingers stroked her arm sensuously enticing her to be aware of him. The softness of her skin slid against his roughened fingertips. His body reacted sharply. Rhean looked into the deep languid pools, searching for a flicker of awareness from Laura. He knew an attraction between them could be perilous, but felt an overwhelming need to know how her lips would feel against his. Their gazes meshed, the air around them electrified, and for a second he was afraid to take things any further.
Rhean saw the conflicting emotions in her face and knew deep down that now was his chance. He seized it. Moving closer to her, his thigh pressed against hers.
“Laura,” he whispered her name raggedly. When she tried to turn away, Rhean stroked her face with a long finger back to him.
“Please,” he begged, his voice harsh and raw with emotion.
Their breaths mingled, and his hand rested on her smooth cheek, caressing it with his thumb. At the same time, yet hesitantly, gently, his mouth covered hers. A delicious sensation of caressing more than kissing flooded him. Rhean’s lips thrummed from the feel of her mouth on his, but then as if in a blind panic she turned her face away from him, and broke their kiss. Rhean pulled her back into his arms
″No,″ he whispered, “Trust me Laura.” As they embraced, his mouth recaptured hers crushing her to him, deepening the kiss. Tentatively his tongue slipped onto hers. Stroking, dancing, they melded into one, aware of nothing but each other.
Rhean’s heart soared. He was lost in the heady sweetness of her taste on his tongue and his lips. Finally, he hoped, she would be his.
“Mother!” Rhean and Laura moved apart. They looked at James, standing in the doorway with an amused expression on his face. Laura’s face flushed red and Rhean stood up, feeling as though he had been caught with his hands in the cookie jar. He shoved his hands into his trouser pockets then relaxed after the wink James gave him.
“I think I’d better go,” Rhean said sheepishly, but he grinned. “Oh, what the heck?” He bent down and kissed Laura gently on the lips, loving the way hers felt on his.
“Get used to it James; you will be seeing a lot more of that.” He took his coat from th
e hook, and flicked it over his shoulder casually as he left.
****
James sat next to Laura who was still red-faced with embarrassment, shocked at being caught by her son.
“Have you any idea how tempting it is to tell everyone I caught you snogging the head?” her son teased.
“You wouldn’t dare,” she warned him, but James laughed.
“Good job it was me that saw you. Maisie would have gone all grandma on you and Theo would have hit the roof.” James knew his brother and sister very well, and of the three, Laura was lucky that James was the most easy-going.
“So why are you so calm about seeing me kissing Rhean?” Laura pressed.
“He’s not bad for a head teacher, and he’s fancied you for so long I’m surprised you didn’t notice,” he answered carelessly.
Laura raised her eyebrows at her son’s comment, wondering which of them was the parent. She shook her head, and for a moment thought she could still feel the pressure of Rhean’s lips on hers. Had their kiss been a big mistake or could this be the start of something?
It was almost time for Laura and Maisie’s DVD viewing. It was a regular Friday routine that they’d begun soon after the divorce. It gave the two of them a chance to be together while James and Theo went off and did their own thing. Maisie and Laura would get into their nightclothes, grab hot chocolate, and some snacks and watch a light-hearted film in Laura’s room.
James kissed his Mum and headed off up the stairs. Laura made the hot chocolate, checked on Tubs and ensured the house was safely locked up. She went upstairs, knocked on Maisie’s door then went into her own room. After washing and cleaning her teeth, Laura got undressed and snuggled under the bedclothes. There was a knock on the door and Maisie, dressed in her pajamas. came in with a selection of DVD s. Choosing one and sliding it into the player, Maisie got into bed with her mother and cuddled up, munching on the sweet popcorn.
After the film ended and Laura was reading, the phone rang. Looking at the clock she saw it was after eleven. Quickly, she picked it up and in a whisper said, “Hello?”
“It’s Rhean. I was ringing to make sure you were okay.” His voice was deep and husky sending shivers down Laura’s spine. Her mind went back to the kiss they shared.
“I’m fine,” she whispered wincing at her daughter’s rainbow toenails next to her on the bed. Maisie lay sprawled out with her head at the foot of the bed. “But I have to be quiet. Maisie’s in here.”
“I forgot it was DVD night.” He sounded apologetic. “I’m trying to do paperwork and for some strange reason I cannot concentrate on it at all.”
“And why not? Have you forgotten how to do it, or is it past your bedtime?” Laura teased him.
“Not at all. Some gorgeous woman kissed me senseless tonight. I can’t stop thinking about her.”
“Oh right. Well in that case I would suggest—”
Rhean interrupted her by teasing her back.
“Coming over right now for another one? I’d love to.”
“No. Make a hot drink and go to bed,” she chided at him as if he were one of her children.
“You do realize this is only the beginning.”
“Of what?” Laura was puzzled
“Us,” Rhean replied, and in an exaggerated deep voice said,”good night my darlinʼ.” and hung up.
“Drat the man,” Laura muttered to herself as she switched the light off and snuggled down under her thick duvet. Her mind would not switch off. After she gave her pillow a good thump, she settled down for a sleepless night with her daughters toes waggling about in front of her.
Chapter Two
Saturday brought typical Cumbrian autumnal weather—overcast, drizzly and windy. Laura woke up alone and grumpy after her predicted sleepless night. She could hear the drone of the television downstairs, mingled with the cheerful chirping of birds outside her window. Just as she was about to get out of bed, there came a rap at her door. Laura’s heart leapt into her throat as Rhean came into her bedroom, wearing a green rugby shirt and jeans that were worn in certain places. They cupped him in all the right places and her awareness of his blatant masculinity made her tingle all the way from her toes up. Seeing Rhean in her room brought a smile to her face. Her mind had been going around in circles, and feeling the emotions Rhean’s kiss awakened in her hadn’t helped any.
“What the heck are you doing here!” she exclaimed, pulling up the bed covers. “It’s...” she glanced at her clock, “only eight o’clock.”
“I come bearing gifts,” Rhean said. He held up two large mugs of tea and sniffed one. “Ah ’tis nectar of the Gods as someone told me,” he teased.
Laura smiled at him.
“I suppose we cannot let the first mug of tea of the day go to waste,” she replied.
Rhean walked over and placed it on her bedside table. He sat down on the bed, his eyes fixed on her as she took a long gulp of the strong fragrant brew.
“Good is it?” he asked. Laura closed her eyes as though she savored the flavor and heat of her drink and nodded.
“Can’t talk. Drinking,” she mumbled. Then it hit her. “What on earth are you doing here and at this time of the day?” she asked with mock severity. “It’s bad enough James caught you kissing me last night, and now here you are at this early hour. What will the others think?”
He smiled and crossed his legs under him, as the bed creaked with his weight.
“Not a lot. James asked me to bring this up to you.” He indicated her tea. “As for what I’m doing here... I thought we could spend the day together.”
Laura drew her bedclothes up around her breasts. Her cream nightshirt slipped down over one shoulder and she shivered—not from the chill of the room, but from the sensations he awoke in her.
“Where? All of us?” Laura asked immediately, thinking of her children.
“I have to go to Mum and Dad’s for the day and it would be a great if all of you came with me,” he suggested. “I have to organize the Ball and Fayre for them this year.” He batted his thickly lashed eyes at her.”Will you help?”
“When will they be back from the cruise?” Laura asked and chuckled at his antics. “You need lessons in that from Maisie, and even that doesn’t work on me,” she told him with mock severity, enjoying their banter.
“A couple of days before the Fayre,” he said..
Laura shifted in the bed uncomfortably.
“Come on mister, hoof it. I need to get up,” she said, desperately feeling nature’s call.
Rhean grinned and got up from the bed.
*****
When he went downstairs, Laura’s offspring lounged in the living room watching Horrible Histories on the TV and munching toast.
“All sorted. We are going to the grange,” Rhean told them. “I’ll go and make your mum some breakfast.”
Theo and James, who were on the floor, stuck their thumbs up without tearing their faces away from the screen.
“Not sure about Maisie, though,” Theo said.
Rhean sat down on a chair. “Guys, are you okay with what I asked you this morning?”
Theo scooted round on his stomach to face his headmaster. “About dating Mum?” When Rhean nodded, Theo stood up, pushing his hands into his pockets.
“Well, as the man of the house, I suppose I’d better ask what your intentions are toward my mother.”
Rhean inclined his head at the question
“Honorable,” he replied. “As to what happens in the future, that’s up to her. I will tell you something, though.” He looked up at Theo. “I won’t stay here nights, nor will I interfere with the way the family works.”
Theo was silent for a few moments.
“You won’t hurt her will you?” he asked. “Physically or—?” He left the rest of the question unspoken.
“Never,” Rhean stated firmly. He stood up and walked toward Theo. “I would never hurt the woman I love—ever,” he reassured the boys and left the living room.
The car swept up the path to Kirkleigh Grange, past extensive grounds and a smaller double-fronted cottage. The wide driveway was lined with majestic oak trees shedding gold, crisp leaves. It was a beautiful house, four stories high and made of gray stone. Large windows at ground level were framed with heavy cream curtains. Around the house were large gray ornamental containers filled with fragrant herbs. The stairs to the front door held pots of shrubs turning varying hues of green, red and brown. Rhean parked the car at the front and everyone piled out. Theo and James followed Rhean and their mother up the stoop to the front door. When they entered the large hall, the boys disappeared, Theo to the den and James to the kitchen in search of food, leaving Laura and Rhean alone together in the cavernous hallway.
“Make yourselves at home kids.” Rhean laughed. “You never said why Maisie didn’t come.”
Laura’s face turned red. “I said she could have some friends round.”
Rhean made an O with his mouth. “Boys?”
She wrinkled her nose. “Not sure, but I think so. I won’t badger her about it.”
Rhean nodded. “While there is no one around...” He leaned toward her, and pulled Laura close to him. His lips met hers, and he held her close. Surely she could feel the effect she had on him through the long purple tunic that clung to her curves.
****
Laura lost herself in the kiss, feeling his strength and passion. He took her mouth hungrily, sending spirals of ecstasy through her. She felt his arousal against her body and felt somewhat conflicted about why Rhean decided to make his move, and why she responded to his attentions. Up until now, she’d thought herself devoid of all romantic feelings toward a man, and maybe even dead inside.
Laura attempted to pull away, aware that they were still in the entrance hall, but Rhean rested his head on hers and murmured, “Not bad for a novice.”
“Who?” Laura looked up at him. Her hazel eyes flashed with passion, savoring the feelings he awoke within her.
“Me,” Rhean stated. Laura’s eyes widened at his unexpected comment. Taking her hand he led her down a wood paneled picture gallery, and opened a heavy oak door.
