by Anne Oliver
They undressed each other with only the sounds of their breathing and the whisper of clothing being shed in the silence. Slow in the intimacy of night’s darkness, skin slid against skin. Heart beat against heart. Fingers entwined. Mouths coming together, clinging a moment then moving on to sip and soothe.
And Lissa knew, with every touch, every murmur, every lingering look, that this understanding could only be forged from love.
If only he knew it too.
Over the next couple of weeks, Lissa barely had time to turn around. Gilda’s nursery was finished, photographed and filed for future reference. It was a magical ‘Cinderella meets Snow White’ theme with a pumpkin-shaped crib and a fortune in fabrics and fittings. Blake praised the new-look living room with its deep turquoise walls and mustard and dark gold furnishings. Another nursery was completed for a client she’d met at Gilda’s party. Primrose walls, clean white furniture and a black lacquered crib for the central focus.
The rest of the furniture for the shop arrived. Spacious sofas, unique lamps, wallpaper hangings for customers to browse and office supplies. All were pulled together with the use of vivid colours and hours of hard slog.
They worked as a team. Blake handled the finances, any purchases needed and worked with an IT tech to build a website. When she wasn’t trawling catalogues and home-living stores, Lissa was visiting clients, sketching ideas, giving quotes and working on the publicity for the upcoming launch.
But at night they fell asleep together. There were some days when those few precious hours were the only time they saw each other and Lissa grew accustomed to waking with someone beside her again.
She’d learned to read Blake’s pain. She was happy to note that he’d only had one headache since that first time she’d found him on the couch. He’d needed the break to recover. If only he would come clean about his military past. He’d done his duty for his country and it was time he tried something else, even if it took him away from her.
Lissa knew he wasn’t going to be around for ever. The business was her dream, not his. As if to reinforce that point he’d gone to Surfers one day to look at boats. He’d come home with a renewed enthusiasm. and it scared her.
Requests for work came in, thanks to Gilda’s abundantly wealthy friends. Blake had suggested it might be time to start looking for a suitable part-time employee. ‘You don’t want to lose business because you can’t keep up the pace.’
Because he wasn’t going to be here to help, she thought, and another piece of her heart broke. The reality was, he’d never said he would be and he’d been up front about it from day one. Silent partner.
The night before the big event, they celebrated their hard-won achievements with oysters, Thai fish cakes and French champagne beneath the white shade sails of an open-air restaurant on the esplanade and watched the night-darkened waves lap the shoreline. Then they took off their shoes and strolled along the beach, which was still populated with tourists and locals alike enjoying the warm evening before heading home.
When they arrived back at the house, Blake kissed Lissa the moment he switched off the car’s ignition. A long, deep kiss that reached right down to her toes and left her breathless and had every cell in her body clamouring for more.
‘I’ve wanted to do that all evening,’ Blake murmured when he at last lifted his head.
‘And I’ve been waiting for it all evening too.’
His gaze darkened within the car’s confines and dropped to her tingling lips. ‘Have you now?’
‘Seems like for ever. I have to tell you I can’t wait much longer …’ Feeling bolder than she had in a long, long time, she reached across and rubbed her hand over his crotch. She watched him harden against her fingers and felt its heat reflected in her cheeks as she looked up at him. ‘Obviously you can’t either.’
Humour danced around his mouth as he yanked the car key from the ignition and their gazes locked. ‘And who’s responsible for that?’
Still watching him, she pulled her house key from her purse. ‘Race you to the bedroom.’ She swung open the door and was out of the car like a rabbit. She laughed when she heard Blake swear, kicked off her shoes and kept running, urgency skipping through her veins.
He’d gained ground by the time she’d unlocked the door and pushed inside. Just behind her on the stairs. She screamed when she felt his fingers touch her hair and threw herself onto the bed. ‘I won.’ She let out a slightly inebriated whoop and flopped back onto the quilt.
‘I was at a disadvantage.’ He flicked on the bedside lamp, filling the room with a warm glow.
‘No.’ Out of breath, she stared up at him and bit her lip to stop the smile. ‘You have longer legs.’
She watched him whip off his belt, slide it through his fingers. His eyes turned to smoke, the humour faded, replaced by an intensity she’d never seen before, and a sliver of uncertainty shimmied down her spine.
Her pulse stuttered, but not in a good way. ‘Okay, call it a draw. It’s over.’
‘It’s only just beginning,’ Blake told her, and followed her down.
In a lightning move she wasn’t prepared for, he grasped both her wrists, propelled them above her head as his mouth swooped on hers. The weight of his body pushed her into the mattress, one rock hard thigh pushed her legs apart.
Her heart pounded in her ears. She couldn’t get enough air. She couldn’t breathe.
But the instant she tried to pull her hands free, his hold loosened. ‘Lissa?’
She dragged in a much needed breath. ‘It’s okay. I’m okay.’
Guilt steamed through Blake. What the hell had he been thinking, going at her that way after what she’d told him? He knew she didn’t want to talk about it so, without a word, he leaned down and kissed her. Then he rolled over, bringing her on top of him.
Her hair fell in a curtain, cocooning both of them in its fresh fruity fragrance. He soothed her back with light strokes for a few moments, then kissed her shoulder and said, ‘How about you doing all the work this time?’
‘Me?’ she murmured against his chest.
‘I don’t see anyone else here.’
She lay so still he wondered if he’d got it wrong but then she stirred. A slow sinuous movement that made his toes curl and his stomach muscles spasm as she pressed her lips to his chest and stretched. ‘Hmm. If you insist. But it has to be my way all the way.’
He jerked when she scratched his nipples with the tips of her fingernails. ‘Your way, sweet cheeks. I’m waiting …’
She sat up, her thighs gripping his hips, the hem of her loose-fitting dress sliding up to her waist. Wordlessly, she began undoing his shirt buttons. When she’d finished that task she pushed the fabric aside and smoothed her hands over his chest, her eyes clear now, and focused, and he breathed a sigh—part relief, part pain, but mostly he was just plain hot.
Lissa looked into his eyes and wished she could tell him what he’d done for her with his one simple suggestion that showed he understood. He’d given her her soul back, this man.
This man she loved.
Her heart both swelled and wept. She’d been so stupid. She’d fallen into the trap she’d told herself to steer well clear of. And he’d warned her, hadn’t he? He’d been up front with her from day one. He was a sailor, he had a life and he didn’t want to share it. With her unrealistic romantic fantasies, she only had herself to blame.
So no tears. And above all, no regrets.
‘Jeez, woman, you’re killing me here.’
His edgy demand brought her back to the present, and that was about all she had left. ‘Patience,’ she told him.
He reached for her hem but she batted his hand away. ‘No.’ She did it herself, lifting it up, throwing it to the floor. And, oh, the rush of feminine empowerment as she reached behind her back to unsnap her bra and toss it behind her.
He eyed her bare breasts with barely restrained hunger but she shook her head. ‘No touching. Not yet.’ Then she leaned back and took her wei
ght on her hands and ordered him to, ‘Take off your shirt.’
A difficult task, she conceded, since she was sitting on the tops of his thighs, but he managed to free his arms. He stuck them behind his head and lay back to await further instructions.
What freedom. What joy. What delight to have this man at her mercy beneath her. ‘You know, I used to fantasise about doing this,’ she told him, and watched his eyelashes flicker.
‘I don’t think I needed to know that,’ he murmured, his voice thick.
‘Then I won’t tell you what else I imagined.’ She slanted off him to one side and gestured at his crotch. ‘Now the pants. Then hands back behind your head.’
When the clothing was gone and he’d resumed his semi-relaxed pose, she moved back on top of him. She took him in her hands and slowly slid herself down his length. ‘Ooh, that feels so good …’
She raised herself up, sank again and he thrust his hips to meet her, pushing further inside. Slow and slick and slippery. Watching his face now, she ran her hands through her hair, relishing the moment as they moved together. Glorying in the final rush to fulfilment.
Moments later she slid off to one side and stretched, before flopping an arm over Blake’s chest and cuddling into his side.
‘So … tomorrow’s the big day,’ he said, lifting her hand and rubbing her palm with his thumb.
‘I wish Jared could’ve made it but he’s been held up in Singapore with work. He was supposed to be on vacation.’
Blake brought her fingers to his lips and kissed each of them in turn. ‘Crystal and Ian are coming.’
‘Yes.’
But he knew it was Jared she wanted to see. At least they were talking more and, from what she’d told him, Jared sounded happy with the way the business was shaping up. ‘He’ll be there in spirit.’
‘I know.’
‘You still haven’t told me what charity you’re raising money for.’
‘It’s a surprise. Only Gilda knows.’
‘I’m not a big fan of surprises.’
‘Then toughen up, big boy, because I’m not telling you. You’ll find out tomorrow like everyone else. Now go to sleep.’
He was back on the beach that haunted his dreams. But this time he found himself suspended in mid-air, looking down. Torque was gone, Lissa stood on the sand instead. The breeze caught her hair, twirling it about her beautiful face, which was turned towards the sun. She looked up, smiled at him, waved, then set off down the blinding strip. His heart stuttered. He wanted to wave back, tell her he was coming and ask her to wait but he couldn’t move his arm.
And then she was sinking into the sand, her face contorted in horror as she screamed his name, over and over. He tumbled down to earth and onto the beach and started running but his legs were columns of concrete. Then the world turned dark as he pin-wheeled towards a rocky outcrop on the water’s edge.
‘Blake. Blake, you’re having a bad dream.’
Lissa. Not screaming. Her soothing voice washed over him. He felt her hand on his chest and opened his eyes to see her leaning over him, her silhouette outlined against the grey light from the window. He could just make out her features in the darkness. Eyes wide and filled with something akin to the fear that still ripped through his body.
He’d not had his nightmare for weeks. He’d thought they were gone. But this dream was different. His subconscious was warning him to stay away from her, to keep her safe from him and harm.
‘You’re not going to shut me out any longer,’ she said firmly. ‘And you’re not the only one who reads eyes.’
He turned his head away on the pillow. In the shadows, he could still see her on the beach and it was as if sharp talons had shredded what was left of his heart. ‘Turn on the lamp,’ he snapped out.
He felt the mattress dip and the room filled with a soft rosy light, chasing away the shadows and images. He blinked awake, desperate not to see her falling back into that hell hole.
And then the words, the pain, the memories were tumbling out. ‘We were attacked by an unseen enemy on a beach. My youngest recruit was killed. I was in charge, I was the one responsible. It should’ve been me who died that day.’
‘Oh, Blake.’ She brushed her fingers over his brow. ‘Why would you say that about yourself? It shouldn’t have been anyone. Let me in. please.’
He turned and looked at her. ‘You’re a good listener, Lissa. The only one who ever listened.’ The only woman who ever cared what was inside him.
She stared down at him, her eyes wide and full of compassion. ‘Start at the beginning and don’t stop till you’re through.’
He put a hand behind his head and stared at the ceiling. Then he took a deep breath. ‘We were on a routine training exercise …’
Lissa’s heart wept for him as he told her, his gaze fixed on horrors she couldn’t see.
‘I woke up in a military hospital,’ he said at last.
‘Thank God,’ she whispered.
‘They called me a hero.’ He drove a hand over his head. ‘If I’d been doing my job right I’d’ve seen the signs earlier and Torque might still be alive today.’
‘No. You did what you could. No one could have done more. You’re a good, good man, Blake. The best. You couldn’t save Torque, but you’ve done so much for others. You’ve spent years protecting our country. Protecting us. Think about Gilda. And me—think about all you’ve done for me. The boat. Your boat. You never told Jared the story behind that, did you? The business you’ve helped me build. Todd.
‘Forgive yourself, Blake. Let me help you.’ She closed his eyelids gently with her fingertips. ‘Sleep now. I’ll be here.’
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
‘I SHOULD’VE bought a new dress.’ Lissa surveyed her reflection, less than satisfied. It was her big night and her little black dress was strapless and short and simple. Everyone else would be blinged to the eyeballs and the party princess was a plain Jane. But she hadn’t had time to wander the boutiques.
‘That is a new dress,’ Blake said, behind her. ‘And that is such a typical male response.’ She glanced at Blake in the mirror to check he was okay after finally opening up to her last night.
He was buttoning his shirt. Covering all that gorgeous bronze skin. He looked amazing. Semi relaxed. She knew he wasn’t looking forward to facing a crowd of people. She stared back at herself. ‘It’s not what I imagined myself wearing tonight. I look so … stark. And boring. Maybe a brighter lip-gl—’
‘Perhaps these will help.’ Blake’s reflection appeared behind her. He lifted his hands above her head and she saw a single strand of cream pearls.
‘Oh …’ She met his eyes in the mirror—warm and incredibly blue, like a tropical day, and for a heart-stopping moment she forgot to breathe.
Then he broke eye contact, as if he’d seen something he wasn’t comfortable with. ‘Lift your hair.’
Unable to speak for the lump in her throat, she did as he asked. He fastened it around her neck, then adjusted its princess length so that the diamond-crusted clasp sat below the line of her collarbones. It sparked like fire in the bedroom light.
‘Oh, my … I don’t know what to say.’ She touched the smooth orbs, cool against her suddenly flushed skin. They must have cost a fortune. ‘They’re beautiful. And absolutely perfect.’
‘They match your complexion.’ His hands drifted over her bare shoulders as he turned her to face him, dropped a kiss on her brow. ‘Good luck for tonight. You deserve it.’
‘Thank you, Blake.’ In turn, she leaned in to press her lips lightly against his neck just above his collar. ‘For everything.’
But as she walked out into the night with him, something shivered down her spine. Hadn’t she read somewhere that when a man gave a woman pearls, tears weren’t far behind?
By eight-thirty the vaulted room where Lissa’s Interior Design was to open for business on Monday morning was a sensory hive. Animated conversation. A fortune in fashion and fragrance and diamonds. Exotically
perfumed pine-cone ginger stalks and Singapore orchids among tropical foliage. Colourful canapés, pink champagne. And over it all, the sounds of Vivaldi drifting from a quartet on the mezzanine floor.
Lissa mingled with the guests. Some she knew, others she met for the first time. Gilda, with her rapidly growing baby bump swathed in midnight blue, introduced her around. Blake was working the room from the opposite end.
Suddenly, she was enveloped in a tight warm hug and a familiar voice over her shoulder said, ‘Hello, gorgeous.’
‘Jared!’ She turned in the circle of his arms and hugged him tight. ‘I didn’t know you were back.’
‘We wanted to surprise you.’
‘You did.’ And for a moment she wanted to cling, to breathe in his familiar aftershave and tell him she loved him, how much she appreciated him.
How much family meant to her even though she didn’t always show it.
‘Missed you,’ she said, against his cheek.
‘Same goes. Don’t worry, sis,’ he whispered for her ears only. ‘I’m not going to rain on your parade.’
‘I know. Thanks.’
He let her go and she stepped back, feeling unaccountably emotional. ‘Sophie. You’ve cut your hair. It looks stunning.’
Sophie, gorgeous in a teal-coloured dress, flicked at her new bob with a smile. ‘Easier to manage when travelling.’
‘Crystal.’ Lissa hugged them both. ‘Thanks for coming. And Ian too. You all made it.’ She soaked in the sight with all her senses. Her family loved her and they’d always be there for her, no matter what. They’d always be around to celebrate her successes.
She tried not to think about her business partner but her hand rose to the pearls at her neck. Blake would never be part of her inner circle. He wouldn’t be here with champers when the business turned a profit for the first time. He wouldn’t be here when it came time to decorate the office with Christmas cheer. He wouldn’t be here to share their milestones because he sailed alone.
