by S. C. Daiko
Toby takes off, howling like the hound of the Baskervilles.
Wind blows through the hedge, sending a shower of autumn leaves whirling around my feet. Inky black clouds obscuring the moon roll back and light up the far end of the garden. There’s no one there.
Toby runs back, long pink tongue hanging out the side of his mouth.
“He had us fooled,” Cat says, grabbing his collar.
Hmm. My pulse thuds in my throat and I feel my expression darken.
She stares at me under the moonlight, her eyes blinking rapidly.
I put my arm around her and she leans into me, her body shaking as we head back into the house.
“Let me just check on the kids,” she says in a wobbly voice. “Make sure Toby didn’t wake them up.”
I close the door and bolt it for good measure. “I’ll come with you.”
She slips her trembling hand into mine; we return Toby to the kitchen and then go upstairs to Ben’s room. I lift the flap to the tent, releasing a pent-up breath as I take in the sight of the two sleeping children. Their small chests rise and fall, their eyelashes fan the apple of their cheeks; they look so goddamn adorable it makes my chest squeeze.
I place a finger to my lips and kiss it, before transferring the kiss first to Ben’s forehead and then to Becca’s.
Catrin lowers herself and brushes her lips to Becca’s brow. The little girl releases a soft sigh, hugs her Paddington teddy bear, and then turns over. Cat kisses Ben’s cheek and tucks the duvet more tightly around him. She’s a good mother, would make a good mother to my son… she’s far more hands-on than Victoria. What the hell am I doing comparing her to my late-wife? Except, now when I think about Victoria I find it hard to picture her face, despite the remorse I feel for the way she lost her life.
A fierce wave of protectiveness washes over me as I go back to the living room with Catrin. I’ll guard Catrin and Becca. Shield them from harm, just like I do with Ben. I won’t let those fuckers get to them. What happened with Victoria was all my fault; I’ll never make that mistake again.
Catrin glances as me nervously; that damn dog must have scared the living daylights out of her earlier. Leaning into her, I lift her chin and press a kiss to her soft lips. “Hey, no need to worry. Toby must have heard a fox or some other wild creature. He’s quietened down now, hasn’t he? We’re perfectly safe.”
A slow smile spreads over her face. “Of course we are.”
Yes, my darling. I’ll make sure of that.
Chapter Fifteen
Catrin
I wake up, sunlight filtering through the curtains in my bedroom. It takes me a couple of seconds before I realise I don’t need to make breakfast for Becca. She’s next door. It’s the second day in a row she’s been on a sleepover, and I miss our morning cuddles. But she’ll be home soon; it’s Saturday, and we’ll go into Northampton for our weekly grocery shopping. I’ll treat her to a hamburger and fries for lunch like I always do. I invited Daniel and Ben to eat with us later tonight; I’ll make my signature dish, Welsh stew. They say the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. I’m not sure if that’s true, but I’ll give it a try.
A smile curls the edge of my mouth as I think about yesterday. I wrap my arms around my body, remembering how gentlemanly Daniel was, how he calmed me down after Toby went ballistic and his own reaction scared me, how he kept his hands to himself with the kids in the house. He’s not a brute at all, I don’t think; it’s clearly only a ploy to keep the world off his back.
Warmth spills through my chest, hot and deep. How can I have fallen for a man I barely know? Except, somehow, it’s like I do know him. My heart wants what it wants, and it wants Daniel, despite his secretive nature.
Sudden doubt fizzes through me, making my stomach quiver. What if he doesn’t feel the same way about me? My brow wrinkles, then I remember the way he took care of me. Surely, I mean more to him than just a friend with benefits?
I put my worry on the back burner, go for a shower, get dressed and make my way downstairs. My phone pings with a text as I step into the kitchen. It’s Eleri, inviting Becca to a play-date this afternoon with her kids. She wants me to bring Ben as well. Will I have time to make that stew? It needs several hours in the slow-cooker; I’d better get a move on.
Whenever I visit Aldridge House my eyes widen. Gabe’s seventeenth century mansion is huge, built in the form of a half-H, and there are thirty bedrooms… thirty freaking bedrooms! It costs hundreds of thousands of pounds a year to maintain, which is why he started opening it to the public, shortly after inheriting the title of earl when his dad passed away. The house reminds me of Downton Abbey… it stands at the end of a long driveway with manicured lawns… except Eleri doesn’t have a tribe of servants to support her like the countess in the TV series. She manages to cope, though, with the help of her nanny Rosie, a part-time housekeeper and contract cleaners.
Rosie takes Ben and Becca off my hands as soon as I step through the front door. “We’ll go up to the nursery. There’s Lego all over the floor and we’re going to build a pretend city. We’ll have tea up there.”
I thank her and set off to find my bestie. But Eleri finds me first, giving me a hug and pulling me along with her to the living room. She sits me down, and hands me a cup of tea.
“How are plans for your next tour coming along?” I ask.
She describes the gruelling schedule of concerts in ten European cities. Lucky for her she has Rosie to look after the little ones while she’s away, although Gabe and Luke are fab hands-on dads. When she comes to the end of her spiel, I inquire about her boyfriends.
“They’re around somewhere.” Her eyes assume a dreamy expression.
We talked about how she could love two men unconditionally when she first got together with them five years ago. I found it hard to imagine, only ever having been with Josh. Now, though, I’m starting to look at things differently. I’ll never be able to replace my late husband, nor do I want to; he’s irreplaceable. Every one of us is different, so we can’t be replaced. But having met Daniel, I know there’s room in my heart for another.
I sip my tea; I wish I could tell Eleri about how he mesmerises me. How he possesses me, controls me, and pushes me to the edge. How I keep coming back for more. God, I’ve fallen for him so damn hard. I twist my hands in my lap.
“How are you getting along with Daniel Collins?” she asks, out of the blue. It’s like she’s read my mind.
“He’s still a brute,” I lie. “He’s the rudest man I’ve met.” I pause and the question forms on my lips. “What do you know about his background?” I slide closer to her on the sofa.
“I’m sorry.” Her eyebrows gather in. “As I told you when you first arrived, he’s reclusive. I’ve only ever seen him when he’s out and about with Ben. Why do you ask?”
I assume a poker face. “Becca likes Ben a lot, spends more and more time over at his place. I’d like to know more about Daniel for my daughter’s sake.”
Eleri purses her lips. “Of course. I would too if it was one of my girls.”
Suddenly, the door clicks open; I look up as Gabe and Luke stride across the living room. “Excuse us while we kiss our girl.” Luke’s London accent makes me smile. He’s so cute; there are real dimples at the corners of his mouth.
Gabe is sterner-looking than Luke, but no less hunky. He leans his tall frame down on the other side of Eleri and kisses her cheek at the same time as his partner.
She squirms out of their embrace. “Can you tell us about Daniel Collins?” she asks, coming straight out with it.
Gabe sits on a chair and makes a steeple with his fingers. “What do you want to know?” He’s so down to earth, you’d never believe he’s an aristocrat.
“Where is he from? What did he do before he came here? Why is he so reclusive?” Eleri leans forward and grabs Gabe’s hand.
“Whoa!” Luke’s eyes sparkle with laughter. “Why the third degree?” He lowers himself between Eleri and me on t
he sofa.
She explains about Becca’s friendship with Ben. Am I betraying Daniel’s trust by going behind his back and asking Gabe and Luke about him? I’m a mother first and foremost. Even though my gut instinct tells me Daniel is a good man, something about the way he reacted yesterday, the fierce look on his face when he thought there might have been an intruder, made my hair stand on end.
Gabe crosses his legs. “We ran a background check on Daniel Collins before renting him the cottage. If we’d found something to be concerned about, we wouldn’t have allowed him within spitting distance of our children, let alone allow you to live next door.”
I flop back on the sofa, relief flooding through me. Of course, there’s nothing for me to worry about. Daniel is safe. I was just being silly.
“I know his art dealer,” Luke adds. “He recommended us to Daniel, apparently.”
“Yeah, I’ve met Eric,” I blurt out.
Oops. Too much information. Guard your tongue, Cat.
But my slip-up goes unnoticed, it seems. At least until I’m heading upstairs with Eleri, to fetch Ben and Becca and take them home.
She gives me a knowing look. “There’s something different about you, girlfriend. You’re glowing.”
“Just country life. All the fresh air and exercise.”
She cocks her head. “If I didn’t know better, I’d say you’ve met someone. But you’d tell me, wouldn’t you?”
I blush, and she claps a hand to her mouth. “It’s Eric, isn’t it? She bounces on her toes. “You’ve got the hots for him.”
“I. Have. Not.” I stare down at my feet.
“I don’t believe you, my lovely. You’re different than you were a few weeks ago. It can’t be Daniel Collins, so it’s got to be his agent. You said you’d met him…”
I shudder to myself at the thought. But what can I say? Eleri can read me like a book, and she’s like a dog with a bone. She won’t give up until I tell her. And I can’t tell her about Daniel. A promise is a promise. “Well… Maybe…” I leave it at that.
She taps her chin. “I’ll organise a dinner party. I want to check him out.”
I stop dead in my tracks. “Please don’t,” I beg. “I’d die of embarrassment.”
“Okay, then,” she smirks.
But I know my bestie. She’ not going to let this rest.
Shit!
Daniel is waiting for us at the end of the long driveway, like we agreed when he dropped Ben off earlier. He’s so protective of his son; he won’t even allow me to walk him all the way home on my own. He falls into step next to me, and I notice him glancing from left to right, checking out the parkland as we make our way down the road. Who does he think could be loitering there? I fight the urge to tell him not to be so paranoid.
I peek at him from under my lashes. God, he’s smoking hot. Scary hot, with his dark looks and that damaged expression in his soulful eyes. My breath catches; what he did to me yesterday while we were ‘playing’ was amazing. I loved every minute of it, and I can’t wait for him to take me to the next level. A shiver of excitement races through my body; with Daniel I never know what will happen next. I just hope this is more than a game to him, though.
“Mum,” Becca interrupts my thoughts with a tug at my fingers. “Next time we go to Northampton, can Ben come with us?”
I catch the frown creasing Daniel’s forehead. “Let’s see, shall we?”
“Oh, but, please.” Her eyes are big.
Ben joins the conversation. “I never get to go anywhere,” he whines.
“That’s not true, son.” Daniel’s voice is stern. “I took you into town last week.”
Ben juts out his lower lip. “It would be more fun with Becca.”
“Come on.” I change the subject. “Let’s play a game of I spy. I’ll start. I spy with my little eye, something beginning with T.”
Ben guesses tree immediately, and has us all stumped as we try to come up with something starting with N. It isn’t until we arrive at the cottages that Becca says, “Knee,” and Daniel and I fall about laughing.
We part company momentarily, while I get our meal ready. Becca gives me a hand; she’s learning how to prepare food and loves it, so I give her the task of making a fruit salad.
Soon, Daniel and Ben have joined us. We sit around the kitchen table like we did when he came over a month ago. So much has changed in such a short time. But it feels good. It feels great, in fact. So much so that I relax, stop worrying about where this is going, and simply enjoy myself.
“That was delicious.” Daniel puts down his fork after his second helping of stew. He takes a sip from the wine he brought over. “You’re a good cook, Catrin.”
“Thank you.” I give him a smile. “I wish I could make something fancier. I never got around to learning.”
He studies me for a long moment. “I’ve eaten enough fancy food in my life. To be honest, I prefer good old-fashioned home cooking.”
I store that piece of information away with the other facts I’ve gleaned about him. His background is a wealthy one, I’ve deduced. He installed that jacuzzi, he doesn’t need to earn money from his paintings, he told me the other day, and the wine I’m drinking with him now must have cost a pretty penny it’s so good. Not to mention his upper-class accent. Little by little, he’s revealing himself to me, even if he doesn’t realise he’s doing so. I’ll just have to be satisfied with that. And I am. A feeling of contentment washes through me.
After we’ve eaten the fruit salad, consisting of strawberries, bananas and grapes with a dash of orange juice, Daniel tells Becca how delicious it was. She beams at him, and then takes Ben through to the sitting room to play a video game.
I stare at Daniel and he stares back at me. I lick my lips, desire tingling through my body. I want his cock inside me, bruising my cervix, I want his mouth on my nipples, biting, and I want his sharp slaps on my ass as he gives me release. Except, there’s no way I can satisfy my lust with the kids in the lounge.
Sighing heavily, I get to my feet and take the plates to the dishwasher. I rest my hands on the kitchen counter and steady my breathing.
Like a panther stalking its prey, he comes up behind me.
My nerves prickle and my heartbeats race. Oh, God.
He lifts the hair from the nape of my neck and brushes his lips to my sensitive spot.
A quiver goes right through me.
He snakes his hands around to cup my breasts, kneading, teasing my nipples through my sweater.
“We can’t…. the kids might come in at any minute,” I groan.
He pulls me into him, and his thick hardness presses into my ass. “I know,” he rasps. He spins me around and his mouth descends on mine. His possessive tongue parts my lips. His kiss deepens, turns hungry and rough, as if he’s marking me as his.
And I am his, God help me.
He sucks on my tongue, roughly, squeezing my buttocks with one hand while pressing his fingers to my throat with the other.
“Daniel,” I murmur into his mouth, and he captures the sound with a greedy kiss.
He moves his hands to pinch my tingling tits, then lowers his head, pushing up my top with grasping fingers and sucking and biting my nipples through my bra.
A sudden shout emanates from the living room. “Mum, can we have some cocoa?”
Daniel and I spring back.
A manic giggle fizzes up from my throat.
He stares at me, eyes sparkling before he releases a full-bass laugh.
And then we’re both laughing and gasping and clutching at our sides as we give in to the insanity of the situation.
He cups my face and gazes into my eyes, “I’ve fallen in love with you, Cat.”
“I feel the same.” I gaze back at him, my chest so full it might explode. “I love you too.”
The door pushes open and our two kids tumble into the kitchen. “We’re thirsty,” Ben lisps through the gap in his two front teeth.
Daniel bends and whispers into my e
ar. “Be patient with me, my darling. I’ll sort out a future for us.”
My heart goes into free-fall at his words.
Chapter Sixteen
Daniel
I’ll sort out a future for us. The words ring in my head as I take my morning shower. I angle my face under the warm water, my thoughts drifting back to last night. There was so much I wanted to say to Catrin, but only so much that I could say.
One day I’ll share with her what it was like to leave the land of my birth and start a new life in London. School was the first shock; I was bullied for my Russian accent and soon learned to speak like everyone else. When we arrived, the opulence of our Knightsbridge home seemed strange after living in a small Moscow apartment. There, Papa had to hide the fact he’d made a fortune from the privatisation of the finance sector after the fall of Communism. Once he’d taken his wealth out of the country, however, he spent his billions like they were water.
Mama only wore designer clothes in London and I never saw her lift a finger to do any housework. Now that I think about it, we were probably happier in Russia; life was simpler than in the gilded cage Papa created for us.
I switch off the shower, reach for a towel and dry myself. My balls grow heavy as I think about how I’d dried Cat the other day… her luscious body, her sweet musky scent. I’d give anything for us to be able to move in together. I’d give anything to wake up with her in my arms. Fuck, why hasn’t Eric done what I asked and set up a meeting with Gleb? My brother is the key to what happened three years ago; I’m fed up with pussy footing around the issue. Gleb got me into this mess; I damn well hope he’ll get me out of it.
I pull on a pair of jeans and a sweater, then head downstairs to the kitchen. Ben is already sitting at the table, still dressed in his PJs, munching Weetabix. He knows that on Sundays I like to sleep a little later than the rest of the week, and he’s learned how to make his own breakfast. Not that spooning cereal into a bowl and adding milk could be described as rocket science…