“Carrie, are you awake?” It was Nico.
She nearly dropped her phone.
“Yes,” she replied.
Within seconds her phone was ringing.
“Hello” she answered.
“Hi, I just wanted to say sorry for being a jackass earlier. I don’t want to scare you off. I only wanted to kiss you good night and the next thing I’m trying to drag you off.”
She laughed “You didn’t drag me anywhere”
“That’s okay; I just wanted to clear that up. Oh and Carrie,”
“Yes,”
“I finished with Lea yesterday,”
“Okay,” OMG OMG he was single now! “I hope that wasn’t on my account”
“Carrie, let’s cut to the chase, I feel entirely different about you. Let’s be clear on that. I’m not the sort of guy to string someone along. Despite what you might read in one of your magazines. I can’t be in a relationship with someone and not be honest.”
Her brain was rapidly trying to absorb what he was saying. Relationship?
“I don’t know where this is going Nico, I’m only here for a few more days and for the record I’m not the type to string anyone along either.”
“Let’s just see where this takes us while you are here. Are you still going to the beach in the morning? You haven’t changed your mind.”
“I will be there.”
“I look forward to it, Good Night Carrie”
“Good Night Nico”
How did she explain that one? He had ended a long term romance to a supermodel of all people. One that he had been rumoured to marry. She had only known him for a few days and as she told him earlier, they moved in different circles. But she felt an attraction towards Nico the man not the playboy celebrity. He was like two different people. The man she was spending time with and the man she had observed through the world of celebrity. It was too much to take in and she knew she needed to sleep to escape the thoughts replaying over and over again.
She set the alarm just in case she overslept and tried to escape her racing mind.
The dream returned. She was walking through the woodland hand in hand with Rob. They rambled through the forest towards the water’s edge when she stumbled and pulled at his arm.
“No Rob, stop. Where are you taking me?”
“Home Carrie, I’m taking you home”
She woke with a start and sat upright in the bed. It was only 2am.
Shaking she pulled back the covers and turned on the bedside lamp. She felt teary from the residue of the dream. Dreaming of Rob after her dinner with Nico made it raw. She felt like she was betraying Rob. It was one step forward but a million steps back mentally. She washed her face again but it was a different Carrie staring back in the mirror from just a few hours ago. Her eyes sparkling not with excitement but unshed tears. Maybe she should just get out of the fantasy land of staying in the Cape and go home. Was it wrong to be here? Was that what the dream was about? What she needed now was a cup of tea. Not the breakfast type ones that the inn provided but her good old cuppa tea from back home. That would soothe her. But instead she would try and sleep again. As she walked back towards the bed she looked over at ‘Rob’. The coin that she had left after her return from the restaurant no longer there.
Was she going crazy?
Now the tears trickled down her face, no longer kept at bay. Where had the penny gone, it couldn’t have just disappeared into thin air?
Forget a cup of tea she needed a brandy.
Just a few hours later the alarm beeped. The first time since her visit that she had to use the alarm. Her disturbed sleep had interrupted the pattern that she had formed. Under the hot spray of the shower she tried to wash away the residue of a fitful sleep. No need to wash her hair again. Even though the dream had left her doubting her reasons for coming to the Cape she didn’t waver in going to the beach and meeting Nico. She dressed in her usual jeans but accompanied them with a navy and white stripy t-shirt and red cardigan. She wore her hair down. A sweep of the lip balm and a spray of the perfume then she was ready to go. As always she had 20 dollars in her pocket for emergencies and her phone.
Charlie was on the desk.
“Good Morning Charlie”
“Morning Carrie, off for your walk?”
“Yes, I’ve only got a few more days before I go home, got to make the most of it.”
CHAPTER TWENTY
As she walked along the boardwalk and the incline towards the beach she could see Nico and Beau waiting for her. Beau raced ahead towards her. She rubbed his ears and patted him as he jumped up in greeting. He head bumped her in affection and accompanied it with a slobbering lick to the face. “Hello Beau”
Nico was dressed as casual as he was every morning that she saw him. Jeans and a long sleeved black t-shirt stubble on his cheeks.
“Hi Carrie,”
“Hi” she returned softly.
They fell into step walking along the beach that Carrie was now familiar with.
“How did you sleep?” he asked. Picking up a stick to throw out to Beau.
Well, what could she say? Hmm no, I had a nightmare and cried myself to sleep! But instead she replied.
“I slept okay, how about you?”
“Not so great,” Carrie stopped walking. “Why?”
“I couldn’t stop thinking about you”
He pulled her forward into his arms. His aftershave was just as sharp and citrusy as she remembered. His lips brushed hers, gently at first before deepening. On a will of their own her hands were cupping his face and pulling him into her. She could taste the toothpaste he had used as their tongues circled and stroked each other. What was supposed to be a gentle ‘hello’ was becoming much more.
“Is it wrong to feel glad that your sleep wasn’t so great?” she whispered against his mouth as they kissed. “You are wicked Carrie, it’s not so good when I have meetings to attend and a business to take care of but I think as its you I can make an exception to my sleep pattern.”
“Now it feels like Good Morning!” he said as they pulled apart. Beau patiently waiting by their side.
Carrie laughed.
“Okay Mr Millions, oops sorry Billions, what do you have planned for your empire today?” she joked as they continued to walk. They took turns in throwing the stick for Beau who was enjoying the attention of both of them.
“I have to be in New York for the next couple of days.”
“Oh I see” but she didn’t. She didn’t know why the thought of not seeing him for a couple of days brought a pang of disappointment through her. It was scary that she had this pull towards him after such a short period of time. When she first met Rob she liked him but the attraction was different. It was more of a slow burner when dating and working together had brought them closer. This she felt out of her depth with and maybe she needed distance.
“This morning I want to check the progress of the habitat homes here at the Cape then I have a luncheon in New York to get to. I can’t cancel the appointment. It’s been planned for months.”
“I don’t want you to cancel your appointment, you have a business to run, and I understand that. Are you going to Monique’s house?”
“Yes, I’ve been pushing the contractors to finish for Friday. I want that family to move back Saturday some building warrants need sign off. Just finishing touches from what I have been told. ”
“I saw Monique yesterday; she said they are really hoping it all goes to plan. I’d like to see how it’s progressing sometime. She already invited me along to see it in its glory”
“Why don’t you join me? We could grab some breakfast at the house and go together if you like?”
“I tell you what, why don’t we go our separate ways for now, you have things to do before your trip. I can go back to the Inn grab some breakfast and meet you at Monique’s house? I know you need Jay to get you to the airport later and I don’t want to mess your plans ferrying me around”
“Carrie, I w
ant to spend more time with you. I would like to breakfast with you too”
“Me too but I don’t want to meet your family over breakfast for the first time either, that’s if they are home.”
“They will be home, can’t guarantee up for breakfast at this time apart from my Dad. Are you sure?”
“Uh Hu, that’s fine with me, I can get directions from Tansie.”
They had walked back towards the boardwalk, she felt a bit like Cinderella at midnight. Not wanting to say goodbye at that moment. She bent down as usual to say her goodbyes to Beau. He was such a friendly dog. Maybe she would get a dog when she got home?
They stood awkwardly for a moment unsure of how to part company now that there was some intimacy between them. On previous mornings they had shared a walk and a chat with some playtime with Beau. Now it was different.
He tugged at her hand pulling her forward into his arms.
“Can you be at Monique’s for 10am?” kissing her softly.
“Hopefully I can with satnav and directions from Tansie permitting”
“You taste so sweet, what is it?”
“The label said kissable berry vanilla; I guess I won’t need the money back guarantee now!”
“Mmm what guarantee?”
“Kissable lips in 30 days or your money back. Think it’s only been three days!”
He laughed “That sounds like a company to invest in!” and she joined him laughing as it lightened the mood.
“Call me if you can’t make it or get lost.”
“I will,” she promised and once again walked up the boardwalk as she had done on their previous mornings. On the edge of the board walk nature was creating its own walkway in a mixture of sea grass and sand dune surrounding the path way.
When she turned around he was waiting with Beau and gave her a wave.
Over breakfast she chatted with Tansie now a familiar and friendly face to Carrie at the Inn. Tansie happily gave her directions and said that she too would be there later that day. Their paths had cross many times during her stay and Carrie didn’t doubt that they would later. She filled up on plenty of coffee but instead of the addictive pancakes this morning she had scrambled egg and toast to start her day. Terri was helping with breakfast service and Carrie chatted with her briefly. She apologised that it was a busy morning and Carrie explained that she was going to the habitat project and Moniques house. They agreed to catch up later.
Back at her room she brushed her hair into a pony tail, added her sunglasses and a layer of lip gloss. Not her usual tote bag but a mini Marc Jacobs gun mental grey shoulder bag that she had bought at Shamiqua’s boutique. It had plenty of room for all her essentials, phone and money etc. A spray of her new perfume and she was ready to leave. Tansie had said it wouldn’t take long to find the houses but Carrie still entered the zip code into the sat nav for directions. It estimated the journey to take ten minutes. Adding a little time on for her being unfamiliar with the area she should arrive there with a few minutes to spare. Tansies directions were spot on and she had basically driven in a large u from one end of the cape to the other. The houses were detached, some with large plots of land and others built closer together. Monique’s had a fair sized front garden that was currently occupied with the contractors equipment. She spotted the familiar black car that Jay had driven but no sign of Nico yet. She parked and locked the car, pulled the strap of her bag across her body to leave her hands free and walked towards the house.
The house was typical of what she had seen described as the ‘Cape’ style. Four steps lead from the path to the porch that ran the length of the house. From what she could see so far there were two dormer windows on the first floor above the slopping roof that covered the porch. A car port to the right which she could see Nico standing under looking at plans. He looked up and walked towards her. He was dressed in a business suit and the stubble gone.
“Hi, you made it”
“I guess I did”
He picked up one of the bright yellow hard hats and placed in on her head just before he kissed her softly on the lips. “Health and safety on site”
“Hi again”
“Hi yourself”
“Come on and I will show you what we have been doing here.”
They walked towards the light grey shingle wood building with its white window frames. The front door was open and she could see a beautifully fitted out kitchen to her right. White and glass cabinets with a maple coloured table top. A breakfast bar with four stools which were covered up with clear plastic. To her left a large living area with a wood burning fire. It appeared to have lots of space as currently it had no other furniture. Doors led off into two of the downstairs bedrooms, closets and a shared bathroom.
They walked up the stairs to the master bedroom which she assumed would be Monique’s. The room was large and filled with light from the two dormer windows.
“This is perfect, Monique will love it”
“Building controls are coming over later and hopefully it will pass.”
“I think your team have done a great job here, I don’t know what it was like before but it’s perfect for Monique and her family”
Carrie stood by the window and looked out to the street. Nico walked behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. She could feel his breath on her and shivered as he gently kissed her neck. The yellow hard hat falling to the floor. She arched her back into him as his hands moved to her breasts. Needing through her top as his teeth nipped at her neck. She spun round wanting his mouth on hers a need that she hadn’t felt in a long time building in her. She forgot that the house was full of construction workers who could walk in at any time. She forgot that she hardly knew Nico; that he was the first man she had kissed since Rob. She forgot everything but being in his arms and feeling like a woman again. He tugged at her top loosening it from her jeans and slipped a hand underneath. His fingers working more magic as they rubbed and pulled at her hardened nipple through her bra.
“Ohh my,” again she sounded like something from a Doris Day movie.
A thunderous crash outside broke them apart.
“Jesus Carrie, you make me feel like a horny teenager”
“I don’t do this, I don’t lose control like this” Carrie replied anxiously.
“I eh, I think its best that you have your meeting today because you make me feel like I want to barricade that door”
After saying that she was back in his arms, once more kissing with a passion she hadn’t known before.
“Carrie, there is nothing I want more than to stay with you but I have this damn meeting to go to. I don’t lose control either. I want to lock you away in a room with no interruptions, explore every inch of you and fuck you until we can’t move”
Wow, she could feel her body flush at the thought of their intimacy. He lifted her up and she wrapped her legs around his waist. His cock hard and thick against her.
“Oh fuck I want you,”
He slid her body down until her feet touched the ground once more. Sparks flowing through her as she brushed against his hardness. An electricity building inside her, a heat that began to pulse deep inside and she knew she was going to come and he hadn’t even touched her.
“Please,” she pleaded unaware that the words had even left her lips. Her eyes caught his pleading and he knew. He knew her need and yearning. “Oh baby, you are hurtin’ aren’t you,” his hand found the button to open her jeans and slipped down.
“Nico,” any thought other than saying his name had vanished from her mind. She craved his touch. He teased her running a finger over the edge of her panties. “Is this what you want?”
“Please, I eh, I can’t stand this Nico you have to”
“Oh I think you can but that’s for another time baby”
His fingers slipped into her panties and she was lost. One finger gently teased and found her pulsing clitoris. She was wet. Her breath caught.
“You are so fucking hot, come for me”
&n
bsp; She wanted to resist, to push him away and stop this madness but her body wanted more. The waves of pleasure were building, almost ready to peak and take her with them.
“Look at me Carrie, let me see you as you come”
Her eyes opened and he plunged his fingers inside her as his thumb continued to rub against her clit. The waves rushed over and she was gone, arching against him, his mouth covering hers to mute her cries of pleasure.
She took a few moments to recover before the embarrassment swept through her body.
“Oh my god, I can’t believe I’ve just done that!” She locked herself in the little bathroom of the master suite. Washed her very flushed face and tried to restore her dishevelled clothes.
“What the fuck Carrie are you doing” she chastised herself looking in the mirror.
“Carrie, it’s okay baby, open the door”
Oh how could she face him now? She checked her watch. It was eleven am. They had been upstairs almost an hour. Everyone would know they had been up to something!
She opened the door.
“It’s perfectly natural what we’ve just done Carrie, don’t be so hard on yourself”
“I don’t behave like this! What is it about you Nico that makes every sensible thought leave my mind? No don’t answer that, I’m rambling, I need to get out of here”
She picked up the discarded hard hat and replaced it on her head. Health and safety after all.
“Wait Carrie, wait. I’m cancelling this meeting we have things to sort out.”
Carrie paused at the door.
“Please Nico, don’t, just don’t. I think it best that you go. I’m a mess and need to gather myself. You know I’m a widow and I haven’t been with anyone” she stressed, “anyone since my husband died. Let me deal with my feelings”
He pulled her back into his arms but she didn’t pull away.
“Okay, I will give you space but just for today.” He kissed the top of her head. They walked back down the stairs and Carrie avoided eye contact with all the contractors.
She heard a bellowing laugh, Monique.
BUTTERFLIES FLY AWAY Page 19