by Annie Seaton
‘For you my man, anytime!’
The saké bar and restaurant in Woollahra was busy, but Dave and Sonia were shown straight to a table. Dave waited at the table while Sonia headed off to the ladies room.
‘I’ve been on a train for ten hours, I need a wash.’
As she walked away, he let his eyes linger on her curves. The dress was stunning and he was pleased to see that her self confidence seemed to have improved. He ordered two glasses of wine, and waited for her to come back. He’d only have one drink, and then he could still drive them back to Bondi.
As Sonia sat down across from him, the light caught her hair. Golden curls fell over her shoulders, and his breath caught. He’d only spent a small amount of time with her, but he’d found her popping into his head at different times through the week, and he’d even dreamed about her one night.
He lifted his glass in a toast. ‘So tell me what your news is?’
A sweet smile spread across her face, and he stared as something hit him in the chest. Something warm and hard; something he didn’t want to let go of.
‘I’m going back to Ultimo. I’m going to finish the last year of my fashion degree.’
Chapter 17
By the time they parked the car in the car park at Bondi, and walked up the hill, Dave had his arm firmly around Sonia. They’d laughed over dinner, and he’d watched her face light up as she talked about her plans.
‘And where will you live?’ he asked as they approached the house. The night was cool; a southerly change had roared up the coast as they’d left the restaurant, and the temperature at the beach had dropped from the high thirties to the low twenties in a matter of minutes.
Sonia shivered as she answered and Dave pulled her closer. ‘Who knows? But something will happen. You have to trust.’
He shook his head. ‘You are an amazing woman.’
Almost in an exact replay of last week, he pulled her close after he shut the gate.
‘May I?’ he asked quietly, tucking a stray curl behind her ear.
She didn’t reply but she lifted her lips to his. They stood there, Sonia cocooned in his arms, as she opened her mouth beneath his. Heat rushed through him, and he closed his eyes as she ran her tongue lightly over his lips.
‘You make me feel so good,’ she whispered, slipping her hands beneath his shirt.
‘You make me feel incredible,’ he murmured against those soft lips. ‘When I’m with you, all my worries disappear, and you make me realise I don’t need anything else to feel good.’
The house was in darkness; Sol and Sally must have gone to bed early.
Sonia’s voice was hesitant as she stepped back a little bit.
‘Dave, can I ask you something that might sound silly?’
He nodded and held her beautiful eyes with his. He was lost.
‘Do you want to come to my room?’
‘Silly? I don’t think that’s one bit silly. I think it’s an excellent idea.’ The feeling of her fingers caressing his back was driving the need higher.
She brushed her lips against his. ‘The silly bit is . . . um. . . can we leave the light turned off.’
‘Sweetheart, whatever you want is fine by me.’ He lifted his hands and held her hair away from her neck and lowered his lips to her throat.
‘Maybe some candles and some massage oil,’ she said and then sighed as his lips went lower.
Dave groaned when his tongue traced a path to the swell of her breast. As he caressed her skin with his lips, her fingers moved to the waistband of his jeans.
A car drove past and the horn tooted. Dave lifted his head. ‘Maybe we’d better go and light those candles.’
SONIA WOKE JUST BEFORE dawn. She rolled over and propped her head on her elbow. Dave was sleeping peacefully beside her, his broad chest rising gently with his breathing. The candle had burned down to the base, and snuffed out, but there was enough light coming through the window facing east to let her watch him. His hair had grown a little in the last week, and the purple tips were almost gone. His face was composed, and the worry lines that she’d noticed had eased. She gently ran her fingers down the side of his face, but quickly lifted them before he could stir. Her confidence might have come back, and it had come back in bucket loads as they’d pleasured each other for most of the night, but she still wasn’t going to let anyone see her naked.
She didn’t want to scare him off. Slipping quietly from the bed she picked up her pants and T-shirt from the chair near the window and headed for the bathroom up the hall. As she shut the bedroom door behind her, a series of bangs sounded from above.
‘No, Aggie, I’m not going to stay in there. I’m going for a walk.’
Sonia shook her head with a sigh, remembering what Sally had said.
It wasn’t Aggie. It was only the southerly wind lifting the roof tiles.
Chapter 18
The two couples headed down to the café at the beach for breakfast. It suited Sonia; she still wasn’t sure of the protocols of the morning after. Sally, she could deal with—the raised eyebrows and the wide grin and the knowing nod—had brought a smile to Sonia’s face.
Dave had been casual and relaxed and held her hand as they walked down the hill. He didn’t even say anything about waking up alone in her bed.
Over breakfast, she told Sally and Sol of her plans to go back to college, and Dave sat there quietly with a satisfied look on his face.
Dave and Sonia lingered after the other couple left, heading into town to look at wedding rings, Sol said with a wide smile.
Dave sat back with a grin as she finished her tea. ‘No readings today?’
‘No need to. I think we’re both sorted.’ They’d discussed the upcoming show and he was happy with what had been organised so far. ‘I’m going over to the TAFE on Monday, and then I’ll start the invites.’
‘And then we’re set,’ he said.
‘You’ll be set.’ Sonia nodded. ‘You’ll have your reputation back, and then you’ll get that fabulous job in Hawaii.’ She bit her lip, the thought of Dave moving on made her feel sad, but she pushed the feeling away. Being with him was fun, and she was helping him out, and she’d make the most of that.
‘The cool change didn’t last long,’ he commented as they watched a continuous line of cars dropping off beachgoers. ‘Want to go for a swim?’
Heat rushed up into her face and she shook her head. ‘Oh no. No. I’m fine.’
Dave’s eyes narrowed and suspicion laced his voice. ‘Sonia. It’s a lovely day, and we have nothing else planned, so tell me exactly why you won’t go for a swim.’
She lifted her chin. ‘Because I don’t want to.’
‘Be honest with me.’
Sonia couldn’t help it when her eyes swam with tears at his soft tone. He reached over and took her hand.
‘Look, Sonia. You have to overcome this ridiculous inferiority complex you have. You are gorgeous. One very attractive, sexy woman.’
‘Don’t be silly I’m not. I’m huge and ungainly. I mightn’t be overweight but I’m big.’
‘You are tall, and in proportion, and you have a stunning body.’ He lowered his voice and his eyes danced. ‘Trust me, I know it very well.’
She couldn’t help the smile that tugged at her lips. ‘Thank you. And it was dark.’
Dave put on a fake leer. ‘I snuck the light on when you were asleep.’
She widened her eyes and her mouth dropped open, before she realised he was teasing her. ‘You did not!’
‘I didn’t need to. I know how beautiful you are. In your tent dresses, in your bike clothes, in that gorgeous swimsuit, or lying naked next to me by candlelight.’
‘Whoa, you go, girlfriend.’
Sonia swivelled her head around, horrified to see Mitch listening unashamedly to their conversation.
He crouched down between them. ‘That’s the best conversation I’ve overheard for a long time. Mate, I’ve been telling this gorgeous lady that for the last three ye
ars.’ He wagged his finger at her. ‘Now Sonia, go home, get your cossies and go for a swim with this equally gorgeous man you’ve found.’
Mitch winked at Dave as he stood and cleared the table, and Sonia giggled. ‘Mitch, you are incorrigible.’
‘Sonia, you are beautiful,’ Mitch called back as he walked away.
Half an hour later, when they were floating behind the break at north Bondi, and Dave’s hands were in some naughty places, she felt even more beautiful.
Chapter 19
Two weeks later...the show
The call came at the beginning of the fashion parade. Sonia was behind the scenes and Dave was standing at the side of the stage when his mobile buzzed.
‘Dave Walker,’ he said brightly, one eye on the crowd that was building in the auditorium of the college. This idea of Sonia’s was brilliant. He waved as he recognised the buyers from two of the top boutiques in the Pitt Street mall.
‘Mr Walker, it’s Detective Inspector Johnson. I’ve got some good news for you. We’ve got her.’
‘Mitzi?’
‘Yes, and she’s confessed to everything. I suggest you get your lawyer involved, because she’s agreed to write a letter absolving you of any knowledge of the cancellations, and the failure to pay a deposit in Japan.’
‘That is bloody brilliant!’ Dave gave the detective his solicitor’s number and said he would follow up with the detective later in the day.
The lights dimmed and he stepped to the side as the music began. Sonia had the idea of Robert Palmer’s ‘Simply Irrestible’ to burst in at full volume as the first models hit the stage.
It was the beginning of a spectacular show. The models were amazing, for non-professionals, the lighting and the music was better than any shows he’d paid thousands to set up, and by the half-time interval when the champagne and canapés came out, he knew the show was a winner.
The compliments flowed and the two young women who Sonia had sitting at the back with order books were kept busy. He looked around after exchanging air kisses with the David Jones and Myers buyers, but there was no sign of Sonia.
‘Fabulous, darling.’
‘What a unique idea to give the upcoming fashion people a demonstration of how a show is run using the college.’
He searched around but still couldn’t find her. Sally and Sol were in the front row, but they shook their heads when he asked if they’d seen Sonia. ‘Only at the very beginning, I saw her peek around the curtain and she waved to us,’ Sally said.
The music for the second half of the show started with a crash of guitar riffs and some of his more “out there” creations appeared. Dave sat on the spare seat at the end of the row, hugging the good news to his chest, eager to tell Sonia, and loving every minute of what she’d done for him.
Finally, it was time for the last set of clothes, and the emcee took the microphone again. He lifted up a card, and waited till the music stopped.
‘I’m under strict instructions to read this word for word, but before I do I want to offer my congratulations to our brilliant designer. Dave Walker was a student at Ultimo and we love seeing his success. And buyers, what a brilliant venue for a show. What do you think, ladies and gentlemen?’
Dave lifted his hand in acknowledgment as applause filled the room.
The emcee continued. ‘Our last category is swimwear, and we know how “out there” our Dave can be, but today, he’s softened his line. What I have to say is from a lady he knows very well, I believe. She says: Thank you, Dave. You have opened my world, and opened my heart, and given me confidence. Congratulations on a very special show. I hope you don’t mind my addition.’
He frowned as the music started. Sonia had run it by him, when she’d seen the swimwear line, and he’d agreed to her choice of music from the nineteen forties.
It worked like a charm. The crowd roared and applauded as each model strutted the stage—for beginners, their strutting was top class.
The lights dimmed a little and he held his breath as the last model paused by the curtains. His eyes widened, and his heart pounded as nerves kicked in for the very first time. He’d designed a strapless one piece suit with a boy leg. A silk cape attached to the back of the swimsuit was designed to billow out behind the model.
Sonia stepped out into the light and the specially placed fans picked up the silk. It billowed behind her in a myriad of sea greens and aqua blues. She strode confidently down the catwalk one hand on her hip, the other holding the basket of fruit on her head. A sea green turban hid all of her curls, and her beautiful strong features glowed as she smiled at him.
Dave couldn’t help himself. He ran up the steps and by the time, Sonia had turned and was about to leave the stage, he reached over and took her arm.
‘Can you do it one more time?’
She nodded. Her eyes were brilliant and he could see in them what he hoped for.
Together they walked to the end of the catwalk. He put his other hand on her arm, so that she stopped beside him. Tumultuous applause filled the room as he leaned over and kissed her, before gesturing to the emcee for the microphone.
He waited until the applause had died down. Keeping his voice even, he looked at Sonia, but couldn’t help the love shining from his eyes.
‘I’d like to introduce you to Sonia Smith, folks. Hold that name in your head, because I’m sure you’ll hear a lot more of her when she starts her own label very soon.
‘I owe this beautiful lady the world. She organised this show, but more than that Sonia taught me how to trust again. She taught me how to laugh, and most importantly, she made me believe in love at first sight. Please show her your appreciation.’
The crowd went wild, as Sonia wound her arms around his neck and kissed him.
‘I love you,’ he said against her lips. ‘And I love the fruit basket.’
Epilogue
Sonia wiped her eyes as Dave carried the last suitcase out to his car. He’d parked illegally at the end of the cul de sac, because it was the only way they could get all her luggage to the car. Sally stood beside her, and she too lifted a tissue to her eyes as they stood at the gate. The real estate agent had done a fabulous job of the photography and the for sale sign in the front garden was so large it hid the front entry.
“I’m pleased we’re not going to see everyone traipsing through,’ Sally said. The first open house had been organised for the following weekend, when Sonia and Dave were in Hawaii, and Sol and Sally had moved to the farm at Peat’s Ridge.
‘Me too. ‘Sonia dabbed at her eyes. ‘Did you get on to that vintage shop to go through Aggie’s trunks?’
Sally nodded. ‘And Taj has organised for the furniture to go into storage later in the week.’
The sisters stood with their arms linked and stared at the old house. The sun was dazzling and the day was still. The sounds from Bondi Beach below faded as they both were lost in their memories.
‘Rosie should be here too,’ Sonia whispered.
‘We’ll all come back together and say good—’ Sally looked up and broke with a gasp.
Sonia smiled. ‘Just wind and creaks, you reckon, Sal?’
A tall graceful lady in a long purple dress stood on the narrow balcony at the top of the house on the hill. As they watched, she faded and shimmered and disappeared into the bright blue sky.
‘Bye, Aunt Aggie,’ they whispered together, before they both turned to Sol and Dave.
Sol closed the boot and he stood with Sal, looking out over the beach.
Dave held his arms open and Sonia stepped into them, resting her head on his shoulder as he held her close.
‘Are you ready for the next step of our adventure?’ he whispered. ‘Who knows where we’ll end up?’
‘I am.’ Sonia lifted her head and held his eyes. ‘And as long as I’m with you, I’m happy.’
You can find Book 1: Rosie’s story BEACH HOUSE at: https://www.amazon.com/Beach-House-Bondi-Love-Book-ebook/dp/B00WPV06TM
And
And stay posted for Book 4 later in the year to see what happens to the beach house on the hill when it is sold!
Acknowledgments
A special thank you to my wonderful editor and critique partner, Susanne Bellamy.
You polish my sentences until they shine.
Annie’s next release...
Whitsunday Dawn
July 2018
Available for preorder now
When Olivia Sheridan arrives in the Whitsundays as spokesperson for big mining company Sheridan Corp, it should be a straightforward presentation to the town about their proposed project. But when a handsome local fisherman shows her what ecological impact the proposal will have, Olivia is forced to question her father’s motives in the project.
Struggling with newly divided loyalties, Olivia is thrown further into turmoil when she is mistaken for a woman who disappeared more than 60 years before. When it becomes clear that Captain Jay is also keeping secrets, Olivia realises that there is more to these sunshine-soaked islands than she ever expected.
Seeking to uncover the truth, Olivia is drawn into a dangerous game where powerful businessmen will stop at nothing to ensure their plan goes ahead, even if that means eliminating her...
Against the epic Far North Queensland landscape, this is the story of two women, separated by history, drawn to Whitsunday Island where their futures will be changed forever.
KAKADU SUNSET
DAINTREE
DIAMOND SKY
WHITSUNDAY DAWN
BEACH HOUSE
BEACH MUSIC
BONDI BEACH LOVE BOXED SET
COME BACK TO ME
CHRISTMAS WITH THE BOSS
DEADLY SECRETS