by Holly Ford
‘Shh.’ His voice was low. ‘Relax.’
He stroked her upper arms, his hands brushing under her breasts as he ran them slowly over her body. For a split second, a vision of Ash soothing his spooky horse popped into Ella’s mind. She buried it quickly.
Luke’s mouth was on her neck, his fingers lightly tracing the line of her tingling spine before his hand slid between her thighs. She leaned against the hard muscles of his chest, the glow spreading slowly through her body from the point of his hand.
When she opened her eyes, she could see him watching her face in the glass.
‘Tell me,’ he said, ‘when you’re going to come. I want to be inside you.’
Ella arrived at work the next morning in a jubilant mood. It really was a beautiful day. She set the contents of Damian’s post-office box and a tray of takeaway coffees down on the studio bench.
‘This looks interesting,’ she said, holding up a small but heavy carton.
‘Ah!’ Damian looked up from the light-box. ‘The new lens. Go ahead, open it up.’
Reverently, Ella peeled off the brown paper and delved into the box. After some digging, she located another box, and inside it, cradled in precision-cut foam, the prototype portrait lens. She handed the box over. ‘Well, it looks the part.’
Damian raised his silver eyebrows at her and grinned. ‘Let’s see if it’s all it’s cracked up to be.’ Snapping the lens onto a camera body, he nodded at the stool in front of the canvas backdrop.
Well used to being Damian’s guinea pig, Ella sat down, sipping her coffee while he fine-tuned the lights around her.
‘I spoke to my booking agency this morning,’ Damian said, sending shadows moving over her face. ‘They’ve got us a couple of extra gigs after Berlin. You better pack for another week in Europe.’
‘Back-to-back jobs?’ Ella’s heart sank.
‘Three days off between them so far.’ He began to work the camera around her. ‘You can come back if you want. Me, I’m staying put over there.’
Three days. With flights and the time difference, that would give her, oh, about eight hours back home. Her mind rolled back to last night. Maybe it would be worth it …
Damian’s camera whirred. ‘What were you thinking about, just then?’ he demanded, moving closer.
Ella smiled. ‘Oh, nothing.’
‘Look left for me,’ he ordered. ‘Yeah? You should think about it more often.’
Back in the apartment that night, having walked in, kissed her, and loosened his tie, Luke produced a set of keys from his jacket pocket. ‘Here, I believe these are yours. You left them up in Christchurch.’
Ella beamed at him. ‘You brought the Land Cruiser down?’
‘Not personally.’ Luke looked a mite horrified at the thought. ‘But yes, it’s in the garage.’
She slid her arms round him. ‘Thank you. Again.’ Remembering that she had less good news of her own to impart, Ella looked away as he slipped off his jacket.
‘What’s wrong?’
‘I have to stay another week in Europe.’
There was a silence. ‘So that’s,’ Luke frowned, ‘two weeks, now.’
‘Not quite,’ she argued, pathetically. ‘You could come over.’
He rubbed his forehead. ‘Ella, I can’t. Wanaka’s really kicking off. I’m going to be up and down for the next month at least. There’s no way I can take a week off.’
‘I’m sorry.’
Luke shook his head.
She studied him. ‘You don’t want me to go, do you?’
‘Well of course I don’t want you to go.’
‘Do you want me to quit?’
‘Quit what? Your job?’ He stared at her. ‘Of course not.’
‘But you think I should say no to Europe.’
‘That’s not what I said.’
‘That’s what it sounded like.’
‘Hey,’ Luke’s voice had a dangerous edge, ‘don’t pick a fight with me because you’re feeling guilty. We’re on the same side.’
‘And what side is that?’
‘Your side.’ He sighed heavily. ‘Look. You have a career. Places you want to go, things you want to achieve. I get that. Believe me — I do.’
‘But?’
‘There is no but.’
‘Yes, there is. But we never see each other. But I’m never here.’
‘All the things you want for yourself,’ Luke ran his hand over his face, ‘I don’t want you to give up any of them. I want those things for you, too.’
‘Then what,’ Ella felt her voice starting to break, ‘are we supposed to do?’
His eyes softened into a smile as he shook his head at her. ‘Put up with the downside.’
With the Suzy Liddells of the world circling? Ella couldn’t quite manage a smile in return. ‘For how long?’
‘For as long as we have to.’
God, she’d like to believe that was possible.
Luke brushed a tear from her cheek. ‘There’s a way,’ he said firmly, ‘for us to make this work. Look at me.’
Ella looked into his eyes as he raised her chin.
‘We can do this, Ella. Trust me.’
Chapter THIRTEEN
On her knees in the bathroom, Cally listened to Valentina’s low, musical laugh move off down the hall.
‘Where are we going today?’
Ash must have finished work, then.
‘Where would you like to go?’ his voice drifted back.
Cally picked a long strand of amber hair out of the plughole and dropped it, with a shudder of disgust, into the bin. She hoped it all fell out. Six days in, she’d had about all she could take. She couldn’t decide which was worse: having to actually watch Ash with Valentina, or thinking about what the two of them did when they were out of sight.
Finishing scrubbing the bath, Cally got up and emptied the bin into the rubbish sack outside. As she carried the bag downstairs, she heard Ash’s ute head away down the drive. She paused on the half-landing, looking out through the grand mullioned window at the hills, their fresh snow glinting blue in the afternoon sun. It was a perfect day for a ride.
Cally carried the rubbish into the kitchen, added the contents of the kitchen bin to her sack, and dumped the lot in the forty-gallon drum behind the woodshed. Back in the kitchen, she pulled out the bucket of scraps from under the sink, picked up Glencairn’s ancient wicker egg basket, and went off to feed the chickens.
By the time she had finished collecting the eggs, the sun had gone and the nearby snow was making its presence felt in the air below the gum trees. Blowing out her breath, Cally watched it steam. She buttoned her coat, put her hood up against the chill, tucked the basket over her arm, and headed back up the muddy track to the house, her hands thrust deep in her pockets.
She walked out of the gums to find Luke’s car parked beside the porch. As she crunched across the gravel towards it, Luke climbed out, his white business shirt glowing in the dusk as he locked his hands behind his neck and stretched. He turned, and, seeing her, broke into his dazzling smile.
‘Hello there.’
‘Hi.’ Cally’s own smile broadened despite herself as Luke’s beautiful green eyes held hers. It felt like the first time anyone had looked her in the face all week.
‘You’re looking well.’
Was she? Cally very much doubted it. She hadn’t been sleeping a lot. Or eating. There always seemed to be some sort of lump in her throat that made it hard to swallow. ‘Thanks,’ she said. ‘So are you.’ Oh God, she was pretty sure she wasn’t supposed to say that.
‘Thanks,’ Luke grinned. Releasing her gaze, he reached into the car for his jacket.
Cally averted her eyes. As she studied the Aston’s paintwork, it occurred to her that there was something different about it.
‘Have you got a new car?’
‘Yes.’ Luke sounded surprised. He straightened up, shrugging his jacket on. ‘You know, I think you’re the first person who’s noticed.’
‘It was starting to get on a bit.’ He sighed. ‘But no, not really.’
Then why …?
‘A new one came as part of a package deal, you might say.’
‘It’s stunning,’ Cally said, looking over it wistfully.
‘You like cars?’
‘I like yours.’ No! Had she just said that?
Luke looked as though he might be trying not to laugh. ‘We can take it for a drive one day if you like.’
Cally looked up at him hesitantly. Was he serious, or was he teasing her?
‘Come on,’ he smiled, hunching his shoulders. ‘City boys like me can’t stand around in the snow. You’d better show me inside.’ He nodded at the basket over her arm. ‘Unless you’re off to see your grandmother, or something.’
‘No, I’m on my way back,’ Cally laughed. ‘She wasn’t herself tonight. I think she was feeling poorly.’
‘Indigestion, no doubt.’ Luke held out his hand towards the porch. ‘Shall we?’
It was already dark when Valentina and Ash got in from the stables. Perched beside Luke on the sofa, Cally heard their voices as they passed the sitting room door. Ash, it seemed, was practising his Spanish.
‘Here.’ Taking the glass from her hand, Luke got up. ‘Let me get you another drink.’
‘I should really go and get dinner on.’
‘Dinner,’ said Lizzie, ‘can wait for a while.’
Cally hesitated, eyeing her watch.
‘Sit down,’ Carr ordered, joining Luke at the sideboard as he poured the wine. ‘We’re not in any hurry.’
An hour later, Valentina walked in. At the sight of Luke, she stopped short.
‘Good evening,’ she said, with a pretty tilt of her head. Her luscious hair was swept up in an effortless-looking knot, and she was wearing a high-necked black wool dress which, given how high up her thighs it stopped, couldn’t be doing a lot to offset the intense cold of Glencairn’s hallway.
‘This is Valentina,’ said Lizzie. ‘Ash’s friend. Valentina, this is my daughter’s boyfriend’ — Lizzie paused for half a second to let the first half of the sentence sink in — ‘Luke.’
Politely, Luke got up to take Valentina’s offered hand. ‘Nice to meet you.’
‘Luke.’ Her smoky eyes flashed at him. ‘It is a pleasure.’
Taking the chair closest to the fire, Valentina arranged her long legs, crossing one gazelle-like ankle over the other. In the flickering light, her golden skin glowed.
Cally stole at glance at Luke’s face as he sat back down. He didn’t seem to have noticed Valentina at all. Catching her looking at him, he raised his eyebrows enquiringly. Cally got to her feet. God, she felt like a wombat next to Valentina. ‘I’ll go and start dinner.’
‘I’ll help you.’ Lizzie got up, too.
‘Anything I can do?’ Luke followed them through to the kitchen.
As soon as the door had shut behind them, he and Lizzie exchanged a long look.
‘Bloody hell.’ Luke rubbed his jaw.
Lizzie rolled her eyes. ‘I know.’
‘Where did that come from?’
‘A souvenir,’ Lizzie shook her head, ‘of Argentina.’
The following afternoon, Cally looked up from the pastry she was rolling out on the kitchen bench to watch a sudden wave of hail drive against the window. Catching herself hoping that Ash and Valentina were out in it, she managed a wry smile. Her sense of humour was making a comeback at last. Things seemed easier to laugh at when Luke was around — that wicked grin of his was contagious.
The hail came in harder, pelting the glass with an almost frightening fury. Cally bit her lip, taking back her wish. Poor Windy wouldn’t like this one bit. She hoped he hadn’t chucked Ash over a bluff and galloped off. God, how would anyone know if he had? Would Valentina even be able to find the way back?
Brow furrowing, she turned to look out of the opposite window. Ash’s truck was already safely parked in the drive. They must have got in before the storm. Of late, he and Valentina had taken to using the homestead’s formal stone entrance instead of the back door.
Turning back, she looked at her pastry proudly. She was totally getting the hang of this — Lizzie was right, it was just like chemistry, really. It was hard to believe she’d once found the prospect of making an apple pie so daunting. Especially when the filling could just come out of a tin. Cally headed off to grab a couple from the back storeroom.
She opened the door to see Ash on his knees in front of Valentina, easing her leg out of her riding boot. Valentina glanced up, her expression glazing over when she saw it was only Cally in the doorway. Cally shut the door again quickly as Ash started to look over his shoulder.
‘Everything okay?’ Luke looked at her.
‘Fine.’ Mindlessly, she dusted her hands on her jeans.
Valentina wafted in. She had replaced her riding boots with over-the-knee shearling boots. ‘Please,’ she nodded, heading for the hall. ‘Excuse me. I must get changed.’
Cally watched her walk away. Luke, she noticed, was watching, too. Ugh, so he wasn’t immune after all. ‘She’s beautiful, isn’t she?’ Cally sighed, when Valentina had disappeared.
Luke nodded. ‘She is.’
Across the drive, she could see Ash in the shed splitting firewood. He was certainly putting his back into it. Cally looked away.
Glancing up from her crossword puzzle, Lizzie frowned. ‘You know, you could look like that if you wanted to,’ she said. ‘I’m not saying you should, but you could — if you worked at it as hard as she does.’
‘Me?’ Cally bit back a surge of anger. Lizzie meant well, she knew, but there was being kind, and then there was just being silly. ‘How could I possibly look like that? Have you seen her legs?’
Luke’s gaze slid out the window.
‘She wears high heels all the time,’ Lizzie said, sounding cross herself. ‘That’s why.’
Oh, bullshit. Cally checked Luke’s face. Yeah, that’s what she thought. ‘And,’ she frowned in frustration, ‘all that hair.’
‘Yours would do that.’
‘How?’ Cally spat.
Lizzie got to her feet. ‘Come on,’ she said, in a voice that brooked no argument. ‘Come with me.’ She held out an imperious hand. ‘I’ll show you.’
‘There.’ What seemed like a very long time later, Lizzie stood back. ‘What do you think? I’m afraid your eyelashes will just have to curl by themselves — I don’t have the kit to give you the full Valentina look. But you’re most of the way there.’
Cally studied her face in the bedroom mirror. Who knew makeup went on in so many layers? She was wearing so much concealer she was surprised she hadn’t disappeared. Actually, she kind of had. All that was left were eyes and lips and cheekbones. And hair. There seemed to be twice as much of it now. And not only did it shine — Cally tossed her head experimentally — it bounced. She tossed it the other way. That worked, too.
In the mirror, her eyes found Lizzie’s.
‘I told you so,’ Lizzie said. ‘Now we just need to find you something to wear that goes with your face. What have you got?’
Getting up, Cally opened the wardrobe to reveal her growing collection of jumpers, fleeces and checked shirts.
‘Right.’ Lizzie held out her hand again. ‘This way.’
In Carr’s room, they surveyed Lizzie’s corner of the massive wardrobe. Lizzie looked thoughtful. ‘I didn’t really pack for this. We’ll have to improvise.’ She looked Cally up and down. ‘Those jeans are good. We just need to glam up the top half a bit.’
Seizing an olive green chiffon top from a hanger, Lizzie extracted a silk halter-neck camisole from inside it. ‘Here, slip that on.’
That was it? She was going to freeze. Well past the point of argument, Cally did as she was told.
‘Now …’ Lizzie unfolded a huge jacquard scarf. ‘If we wrap this around you … There, leave your shoulders bare, t
hat’s right … Cross it over the front … hold it there …’ Producing a wide leather belt that looked suspiciously like a horse’s girth, Lizzie buckled it around Cally’s waist, securing the wrapped scarf in place. ‘Lovely!’
Cally stared in awe. She would never, in a million years, have thought of doing that. Okay, she could hardly move her arms, but it looked so pretty. The deep flame colours of the scarf were just gorgeous with the dark green top, and the leather, and all that smoky bronze eye shadow Lizzie had swept over her brow bones, and even her skinny jeans. If she were a foot taller, it would be perfect.
‘You also’ — bending, Lizzie reached further into the wardrobe — ‘need these.’ She dangled a pair of strappy high heels.
Cally took them dubiously. God, you could do somebody an injury with those. She turned them around. Apart from the delicate spike of the heel they were barely there. Would they really stay on?
‘I can’t wear those.’
‘Yes you can. It’ll just take a little practice.’
Sitting down on the edge of the bed, Cally slipped the shoes on, buckling the shoestring straps around her ankles. She stood up. Jesus. You had to be kidding … She took a few experimental steps.
‘That’s it,’ said Lizzie encouragingly. ‘Keep your stomach tight, shoulders back … head up.’
‘Like riding a horse?’ Cally smiled.
‘Exactly.’
She stopped in front of the full-length mirror. Bloody hell. Was that really her?
‘What do you think?’ asked Lizzie gently.
Cally wasn’t sure. It was just so different. ‘You don’t think I look a bit …’ What? Ridiculous? Awkward? Like she was trying way too hard?
‘Gorgeous,’ Lizzie said firmly, ‘is the word you’re looking for.’
She felt herself starting to giggle. ‘I can’t cook dinner in this.’