His eyes were on her face as he took several deep, ragged breaths, but then he shook his head. ‘Not now. We have plenty of time.’ Sitting up, he pushed back his hair, then leant back against the sand dune.
Alix sat up uncertainly, her body trembling, unable to recover so easily.
‘Come here.’ Rhys held her shirt for her to put on but left it open, then leaned her back against him. Putting his arms round her, he again cupped her breasts, but his hands were gentle and undemanding now. Kissing her neck, he said, ‘Has anyone ever touched you there before?’
‘Once,’ she admitted. ‘A boy at college took me to a party and groped me on the way home.’
‘Is that all he did?’ Rhys’s voice sharpened.
‘Oh, yes. I ditched him and walked the rest of the way alone.’
‘Good for you. Tell me his name. I’ll kill him.’
She laughed, liking that, liking the way he was holding her. It was so intimate, as exciting, but in a different way, as when he had kissed her before. It was such a loving thing to do, and so possessive. In that moment Alix felt truly engaged, realised that she had promised herself, her body, to this man to do with as he liked, to handle as and when he wanted. And it was for her to respond, to give willingly and ardently, or just to lie back and let him toy with her as he was doing now.
Glancing down, seeing his hands on her, made her flush, but it excited her, too. But his earlier question made her wonder how many women he had held like this. Suddenly turning, she kneeled up in front of him, her breasts tip-tilted, still hard. Rhys looked at her, his mouth curving, eyebrows raised.
‘Do you like my—me?’ she demanded.
‘Your breasts are beautiful, Alix; I’ve already told you,’ Rhys assured her.
‘Better than Donna Temple’s?’
He burst out laughing, the rich masculine sound of it drowning the noise of the sea. Alix’s face immediately flamed bright red with embarrassment and she hit out at him. ‘Don’t you dare laugh at me!’
Still laughing, he grabbed her wrists, and jerked her forward so that he could put his arms round her. ‘Alix! What a question! Only you could ask it.’
‘Well?’ she demanded angrily.
‘You are beautiful and gorgeous and exquisite and lovely. More beautiful than any girl I’ve ever known. There! Happy now?’
Mollified, she looked into his face and suddenly laughed with him. ‘For a minute I was jealous.’
‘You have no reason to be. You’re the girl I want, urchin. The only one I’ve ever asked to be my wife.’
She sighed, content and happy again. Bending forward, Rhys very deliberately kissed each of her breasts, then tossed the wispy laciness of her bra over to her. ‘Better get dressed, Alix; I can see some people coming.’
She did so, then packed up the picnic. A glass had rolled into the sand. Unthinkingly, Alix picked it up with her left hand, too late realising that she had her ring on. Some sand had gone on to it and she blew it off, then wiped it carefully with her handkerchief. Lifting her hand she let the sun shine on the diamonds, moved it so that the opal caught the light. ‘Mummy loved the ring,’ she told Rhys. ‘But it was so strange; when I showed it to Daddy this morning he said he’d heard that opals were unlucky.’
‘An old wives’ tale,’ Rhys assured her.
She laughed happily. ‘Or in this case, an old husband’s tale.’
They cleaned the sand off their feet, the way they had a hundred times before when visiting the beach, and got in the car to drive home. Alix’s nerves still tingled, her mind was full of the wonder of his caresses, and although she had wanted to go on so much, she knew now that he had been right to stop. It hadn’t been the right time or place. But what they had done had been wonderful, a deeply exciting foretaste of the wonder that was to come. Soon, she felt confident, Rhys would arrange for the time and place to be right; perhaps they would go away for the weekend somewhere, and then they would become lovers at last.
Alix was so happy that day; there was no cloud in the sky or in her heart, nothing to warn her what the future would hold.
CHAPTER THREE
THE next few days were busy, but especially happy ones. On Saturday there was a family party at Alix’s house to celebrate the engagement, and on Sunday they all went over to Rhys’s grandparents’ place to a buffet lunch for all his family. Not that there was much difference between the two sets of relations really; they had all known each other for so long that it all seemed like one big family, and now, to Alix, would be. The only drawback during those two days was the number of times Alix was asked when the wedding was going to be, but by the end of them she had her answer off pat: ‘We’re going to enjoy just being engaged for a few months first.’
The weekend had been good, but going to work the next day was sublime. Rhys drove her up and parked in his reserved space in the company’s underground car park. ‘If you use the car while I’m away you might as well use this space,’ he told her.
Alix laughed. ‘That will make all the junior execs green with envy.’ She had dressed with extra care today, putting on a navy and white full skirt with a navy top and short-sleeved jacket, both summery and businesslike. Kathy was already in the office when she walked in. Going up to her desk, Alix leaned her left elbow on it and rested her chin on her hand. ‘Good morning, Kathy,’ she said pointedly.
Kathy looked up from the newspaper she was reading. ‘Hello, Alix. Did you have a good wee——?’ She broke off to give a shriek. ‘What a fantastic ring! Who gave—Alix! Is it an engagement ring?’
‘It certainly is,’ Alix answered gleefully, standing up and extending her hand so Kathy could have a closer look.
‘It’s gorgeous. Are you really engaged? When did this happen? Is it that new man you’ve been going out with and won’t talk about? But you’ve only known him a couple of months.’
‘So many questions,’ Alix laughed. Then she blushed a little and said, ‘Actually, I’ve a confession to make. There isn’t anyone new. I’ve been engaged for the last couple of months, but we only made it official this weekend.’
Kathy frowned. ‘Not someone new? Then who?’ Her mouth slowly fell open. ‘Alix! You’re not—no, you couldn’t be. It’s not—it’s not Rhys?’
Alix gave a huge grin and nodded excitedly.
‘You’re going to marry Rhys Stirling?’ Kathy’s voice rose in excited amazement, and everyone else in the office turned to stare. ‘Oh, wow! I can’t believe it. How fantastic! Oh, Alix, you are so lucky!’ She came round the desk and gave Alix an impulsive hug. ‘But how did you keep it so quiet? Tell me everything.’
But the other girls were crowding round, eager to know, wanting to see her ring. It was one of the greatest moments of Alix’s life. She stood among them, laughing, explaining, receiving their congratulations, aware of the envy of many of them, inevitably saying that she and Rhys hadn’t set a date yet. People came into the office all morning to wish her happiness, and at lunchtime, when she went down to the foyer to meet Rhys, the day was crowned when Todd Weston came with him and gave Alix a kiss of congratulation and insisted on taking them both out to lunch.
Alix was a little overwhelmed by Todd Weston at first, but he was such a larger-than-life character, very expansive and friendly, and full of anecdotes, that he soon had Alix at ease and laughing, and insisted on her calling him Todd. He was in his mid forties, she guessed, pleasant-looking, with a wide grin, and reddish hair that was starting to recede. He told her about his home town in Canada where he still had a house, said that Rhys must bring her out for a visit, and treated her, as he treated Rhys, as an equal. As an only child, Alix was used to being in adult company, and Todd’s ease of manner soon had her talking to him as she would to her parents’ many friends. She told him about some of the funny things that had happened in college, making them both laugh.
‘Hey, you know something,’ Todd said as they were having coffee. ‘I’m looking for a junior PA, someone who can take over from my prese
nt personal assistant when she’s ill or on holiday. Someone who doesn’t mind travelling when necessary and can act as hostess when I entertain, look after prospective clients, that kind of thing. You think you could do that, Alix?’
Her eyes opening wide in surprise, Alix said, ‘Why, yes, of course, but…’ She looked at Rhys in some consternation. ‘Did you know about this?’
‘Not a word.’ He looked at Todd. ‘I’ve an idea you’ve only just this minute thought of it.’
Todd laughed. ‘More or less. But Brenda, my Londonbased PA, doesn’t like flying since she had a bad scare a year or so ago. And there’s no way I can get her into a helicopter to reach some of the more remote places where the company’s working. And the PA in Canada is almost as old as my father and won’t move out of the office. So what I need is a travelling assistant and secretary. So how about it, Alix? Fancy the job?’
‘It sounds fantastic, but at the moment I’m only a lowly assistant in the estimating department,’ she pointed out. ‘It would be a big advancement.’
‘But your work is good; I’ve checked on that. In your quarterly report your boss said that you know your way round a computer better than some of the senior secretaries. And that you’re practical and intelligent. That’s the kind of person I want. And someone who doesn’t mind flying, of course,’ Todd added with a grin.
Alix smiled back, but said, ‘It’s really very kind of you. I’m very flattered. But I really don’t know.’ Again she glanced at Rhys for guidance.
He looked at Todd, a small smile on his lips. ‘I take it you would be flying to some of the places where I’ll be working?’
‘Could well be,’ Todd agreed.
‘In that case, I think it will be a very good idea.’ Reaching out, he put his hand over Alix’s. ‘It will give us more opportunities to see each other.’
‘But when we get married?’ she reminded him, wishing that they were alone to discuss this.
‘That won’t be for some while yet, and this will be a very good way for you to travel and see something of the world first. That aspect has been worrying me,’ Rhys admitted.
It hadn’t worried Alix; if she was going to travel then she would much rather have done it in his company. But as he’d said; this way she would perhaps be able to see him sometimes when he was away during their en- gagement, and possibly even the first year or so of their marriage. Then, hopefully, he would take over Todd’s job in England and they would be able to settle down, buy a house, and have children. Alix remembered that she’d offered to help him get that job; maybe this was a way that she could do it. So she gave Todd a brilliant smile and said, ‘In that case, I’d love to do it.’ Her conscience smote her. ‘But won’t everyone think that you’ve only offered it to me because of Rhys?’
‘Don’t worry; it will be advertised within the company and you’ll have to apply for it, the same as everyone else.’ Todd winked at her. ‘But I think you stand a pretty good chance—I need someone without ties, that I can trust. And your being engaged to Rhys is a definite plus because he understands the amount of travel the work involves.’
The position was duly advertised by the personnel department, Alix applied, and within six weeks was moving into a small office on Todd’s floor. Rhys had gone away again by then, to Saudi Arabia this time, to try to get an order to build a new oil refinery. Alix had been desperately sad to see him go. The three weeks he had been home, on holiday, had been wonderful. The only drawback had been that Alix had to work because she hadn’t been at the company long enough to accrue more than a few days’ leave. These she had spent with Rhys, sailing mostly, and she had seen him after work, too. But he had always either put her on a train or else driven her back to Kent, then left her at her door after kissing her goodbye.
But every time he kissed her the need for him grew, consuming her body like a forest fire.
When they went out together in London, Alix always expected Rhys to take her back to his flat to make love to her. But they never went there. Sometimes when he kissed her goodnight in the car his breathing would quicken and he would caress her breasts, driving her crazy, but then he would draw back, and the frustration would deepen.
It drove her mad, too, wondering why he didn’t take the love she was so eager to give him. But when he went away and she lay alone in his bed in the flat, she had plenty of time to think, and it gradually dawned on her that Rhys was holding back for her sake. And maybe holding back from getting married for the same reason. She had told him that she had always loved him and always would, but working in London had shown her that she had led a pretty sheltered life. Because she’d mixed always with adults, she was old for her age in some ways, especially socially, while in others, because she’d had eyes for no one but Rhys, she was very immature and inexperienced. To Rhys that must be very evident. She’d told him that her feelings for him would never change, but maybe he wanted to give her the time to be absolutely sure of that.
Once, when they were out together, Alix remarked that a couple they knew were splitting up. ‘It’s such a shame, because they were childhood sweethearts.’
His eyes settled on her face. ‘People grow up, change, want more out of life. They find that just being married isn’t such a happy ending after all.’
Glancing up, she saw the seriousness in his eyes. ‘You mean,’ she said slowly, ‘that people should look beyond marriage before they make up their minds?’
‘Marriage should be a beginning, not an end.’
She nodded. ‘Yes, I see that. But they couldn’t have loved one another enough.’ Smiling at him, Alix leaned her head on his shoulder. ‘Not like us,’ she said with absolute certainty.
But now, alone, she remembered that conversation, and became positive it was to give her time to see more of life that Rhys was holding back. But if so, why had he wanted to get engaged at all, then? The answer to that one came easily enough: because he was old enough to know his own mind and was quite sure that he loved her. So he had asked her to marry him to make sure that he didn’t lose her. But, having done so, he didn’t want to deprive her of the opportunity to see some life for herself before she settled down to marriage. So he was being truly unselfish, controlling his own needs, so that she wouldn’t feel coerced in any way.
Having reasoned that out to her satisfaction, Alix felt far better. She was still achingly frustrated, but could exert enough mind over matter to control it—except when Rhys rang and she poured out her longing for him. ‘I miss you so much,’ she would sigh into the phone. ‘So much. If only you were here, beside me.’
When she began to work for Todd, though, she had to work far longer hours, and concentrate so hard, that she was glad there was nothing else to think about. There was so much to learn; the job was certainly no sinecure. Todd kept a tight hold on the company, knew everything that was going on, and often worked far into the evening. Brenda, his PA, who had taken over when Donna Temple had left, accepted Alix with pleasure, glad to be released from the terrors of flying, and helped her as much as she needed. There were a few remarks about nepotism and favouritism from failed candidates when it was announced that Alix had got the job, but her boss had given her a glowing report and told everyone so, and her own innate charm and friendliness soon dispelled any ill-feeling.
She was amply rewarded for the hard work when, about three weeks later, Todd took her with him to Saudi, to find out the latest on the project Rhys was working on. Todd used the company jet, a smallish plane that carried only about a dozen passengers, and which he piloted himself, the official pilot sitting beside him and acting as navigator. But when the latter came back into the cabin for a while Todd called Alix forward and let her sit in the co-pilot’s seat.
‘Ever flown in a small plane before?’ he asked her.
She nodded eagerly. ‘There’s a flying club near where we live. A friend of Daddy’s learnt and took us up a couple of times. We didn’t go anywhere though, because he hadn’t taken his navigation tests, so we
just went round and round the field.’
Todd laughed. ‘Think you’d like to fly this one?’
Her face grew wistful. ‘Oh, would I! It’s beautiful.’
‘Take hold of the controls; feel what it’s like.’
Alix did so, holding the yoke gingerly at first, nervously aware of the power under her hands. But Todd was still holding his control yoke so there was no danger. He tilted the plane a little, first to one side then the other, so that she could feel what it was like. Alix asked him questions about the controls, enjoying every minute. ‘You’re a natural. Maybe I’ll arrange for you to have flying lessons,’ Todd told her when the pilot came back.
She laughed happily, wound up with excitement at the thought of seeing Rhys again. He was waiting for them at the airport in Riyadh, looking tall and tanned, and, to Alix’s eyes, utterly fantastic. She ran into his arms and he gave her a hug but didn’t kiss her, even drew back when she went to kiss him. Alix gave him a startled, reproachful look, but he bent to whisper, ‘They don’t do that kind of thing in public here. We’d be arrested on the spot if I kissed you the way I want to.’
That made her laugh, and Rhys grinned back at her before turning to greet Todd. Rhys had a car waiting and took them to a hotel to check in and change before driving them out to the site of the new oil refinery.
‘We have some foreign competition for the job,’ Rhys told Todd. ‘We’ve submitted our plans and estimates, but things take time here, and it’s a matter of protocol, as much as anything. Usually you have to wait a couple of days just to see the minister in charge to find out how things are going. Your coming should be a help. There’s a reception at the British Embassy in a couple of days and the minister will be there. I’ve arranged for the three of us to go. Once you’ve met the minister officially he’ll have to see you. Then you can do some pushing for an answer.’
They talked some more, Alix sitting in the back seat, listening, and taking notes whenever Todd threw a sentence at her over his shoulder. She was getting used to him now, knew when something was an instruction for her or a reminder for him.
To Have And To Hold (Mills & Boon Vintage 90s Modern) Page 5