‘I’d like to shower before we have coffee. Where’s the bathroom?’ he said, lifting his backpack from the chair.
‘Sure. The second door on your right down the passage,’ she said, immediately turning to the kitchen to make coffee. But also as a diversion from the desire that burned in her to catch a below-the-waist glimpse of Noah. ‘There are fresh towels in the vanity cupboard,’ she called after him.
Recalling how despondent she had become when she had believed Noah was ignoring her, Mia decided as she finished the breakfast dishes and made up a cheeseboard to have with coffee, that she would keep her feelings in check. The way she had found herself bathed in joy like a besotted schoolgirl the moment he had appeared on her doorstep worried her. It was not good enough. She emphatically resolved that she should not allow herself to fall for anyone yet, let alone a man who was a self-confessed isolate capable of loving no one apart from his work colleagues and cycling mates. With gritted teeth, she flicked the switch on the coffee machine. Noah wandered out in black surf shorts and a maroon tee-shirt. Without appearing too obvious, Mia was more than pleased to note an abundance of dark hair flourishing on Noah’s bulging calves.
‘The police were probably trying to protect you by not telling you the owner intended you to have the dog,’ Noah said after they had settled in the living room and Mia had related the entire story. ‘People can be notoriously unreliable. If the police had told you the owner wanted you to keep the dog, and the owner changed her mind in the meantime, you would have been mortified. In any event, the owner had to view the dog regardless, because the matter couldn’t be closed unless they had confirmed that Dolly, aka Molly, were the same dog,’ he said grinning boyishly.
‘I get that, Noah,’ Mia said, lifting her feet from the floor and curling them under her on the settee opposite him, ‘but why couldn’t they have told me, with the proviso of warning me not to be disappointed if the owner changed her mind.’
Noah frowned mirthfully and snorted softly. ‘It doesn’t work that way, Mia,’ he said leaning to the coffee table and cutting a sliver of cheese. ‘That’s the stuff that serious breaches of the peace can be made of.’
‘Well, anyway, I don’t care,’ Mia said. ‘She’s mine now. And that’s all that matters.’ Although she and Noah had been intermittently gazing out at the sea and the smattering of tourists who sauntered past on their way to the beach, Mia became aware that without notice, the sun seemed to suddenly have faded. She checked her watch. ‘Shall I open a bottle of wine,’ she said, hoping the answer would be in the affirmative.
‘I’ll have to move on soon. But I’ll have half a glass.’
Mia opened a bottle of red and wondered, given public transport was not an option, how Noah intended to get back to the city. Surely he’s not riding his bike. Perhaps he has arranged for a colleague to pick him up in a police car, she thought, deciding he was capable of managing his own transport problems.
‘I saw Rachel yesterday,’ Mia said, watching Noah lean over the coffee table to pour the wine. ‘She said something about Trevor Carson causing her more grief. What was that about?’
‘Well, that was very strange,’ Noah said taking the first sip of his wine before lifting it to the light. ‘His lawyer advised us Trevor intended to plead a lesser charge because he is now claiming it was consensual sex. It threw the prosecution into turmoil. Then just as quickly as he had changed, he went back to his original statement, as well as confirming he had definitely forced Rachel against her will and had ignored her pleas to stop. No one knows why he changed his mind but I for one am very glad he did. And I could be wrong, but I have a suspicion Tim Hooper may have had something to do with it. But you didn’t hear it from me,’ Noah said, lifting his eyebrows. The smile slowly slid from his face and he studied his wine as he swirled it in the bottom of his glass. ‘Was it hard for you, Mia? Spending time with Rachel in her home, I mean,’ he said glancing up at her.
Until now, Mia hadn’t thought much about the time she and Rachel had spent together, other than being pleasantly surprised at the change in trust the teen had shown in her by sharing such personal information. But on reflection, Mia thought it highly possible that the stultifying pain so obviously permeating every pore of Rachel’s being, Annie’s unrelenting stoicism against the odds and Ben’s precious innocence, so close to having been cruelly taken from him — even the imposing For Sale sign at the entrance to the Hooper property — may have had a cumulative impact. Perhaps that’s why she had felt so maudlin last night, she thought. She turned from the window to Noah, saw the genuine concern in his expression and reminded herself of her earlier undertaking to keep her feelings in check. ‘Not at the time,’ Mia said, ‘but in hindsight, yes.’
He nodded. ‘I know what you mean. It’s a game of minds when you’re on the job, but it can become a game of hearts when the adrenaline stops surging.’ He drained his glass and Mia went to top it up.
‘No more for me, thanks Mia,’ he said placing his hand over the rim. ‘I have to ride home on my two-wheeler before it gets dark,’ he said breaking into his boyish grin.
‘I have a very comfortable spare room if you want to stay the night. And I cook a mean crab and chilli linguine, which we could have with the crusty loaf I bought from the local baker today. And, of course, there’s plenty more where this came from,’ she added holding up her glass, silently begging him to say yes.
Mia thought he seemed to be taking an inordinate amount of time to think about it. But eventually he said, ‘Will my room have a sea view?’
‘Yes, of course.’
‘Then you have a deal. But I’ll have to get up early in the morning. Some of us have to work.’
‘I’m working tomorrow as well,’ Mia said, unable to contain her smile. ‘We’ll bundle your two-wheeler into my car and I’ll drive you to work on my way to the hospital.’
‘Done,’ Noah said holding out his glass for a top-up.
They opened the second bottle of wine when the sun was low over the sea. Feeling pleasantly mellow she wandered over to the kitchen with the glass in her hand and began preparing dinner.
‘I’ll help you,’ Noah said leaping to his feet.
‘No, you won’t,’ Mia said, gesturing for him to sit. ‘I’m a control freak of the worst kind when it comes to my chilli crab linguine. Just relax and talk to me,’ she said, pulling pasta and tinned crab from the cupboard.
‘I’m impressed at how well you seem to have settled into single life,’ Noah said breaking a comfortable spell of silence.
‘Yes, I guess I have,’ Mia said with her head on the side while she vigorously chopped parsley. ‘Although Eric did surprise me with an unannounced visit the day after you and I had lunch. He and Lucinda have parted ways. Apparently she found someone else. Anyway, he’s floundering and hoped I would be prepared to give us another try.’
‘What did you tell him?’ Noah said, suddenly straightening.
‘I told him it was too late. I’m a different person to the one he walked out on. And it turns out the person I thought he was, has never even existed. The Eric I knew would never have left me find out about Lucinda the way I did. He is still like a very unattractive stranger to me.’
She turned from the sink. The realisation that Noah was immediately behind her and the feeling of his arms pulling her tight to him happened in the same instance, closely followed by his kisses, even more ardent than before. He must have sensed Mia needed to stop, to breathe, because they pulled apart simultaneously. His hazel eyes held softness and sparkle.
‘I thought I was never going to see you again,’ she murmured up at him, deciding she was no longer afraid of sharing her feelings a little more liberally.
‘That would never happen,’ he said nuzzling her neck.
She pulled back and smiled up at him, longing for him to kiss her again.
‘Because you are a very important witness in my case,’ he murmured back, slowly grinning at her. She flicked a finger against h
is earlobe.
‘Ouch, that hurt,’ he laughed, covering his ear.
‘So did that,’ she said smirking. ‘You broke my heart.’
‘That would never happen,’ he said again, this time seriously. Hands clasped they faced each other and wordlessly agreed it was time. Her hand felt small in his. He led the way, briefly glancing around the bedroom before sitting on the edge of the bed and pulling her down onto his lap. His arms were powerfully strong and heartachingly gentle. His kisses were sensual, yet more demanding than ever before. They rolled onto the bed together, their breathing frantic, their explorations blissfully restrained and achingly deliberate, each of them absorbing and digesting every moment, every crevice, every curve as they slowly removed each other’s clothing.
The feel of his body covering hers was so excruciatingly overpowering that for a moment it snatched her breath away. So by the time she finally felt him enter her, the ultimate thrill was inevitable — instant and overwhelming — almost violent. He held her as she shuddered to still again. Raising himself on his elbows he studied her face and smiled, covering her once again with his body. And she felt the exquisite sensation of him enter her again, his rhythmic motion bringing her along with him until they both collapsed, his deep release and hers, rapturously simultaneous.
‘I’ve never done that before,’ Mia gasped.
‘Me neither,’ he said kissing her forehead, ‘but it was bloody good. Hang on a minute and we’ll do it again.’
She woke in his arms and opened her eyes to see him silently studying her. ‘Good morning,’ he said softly.
‘Good morning,’ she smiled up at him.
‘I’ve been lying here watching you and thinking I can’t give you up to that hospital of yours. Not today. Why don’t we both play hooky.’
‘Yes,’ Mia said, instantly excited, ‘there’s something I would love you to try.’
Mia pulled the car over to the side of the road and they both stared across at the sea, sparkling like an endless blanket of blue diamonds.
‘They’re bloody steep,’ Noah said, his eyes sweeping the landscape below the road.
‘I know. That’s what makes it fun. Come on,’ Mia said, slamming the car door before grabbing Noah’s hand as he unenthusiastically climbed from the passenger seat.
‘Here. Over here,’ she said dragging him by the hand for a few metres before stopping and facing the sea. ‘This is the one.’
Holding hands they faced the sea, standing on the edge of the most towering of all the towering sandhills along Broken Beach. Glancing at what lay before them and then at each other, imagining the journey to the sand below.
‘Are you sure?’ Noah asked, his unsettled grin wide and exuberant.
‘I have never been more sure in my life,’ Mia said, smiling up at him with electrified anticipation.
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
Three months later
He woke slowly, contentment and satisfaction spreading over him like warm honey even before he had opened his eyes to the pale walls striped by bands of sunshine filtering through the white shutters behind. He stretched up and flicked the shutters open with his fingers. Bright light and summer warmth flooded the room.
Deliberately yawning as loudly as he could, he threw his arm across her pillow, across her indent, still faintly visible. He waited, but no one came. So he reluctantly climbed from the bed, suddenly aware of the energetic birdsong in the tree immediately outside the window.
Wishing his entire day could be spent in this room, he raked through the shambolic selection of clothing scattered across the floor, grabbed up his red jocks and slipped them on, then wandered silently along the carpet to the small kitchen.
Obviously unaware of his presence, her naked back facing him, still as a post, she watched through the window as a flock of black and gold honeyeaters screeched with excited ecstasy fluttering in and out of the bushes, strenuously competing with the coffee machine’s whirring. He knew she would be smiling and felt the familiar stirring — his glaringly predictable reaction to her very presence. Knowing with indisputable certainty that he was the most fortunate man he knew, he silently delighted in the sight of her tiny waist, her perfect buttocks and the curtain of dark hair tumbling down her smooth back.
She turned suddenly and smiled. He wrapped his arms around her. Her hair smelled of perfume and sleep.
‘Coffee?’ she said, pressing her soft skin against his.
‘Yes, please. You are the perfect host,’ he said, his voice husky.
‘And you are the perfect house guest.’ She gently followed the shape of his stubbled chin with her fingers. Kissed him in a way that confirmed for him that he would die happy if they stayed in that very spot, doing that very thing forever.
They finally pulled apart and she placed her hand gently on the front of his jocks. ‘You are insatiable,’ she murmured.
‘That’s because you are so beautiful.’ He bent and kissed her again.
‘Thank you for coming to the party with me last night,’ she said minutes later in bed, snuggling closer to his chest. ‘It can’t have been much fun for you having to face 30-odd nurses en masse.’
‘I had a great time,’ he said, stroking her cheek. ‘I love talking to nurses.’ He rolled onto his back and groaned. ‘I guess I should be going. There’s a bit to do today.’ He kissed her forehead and jumped out of bed.
Searching again through the rubble of clothes scattered around the floor, he eventually pulled on his jocks for the second time that morning and then his jeans, fully aware that as she stretched out in the bed, she was watching his every move.
‘If you don’t stop looking at me like that I won’t be able to zip up my pants,’ he said.
‘Looking at you like what?’ she said sitting up straight as a dye and allowing the sheets to drop to her waist as she bundled her hair on top of her head.
‘It’s not going to work, Ellen. I have to get going,’ he said leaving his jeans unzipped for the time being and bending to his socks and runners.
‘See you Sunday afternoon,’ she murmured later, as his lips pressed against hers before flying out the door, already running late.
He hurriedly made his way across the patch of grass in front of her apartment and jumped into his ute, turning back to wave. ‘Drive carefully,’ she mouthed, her head peeking from behind the front door, which barely covered her nakedness.
Despite this being the main route to the Fleurieu and despite being in the midst of summer holidays, Tim was thankful the expressway was relatively free of traffic. He slipped on his sunglasses, turned the CD player up to full amp and pressed his foot to the floor, his ute lurching like a steed to the challenge and within seconds he was doing 120 in a 100 zone. ‘What the fuck are you doing, man?’ he mumbled, easing off the accelerator. ‘That could cost you hundreds of dollars and you need the money now.’ The vision of Ellen saying goodbye to him naked behind the front door brought a satisfied smile and his thoughts recaptured that unsettling night almost three months ago.
Tim had at last come to terms with the realisation that as good as their first date had been, he would never have another with Ellen. Then her call had come out of the blue, a fortnight after she had cancelled on him because in her mind, Craig had needed her more. Her cheery voice over the phone rankled with him — as though nothing had changed.
‘Hi, Tim. Craig’s parents have flown back early from their overseas trip, so I’m now off sickbed duty — at last,’ she prattled, while he’d gaped into the phone like a landed fish. ‘Thanks for being so understanding,’ she had continued. ‘Many guys wouldn’t have done that.’ He recalled how he had churned with anger, but mostly confusion at hearing her voice again. ‘You do want to go out again, don’t you?’ she had said, suddenly aware of his prolonged silence.
‘To be honest,’ he had answered, ‘I wasn’t sure you were still interested. Why didn’t you ring me?’
‘I’m sorry, but I had to be with Craig for every moment I
wasn’t working,’ she had said, obviously taken aback. ‘I didn’t even have time to do my laundry until I had absolutely nothing to wear. Why didn’t you ring me if you were worried?’
It was at that point that Tim had suddenly realised that Ellen had moved further along in their relationship than he had. That she had already assumed a level of honesty and trust that he had yet to reach. He suddenly felt immature and churlish.
‘Tim — Craig almost died,’ she had said in what was almost a whisper. ‘I have zero romantic feelings left for him, but I could not simply ignore him when there was no one else. You understand that, don’t you?’
He had understood then that Ellen’s absence while she cared for her ex-lover was more about her kindness and the faith she had in her relationship with Tim, than about any leftover love she held for Craig.
After the night of that call, it had happened as naturally and as spontaneously as a rainstorm in the tropics. Even now, he felt aroused when he recaptured the memory. Anxiety and fear had been replaced by blistering passion and his genuine desire for Ellen. Now he understood how some men are driven to kill for a woman.
Afterwards, while they showered, when he had worked up the courage to tell Ellen it had been his first time, and she had laughed, anger and disappointment had swelled to create a stultifying emptiness. Until he had taken notice of her expression, listened to the tone in her repeated, ‘No. I don’t believe it,’ and had realised she had been incredulous rather than mocking.
He slowed as he approached the sign announcing Ackland Point. Cruised along the main street even narrower than usual because of the multitude of cars parked each side and moving cautiously due to an abundance of activity and lack of space. Tourists spilled constantly from shops, their tanned arms laden with groceries or other purchases.
Once he eventually reached the end of the street, he turned towards Ackland Bay, glanced at his mobile and put his foot down. Slowing along the coast road, he cast his eyes across the expanse of sea dotted with swimmers and lazy boaters, the sun shining on flamboyant umbrellas and beach tents on the sand, abandoned kayaks, dogs frolicking and sunbaskers dozing, or walkers simply walking along the golden stretch of sand.
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