He trailed his hands down her rib cage from her breasts to her hips before running up her back. She sighed with pleasure and Mitchell’s need, desire, lust and longing tumbled together until he could barely hold it in. He pulled her close again and kissed her tenderly before easing back the covers and gently picking her up and laying her on the fresh sheets.
He kicked the bedroom door shut. ‘Don’t want the dogs to barge in on us.’
Pulling off his shirt and jumper he tossed them on the floor before unbuckling his belt, toeing off his shoes, ripping off his socks and stepping out of his jeans. He’d never undressed so quickly.
Once they were side by side on his bed, he stroked her face, before running his hands over her shoulders, along her arms, and down towards the curve of her hip. His kept his touch light, not wanting to rush her.
‘What are you thinking?’ he asked.
She smiled. ‘How much I don’t want you to stop doing that,’ she said.
‘Anything else?’
‘How much I want you to hurry up.’
He chuckled. ‘I didn’t want you to think I was rushing you.’
‘You’re going too slow.’
He pulled her tight against his body, so they were chest to chest, and looked deep into her eyes. ‘Are you sure this is what you want?’
She nodded. ‘Very sure.’
He kissed her hard on the mouth. ‘I’m all yours.’
‘Again,’ she breathed.
Chapter 21
The sound of power tools woke Hope the next morning. It was still dark, and it took her a second to get her bearings.
The noise outside stopped and she heard two men talking in low voices, but she was unable to make out what they were saying. She glanced over at Mitchell. He hadn’t stirred. She pulled up the doona to cover them both. Mitchell was naked too.
The whine of the saw started up again and she flinched. Mitchell gave a snore and rolled over, pulling the covers with him. How on earth could he sleep through the racket? She yanked the covers back towards her.
‘Mitch. Wake up.’ She almost had to shout to be heard above the sound outside.
She nudged him again. The noise outside stopped.
‘What time is it?’ he asked, his voice gravelly. It had been very late when they’d finally fallen asleep.
She leaned across him and found his phone which he’d left on the chair by his side of the bed. ‘Just after seven.’ She groaned. ‘Far too early for...’
Mitchell’s lips met hers, cutting off her words.
‘Too early for what?’ he asked after she gently shoved him off with a frown.
‘Too early for whatever’s happening out there.’ She pointed to the French doors that led onto the deck. ‘What is going on?’
Outside, the men started talking again. Mitchell’s head snapped up and he swore softly as he flung the doona aside and swung his legs over the edge of the bed. ‘That’ll be Jordan.’
‘Jordan?’ Hope squealed. She gripped the doona and tugged it to her chin. ‘What’s he doing here this early?’
Mitchell ran his fingers through is hair. ‘I totally forgot he and Lachie were coming over. We’re building a pergola to go over the back deck today.’
Naked, he padded to the bathroom. The power tools started again. Surely it couldn’t be legal to make that much noise this early on a Saturday morning. It was so loud she could barely think straight.
‘Is it safe to let two doctors near dangerous power tools?’ she called out.
‘It’s alright,’ Mitchell called back. ‘Clancy and Ian will be here to supervise.’
‘Awesome. The whole gang will be here,’ she mumbled.
Hope heard the shower start up. She debated getting out of bed and joining Mitchell but that would require hopping across the room on one leg and that wasn’t the safest thing to do. If she was home, she would have used crutches.
She stared at the closed bathroom door. Margot’s car was parked out the front so if the boys were clever enough, they would have worked out she’d borrowed it and stayed the night. Great. How was she going to slip out of the house without them seeing her?
The whining of the saw stopped again, and Hope closed her eyes and tried to come up with a solution.
She hadn’t intended to sleep with Mitchell when she’d invited herself for dinner, but the moment she stepped inside his front door she knew she’d end up in his bed. A warm flush swept through her. Dinner had been magnificent, the wine was some of the best she’d tasted and with the effect of the fire, the music, the soft lighting and Mitchell’s company, the atmosphere had been perfect.
The moment their bodies joined, she knew it was right. The chemistry which had bound them together all those years ago was still there, but now their desire for one another was stronger and deeper. She had no regrets because being in Mitchell’s arms felt like coming home.
Someone rattled the door handle of the French doors. She looked up and screamed when the door swung inwards and Jordan stepped into the room. She pulled the doona over her head.
There was a long pause. ‘Morning, Hope.’
She slowly lowered the covers, exposing only her flaming face.
‘Morning, Jordan. You’re here early.’
He grinned, leaning casually on the door frame, one leg crossed in front of the other. ‘Could say the same thing.’
Hope glared at him. ‘At least turn around while I put something on.’
Chuckling, Jordan turned his back.
Hope hastily grabbed Mitchell’s t-shirt from the floor and pulled it over her head. Judging by the smirk she’d seen on Jordan, it wouldn’t be long before everyone in Macarthur Point heard the news.
‘It’s about bloody time you two got your act together.’ He threw the words over his shoulder. ‘Where’s Mitch?’
Hope pointed to the bathroom. She could still hear the water running. ‘In the shower.’
‘What? He didn’t ask you to join him.’ He shook his head and tut-tutted. ‘I thought I’d taught him better than that.’
Mitchell’s phone rang and she glanced at it. It was Courtney trying to Facetime him. Hope frowned. Why was Courtney calling Mitch?
She snatched it up and swiped her finger across the screen.
‘Hi, Courtney.’
Courtney’s grainy face filled the small screen. ‘Hope?’
‘That’s me.’
Courtney’s eyes narrowed. ‘Hang on. Are you in bed?’
‘Yes. I’m in bed.’ Like most normal people at this time of day, she wanted to add.
‘But that’s not my house.’
How observant. ‘No, it’s not.’
Hope was about to explain when Jordan joined her on the bed and waved at the screen.
‘Morning, Court.’
Courtney squealed. ‘Are you at Jordan’s?’
Jordan took Mitchell’s phone from her hand. ‘Nah, she’s at Mitchell’s.’
Courtney beamed. ‘Oh,’ she drawled. ‘Well played, Mitch Davis, well played.’
Hope put her hands over her face. She didn’t need to see her cousin to know what was going on in her head.
‘Lachie on his way yet?’ Jordan asked.
Courtney shook her head. ‘That’s part of the reason I was ringing. He’s been called in for an emergency bowel obstruction so I wanted to let Mitchell know he can’t help out today.’
‘All good.’
‘I was also calling Mitchell because I was worried about Hope.’
Hope took the phone back from Jordan and held it up to her face.
‘Mum said you didn’t come home last night, and I tried your phone and it went to voicemail. I never expected this!’
‘I didn’t realise I had a curfew,’ Hope said.
Courtney laughed.
‘By the look of the bags under Hope’s eyes, she needed a curfew,’ Jordan said. ‘I don’t think she got any sleep last night.’
Hope pointed to the open door and mouthed, ‘Go.’
Hope smiled at the screen. ‘I’ll be home soon,’ she said, aiming for a normal tone of voice. ‘Do you want me to bring you a coffee?’
Courtney shook her head. ‘No, but what I do need is for you to get your butt here and give me all the details of what happened last night. Otherwise I’m going to have to guess.’
‘I’ll be home in half an hour, and I promise I’ll tell you almost everything.’
‘I have a doctor’s appointment for Ollie at nine so it will have to wait until I get back.’
‘See you then.’
Hope hit the end button, tossed the phone back on the bed and sank back into the pillows. Seconds later, Mitchell appeared, the towel low around his hips. She sucked in a breath and stared at his chest. Need rushed through her again, heightening her emotions.
He winked. ‘You should have joined me.’
She grimaced. ‘Sorry, I would have, but I got a little side-tracked.’
Mitchell’s brows drew together. ‘Doing what?’
She pointed out the doors just as Jordan and Clancy walked past, carrying a long piece of timber between them. Jordan waved, and Clancy gave them the thumbs up.
Mitchell’s eyes widened as he turned back to face her. ‘Do they know you’re here?’
‘Yep. And I don’t think they’d fall for the “we fell asleep and nothing happened” line.’
Mitchell sank onto the bed and stroked her hair. ‘You okay with that?’
She nodded. Last night when they’d gone to bed, she hadn’t been thinking about the next day or what to tell their friends. She’d been thinking of nothing except recreating the past and making new memories.
‘What should we tell them?’ he asked, glancing outside.
She shrugged. ‘Tell them we’re madly in love, want to make babies and spend the rest of our lives together.’
His head snapped around. ‘Is that what you want?’
She hesitated, blinking rapidly. Is that what she wanted? ‘Honestly?’ She chewed her bottom lip. ‘I’m not sure. Things are moving quicker than I can get my head around.’
‘I know you struggle with the idea of settling down here—’
‘It’s not just here,’ she interrupted. Macarthur Point is wonderful—I just struggle with the idea of settling down in any one place full stop.’
He stroked her cheek. ‘I know you’re a free spirit, and I know you thrive on change. Thing is, I don’t. Everything I have built here is for a reason. All my life I’ve craved roots and I have them now. I’ve created the kind of life here that I’ve always wanted, and I can’t leave.’
‘I wouldn’t dream of asking you to leave.’
The idea of saying goodbye again made her feel sick, but the idea of putting down the roots Mitchell was talking of, was equally sickening.
The power tools started up again. Mitchell stood and glanced out the window. ‘I’d better go and supervise.’
She nodded. She would have preferred he stay so they could talk more, but she understood he needed to go.
He kissed her forehead. ‘Let’s just take each day as it comes.’
She watched him go back to the bathroom. When he appeared a few minutes later, he was fully dressed and ready to work. He stood in the doorway and looked at her.
‘I don’t want to hold onto you if it’s going to make you feel like I’m trying to control you.’
She gave him a weak smile. ‘Thank you for understanding.’
‘I’m trying.’
He left her alone, taking all the good vibes of the night before with him, leaving her with nothing but her swirling thoughts and an ache in her heart so heavy she wasn’t sure she could move.
Chapter 22
Mitchell headed outside preparing himself for the third degree. He didn’t have to wait long. As soon as they saw him Clancy let out a low whistle and Jordan started clapping.
‘Hard day at the office last night?’ Jordan asked with a chuckle as he slapped Mitchell on the back.
‘Good of you to join us,’ Clancy said, handing Mitchell a takeaway coffee cup.
‘Lay off,’ Mitchell grumbled good-naturedly.
It was hard not to smile after the night he’d had, but his conversation just now with Hope troubled him. Was there any point in pursuing a relationship with her if she wasn’t going to consider hanging around in Macarthur Point? He pushed the niggling doubt away. He had a lot to do today and couldn’t afford to let his mind wander.
‘Where’s Ian?’ he asked.
‘Gone to the hardware shop to get some different screws or something.’
Mitchell took a sip of his coffee and grimaced. It was lukewarm.
‘Mitch and Hope. Finally, together,’ Jordan said in a singsong voice. ’bout bloody time if you ask me. I don’t know why you didn’t get together years ago.’
No way was he about to admit they had.
‘Good on you, lad,’ Clancy said, slapping him on the back.
‘I’m not surprised though,’ Jordan said. ‘Not after the way you two were looking at each other the other night at the pub.’ He leaned back against the fence railing and put his hands behind his head. ‘A collision was inevitable.’
‘I’d say they definitely collided last night,’ Clancy said with a throaty laugh.
Mitchell felt his face flame.
‘You got it bad,’ Jordan said. ‘All she had to do was look at you and you’ve lost your ability to speak.’
Or think. Or form a coherent thought. But he wasn’t going to admit that.
Mitchell tossed his half-drunk cup of coffee in the mini-skip and picked up a piece of timber. They had work to do and he wasn’t going to stand around and listen to them rib him. The last thing he needed was for Jordan to ask what the future held for him and Hope. Because he had no answer to that. If he had his way, Hope would never leave.
‘Is it serious?’ Jordan asked as he helped Mitch carry the timber over to the deck. ‘Or was last night a one off?’
He scowled. ‘You know I don’t do one-night stands. And I can’t imagine Hope does either.’
‘Do you reckon she’d move here permanently?’ Jordan asked.
Mitchell let out a breath. Based on what she’d just told him, probably not.
He wasn’t sure whether talking about Hope with Jordan was breaking her trust, but he needed to hear things from his perspective and get clarity around whether it was worth pursuing a future with her. Last night was great for recreating memories, but it only served to remind him how much he wanted to build new memories with her. Memories right here in Macarthur Point.
‘Coming back was never a long-term thing for Hope,’ he said. ‘She only came to help Lachie and Courtney out.’
‘No reason she couldn’t stay,’ Clancy said.
‘She has her job and that’s in Melbourne. Even if I wanted to take things further with her, it wouldn’t be here.’
‘But she’s a nurse. She could easily find work locally,’ Clancy argued with a frown.
Mitchell held back a sigh. That was what he’d thought too at first, but Hope’s career was important to her and as hard as that was for someone like Clancy to understand, he got that. If she asked him to move, he couldn’t do it.
‘I’d employ her in the clinic tomorrow if she wanted work,’ Jordan said, suddenly serious. ‘I’m always short-staffed and it’s hard to find good practice nurses.’
‘I don’t think that’s what she’d want to do.’
Paediatric oncology was her gig and she couldn’t do that in Macarthur Point.
‘There are other ways she can work with sick kids,’ Jordan said. ‘RCH has a program where they see kids outside the hospital. She could get involved with that.’
Mitchell frowned. ‘Maybe she doesn’t know the program exists.’
‘It’s fairly new. She might not.’
‘I’ll mention it.’
‘Why don’t you get Lachie to talk to Courtney. I
f they know how you’re feeling Court might convince Hope to stay.’
Mitchell shook his head. ‘I don’t want to force Hope into doing something she doesn’t want in case it backfires on me. If Hope decides to stay here with me, she has to do it on her terms.’
‘So, you’re going to let the best thing to ever happen to you walk away?’ Clancy asked, hands on hips.
Mitchell lifted his arms then let them fall back to his sides. ‘What other option do I have? The last thing Hope needs is someone telling her what to do.’
‘But she has family and friends here. Surely if she has you too, she’ll be keen to stay,’ Clancy said.
If only it were as simple as that.
Clancy gave him a long, assessing look. ‘Are you in love with her?’
He swallowed. Was he ready to call it “love”?
‘I care about her,’ he said carefully. A lot.
‘Caring about her and loving her are two different things,’ Clancy said. ‘Only way to figure it out is to tell her how you feel. If you don’t, trust me, you’ll regret it.’
Mitchell looked from Jordan to Clancy. For years he’d joked that he wasn’t interested in getting married or starting a family, but when Hope had made that throwaway line about having a baby with him, something shifted in his heart and it wouldn’t budge. But could he risk his heart and tell her how he felt even though he knew she still wanted to leave?
‘You and Hope have a lot of history,’ Jordan said. ‘And you can’t deny the chemistry between you two, so my advice is do something about it. Prove to her that you’ll do anything to hold onto her.’
‘I agree,’ Clancy said.
Mitchell shook his head. ‘That’s the problem. I don’t want to hold onto Hope in case she ever accuses me of holding her back from her future.’
‘What if her future is with you?’ Clancy asked.
‘Then she has to realise that too. I’m not going to be the one to put myself out there and tell her how I feel.’
Holding onto Hope Page 19