by Leah Murray
`Great. You can load the dishwasher when I’m done.’
She got the bases from the freezer and set them on the bench to thaw, looked at her watch. `It’s only four. You want to eat early or go for a walk?’
`Let’s eat now, we can walk later’
`Okay,’ she said, nodding. She turned back to the bench and started grating the cheese, chopping the mushrooms and green pepper.
`Jo?’
`Hmmm?’
`Thanks for what you did with Nemo.’
She turned to look at him, surprised. `No problem. I’m glad it wasn’t as bad as I thought.’
`I know. When I first saw him lying there in all that blood I thought he was a goner for sure.’
She grimaced. `Yes, you were covered in it. Luckily you’re not squeamish.’
He looked down at the floor, shrugged. `I’ve seen worse.’
She turned back to the chopping board. `How’re Grant and Shelley doing? I spoke to Shaun this morning when he came to get the bullet and X-rays, he said Shelley had to go to the hospital.’
`Yeah, it was just for a checkup really. They were worried the shock might do something to the baby but she’s fine. I saw them this morning.’
`Good. I couldn’t have had that on my conscience as well.’
He didn’t reply and when she turned to put the cheese back in the fridge she saw he was frowning at her.
`What?’
`I just don’t get it. How can you keep blaming yourself when he’s the one doing all this?’
She closed the fridge, leaned against it. `I don’t know. I guess in a way I figure if none of you had met me this wouldn’t have happened. Anyway, can we talk about something else, please? I’m not going to let him ruin tonight as well. I want a relaxing night in for a change.’
Will’s frown deepened but he nodded and she went over to turn the oven on before sitting down across from him.
`So …. you must have traveled a lot when you were in the Navy. What was your favorite place?’ she asked.
He sat back in his chair, looked thoughtful. `My favorite place is right here. To live. For a holiday, I like Spain, some parts of France, Odessa. What about you?’
`I haven’t really been out of New Zealand that much. Only Australia, here, and some of the Pacific Islands. My favorite holiday spot is the Whitsundays, on the Great Barrier Reef.’
`Do you realize what an odd mix you are?’ he asked and she raised an eyebrow, puzzled.
`What do you mean?’
`You told me before that you wanted to live by the coast, your favorite holiday spot is on the Great Barrier Reef, but you’re petrified of water and boats. Wouldn’t it make more sense to go somewhere cultural? Like Italy?’
`You’re right I guess. I never thought of it that way. See, I love the sea, I always have. But I don’t really trust it.’
`I’ll get you sailing again soon. You’ll like it eventually,’ he said, idly playing with her fingers.
She smiled, shook her head. `Oh no,’ she said, trying to ignore the rush of sensation caused by his touch.
He must’ve sensed her reaction because his eyes darkened and he grinned.
She stood up. `Anyway, better get this finished,’ she said, going over to the bench and layering the ingredients on the bases.
He laughed and she heard the chair scrape along the floor as he pushed it back but all he did was wrap his arms around her and kiss her neck.
`I’m going to go give Jess a bath, she’s starting to smell. Give me a yell when it’s ready.’
`Okay.’
She watched him as he went out the back door, grabbed the hose and sprayed it at Jess, who started barking madly, enjoying the game.
Smiling, Jo set the pizzas in the oven and poured herself a glass of wine, stood watching him play with the dog, surprised to find she was content.
`How about we eat outside?’ Will asked when the pizzas were done and he’d had a shower.
`Okay, cool.’
She followed him as he carried the kitchen table out to the oak tree.
`I really should probably get some outdoor furniture,’ he said, hefting the table under the tree.
`And some flowers,’ she said.
`It is pretty bare isn’t it?’ he replied, looking around the yard.
`Just slightly.’
He grinned. `You can earn your keep by planting things if you like. Your place seemed to be full of plants.’
She sat down, poured some wine. `Hmmm, maybe I will. Speaking of which, I really should go round and water my plants. Gloria probably won’t be doing much watering now she knows I’m not there.’
`How come you have someone cleaning your house? I would’ve thought you’d like the mooching around at home thing,’ Will said, taking a bite of pizza.
`Oh, the people I rented it from said it was part of the deal. I wasn’t going to argue. Cleaning toilets isn’t exactly my favorite occupation.’
He nodded, took another bite of pizza. `This is great,’ he said around a mouthful and she started to tell him off but he shook his head.
`Yeah yeah,’ he said when he’d finished chewing. `I get enough nagging from my mother thanks.’
Jo grinned. `Have you heard from her lately?’
`Yeah. She wants us to go out with them on Saturday.’
`Oh. Where? What did you say?’
He had another bite of pizza before replying. `I said I’d ask you. It’s some fancy ass dinner thing. Fundraising. Julia’s going but I think Shaun managed to get out of it, lucky bugger.’
`So you don’t want to go?’ she asked.
`Do you?’
`I don’t know. Maybe. It’s something different.’
He sighed. `Okay I’ll tell her we’ll go then.’
Jo nodded, chewed on a mouthful of pizza and looked around her, enjoying the quiet, the sound of birds in the trees, the warm glow of the late afternoon sun. `It’s really great out here. Peaceful,’ she said.
He smiled, leaned back with his arms crossed behind his head. `I know. I love it.’
`Don’t you get lonely all by yourself though?’
`Not really, I go out when I want company. Not much point in having spare rooms really, you’re the only one who’s ever used one.’
She took another bite of pizza, glanced at him out of the corner of her eye, tried to gauge the implications of the comment. Did that mean he never had guests over or that he only ever had guests that shared his bed?
She didn’t have much time to ponder the question as he stood up, leaned his arms on the side of her chair. She sat back, swallowed anxiously and looked up at him, wary.
`What?’ she asked, cringing at the nervous tone in her voice.
He smiled, leaned forward, shocked her by biting gently on her bottom lip. `I just thought of you in my bed. It was a good picture,’ he murmured, his voice low. He moved closer and she closed her eyes as he brushed his lips over them, traced the line of her cheekbone with small kisses, sending ripples of delight rushing through her.
Her heart was racing, her body tense, every inch of her suddenly alert to him and she bent her head as his mouth moved down into the nape of her neck, gently teasing her into responding, sending her quivering with the lightness of his touch.
He stood, held out his hand, his eyes on hers and she hesitated, felt her breath catch in her throat, knew she shouldn’t do this.
But she couldn’t stop herself.
Somehow her hand found its way into his and he pulled her to her feet, hugged her hard against him.
`I want you Jo,’ he murmured against her lips and she moaned, could feel the heat emanating from him, was lost in a haze of pleasure.
Suddenly he bent down, picked her up, and she circled his waist with her legs, kissed him back, tightening her grip on his shoulders as he started towards the house.
She spread her palms over the hard muscle of his back, felt him stir against her as they made it to the bottom of the staircase and she slid down his
body to her feet, his hands holding her tight against him, his mouth working her into a frenzy.
His breathing ragged, he pulled away, looked down at her.
`Are you sure about this Jo?’ he asked.
Oh God, was she? No. Yes. She looked up at him, saw the way his hair flopped over one eye, the dark flame of his gaze, the feeling of him hard against her leaving her stomach clenched with desire.
Yes. Oh God, Yes. She didn’t want to think now, only touch, feel, lose herself in his welcoming embrace.
So she nodded, tightened her arms around his neck and kissed him, reveling in the feeling as he groaned, dragged himself away and started up the stairs, grabbing her hand and pulling her up behind him.
But she paused at the door to his room, clammy with nerves, took a step back.
He turned, met her gaze, and pulled her closer.
She stopped only inches from his chest, stared at the cool white cotton of his shirt, her ears ringing with a silent awareness, her breathing growing shallow as the spicy scent of him filled her, threatened to overwhelm her.
She swallowed nervously.
`Undress me Jo,’ he murmured, his breath warm against her ear.
Unnerved, she chanced a look up.
He was watching her and smiled. She couldn’t look away, was trapped by his gaze, and she moved her hand back up, flicked the second button loose.
Slowly, ever so slowly, she finished unbuttoning, drew the sides of the top apart, smoothed her hands over his chest, felt his heart beating a mad rhythm against her palm.
He was trembling with the effort of standing still, waiting for her, and somehow that gave her the courage to reach down, unsnap the button of his jeans and draw the zip down.
The sound was loud in the room, jolted her out of the trance she’d been in and she started to back away again, suddenly agitated, eager for escape. His hands on her shoulders stopped the movement. He stepped closer.
`Look at me Jo,’ he said and she did, careful, reluctant.
He looked down at her but didn’t say anything, lifted a hand and brushed her hair away from her face. She could feel the roughness of his thumb against her cheek, on her lips.
She closed her eyes, sank into the warmth uncoiling in her as he bent his head, teased her lips open with his tongue while his hands deftly unbuttoned her top, slipped it off her shoulders.
`You intrigue me Jo,’ he murmured against her ear, slipping a strap of her bra off her shoulder, following it with the other. `What kind of woman wears black lace but doesn’t share, keeps herself locked away?’
He reached behind her, undid the clasp of the bra, freed her breasts and stepped back, his eyes burning into hers as he hooked his thumbs in the waistband of her skirt, pushed downwards. It fell, pooled at her feet.
Along with the rest of her underwear.
She was suddenly anxious, self-conscious, tried to fight the urge to cover herself up.
`Will, I-‘
He shook his head, watched his hands trail down her sides, over her hips, back up across her stomach, the curves of her breasts. Her nipples rose at the touch and he smiled, met her gaze again.
`I’m going to find where you’re hiding Jo. I’m going to get you out of there. And you’ll be screaming my name when you come.’
`Oh God.’
Her heart stopped as he picked her up, lowered her to the bed, shrugged out of his shirt as he traced a trail of fire-hot kisses down her jaw. There was nothing gentle about him now. Only hot, burning passion and the sudden feeling of his naked chest against hers set her shivering with longing, fear, anticipation.
She was hot, clammy. Desperate. Scared.
But she couldn’t move.
He looked back up at her.
`Tell me what you want Jo. How you want me to touch you.’
Not used to such intimacy, she swallowed, couldn’t get any words out, didn’t even know where to begin.
`I- Will, please.’
He smiled at the unspoken plea, stood, dragged his jeans off and lay back down, naked, supporting his weight with his hands.
He bent his head, captured her mouth with his, started moving his body against hers, slowly.
The sharp tang of their shared desire scented the room and she breathed in deeply, clenched her hands against his back, her skin sticky with the heat.
The friction and weight of his body on hers, his scent, God, the taste of him, eclipsed the fear and she felt a jolt of sudden sharp, primal need as he reached down, spread her legs.
But she tensed as she felt the hardness of him suddenly inside her.
Panicked, she pushed up at his chest.
He paused.
`I’m not going to hurt you, Jo,’ he murmured, started moving his hips against hers.
She swallowed, closed her eyes and leaned her head back, suddenly overwhelmed as he increased the rhythm of his rocking and she writhed beneath him, driven by sharp jolts of momentary pleasure.
`Oh ..’ she could hear herself moaning as she wrapped her legs around him, pulled him closer, tried to draw him deeper into her, her breathing quick, ragged.
`Oh God, Will.’
The headboard was banging against the wall, the sheets at her back were wet, her forehead clammy.
But still there was no release.
She raked her nails down his back, lifted her hips to his, matched his rhythm as she felt the pleasure mounting.
`Oh God … oh.’
`That’s it, almost there,’ he murmured, his breath hot against her cheek, his arms shaking with the effort of keeping his weight off her as he rocked harder, their breath coming in short, sharp gasps.
`Oh … oh … OH MY GOD WILL!’
Her eyes snapped open as she shattered, drowned in the hot blue depths of his gaze, trembling uncontrollably, her hands clenching against his back in spasms of bliss.
`Good girl,’ he murmured as he captured her mouth again, plunged deeper, found his own release.
…
He lifted the corner of the curtain slightly and peered out. The policewoman knocked on the door again and when he didn’t answer, she stepped back, looked up at the windows.
He dropped the curtain and stood still, chuckling softly. It was the second time she’d been there. What did they think he was? Stupid? Of course he wouldn’t answer the door.
He shook his head, went over to the phone and dialed the number. Time to have another little talk with Jo. It had been good to hear her voice.
No signal? He frowned. Wrong number?
He tried again.
Fuck. The bastard had changed the number. Obviously the dog hadn’t been enough to warn him off. What more would it take?
He smiled, rubbed his hands together. A challenge. He loved a challenge.
CHAPTER 17
`WILL! I’VE BEEN TALKING TO you for the past five minutes and you haven’t heard a single word I’ve said.’
He shook his head, tried to clear the thoughts of Jo from his mind, and focused in on his sister.
Seeing her angry look, he grinned. `Sorry Jules. I was thinking of something else. What did you say?’
She frowned at him. `I asked if you had seen Hayley. It’s not like her to be late.’
`Oh. Um, yeah. Sorry, I forgot to tell you. She rang earlier, said she had to pick up something from her mother’s place, would be about twenty minutes late.’
Julia threw her hands up in the air, raised her eyes to the ceiling. `And why exactly didn’t you tell me this earlier? I’ve got a million things to organize before this dinner tonight,’ she paused, `tell me you haven’t forgotten about the dinner.’
He laughed. `No. We’re coming. I’m going to pick Jo up from work at four, we’ll head home and get changed and be at your place around seven. Don’t worry about it.’
`Hmmm. What’s up with you anyway? You’ve been weird all morning.’
`Weird?’
`Yeah, all happy and cheerful.’
He laughed again. `That’s generall
y considered to be a good thing.’
She stared at him, suddenly smiled and he felt his own grin fade at the look she gave him.
`What?’ he asked.
`Aha! I knew it!’
`Knew what?’
`Aw, my little brother’s in love,’ she said, ruffling his hair as he pulled away, frowning.
`Am not.’
`Are so. It’s so sweet,’ she said, bending down and pinching his cheek while he glared at her, grabbed her wrist and pushed her hand away. She laughed, blew him a kiss and headed out the office while he frowned.
Jo stood in front of the wardrobe, biting her lip as she tried to decide what to wear. She flicked through the hangers, sighed as she realized she didn’t have much of a selection to choose from. There hadn’t been much for her to move from the spare room to Will’s cupboard but he’d insisted she stay in his room from now on and she had to admit she hadn’t wanted to argue.
`Wear the black one,’ he said now from behind her, coming over to wrap his arms around her.
She leaned against him, smiled, pulled away as she looked up, saw the spark in his eyes.
`Oh no, we’re already running late,’ she said, taking a step back.
He laughed, reached into the cupboard next to her and pushed back the hangars, removed a black tuxedo.
She grimaced. `Is it that formal? Why didn’t you tell me earlier?’
He looked surprised. `I did. I said it was a fancy ass dinner.’
She groaned, sat down on the bed and stared at the cupboard.
`Just wear the black one,’ he said, taking it out and handing it to her.
She looked down at it, trying to decide if it was formal enough. She’d bought it for evenings out at restaurants, the occasional theatre session, not society dinners. But she didn’t have much choice and really, if she wore her hair up she could probably pull it off.
The dress itself was simple, a chiffon halter neck with a gathered waist and a flare skirt that reached to mid-calf. With high heels and the right jewelry, it could work.
Smiling suddenly, happy to be dressing up, she stood, went to the bathroom mirror and held the dress against her, trying to see what it would look like. Annoyed at only being able to see up to her waist, she grimaced, stepped out of her gown and pulled the dress on.