The Secrets of Clover Castle

by Martin, Holly

  And she was no different for Cameron. What was it the women he had slept with had said? That he was charming and attentive. That little stunt he had pulled with the medieval banquet and the dancing on the cliff tops on her birthday was just another charming ploy to secure her place in his bed and it had worked. She wasn’t going to regret that she had succumbed to his charms, this was going to be the best week of her life, but she knew that it wouldn’t last beyond the week. There was no way that she was the woman that would change his womanising ways.

  There was only one woman that he’d had a serious relationship with and that was Eva, his ex-wife. A woman that was the polar opposite of Milly. Eva was a tall, thin, brunette. She was incredibly sophisticated and glamorous and rather annoyingly a lot like Olivia. The pictures she had found of their wedding day showed Cameron absolutely in love with Eva. He had never looked at her like he was looking at Eva in those photos.

  He was fond of Milly, she knew that, but to him she was just another blonde to have a bit of fun with. She was a fling, no more than that, but she couldn’t hate him for that. She had known all this before she climbed into his bed. A fling was something that was completely out of character for her. She had only had three past boyfriends, all of whom she had been in love and had serious relationships with. But there was something about Cameron that drew her in, that made her come alive. She was different with him, carefree, brazen, addicted and there was no way she could walk away from him before she had taken what was clearly on offer. She was just going to enjoy the next few days and then after the week was over, she’d walk away without a look back. She had to if her heart had any chance of surviving.

  She picked her phone off the side and took a picture of Cameron sleeping. She wasn’t sure if she would save this keepsake after the week was up or whether she would delete it but it was nice to have it, at least for now. She scooted back a bit so she could capture his full naked glory, from toe, through gorgeous bum to wonderful broad shoulders, to those beautiful lips. She snapped a few shots, just as he woke up.

  ‘Hey, what are you doing?’ he asked, rolling over on top of her, snatching the phone from her hand.

  ‘Taking pictures of your gorgeous butt,’ Milly giggled, as she ran her hands down his back and stroked his bum.

  ‘It’s yours for the taking, anytime you want it baby, you don’t have to take pictures.’

  She wrestled the phone from his fingers. ‘Let’s take a selfie.’

  ‘No, I look like a yeti in photos,’ Cameron kissed her throat as she tried to position the camera to take some pictures. She fired off a few shots as he trailed kisses over her neck and face.

  ‘Smile, you grumpy sod,’ Milly said and Cameron smiled at her, not the camera. She looked up at him and felt her heart soar at the way he looked at her.

  Cameron took the phone from her and started taking some shots of her.

  ‘No!’ Milly squealed. ‘I don’t want to see pictures in my phone of me naked.’

  ‘You can text them to me and then delete them.’

  ‘So you can perv over me, you creep.’

  ‘Well hopefully I won’t have to, as I’ll always have the real thing here, in my bed.’

  He tossed the phone to one side and started layering kisses down her body, she stroked his hair fondly. ‘You’re so full of shit, you’ve had so many women, I’m not naïve enough to think I’m any different.’

  He paused in his kisses and shifted up the bed to look at her, playing with her hair, curling the pink ends round his fingers. ‘I resent the fact that you see yourself as just another woman I’ve shagged. I know there’ve been a lot but … it’s different with us. I knew that from the very first moment I saw you. I thought you understood how much you mean to me.’

  ‘And how many women have you said that to before?’

  He pulled her chin up to look at him. ‘You’re the only one. I never make false promises to the women I’m with. I never promise longevity or tell them I love them when I don’t. It’s absolutely crazy that I feel this way about you after such a short time, but I feel we have something incredible here, do you not feel that too?’

  Milly swallowed, refusing to admit it to herself, let alone to him.

  ‘You say that you want a happy ending, why are you so afraid to give us a chance?’ he asked.

  Milly moved away from him but he pulled her back, stopping her with a slow, delicious kiss.

  He pulled back to stare into her eyes. ‘What are you scared of?’

  ‘My heart has been broken three times after I put my trust in someone. After Tyler died … it ruined me.’

  ‘Grief is a horrible thing to get over. I’m so sorry you had to go through that. But it’s very different to being dumped, surely?’

  ‘Not really. It’s still the pain of not being able to be with the person you love anymore. I’m not sure what hurt the most – that Patrick and Adam didn’t want to be with me when I loved them so much or that Tyler was taken from me when I knew he was my happy ever after. The end result was still the same. Me sobbing and in physical pain because my heart had been broken. I don’t want to go through that again.’

  ‘Trust me, I never want to do anything to hurt you. Take a risk and I’ll do everything I can to make you happy.’

  She looked at him and knew she had to take that chance with him. That had been what the week’s holiday had really been about, not just about satisfying the sexual attraction between them. She couldn’t walk away from him unless she had given it her all.

  She nodded, ‘I’ll try.’

  He smiled hugely. ‘Besides, there is one main difference between you and those other women,’ Cameron said, as he layered kisses down across her chest.

  ‘What’s that?’

  ‘I married you.’

  She smiled, though where Cameron kissed her next wiped the smile completely off her face.

  * * *

  Milly emerged into the kitchen later, leaving Cameron dozing in bed. The man had an insatiable appetite for sex and she was realising she did too, another thing he had awoken in her.

  Olivia looked up from her laptop and smiled. Milly smiled back as she poured them both a glass of orange juice. There was something about Olivia she just didn’t trust, but she was sweet and nice and completely unfazed by Milly’s presence. Cameron had said they were friends, nothing more, so why did she still see Olivia as a threat? It didn’t make any sense. She refused to let Olivia’s presence drive a wedge between them. If she was paranoid that Olivia didn’t like her or worried that Olivia was a better fit for Cameron than she was, she wasn’t going to let it show. That would drive Cameron away more than anything else.

  She sat down at the table opposite Olivia, passing her the juice.

  ‘Thank you,’ Olivia took a delicate sip. ‘You two are getting on well.’

  ‘I really like him,’ Milly said.

  ‘He must give off so many pheromones or hormones or something, women just flock round him like sharks who can taste blood.’

  Milly frowned slightly at that analogy. She studied Olivia across the table, noting the look of concern in her eyes.

  Olivia sighed. ‘I worry about him. He has been hurt so many times before and I don’t want to see it happen again. He’s a good man and it breaks my heart every time it happens. It’s always me that’s left to pick up the pieces.’

  Something about the way she said that led Milly to believe that Olivia liked being the one he turned to for comfort.

  ‘You don’t need to worry. I’m not going to hurt him, I couldn’t, I care about him too much to do that,’ Milly said.

  Olivia smiled warmly. ‘I want this to work for the two of you. He needs someone lovely for a change. I’m going to help you.’

  ‘Thank you, but we’re doing great on our own.’

  ‘Let’s arrange the perfect date,’ Olivia said, clearly getting very enthusiastic about her new project. Milly sighed at the interference but at least having Olivia fight in her corner w
ould be better than having her fight against her. Olivia pressed a few keys on her laptop and Milly wasn’t sure if she was returning to her work or using the laptop to help with the perfect date. ‘What do you like to do? How about fast things? Motorbikes, fast cars, that sort of thing?’

  ‘Not really, I don’t like to feel out of control, I’ve never really liked rollercoasters either.’

  ‘Pity, Cameron loves all that.’ Olivia said, vaguely, making Milly think that she was more interested in what was on the screen than Milly’s answers. ‘What about flying, hand gliding or helicopter rides?’

  ‘Oh yes, I’d love to do stuff like that.’

  ‘Scuba diving?’

  ‘Yes, I’ve done that before in France, it was brilliant.’

  ‘Speed boats?’

  ‘Actually yes, I’ve done that before and loved it.’

  ‘Abseiling, rock climbing?’

  ‘Never done it but yes, it would be great to have a go.’

  ‘Skiing or snowboarding?’

  ‘Not much chance of that round here in the summer but yes, I’d definitely give it a go. Is Cameron into all that adrenaline stuff then?’

  Olivia nodded vehemently. ‘He loves it, if you’re going to be with Cameron then you need to get used to that sort of lifestyle.’

  Milly pondered this for a moment. She was much more the stay at home type. She liked meals in and cuddles in front of the TV, watching a Disney film or some sweet romantic comedy. But a bit of fun like that now and again wouldn’t be a bad thing.

  ‘What would your ideal date be?’ Olivia asked.

  ‘I’m such a romantic, I’d be happy with a moonlit picnic on the beach or making love in front of that great big log fire in the banquet hall. I don’t need grand gestures, I’m happy just spending quiet little moments together.’

  ‘Cameron’s not good at the romance side of things. If you want the fairy tale you might be barking up the wrong tree.’

  Milly finished her juice thoughtfully. Were they really that mismatched? Did they really know each other at all?

  She looked up to see Cameron walk into the kitchen, looking dishevelled and sleepy. She smiled, her heart filling purely at the sight of him. It didn’t matter how much or how little they knew about each other, they could learn all that over time. If they were going to work, these differences wouldn’t be the thing that broke them. If he wanted to go out every weekend on some adrenaline seeking adventure, she’d go with him and then during the evenings they could cuddle in front of the TV. They could both adapt. She smiled as she realised she was planning for the future, their future, and it wasn’t as scary as she had made it out to be.

  ‘Ooh Cameron, we were just talking about you taking Milly out on a date, you two can’t just stay here and shag each other’s brains out all day.’

  ‘Don’t see why not,’ Cameron muttered, winking at Milly before he planted a sweet kiss on her lips.

  ‘Milly wants you to take her out on your bike.’

  Milly felt her eyes widen. Out of the long list of things she had said she wanted to try, Olivia had just suggested the only thing she had said no to. She glanced across at Olivia to see if she had done it deliberately and Olivia smiled at her encouragingly, giving her two big thumbs up. Had she got confused? It was quite an extensive list and Olivia’s attention hadn’t really been on it.

  She turned back to Cameron to quickly rectify Olivia’s mistake only to see that his face had completely lit up into a huge grin. ‘Really? I’d love to take you out. We can go now.’

  ‘But it’ll be dark soon,’ Milly squeaked, sudden terror pulsing through her veins.

  ‘It’s brilliant to ride in the dark, you are going to love this, it’s such an exhilarating rush.’

  ‘I … but …’

  He was smiling so much, she didn’t want to be the one that wiped that smile off his face. If he loved motorcycling then it would have to be something she tried at least once.

  ‘OK.’

  ‘Fantastic. Here, put your fleece on. I know the weather has been gorgeous today but it still gets a bit chilly on the bike.’ Cameron held her fleece out for her, she shrugged into it and he zipped it up for her. ‘You continue to surprise me, Milly, I love that you want to do this.’

  Milly forced a smile on her face, trying not to let her hands shake as she put on her shoes. How hard could it be? She would just hold onto his back and close her eyes the whole time.

  He pulled his boots on, grabbed her hand and quickly pulled her out the door. As Milly closed it behind her, she was almost positive that Olivia smiled smugly at her, but it was too fleeting to be sure.

  She followed Cameron round the back towards the garage and spotted the electric blue bike that looked as though every angle and curve had been designed to specifically maximise the speed potential.

  Cameron passed her a helmet and helped her to put it on, pulling the straps tight under her chin. She felt claustrophobic in it and it felt so heavy, she didn’t even think she could hold her head up.

  He got on but Milly felt frozen to the spot. She touched her star bracelet, hoping more than anything that now was not the time she was going to die.

  ‘So we’ll go slowly first so you can get a feel for it, but basically when I bank, just bank with me.’

  ‘Bank?’

  ‘Lean to the left and right, just do it when I do it.’

  She nodded. She was going to die, she knew it. This wasn’t like her favourite Disney films, normally there’d be a horse and carriage to ride off into the sunset in. This was a death trap.

  ‘I am feeling a bit tired actually so maybe we can just go out for a short ride.’

  Cameron nodded keenly, anything to get her on the bike. He patted the seat behind him and she slid on, wrapping her arms round him as tight as she could. He was so big, so solid, she immediately felt safer by just holding onto him.

  He gunned the bike into life and she felt the machine vibrate beneath her, almost as if it was alive and straining to be let loose.

  Cameron walked the bike out of the garage and then released the throttle and they shot forward. She clung on tighter, gripping his thighs with her own. They sped out the gates and Milly held on with everything she had. She felt him bank to the right and it was easy to follow suit when she was welded to his back with no space in between. They drove through the village and through the trees to the top of the hill that she and Dick had struggled up a few days before. Dusk was falling but it was light enough to see the steep inclines and twists of the road as it dropped away deeply in front of them.

  ‘Hold on,’ Cameron called over the noise of the engine, but it was impossible for her to hold on any tighter.

  He gunned the bike faster and they roared down the hill, the darkening countryside rushing past in a blur of green. A scream erupted from her throat, her fear spilling out in one loud wail of terror. Cameron laughed, mistaking her fear for elation. But as the scream came to an end, it unexpectedly turned into a laugh. It bubbled over in her throat so she laughed again and again uncontrollably. It was terrifying but exhilarating and wonderful all at the same time, she wanted to cry and laugh and shout and scream all at once. As they sped round the corners she had never felt such a rush of every possible emotion before in her life, coursing through her veins and ripping from her throat. The more she screamed and whooped and laughed at every one of the bike’s movements, she could feel Cameron laughing too at her very bizarre reaction. They sped along the deserted lanes, banking now and then and she just couldn’t stop laughing and whooping with delight and fear and joy.

  Slowly they started to climb again and before long they had arrived back in the village but by another road that Milly hadn’t realised existed, which was much wider and easier to traverse than the curvy one she had struggled up the other day.

  Cameron slowed down as they wound their way round the village green, back through the gates and into the garage where he kicked the stand down and killed the engine.

&nb
sp; Milly immediately scrambled off and shook her hair free from the helmet. Cameron removed his too as he sat astride the bike.

  ‘How was that?’ He grinned.

  Milly bounced on the spot, beaming from ear to ear. ‘That was the most terrifying, exciting, thrilling, electrifying, most stimulating thing I have ever done in my life.’

  Cameron laughed. ‘Your reaction was hilarious …’ His words were lost as Milly grabbed a fistful of his T-shirt and kissed him hard. She wanted to feel him against her now. She didn’t know how something so exhilarating could be such a turn on, but it was. She felt alive as she had never done before.

  Sensing her sudden urgency, he struggled to get off the bike without taking his mouth from hers.

  He manoeuvred her backwards down the drive, his hands roaming her body, but they were never going to get back to his room quick enough with her walking backwards. She tore her lips from his and, grabbing his hand, she ran back towards the kitchen door.

  ‘I didn’t even want to do this, Olivia suggested it and, bloody hell, I’m so glad she did,’ Milly said.

  She pushed the door open and Olivia looked up from the laptop, grinning triumphantly.

  ‘You’re back quick, didn’t you enjoy it …?’ she trailed off as she clocked Milly’s grin.

  ‘Best thing I’ve ever done,’ Milly said, striding across the room towards Cameron’s bedroom and for a brief second she thought she saw a flash of disappointment cross Olivia’s face. Had she done it deliberately? If so, she had presumably wanted to set Milly up for failure. But the second the disappointment registered on Olivia’s face it was gone, leaving Milly to wonder if she had imagined it. There was no time to think about that now, she needed Cameron while the adrenaline still burned through her blood.

  ‘Best suggestion ever, Liv,’ Cameron said, following her into the bedroom and shutting the door.