“I don’t understand it,” she groaned as they sped down the winding road that would lead to the cottage by the sea.
“I wish you did, but there’s nothing I can do about it now,” Daniel said, and pulled in front of her home.
“I don't see Dad’s car.”
“He was called away for late night business with my father,” Daniel said as he opened the driver door and walked around the front, slipping slightly on loose gravel. “Come on, Girl, get inside.”
Daniel cast a wary glance over his shoulder to the thunderous clouds over the sea. Waves continued to roar, slamming against the shore, and part of him wondered if they would strike hard enough, and suck the little cottage back with them.
Caitlin jogged to the front door and into the house, enjoying the instant warm air.
“Christ, what a miserable night,” he muttered as he followed close behind her and stripped off his wet coat, “I hope that Kilian and Sophie aren’t still stuck in it.”
Caitlin turned back to face him and swallowed hard as he pulled his sweater over his head, and dropped it to the floor, shirtless before her.
“What are you doing?” she asked, breathless, as the firelight cast a golden glow over his slick skin.
“Warming up, I’ll toss those in the dryer, if you don’t mind too much.”
Perhaps it was exhaustion, or the faint memory of what happened between them only an hour before, or maybe it was simply that he was beautiful, and the fire illuminated his vivid blue eyes, and cast dangerous shadows over his stubbled face; Whatever the reason, it left a deep aching in her gut.
“You're shaking Cait,” he whispered as he took her trembling hand in his and breathed hot breath over the tender skin.
“Sorry,” she said, noticing the way his jaw clenched as if to prevent his teeth from chattering. “Please tell me what's going on with Sophie.”
“I want to, believe me Caitlin,” he whispered, “But I can't. It's not for me to say, no matter how badly I want to.” He pressed a gentle kiss to her bone-white knuckles, still frozen from the rain.
“I don't understand,” she whispered. “Why so many secrets?”
“I wish I could tell you that too,” he said as he lifted a hand, letting it rest gently on the left side of her face, cupping it in his palm. “You’re so beautiful.”
Caitlin’s heart pounded hard in her chest as the wind moaned against the roof of her home. For a moment, she imagined grasping his hand and pulling him to the floor in front of the fire, but thought better of it.
“What is this between us?” she asked before she could stop herself and felt the heat of embarrassment creep up, flushing color through her chilled cheeks.
“I don't know,” he said. “If we're to be honest with each other, I think we can both agree, we rarely see eye to eye. I'm not entirely sure what we have in common, other than our families. But this,” he paused, circled an arm around her waist and pressed our bodies together “This, what we're feeling right now,” he lowered his mouth to hers and his breath warmed her lips, “this is something that is surprisingly hard to ignore.”
“Maybe we're not meant to ignore it,” she said, and his brows raised in surprise.
“What do you mean?” he asked.
“This,” she said as she circled her arms around his neck, tangling her fingers in his dark dripping hair, and fixing her mouth on his.
11
Daniel
Daniel's handstwisted in the hair at the back of her neck, fisting tightly there and pulling her back and exposing her throat. He ran his lips along the delicate skin as need rose in her belly and a small moan escaped her lips.
“He might find us,” Daniel whispered, sending fresh goosebumps along her skin.
“He won’t. You said he was with your dad; he won't be home for hours,” Caitlin murmured as she ran her tongue along his chest, enjoying the flavor: Daniel and fresh rain.
Taking advantage of the opportunity, she followed her impulse and took him to the ground. He gasped and grinned wickedly, clasping her hips as she straddled him.
“You have a face for firelight.” His eyes darkened and followed her hands as they skimmed down to her waist and tugged at the hem of her sweater, and in a quick move, pulled it over her head and tossed it to the ground. “Beautiful.”
“Have you ever thought of me like this?” she whispered, as his eyes roamed her porcelain skin, and his body stiffened as she unhooked the clasp of her bra and let it fall to the ground.
