Grace reached for his hand and looked him directly in the eye.
‘I have to ask you this one last thing. I’ll be a grandmother soon; it’s a boy, by the way…’
Will’s face registered bewilderment.
‘Er… congratulations.’
‘Thanks. Look, you’ve only just turned sixty…’
‘And? Where is this going?’
‘You could easily be with someone younger.’
‘So could you!’
‘Yes, but my childbearing days are well and truly over. Are you absolutely sure you don’t want to have any more children?’
Will’s laugh echoed across the balcony, but the effort turned into a painful-sounding cough, and he clutched his side.
‘Bloody hell, Grace. Only you could hear my heartfelt declaration of love and then ask supplementary questions. I already have a much-loved son. There’s no way I want any more kids. Do you really think I’m fantasising about dealing with teenagers in my seventies? I can assure you, hand on heart, that that bit of my life’s done and dusted. And when it comes to other women… how many times do I have to say it? I don’t want another woman as long as I live. You’re more than enough for a lifetime. You… are it for me.’
His speech brought on a prolonged bout of coughing that had Grace rushing to his side.
‘Let me help you back into bed.’
Will attempted to smile through the pain.
‘Well, if you’re offering.’
Grace got Will settled and passed him a glass of water, which stopped the cough. He still seemed uncomfortable though. She’d let him recover a bit before she spoke her truth. She didn’t want to make things worse. As she went to fluff his pillow, her left breast in her bikini top grazed his face for a moment.
‘For God’s sake, Grace.’
Will’s voice was almost hoarse.
‘How much of this do you think I can take? Cover up or get in here.’
Will flung back the sheet, and Grace was faced with the reason why the man was so uncomfortable. She climbed in beside him, and his mouth came down on hers with a hunger that matched her own. She pulled away a moment.
‘I don’t want to hurt you.’
‘We’ll be careful.’
Grace pulled on the ties at the sides of her bikini bottoms and the fabric fell away. She climbed astride his body with one fluid movement and kept eye contact with him all the way as she helped him slide into her. His brown eyes had almost turned black.
It had been no fluke the first time on the beach, which was good to know, but it didn’t alter her decision. At last, they peeled apart, and lay back against the pillows to get their breath back.
Grace put her hand on his chest to check his heartrate.
‘Are you OK? I wouldn’t call that careful exactly.’
‘Bloody fantastic though.’
‘Agreed.’
Will leant up on one elbow.
‘Grace? I’ve poured my heart out to you. And as wonderful as it is, it’s not just sex I’m after. It’s a whole life together. Am I on my own here? Or do you just want to use me as a sex toy?’
