‘So, if I were to whisper in your ear,’ Cal asked, ‘could I make you do anything I wanted?’
‘You could probably do that anyway,’ she said. ‘But please, whisper all the same.’
Cal leaned towards Bea’s neck again, reeling gently from the soft honeysuckle scent. ‘Bea Gracie,’ he whispered, ‘I’d like to take you home, take your clothes off and do unspeakable things to you.’
For a moment, her eyes fell shut, and Cal could swear he saw something rush through her. When she opened them again, her lids were low and her pout seemed pinker, fuller somehow. She gazed at him dreamily, trancelike, before dropping her sights to his mouth. Taking his signal from this, Cal leaned towards her perfect face, gatheredthose peach cheeks in his hands, and did what was easily becoming one of his favourite things in the world – kissed Bea.
Chapter 31
Bea
The late summer sun dipped and the temperature cooled considerably, a light breeze adding an extra layer of chill to the sea air. The cold North Sea crashed into the shore, but Bea barely noticed any of it. The kiss with Cal was consuming almost every fibre of her being. She wanted to be aware of each moment; her senses concentrated on all the detail. His strong hands caressing her skin as their mouths pressed hungrily together; the ridges of his muscular arms that sparked all her feminine urges; his masculine scent intermingling with the sweet natural aroma of his skin; the light glance of his rough stubble on her face.
Cal pulled back and Bea found she was now holding his face, both of them breathing, yet barely. His jaw was powerful under her gentle touch and she liked the way his stubble was rough in her palms as he spoke.
‘I think we have to go home now or risk getting arrested for public indecency.’
‘Does this mean I have to stop kissing you?’ Bea nuzzled her face into Cal’s neck. He smelled divine: the citrus andcedarwood had combined with the warm undertones of his skin and morphed into the unique and delicious Cal Butler scent.
‘Only briefly. It’s about three minutes to the house, then I’m all yours.’ The vibrations in his voice made her skin tingle.
‘Mmm, okay, if we have to.’
‘It’s for the greater good.’ Cal stood up. ‘Let’s clear up and get going.’ He reached out to her and she rose to meet him on the blanket. Then he brought her to him again and spoiled her with more kisses.
‘I don’t know about the greater good, but this feels pretty damned nice,’ Bea murmured.
‘Aye, but I think old Dorothy might keel over with shock before her eighty-fifth birthday if she spots me doing all the things I want to do to you on this blanket. Right, come on. Jings, woman, I never knew such poor willpower until I met you.’
Bea’s skin prickled at these words, at knowing Cal found it as hard to resist her as she did him. She had never been one for sex in public places but if he’d tried, she didn’t doubt that they would have got down and sexy on the picnic blanket on the freezing Scottish beach, regardless of who might have seen.
As Bea watched Cal unlock the door of the cottage, she imagined his hands all over her body again. In the porch, they slipped off their shoes, then as soon as they were behind closed doors, he dropped the bag and blanket and wrapped his arms round her. Now there would be no holding back, no restrictions.
‘Come here, Beatrice.’ He brought his lips to hers once more. ‘Mmm, you might need warmed up.’ Bea’s goose bumped arms were encased only in a thin cardigan.
‘I’m freezing,’ she agreed. ‘You’re like a furnace, though.’ Through his shirt, Cal’s firm and febrile body was, despite the temperate weather, hot like summer sand. Another excuse to get close to him.
‘I’m kind of hot-blooded. And it takes a lot for a Scotsman to get cold. Come on, let’s get your temperature rising.’ Cal reached out and hands locked to hers, took the stairs backwards, unguarded need in his eyes. Bea had no idea how he could handle the torment of going the wrong way round. She was struggling to move fast enough forwards.
The bedroom was larger than she expected, for a cottage of this humble size, and commanded views out to sea, similar to those of the kitchen.
‘Look at that view.’ Transfixed, she noticed that the sun had dipped down to the horizon, and the sky was a vibrant palette of apricots, pinks and purples.
‘Aye, it’s spectacular. But never mind that view. What about this one?’ Cal motioned in a loop around his face.
‘This view blows that one out of the water,’ she laughed.
‘Likewise. Waves are nice and all that, but I’m more interested in you. So, if I promise to warm you up, can I take this off?’ He held her cardigan at her shoulder blades ready to peel it from her body.
Bea nodded – she was never going to do anything but agree to this – and Cal gently slid the garment down her arms, casting it onto a chair.
‘And this?’ He traced along the V of her blouse above her cleavage, skimming her décolletage as he approached the top button. She gave a satisfied hum of consent. He’d drive her wild if he undressed her at this speed. But, as Cal moved at glacial pace down the buttons on the blouse, he made an admission.
‘Just so you know, I’m driving myself crazy here.’
‘You’re driving me crazy too.’
‘I just want to appreciate you.’ The blouse joined the cardigan and Bea was in only her bra and jeans now. Her nipples stiffened to taut peaks as Cal’s gaze roamed over her ample cleavage.
