Chapter 33
Bea
‘Ithink you should stay a couple more days,’ Cal murmured as he curved his body round Bea’s, atop the bedcovers.
Bea’s mouth lifted upwards, as much at the sensation of his powerful arms as his words. ‘I’d love to, but what about the bar? Don’t you need to be there?’
‘I think I might have to call in a favour from someone. I wouldn’t normally but this is an emergency.’
Bea laughed. ‘An emergency?’
Cal was deadpan as ever. ‘Aye, a serious one. You’re going to be leaving this country soon and if I don’t get as much of you as possible before then, I might sexually dehydrate.’
Bea’s laughter intensified, and she turned to face Cal. ‘Sexually dehydrate! I would never have thought the first day I met you that you could be funny. In fact, I will admit to not seeing you as much more than a pretty face – a kind of grumpy pretty face – but you have depths.’
Cal arched his eyebrow in amusement. ‘Oh, I have depths, do I? Nice of youto notice.’
Bea nodded. It was true. When she’d first met Cal, she’d immediately sensed chemistry between them, which she’d thought was purely sexual. But the more time she spent with this man, the more she saw of the person underneath the gruff exterior. He was passionate, attentive, and he had a wicked sense of humour. In fact, it made Bea question what exactly sexual chemistry was. Had that sexual compatibility encompassed something else? Had her body instinctively known that she could have much more than a physical connection with this man? That they could click on a personal level, too?
‘Well, you have to admit that you don’t give much away,’ she said.
‘Hmm, okay, you have a point.’ Cal draped his arm around Bea and pulled her closer. ‘But I’ll tell you something, there’s not many people are invited to this cottage and get to spend forty-eight hours up and personal with me.’
Bea suspected she was hearing the truth. Cal Butler seemed a very private person. So why had he let her in? Did he solely want to bed her and let her go? Or was he feeling this something that she was? Were they letting themselves in for trouble by spending this time together?
Oh, stop overthinking it. He’s made it clear this is short-term. This trip is just him being decent, not trying to start something serious. You’re an author gathering material and enjoying yourself, nothing more – it’s a bridge between Josh and whatever comes next when you’re home. Toughen up, Bea.
‘You okay?’ Cal gazed questioningly at her. ‘If you don’t want to stay longer, just say and I can drive you home.’ His expression was serious and Bea knew his concern that she might not be having a good time was genuine. She drifted her fingers over the rough stubbleof his cheek.
‘Three things,’ she said. ‘I am having a fantastic time, I do not need to go home, and what are we doing tomorrow?’
Cal laughed and a tension that Bea hadn’t noticed in his body disappeared. ‘Well,’ he inched himself even closer until they were touching intimately again, ‘in case you have forgotten, we are going surfing. You all right with that?’
‘Um…’
‘I can get you a wetsuit so you don’t have to worry about the cold.’
‘Okay, so the only thing to worry about is me showing you up with my surfing skills?’
A huge grin spread across Cal’s face before he appeared to think better of it. ‘You know, I assumed that you can’t surf, but that is totally wrong of me. Can you surf?’
‘Maybe.’ Bea attempted an enigmatic smile.
‘I can’t wait to find out. But you know what’s important before getting out in the water is a proper warm-up. So, be prepared for that first thing.’
Bea laughed, and Cal stopped her merriment with a kiss. ‘I don’t know why you’re laughing.’ He was as droll as ever. ‘A warm-up is an important thing.’
‘Oh, I know.’ She skimmed her touch down Cal’s ripped back. ‘I can’t wait to wake up tomorrow and get started on the impressive swell out there. But I think we should probably do a practice run on your other impressive swell, right now. If that’s okay with you?’
Cal laughed. ‘That’s okay with me,’ he said, his agreement rich and deep, like coffee laced with a mature malt. ‘Way more than okay.’
Chapter 34
Cal
Bea fell asleep first and Cal lay awake marvelling at this amazing woman he’d invited into his home. He hadn’t been lying when he said that was something he didn’t normally do. But Bea was only around for a short while, so it was pointless grabbing an evening here and there. They had to make the most of the time they had. It didn’t mean he was making a commitment to her. And even if he liked her a little more than physically, what did it matter? She was going back to the US soon, so he’d need to get over it. Plus, he was serious when he’d said he wasn’t getting into any more relationships until the baby drama was over.
The baby drama. Oh God! Cal didn’t want to think about that; the sex that had potentially brought a new life into being was nothing compared to what he’d just experienced with Bea. He’d been walking around blind, accepting half-hearted because he thought that was as good as it got. Thank goodness Bea was so provocative in the coffee shop that day. Even if they could never have a future, he knew now not to settle for anything less than astounding.
