I giggle again, ducking my head against his and snuggling in.There’s a lot to be said for snuggling.And that’s pretty much the last thought I have.
Apale sunshines in through the open drapes; the bed is warm, but the air around us frosty. My nose feels a little like an icicle as I burrow further under the quilt.
‘Mornin’, titch.’ Rory’s mouth is at my shoulder, his lips pressing small kisses there as his hand tightens on my breast, the other around my waist, pulling my ass into the cushion of him. ‘Seems the heater went off.’
‘Yeah, it does that sometimes.’
‘Are you ever gonna tell me why you’ve been staying here?’
Tilting my head over my shoulder, I look at him. ‘I told you. I got caught by the tides. It was just easier to stay here a couple times.’
‘A couple times?’ His eyebrow quirks like a question mark. ‘There are an awful lot of clothes in that bag at the front door for someone who’s stayed here occasionally.’
‘I’m a girl. We don’t travel light.’ I let my head fall back to the pillow. ‘Creeper.’
‘Nah,thatwould’ve been me last week when you stood me up. Quite a collection of smalls you’ve got.’ Though I’m not looking at him, the smile in his teasing is more than evident. ‘Though I’m no’ sure the wordsmallcovers some of the stuff I found. Some of those scraps of lace wouldn’t cover much of anything.’
‘Double creeper.’ I scoff. ‘I just shoved some stuff in a bag. I have no idea what was in there.’
‘That’s disappointing,’ he replies, mockingly contrite. ‘Fancy knickers,’ he murmurs, rolling therlavishly against the sensitive skin of my neck. ‘And none of them for me.’
‘That’s right,’ I reply, shivering. And not because of the arctic temperature in the room. ‘I’ve been trying to avoid you, not encourage you.’
And there it is; the truth we’ve ignored each time we’ve rolled into bed.
‘Aye. But sometimes there’s no use fighting the tides.’ His voice is warm and tender and without a trace of mischief. Well, apart from his tongue flicking out, licking a wet trail across my neck. And kissing.Oh, kissing. ‘And this is far too deep a topic for such a—’ He leans his head over my shoulder, straining to see out the window to where the sun has just disappeared behind a bunch of ominous looking clouds ‘—I was gonna say beautiful morning, but at least it’s not raining.’ Propped now on his elbow, Rory looks down at me, his eyes almost tender. ‘No, it’s still a beautiful morning.’
‘It is? Hey!’ I’m suddenly cold and naked, the covers pulled from me, exposing my nakedness. ‘Gimme that back!’
‘Shower time,’ he says laughing and drawing the quilt between his legs.
‘Dickwad, give me the quilt back!’ I yell, grabbing for them, all of a sudden concerned for the state of my hair. Not that I need to, Rory’s gaze unmoving from my breasts, my nipples like hard points between us.
‘I was being a gentleman.’ The way he looks at me is anythingbut. ‘Just giving you first dibs on the hot water.’
I halt in my complaining, because here’s the thing; this place is almost impossible to heat and definitely uncomfortable to bathe in, given that the ancient immersion heater provides around half a gallon of hot water per day.
‘But if you don’t mind braving the cold water, I’ll go shower first, no bother.’
‘Not a chance,’ I say, scooting over, my feet hitting the bare floorboards in my haste. ‘The North Sea is probably warmer!’
‘Icallthis meeting to order.’ Rory taps the side of an empty cup with a teaspoon, startling the waitress serving at a nearby table.
‘So this is what? A breakfast meeting? And here I was thinking you’d just taken me out for sustenance.’
‘It’s your own fault,’ he answers, casting a glance around the less than salubrious establishment; the yellow floral wallpaper peeling with age and the matching wipe down plastic tablecloths. ‘We’d have gotten to know each other better and I woulda fed you somewhere a bit more flash on Saturday, if you’d turned up.’
‘This meeting’s not strictly business, then?’
‘Absolutely not.’ He smiles as he answers, reaching across the table for my hand. ‘I’m all about up close and personal today.’
‘That’s nothing new.’
‘And that’s why we’re here now.’
‘Really? I thought we were here for breakfast.’
‘Yeah, but if it wasn’t for this—’ with his index finger, he taps the plastic covered table between us ‘—it wouldn’t be breakfast I’d be enjoying.’ I feel my brow furrow. ‘Because it’d be you.’
