Page 66 of All Summer Long

He seemed so utterly unfazed by it that Alice could feel the tension draining from her body too. Maybe it was his relaxed company, or maybe it was the skillful way he massaged her shoulders, but as she lapsed into silence and let herself just feel pleasure, her eyes closed and her breathing slowed. He was speaking, but she couldn’t hear his words because sleep had caught hold of her. His words were a lullaby, and there on the caravan steps leaning on Robinson’s knees, she fell asleep.

It came as easy as breathing to him. Alice had seemed so in need of soothing, her muscles wound tight even though her skin was so soft and smooth under his fingers. He’d felt her slowly beginning to relax, listened to her breathing, and then he’d found himself singing to her. Maybe it was because he knew she wouldn’t hear him, or maybe it was because a small place in his heart wanted her to, but he sang his old country love songs and stroked her hair until she was deeply, blissfully asleep and those knots in her shoulders had melted away. Whatever it was, holding this sleeping girl felt like the kind of therapy money couldn’t buy, the kind that removed every obstacle and freed every blocked pathway in his head and in his heart. This wasn’t his ranch and Banjo was a long way from a stallion, but in every way that mattered, Robinson Duff felt like he was home. He closed his eyes too.

The sun had slipped down behind the tree line when he opened his eyes again, the peach and pink layers sliced across the horizon letting him know that they’d been there for quite a while.

‘Alice,’ he whispered, shaking her shoulder lightly. She responded, tipping her head back and smiling, her eyes still closed.

‘Don’t ask me to move. I’m too comfortable.’

He kissed her full, soft mouth and then scooped her up with ease, carrying her across the meadow like a child in his arms.

‘Where are we going?’

‘Wherever you like,’ he said, kissing her again, more deeply. ‘The Airstream?’

Alice moved her arms around his neck more securely, and then said, ‘Take me to the manor.’

Robinson didn’t ask why, just kept on walking, his fingers moving lightly over the side of her breast, her mouth warm against his neck.

He opened the back door of the manor and stepped inside.

‘Where to now?’

‘Upstairs,’ she whispered, unbuttoning the top buttons of his shirt.

He paused on the landing.

‘Bath?’ he said. ‘I could light the candles …’

Alice shook her head. They could have just gone inside the gypsy caravan, or over to the Airstream, and a bath sounded divine, but she’d asked him to bring her to the manor for a very specific reason. Sliding down out of his arms, she opened her old bedroom door, the room she’d shared with her husband. There was one last ghost she needed to lay to rest.

‘In here.’

Robinson didn’t move for a few seconds, just studied her face. ‘You sure?’

Alice held out her hand and led him inside slowly. ‘It’s your bedroom now, not mine, and certainly not his.’ She didn’t even want to say Brad’s name. He had no place here between them. ‘I want you to make love to me in your bed, Robinson.’

She let her words sink in and then lifted her vest over her head and let it fall to the floor and stepped out of her shorts, watching his eyes. He was turned on, the dark gleam in his eyes told her so, but still he held back, letting her lead because no matter what she said, this was different.

‘Help me?’ she said, turning her back for him to unclip her bra. She closed her eyes when he stepped near and lifted the weight of her hair over one shoulder, pressing his warm lips against the back of her neck as his fingers moved over the clasp and opened it.

Alice slipped her bra down her arms and dropped it, then turned around to face him, vulnerable.

Robinson looked at her, his breathing a little shallow, and traced his hand down from her throat to the silk edge of her knickers.

‘These too?’ He asked permission, even though they both knew he didn’t need to.

Alice nodded, closing her eyes when he eased her underwear down her legs for her to step out of. Robinson lingered to place a kiss against the curve of her stomach before straightening up again, a tender gesture, the slow build she needed.

His Adam’s apple moved in his throat as he swallowed, his eyes dark and hungry as they moved over her body. His fingers were already at his wrists unbuttoning his cuffs, and then moving down his body to get his shirt open.

‘Every day you surprise me, Alice,’ he said, putting his hand behind her head as he kissed her slowly, intimately. His other hand worked the rest of his clothes off, and then he was naked too and lifted her back into his arms. Being held against his chest had seemed caring and sexy when they were dressed. Now that they were naked it was different; intimate and protective, a sensual prelude.

‘You’re a warrior, and then a wood nymph. The softest girl I know, and then the toughest.’

He crossed to the bed and lowered her carefully onto the covers, following her down and blanketing her body lightly with his own. It was familiar and alien all at the same time for Alice, overwhelming and gorgeous and sad and beautiful.

‘Okay?’ he whispered, stroking her hair back from her face and fanning it out on the pillow with his fingers.

---