Page 57 of Starting Over at Halesmere House
‘Isn’t there room for both of us?’ She watched his gaze following the second strap along the same path and his hands went around her back to the clasp.
‘Okay?’ he whispered, dropping a kiss on her neck, and she nodded frantically, uncertain whether her legs would actually hold her up for much longer.
‘More than okay. Are you?’
‘Same.’
Their underwear followed their clothes and she’d never felt sexier or more confident in her own body; Zac’s eyes were telling her everything she needed to know about how she looked and what he felt. The water was still hot when she got in the bath and he followed, drawing her gently against him. Her head was on his shoulder as his hands began to explore, every sense blazing in anticipation of his touch. His knees were bent to accommodate his legs and she felt his own reaction as her toes teased his calves, tracing his scar with her foot.
‘Would you like me to wash your hair?’ he murmured against her neck.
‘I’d love you to.’ Never had Alice shared a bath with anyone before now and he took his time to return his hands to her head, gently tilting it until her hair was soaked. Utterly weightless in the water, she couldn’t hold back a tiny moan of desire and pleasure as he slowly massaged shampoo through her hair and carefully rinsed it off.
Alice had no more words to tell him how she felt as she wriggled around. Only her body could continue this conversation they’d started. He cupped her jaw to hold her as they kissed, and she wanted only him.
Neither of them could be bothered to cook and when they did get hungry, Zac left his bed to disappear downstairs, returning with pitta bread stuffed with chicken and salad, and bottles of beer. He’d bought red wine for her, and she hoped it didn’t sound presumptuous when she asked him to save it for another time.
‘You’re making breakfast, just so you know.’ He left their empty plates on the floor after they’d eaten and Alice curled an arm across his stomach.
‘Oh, am I?’ She ran a teasing finger up to his chest, across it, his hand tightening on her hip. ‘Does that mean I’m staying?’
‘If you want to? I’ll drive you home if not.’
‘Please don’t.’ She wanted to banish the uncertainty in his gaze, and she inched higher to kiss his shoulder. ‘I don’t want to be anywhere but here, with you.’
‘Same.’ He took hold of the duvet, a lazy smile on his lips. ‘Are you warm enough?’
‘Very.’ Alice eased away from him to stretch unhurriedly.
‘Good, because then you don’t need this.’ He slid the duvet away to lean over her, kissing her collarbone before letting his mouth trail a little lower.
‘I might. I get cold in the night.’ She laughed as he gave her a look that was somehow loaded with desire and mischief all at once. ‘Can you lend me something to sleep in?’
‘I already am. My bed.’
When Alice woke in the morning, it took her a moment to remember where she was. Zac’s flat, in his bed. In his arms as well, one curled around her, and she smiled when he murmured a greeting, smoothing her hair from her face to kiss it.
‘Hello.’ She kissed him back; his mouth was the only part of him she could easily reach, and she was too comfortable to move. He’d warmed her so thoroughly she wasn’t sure she would ever feel cold again, except perhaps in her heart. He’d begun to thaw that too, and she was trying not to dread what the new year would look like without him. ‘Did you sleep well?’
‘Very. I fell asleep with you in my arms, lying next to me, so… How about you?’
‘I feel extremely well rested, which is surprising considering we were so late and every time I was about to fall asleep you woke me up.’
‘Not on purpose. You feel wonderful and I wasn’t the only one. If you hadn’t…’ He laughed as Alice changed her mind about moving and leaned over him, silencing him with another kiss. The first was followed by another on his jaw and then his chest, and she looked up.
‘I’m hungry,’ she murmured. ‘I never usually sleep this late.’
‘Maybe that’s because you don’t usually make love the way we did last night.’ He was sliding down the bed to join her. ‘And this morning.’
‘That was hours ago.’
‘Exactly. So I think maybe we should do that again. Start the day as we mean to go on.’
‘What about breakfast?’
‘You can get up and make it any time you like. I’m not going to stop you.’
‘Okay. Shall I do it now?’
