Page 60 of Coming Home to Sturcombe Bay
“She’s a tyrant.” The glint of amusement in his eyes completely belied his words. “She makes me do invoices.”
Cassie laughed. “Oh, dear. Not your favourite pastime?”
“About on a par with anything the Spanish Inquisition could have dreamed up.”
“And her little boy — Ben.”Think of something else to say — keep the conversation going. “He seems very bright.”
“He’s as smart as a whip. Beats us all at Cluedo.”
“Is he going to be a vet when he grows up, like the rest of you?”
“It’s on his list.” There was pride and affection in his voice. “Along with detective, train driver and spaceman.”
“Well, if he’s good at Cluedo, he’d probably make a good detective, anyway.”
“Actually, he cheats,” Liam confided with a laugh. “But none of us let on that we know.”
The music changed to an upbeat number, and they moved apart, swinging into a lively jive. Their feet seemed to remember the moves from all the times they had danced together long ago, hitting the rhythm, twirling and spinning as if all the years between were forgotten.
At last the DJ spoke into his mic. “Okay, people. It’s coming on for midnight — the witching hour. So here’s your lastdance. Hope you’ve all had a great time and get home safely. Goodnight.”
It was a slow, sultry song of love and longing. Liam’s arms were around her — she hadn’t expected him to hold her so close. Closing her eyes, she let her head rest against his wide shoulder. She could feel the smooth power in his body as they moved to the music, the warmth of his breath stirring her hair.
It was as if she had been spun back through time, to that night when she was seventeen years old, the memory as vivid as if it had been only yesterday. How was she supposed to separate the ‘then’ from the ‘now’?
Neither of them were the people they had been back then. They’d been little more than kids, everything had been brand new, exciting. Had it been love she had felt then, or nothing more than an adolescent crush?
And now? The attraction was strong. But was it no more than the echo of those old feelings, mixed up with a dollop of homesickness for Sturcombe — with a side-dish of sexual interest? She was too confused to work it out.
She didn’t notice that the music had ended until the lights came up, stark and bright. It was as if a bubble had burst. She blinked, glancing around the ballroom with its dull beige walls and scuffed wooden floor, half-empty glasses on the tables along with the debris of the buffet.
Liam was still holding her hand. She had to escape before he read in her eyes the thoughts that had been running through her head. “Well, goodnight then.” She forced a brittle smile. “See you around.”
“Yes.”
That was all he said. Had she hoped he would say more? Try to detain her? Of course not – why would he? They were supposed to be just friends. She drew back her hand and turned away, trying not to run.
* * *
Liam watched her go, cursing himself softly. He had wanted to say something, but he didn’t know what. He had wanted her to stay. Holding her in his arms, feeling the supple length of her body moving against his, breathing the subtle fragrance of her skin, had brought back so many memories.
His house was just a short walk away . . .
But that was impossible. Robyn and his mum and dad were there, with the other two kids having their sleepover. He couldn’t just walk in with Cassie on his arm, and climb the stairs to his bedroom as if it was the most normal thing in the world.
Besides, he’d never been one for casual sex, and he was pretty sure Cassie wasn’t either. And anyway, with her it could never be casual.
Maybe he could persuade her to stay. But for how long? Would he always be wondering when she would decide to leave again? He could survive a blow like that — he was a grown man. He knew how to keep things in perspective.
But Robyn . . . She had already grown fond of Cassie. If he let her get too attached to her and then she left, it would break her little heart.
No. He could indulge in the occasional fantasy, but he knew it was never going to translate into real life. Shaking his head, he strolled over to hook up his jacket from the chair where he had left it, and with a brief goodnight to the DJ and the hotel staff who were clearing up he headed for home, and his empty bed.
Chapter Eleven
With the bank holiday week over and the tourist season winding down, the town was much quieter than it had been for the past couple of months. Soon the locals would have it to themselves again.
The Smugglers was less crowded too. Cassie had come down with her brother and his latest girlfriend — another leggy blonde, Olivia Something-Something. She seemed nice — at least she didn’t seem to be auditioning forFootballers’ Wiveslike the last one. But if Paul was true to form, she’d be gone in a couple of weeks.
