Page 59 of Coming Home to Sturcombe Bay
“You’re the one who’s running off with my brother.”
“Maybe next week.”
The two of them moved into each other’s arms as naturally as breathing, still laughing and teasing. Liam felt a twinge of envy as he watched them. That was the sort of relationship he had had with Natalie — the sort of relationship he wanted again. But he was beginning to doubt if he would ever find it.
* * *
Cassie was enjoying herself. She’d dragged her brother out for a dance, she’d danced with Ollie, she’d taken a turn round the floor with Tom Cullen’s dad Jack. They’d amused themselves by trying to work out exactly how they were related to each other, with her sister being married to his nephew.
She’d even braved a turn with the bridegroom, but he’d been so shy he’d barely said a word, concentrating all his attention on moving his feet while not treading on her toes.
Liam had been dancing with Julia, his sister-in-law. The tall redhead was very striking, and they danced well together. Now she was dancing with her husband, and Liam had been sitting out for a while, chatting at the bar with his father.
Would he ask her to dance? The thought of it made her heart beat a little faster. To be in his arms again, after all these years . . .
“Hi.” Tom Cullen appeared at her elbow. “How are you? I haven’t had a chance for a proper chat to you since you got back.”
She smiled up at him. “I’m great, thanks. And you’re looking very well — impending matrimony to the contrary notwithstanding.”
He laughed. “Ah, well. I hit the jackpot.” He glanced across at Vicky, who was dancing with Bill’s dad. And there it was again, that look in his eyes. Any woman would crawl over broken glass to have her man look at her like that.
“Just a few more weeks, isn’t it?”
“That’s right.” He held out his hand. “Would you like to dance?”
“Love to.”
Tom danced well, easy on the rhythm — there was no need to be careful of her toes. They chatted as they danced and he told her the amazing story of the auction of Vicky’s portrait of her Aunt Molly.
“Wow! That must have been so exciting!”
“It was. I thought Vicky was going to faint when the final number came up.”
“I’m not surprised.”
Over his shoulder she could see Liam dancing with Lisa. Then he danced with Debbie, then young Bez, Bill’s niece, who had been Debbie’s chief bridesmaid. Was he ever going to ask her to dance?
Did she want him to?
It was eleven o’clock when the evening began to wind down. Debbie and Bill were getting ready to leave for their honeymoon. All the guests had gathered in the reception hall as they came down the stairs, having changed out of their wedding outfits. The waiters had brought round trays of champagne, and everyone raised a final toast to the happy couple, then followed them out to the front of the hotel.
The car that was to take them to the airport for their flight to Paris had been festooned with ribbons and balloons, with ‘Just Married’ written in shaving cream on the rear window. Before they could escape, they were showered with confetti. They laughed as they ducked into the car and were driven away to cheers and applause.
As the guests all drifted back into the ballroom she felt a light touch on the small of her back. Liam. “Dance?” he suggested.
“Sure.” She managed a smile, hoping for a casual air. Just friends . . .
But now she was dancing in his arms. He had taken off his jacket, and she could feel the warmth of hard male muscle moving beneath her hand, stirring up old memories — and stirring a new awareness. An awareness that made her heart beat faster.
But did he feel the same? Okay, he had sat chatting with her — old friends, and mainly at Robyn’s instigation. And he hadasked her to dance — finally. And now he was holding her close in his arms . . .
It would be all too easy to read too much into it — both her own feelings and his. And that would be a mistake, could risk awkwardness on both sides. Better to just keep it cool.
She drew back a little and smiled up at him — the sort of smile she might have given Luke, or Tom Cullen. “Your parents are looking well.”
His smile was equally neutral. “Yes, they are.”
“And Julia seems very nice.”
