Page 88 of You Only Live Once
We stumbled into the snug, both of us fumbling with the other’s clothing. Jack hoisted me up, and I wrapped my legs around his waist as he made short work of the buttons on my dress and pushed it back off my shoulders, letting it fall to the floor, his mouth lowered, and my mind went blank of everything but Jack’s hard body pressed against me and his gentle but confident movements as he laid me down on the soft rug and began to remove the rest of my clothes, each movement followed by a trail of butterfly kisses as he did so. All I could see was Jack. All I could think of was Jack, and all I could feel was Jack.
* * *
‘We should have got Jack to come home a lot sooner if we’d known this was going to happen. Look at you, you’re positively glowing!’ Poppy laughed, giving Clive a head scratch after I’d made him sit and wait patiently for a square of cheese.
‘I amnotglowing,’ I said, laughing. But I did feel different and not just because muscles I’d forgotten I even had now ached from the past month spent with Jack. I felt different inside – stronger, somehow. Jack and I had been out to a few places, and he was always encouraging but would never push me to do anything I wasn’t ready for yet. Then again, I never thought I’d be ready to take another man to my bed and yet I had. It had felt right, just as everything felt right with Jack. This revelation had surprised me more than anyone. I knew I’d been blessed to have found a wonderful man in Mike who loved me and, when our time together had been so cruelly cut short, I’d never imagined I’d be so lucky as to find another with whom I felt so comfortable and cared for. But here I was, waking up each day next to a man who loved me entirely, a love that was so easy and natural to return.
Sundays had become a particular highlight, as Jack woke early, kissing me softly before he left the bed to take Clive out for a walk into the village to collect the papers while I snuggled back down in the warmth of the bed and dozed until they returned. As Clive ate his breakfast, Jack would prepare ours and bring it to the bedroom before hopping back into the bed I’d kept warm for him. Clive would trot in and settle himself in his upstairs bed as we read – Jack catching up on the news and me diving back into my latest book or occasionally a magazine. I’d move my legs so that they were against his, loving the feel of having his solid body next to me, each absorbed in our own things, but entirely together. It was blissful.
This morning, I’d spent a peaceful couple of minutes just watching him sleep, the dark lashes resting on his cheeks, his face tanned from the summer sun, and then he’d spoken, telling me with that hot, sleep-roughened voice I loved so much not to watch him. I’d stayed where I was and told him he’d have to make me stop.
‘With pleasure,’ he’d growled, suddenly reaching over and with one arm scooping me on top of him before rolling so that I was pinned below. We’d both been late for work.
28
‘You’re totally glowing.’ Poppy leaned forward at the kitchen island and rested her chin in her hands. ‘And now you have to tell me exactly why. All the details, please.’
I laughed and pushed the cup of tea towards her, alongside a slice of iced carrot cake that I’d made earlier. It was Jack’s favourite and I got additional pleasure from whipping one up these days. He’d always been appreciative of my cooking, but now there were extra benefits to the gratitude.
‘Come on,’ Poppy said, through a mouthful of cake. ‘I’m on tenterhooks here.’
I laughed and waved her away as I reached across to answer my mobile. I didn’t recognise the number but swiped to answer it.
‘Lily?’
‘Who’s calling?’
‘It’s Sanjid. I work with Jack.’ I knew who he was. Jack had kept in touch with colleagues and friends from Kew and, when he was looking to take on more staff now that the business was growing, he’d put feelers out for an up-and-coming talent whom he could mentor. Sanjid had been one of the candidates. Jack liked him from the start. He had a flair for the work, enthusiasm, and an almost insatiable thirst for learning. Jack had told me that it wouldn’t surprise him if the young man was exhibiting at Chelsea within the next five years. But why was he ringing me?
‘Hi, Sanjid. Is everything OK?’
‘Kind of.’ The tone of his voice didn’t match his words and I placed one hand on the cool quartz of my worktop to help the sudden rush of blood to my veins.
‘What’s wrong?’
‘There’s been a bit of an accident.’
I felt behind me for the kitchen stool and sat down, awkwardly and heavily. Poppy, having seen me change colour, was by my side asking in a whispered tone what was wrong.
‘What exactly do you mean, a bit of an accident? Is Jack all right?’ I forced myself to stay calm and keep my words measured and steady.
‘Yes, but I think he needs some stitches and I’m not insured to drive the pickup.’
Oddly enough, Jack had just been speaking about this last night, and I knew it was on his to-do list for this evening. At least, it had been.
‘Are you still at Mrs Dorsey’s?’ I asked.
‘Yes.’
‘I’ll be there as soon as I can. Tell him not to move or do anything stupid.’
‘He said he’ll drive himself.’
‘That’s exactly what I mean by making sure he doesn’t do anything stupid. Get several people to sit on him if needs be, but keep him there.’
We hung up and I turned to Poppy. ‘Can you take Clive?’
‘Of course,’ she said, already grabbing his lead from the hook and calling him over to her. ‘What’s happened?’
