One Summer Night Read online

  ‘Then there wouldn’t be any room left for the important stuff,’ Chris joked, pulling his T-shirt down and to the side so that Lauren could admire his latest body art. It was a dragon, with its wings spanning Chris’s entire chest.

  Lauren lashed out at him as he turned, chuckling, and strolled back over to Blake, the biker chick. Again she looked at her watch. Tim was now very late.

  ‘Idiot!’ she grumbled, pressing her lips together sullenly. Fine, his loss! She returned to the house to mix a martini for herself and Blake. She turned up the stereo and undid her ponytail. This was a party, dammit, and even if the guest of honor had decided to stand her up she would not let him spoil her fun.

  With a drink in each hand she left the kitchen a little while later and froze.

  There he was, standing in the patio doors.

  He was wearing jeans, a simple white T-shirt and a black leather jacket. His hair was casually falling into his eyes. Nothing about him resembled the lawyer she’d met in the elevator, and yet immediately she felt very close to him.

  Her joy was mixed with anger at him for being late, but when he stepped closer and let his eyes wander over her body like a soft caress, the anger dissipated.

  ‘Hi!’

  Jesus, even the simplest things made her knees melt!

  ‘I thought you’d forgotten.’

  ‘Of course I didn’t forget. I’ve just been thinking about what gift I should get you for your birthday.’

  Lauren wished she could brush the hair from her face, but she was still holding those two martini glasses. ‘You brought me a gift?’ she asked in surprise, because he wasn’t holding anything in his hands.

  He grinned a mischievous grin and turned to the large windows. Nobody was paying them any attention. Audaciously, he hooked his fingers around the belt buckles of her jeans and pulled her with him into a shady corner. Coaxing her against the wall, he tilted his head. She could feel his breath brushing her collarbone, and felt his lips against her ear.

  ‘It’s a somewhat selfish gift,’ he whispered, hugging her round the waist. By sheer force of habit she pulled in her stomach and held her breath. Her heart was beating against her chest, and the tension between them seemed to rise with every breath that she took. Slowly, he raised her hand that was still holding the glass. Then he guided it towards his mouth and emptied the drink into his throat, all the while looking into her eyes. She knew he could see that she was aroused and she could see that he was as well. Her breath quickened as she expectantly leaned into him.

  ‘Happy birthday, Lauren,’ he whispered, and his lips wandered from her collarbone up to her neck until they finally found her lips. The taste of gin on her tongue was intoxicating as she returned his kiss. Boldly, she rose up onto her tiptoes and tilted back her neck to deepen their kiss. It was only now, standing this close to him, that she realized how tall he was. He could have easily rested his chin on the top of her head. He caressed her back and spine until she buckled into him.

  ‘Seriously, Lorelei!’ Chris called out in fake outrage, and casually strolled past them in the direction of the kitchen. ‘Offering dessert to only one of your guests . . . That’s a bit rude, is it not?’

  Lauren flinched, and Tim took a step aside, grinning. Ever the gentleman, he smoothed down her T-shirt and laughed when she nudged him in the side with her elbow.

  ‘You’re the dessert? What kind of party is this?’ he asked, obviously enjoying himself. Lauren glared at him.

  ‘Shut up, Chris! And what are you doing inside, anyway?’ Lauren asked, hurriedly following him into the kitchen.

  ‘Blake wants her drink,’ he explained, opening the icebox with the pre-chilled martini glasses inside.

  ‘Here, give her this one,’ Lauren offered him the glass she was still holding in her other hand, but Chris scrunched up his nose.

  ‘It’s been getting hot in here, and all the alcohol has probably evaporated by now. Besides, girls with a proper drink in them are . . . so much easier to conquer.’

  He gave her a mischievous wink and poured a generous measure of gin into the mixer, along with some ice.

  ‘Idiot!’ Lauren muttered as Tim stepped behind her, placing a proprietary hand on her hip.

  ‘And that works? With girls from Vermont?’ he asked Chris, scrutinising his hostess’s face with a daring smirk.

  ‘Meh,’ Chris countered, laughing. He measured out the vermouth, and added it to the drink. Then he stirred the mix with a long spoon. ‘It always works, no matter where they’re from.’

  ‘You’re both crazy! Give me the vermouth, and get back to your biker chick!’ Lauren demanded, tearing the bottle from Chris’s hand, who in turn walked back to the refrigerator and grabbed two fresh bottles of beer. He handed one to Tim, who now leaned against the kitchen island at the center of the room.

  ‘You’ve invited a biker chick? Do I need to be worried?’ he asked, taking a sip from the bottle. Lauren’s eyes were stuck on Tim’s lips and she wanted nothing more than for Chris to buzz off so that she and Tim continue where they’d left off.

  ‘No, not you. She only wants to stab Lauren to death,’ Chris conceded matter-of-factly.

  ‘Seriously? Why?’

  ‘She didn’t like me kissing Lauren’s neck,’ Chris explained with an air of innocence and shrugged his shoulders. Lauren clenched her fists. He was doing this on purpose!

  ‘Seriously?’ Tim repeated his question, suddenly sounding very interested and, tilting his head, looking at Lauren. ‘I should have been on time after all.’

  ‘Don’t pay any attention to that idiot! He’s just kidding around!’ Infuriated, she pushed Chris out of the kitchen and turned back to Tim. Smoothing back her hair over her shoulders, she smiled apologetically. ‘Sorry, he . . .’

  ‘It’s all right. I have friends, too, who . . . enjoy being idiots from time to time.’ A little unsure, Tim stared at the dark-haired man with the tattooed arms.

  ‘Good to know.’

  ‘But that thing about the kissing and the neck – I’m still interested in that.’

  Lauren blushed.

  ‘Trust me, Tim, it’s a lot less spectacular than he made it sound.’

  He nodded. They stood, facing one another in silence, and Lauren wished he’d come closer again, but he was keeping a polite distance.

  ‘We should . . .’ She motioned outside, pushing away from the kitchen island.

  ‘ . . . go and look after your guests,’ he completed her sentence. As she walked past him, she brushed against his arm, and a pleasant chill trickled through her body.

  He placed a hand on her waist, light as a feather, and together they walked out into the yard.

  The mood outside was lively. People were dancing under a pavilion decked with fairy lights, and many more birthday guests had arrived. Lauren said hello to an old classmate and his girlfriend in passing, and waved at one of Rachel’s friends who was standing chatting with Chris and Blake.

  ‘Would you like to dance?’ Tim asked, and his fingers on her paper-thin shirt set her skin on fire. The look in his eyes left no doubt as to how much he was enjoying being close to her.

  Without hesitation she grabbed his warm, strong hand and as he closed his fingers around hers, pulled him with her under the glittering sea of fairy lights.

  As if the Universe had been listening, the music switched to a Whitney Houston ballad. The sound of the music enveloped her as Tim led her through their first turn. She was not the world’s greatest dancer, and so she allowed Tim to take the lead. His hands were on his hips, and he smiled a tender smile.

  ‘Nice party,’ he whispered. ‘Thanks for inviting me.’ His eyes wandered from her face to her cleavage, and he pulled her a little closer still.

  Every fibre of her being was electrified. She enjoyed his touch. He had an even nicer body than she’d imagined. At the diner he had told her that he liked to play hockey, and she had no idea what hockey training did to a body. Up until now,
she hadn’t really noticed his muscular arms and broad chest, but now that she was letting her finger tips wander over the back of his neck and her body was brushing against his with every turn that they made, she felt the urge to find out what he looked like naked.

  ‘What if . . . what if I . . .’

  Lauren bit her lip bashfully, and leaned with her forehead against his shoulder.

  ‘What if you what?’ He kissed her neck.

  She looked into his blue eyes, and they seemed to pierce her heart like an arrow.

  ‘What if I were to ask you to . . . to stay around for a little while after the party?’

  Tim grabbed her butt, and Lauren felt a pleasurable tremble in the pit of her stomach. This guy was hot, real hot, and goddammit, she wanted more. She wasn’t the easy kind, but never before had she felt so drawn to someone.

  She could barely breathe for fear of what he might say.

  ‘Maybe I would stay . . . if you were to ask me,’ he answered provocatively.

  Lauren’s stomach rolled. The star-lit sky had put on its best, sparkling gown for the two of them, and the chill of the night meant nothing when she was in Tim’s arms. His scent engulfed her and, as she was getting lost in his eyes, the world around them stopped.

  ‘Stay with me tonight,’ she breathed, standing up on tiptoes to kiss him. He returned her kiss, passionately.

  ‘I just hope your dad doesn’t bring you breakfast in bed,’ he whispered against her lips, then he lifted her up and pulled her body fully against his during the next turn.

  Lauren closed her eyes and gave in to his kiss.

  There was only one thought on her mind: when would the other guests finally leave?

  * * *

  Everyone around the bonfire listened intently to the stories of happy days past. It was almost as if they were re-living the events of that night, and everyone’s feelings were made so much more intense with the knowledge of what was to follow the next morning. The shared memory conjured up images as vibrant as life itself. They all had goose bumps, and not from the cold. The morning was drawing closer and closer and when it came it would mean it was time to say goodbye.

  ‘You turned my life upside down, Lauren. All I wanted was be close to you. And there isn’t going to be a single day in my life that I don’t want to be with you,’ Tim whispered, his voice breaking.

  The pain in his blue eyes made it difficult for everyone else to keep their composure. It was hard, so hard, to keep their promise and not shed a single tear tonight.

  ‘Shh, don’t say that. You’re only making it harder for all of us,’ Lauren reminded him, placing a comforting hand against his cheek.

  He swallowed hard and turned his eyes to the star-lit night sky above. An owl’s lonely cry sounded like his heart desperately screaming for a miracle, and the crackling of the burning logs sounded like his heart breaking. He could feel his happiness disappearing into the sky.

  ‘No matter what I say, I couldn’t possibly make it harder than it already is,’ he muttered, tormented with pain.

  The Night at the Lake House

  Lauren felt a little self-conscious as she walked hand in hand with Tim across the sandy beach and over to the lake house. She shivered in the absence of the torches that had spread a blanket of flickering warmth over the yard. Normally, she was never this bold, but she was determined to take charge of her own happiness.

  ‘Are you all right?’ Tim asked and stopped walking. He must have noticed Lauren shivering. ‘If you would rather I left, I’ll . . .’

  ‘No!’ Lauren almost startled herself with the sharpness of her objection. ‘No, I don’t want you to leave. I just don’t know if you’re going to like the lake house,’ she admitted, feeling uncertain. ‘It’s not in the greatest of shape, but . . . but I often spend the night in there. There’s a certain kind of magic to it . . . Plus, nobody’s going to disturb us there.’

  She could tell Tim was smiling a sensual smile, even in the pale twilight, and heard him chuckle quietly.

  He pulled her into his arms.

  ‘Nobody disturbing us? In that case I’m going to love it!’ he assured her, raising her up as if she weighed nothing, his hands firmly under her butt. She wrapped her legs around his hips and held onto his strong shoulders as he carried her the final few yards to the house.

  Dark honeysuckle twined its way up the porch pillar and all the way up to the gable windows on the upper floor, inviting the two of them to spend time beneath its green canopy.

  ‘And here I was, hoping you were here for me,’ Lauren giggled, ducking her head under the twigs that were hanging down from above.

  ‘Don’t worry, Lauren, I am!’ He pinched her butt before he allowed her to slide down his body. Only reluctantly did he let go of her so that she could grab the key from under the entrance mat.

  ‘Secret hiding place,’ she whispered, then unlocked the door and entered. A band of moonlight was spilling in through the lattice windows, bathing the old furniture, the walls decorated with wide, flowery stencils, and the white-varnished floors in a soft, silvery shine. Stepping into the streak of light, she waited with a pounding heart and threw all caution to the wind. He would just have to take her as she was: not quite perfect. Boldly, she pulled her T-shirt over her head and let it slip to the floor. The move made her feel sexy and a little naughty, too. She hoped he wouldn’t be put off by her directness.

  But her worries were unfounded. Tim entered the room slowly. He closed the door behind him, and drew her closer. Taking her face into his hands, he kissed her gently. Then he let his fingers slide down her neck and ran his hands over her shoulders and down her arms. His touch made her shiver. She leaned into him and pushed her hands under his T-shirt. His belly was taut, and his skin emitted an intense heat that passed over to her. ‘Come,’ she whispered, leading him up a narrow staircase to the upper floor. She could feel his eyes on her back, following her every move. Her heart was pounding against her chest. Never before had she brought a man up here. This was her kingdom – but now he was a part of it, even though she barely knew him. She held his hand, motioning toward the gallery bathed in moonlight. Proudly, she waited for him to appreciate the beauty of her lakeside escape.

  The spacious room expanded all the way to the exposed rafters, and at the center of the gables a large skylight opened up onto the star-lit sky. Beneath, a large, inviting bed with white pillows and fluffy blankets waited, where Lauren would come every so often to hide from the world. She would snuggle into the soft bedding and dream the day away. Two thick, round area rugs muffled her footsteps as she lit the candles that were placed on various surfaces around the bed and sitting in glass plates in puddles of solidified wax. Large pillar candles in groups of three or four now provided a soft light, and the sulfuric smell of lit matches penetrated the cool air. Tim stood silent, but kept his eyes firmly on her. He followed her to the old turntable and wrapped his arms around her from behind as she put the needle to the vinyl with a soft rasping sound.

  ‘Records? No CDs?’

  ‘I’m a little old fashioned,’ she shrugged, wondering if he thought her a little weird. The house, the turntable, the classical music softly streaming from the loudspeakers . . .

  ‘Can you feel the magic?’ she whispered, hoping he wasn’t put off. She leaned her head against his chest.

  His lips wandered down her neck, and his hands cupped her breasts.

  ‘Yes, this is magic – you’re magic.’

  He ran his fingers over the shiny lace of her bra, and Lauren closed her eyes, fully surrendering to his tender caresses and shivering under his touch.

  He turned her around in his arms and kissed her while skillfully opening her bra. When he took her full breasts into his hands, Lauren pushed up his T-shirt so she could get more of him in turn. His chest was smooth, and she could feel his heartbeat beneath the tips of her fingers. Tim’s heart was beating at a slow, steady pace – not like her own frantic pulse.r />
  His eyes in the silver moonlight were glistening. He helped her along by pulling his T-shirt over his head, and his skin on this late summer night was like polished marble. Like marble coming alive. She needed more of him. She wanted to feel him.

  Later, Lauren snuggled into the crook of Tim’s arm and enjoyed feeling his body so close to hers. He was holding her from behind, his breath tickling the back of her neck and sending pleasant shivers down her spine. The comforter rustled as she nestled her back against his body and turned around for a kiss.

  It was almost completely dark. Most of the candles had burned down, and a thick cloud cover had obscured the stars and darkened the sky.

  Still, she was able to make out the pale scar above his lip. Tenderly, she ran the tips of her fingers over it, and Tim opened his eyes.

  ‘How did you get this?’ she asked, shyly, because she suddenly realized that she knew nothing about this man she had just shared such intimate moments with.

  Tim reached for his lip, took her hand, and breathed a kiss on her fingers.

  ‘I used to have a bit of a big mouth when I was younger,’ he confessed, although he didn’t seem sorry at all about it as his smile was suddenly so broad that dimples appeared in his cheeks.

  ‘I was a boisterous child – and a loose-lipped one at that.’

  ‘You don’t look it.’

  He laughed quietly, and his hand wandered down to her hip.

  He caressed her as he continued.

  ‘I wasn’t always this tall, and I only had a major growth spurt after all the other kids. Even today I’m not particularly strong. So all I was left with as a boy was my big mouth. Which got me into trouble all the time.’

  Lauren silently objected to his words. He was, in fact, quite strong. Just not as beefy as some or packed with muscles that looked as if they were about to burst out from under his skin. His was an inner strength that made Lauren believe someone like him could keep her safe from any harm.

  She breathed in his warm, manly scent, and dreamily closed her eyes. Yes, he’d be able to save the woman he loved from any difficult situation.