A small clock on the windowsill in the bathroom read 6.32 a.m. After using the toilet and freshening my breath with some toothpaste, I crept back along the landing, noting that a strip of light had appeared under Michael’s doorway. Darting into Daniel’s room to avoid Michael, I’d just closed the door behind me when Daniel flicked on a bedside lamp, startling me.
‘I woke up and you were gone.’ I looked towards the bed where he was propped up on his arm. ‘I thought you’d done a runner.’ Gone was the confidence from last night. Instead, he looked sad and perhaps a little afraid. My heart went out to him.
‘I wouldn’t do that to you,’ I said. ‘Call of nature.’
‘That’s a relief. I’d have been sad if you’d gone.’ He folded back the duvet on my side of the bed and his eyes beseeched me to join him. I dropped the towel at the very last moment and quickly dived under the covers.
‘Thank you,’ he said.
Those two words sounded so full of emotion and gratitude that I just wanted to take his pain away. ‘It’ll be all right,’ I tried to re-assure him.
‘Will it? Is that how you feel?’
‘No. But I have to try and make myself believe it will be, or I wouldn’t be able to get out of bed each day.’
‘What hurts you the most?’ he whispered.
‘The lies. I trusted him and he lied to me pretty much from the moment we got together. I’m such an honest person and I thought Gary was too. Apparently not.’
‘It’s the same for me,’ he said. ‘Amber was so excited about the baby, you know. I thought we had our whole future ahead of us. Together. When she started bleeding, I’d never felt so scared in my life, but when it was over she wouldn’t let me comfort her. She kept asking for Jake and I couldn’t understand why. I went next door to tell him about the baby and he looked so shocked and hurt that it dawned on me. It was like a million unexplained things suddenly made sense. Five years. They’d been lying to me for five years.’
We lay for a moment staring into each other’s glistening eyes. My heart began to race and my breathing shallowed. I heard his do the same. Next moment, we were in each other’s arms and, this time, there were no clothing-removal disasters, no lamps or glasses to kick over, and no angry brother.
‘Are you okay?’ Daniel asked, holding me tightly. ‘You’re shaking.’
‘That’s because I’m in shock,’ I admitted.
‘Oh God! Was I that bad?’
‘No. The complete opposite. I had no idea that… well, with Gary I… it was never… he never… Sorry, I think you may have turned me into a gibbering wreck.’
Daniel loosened his hold so he could look into my eyes. ‘Really? You’re saying you’ve never climaxed?’
Colour rushed to my cheeks as I shook my head. ‘I thought I had and I didn’t get what the fuss was all about, but now I know I was way off. That was amazing. Thank you.’
He laughed and stroked my damp hair. ‘You don’t have to thank me. But if you give me a moment, we may be able to make up on some more lost experiences.’
‘Again? But Gary…’
‘Gary never made love to you more than once a night?’ Daniel suggested when I fell silent. ‘You’re stunning, Elise. How did he manage to keep his hands off you?’
‘I think we both know the answer to that question, don’t we?’
‘Sorry. Completely inappropriate.’
‘It’s fine. I was lucky if Gary made love to me once every six months, never mind more than once in a night. I have a feeling I’ve missed out on a lot, but I also have a feeling I may have found a good teacher. And you know I have a lot of respect for the teaching profession.’
Daniel laughed and dived under the covers. ‘Let the lesson commence.’
Ooh yes, definitely a fantastic teacher!
I felt a little uncomfortable rooting around in the kitchen cupboards to find a mug and teabags, but Daniel had said to make myself at home while he showered and got ready for work so I’d padded down to the kitchen in my knickers and one of his work shirts. I’d heard the front door go and an engine start so assumed Michael had gone out and I was safe.
Finally finding the right cupboard, I leaned against the units, having a good look around the room while I waited for the kettle to boil. I instantly loved the cottage. Colourful seaside prints adorned exposed stone walls and a deep bay windowsill was covered in shells, pebbles, wooden boats and a lighthouse. A shabby chic dresser painted bright turquoise and loaded with paperbacks and board games took pride of place on the wall opposite the window. Next to it another smaller cream dresser displayed bright mismatched crockery. Brightly coloured scatter cushions adorned the navy wrap-around sofa and I blushed as I thought about what had nearly happened on it the night before. Then I blushed even more as I thought about what had happened in the bedroom just now. Twice. Wow! Who knew?
The kettle boiled and I was squeezing my teabag when the door opened and Michael walked in carrying a camera bag. He carefully placed it on the sofa and fiddled with something inside it. He obviously hadn’t noticed me. What should I do? Cough. Say ‘hello’? Stay quiet? Run upstairs? Damn!
‘Er, hi,’ I said. ‘You must be Michael.’
He looked up, startled, then frowned as he saw what I was – or should that be wasn’t – wearing.
‘You’re still here then?’ he said.
I chose to ignore the attitude. ‘I’m Elise. Can I make you a drink? Kettle’s just boiled.’
‘I was on my way out.’ He picked up his bag again and headed back towards the door.
‘I’m sorry about disturbing you last night,’ I said.
He stopped and stared at me. He was taller and slimmer than Daniel, but I’d definitely have picked them out as brothers in a line-up. They certainly came from a good gene pool. ‘Elaine, is it?’
‘Elise.’
‘Elise, you have nothing to be sorry about. He’s the one who should be apologising. Bringing you back here was completely inappropriate and disrespectful. As usual.’ Then he stormed out of the cottage, slamming the door. I heard an engine start up and the screech of tyres.
Sipping on my tea, I wondered what he meant by ‘as usual’ and my stomach clenched.
Daniel appeared five minutes later, looking handsome in a sky-blue shirt and coordinating tie. ‘I bet you can convince your lady customers to spend a fortune when you’re dressed like that,’ I said.
He laughed. ‘Speaking of clothes, I’m liking what you’re wearing. Or not wearing.’
‘Thank you.’ I did a twirl.
‘I’m going to have to stop looking at you because I’m getting very turned on right now and I will be so late for my first client if I do all the things I’d like to do to you.’
A shiver of delight ran down my body and I knew immediately that I’d do anything for an action replay of our morning together. ‘Fancy taking a rain-check on that?’
‘Tomorrow night?’
I nodded. ‘Give me two minutes to gather the rest of my clothes then are you sure you’re okay to drop me in town?’