BUTTERFLIES FLY AWAY (18 page)

She picked it up.  Again, it wasn’t a USA penny
but one from home.

Was she going crazy?  Where these signs from
Rob?  Did he approve or not of her dinner with Nico?

As she returned to the table a little subdued at finding
another penny, she could see Nico in the distance, animated in conversation.

“No Lea, I’ve told you already, the answer is
no.  I’ve made my decision.”

This was awkward.  He finished the call and
stood up as she returned to her chair.

“Hi, sorry about that.”

“No its okay, do you want to go?”

“If you don’t mind,”

“That’s fine with me.  Dinner was lovely, I
enjoyed it.”

He paid the bill and called Jay to collect them.

The journey back to the Inn was quiet as they both
seemed to be in a reflective mood.  Carrie at finding another coin and
Nico, well she guessed he was from his call.  She opened her bag and took
out a mint offering one to Nico.  He accepted with a nod.  She stared
out of the window and out to the night.  A short while later the car
pulled up outside the inn but before Carrie could even open the door Jay was
there taking her hand helping her out.

“Thank you Jay.”

Nico was by her side as she walked up the
steps.  She collected her key from Charlie and stood at the bottom
stair.  Making her position clear that the evening was now over.

“Dinner was delicious and I had a great time. 
Thank you Nico.”

“Thank you Carrie”

Nico leaned forward, his hand at the side of her
face.  She looked into his eyes, OMG he’s going to kiss me.  She
didn’t pull back, wanted to feel the touch of his lips.  It started as
just a peck, a simple good night peck on the lips.  Well that’s what she
told herself but then it deepened and she forgot that she was in the middle of
the hallway of a public place.  In the arms of a man she had just
met.  All she could feel was the heat of his mouth on hers as it
deepened.   She had both hands in his hair as she pulled his head
closer to her. 

“Fuck” he whispered against her mouth.  “You
have me losing control” he pulled her bottom lip into his mouth and bit,
hard.  Her eyes shot open, heat flooding her body.

“I didn’t mean to” her hands sliding down to his
shoulders.

“We need to continue this somewhere private”

Alarms were ringing through her mind.  Whoa
steady there.  She shook her head at him. 

“Not tonight, I’m not ready for anything like that;
sorry I guess we move in different circles.”

“I don’t mean to rush you Carrie I’m the one who is
sorry,” he smoothed a strand of her hair behind her ear and briefly brushed his
lips against hers.

“Tomorrow, the beach at the same time?”

“Yes,”

Trying not to show that her legs were shaking, she
was sure they were, and walked up the stairs.  Quickly before she changed
her mind and returned for another kiss or more.  She could feel his eyes
on her; he waited until she was at the top of the stairs before he walked away.

Locking the door she kicked off her shoes. 
What the fuck was she doing?  She must be caught up in the glamour she
chastised herself.  The first time since Rob had died that she had gone
out for dinner and she locked lips, practically throwing herself at him. 
She prepared for bed, trying to distract herself from thinking about Nico and
their kiss. Her mobile had two new texts.

Auntie Belle – “Well tell all? X” She replied.
“Nothing to tell.  Off to bed … ALONE x”

Claire – “I want all the details x” To this she
replied.  “Dinner was lovely, Nico very charming and nothing to
tell.  I’m going to bed ALONE.  Speak to you tomorrow x”

She took the penny out of her bag and added it to
the other one she found, placed it next to ‘Rob’.  Preparing for bed she
removed her make-up, applied tonnes of moisturiser and brushed her teeth all in
auto pilot.  Pulled on her nightshirt and slipped under the duvet. 
Her mobile beeped.  Belle or Claire it had to be.

“Carrie, are you awake?”  It was Nico.

She nearly dropped her phone.

“Yes,” she replied.

Within seconds her phone was ringing. 

“Hello” she answered.

“Hi, I just wanted to say sorry for being a jackass
earlier.  I don’t want to scare you off.  I only wanted to kiss you
good night and the next thing I’m trying to drag you off.”

She laughed “You didn’t drag me anywhere”

“That’s okay; I just wanted to clear that up. Oh and
Carrie,”

“Yes,”

“I finished with Lea yesterday,”

“Okay,” OMG OMG he was single now!  “I hope
that wasn’t on my account”

“Carrie, let’s cut to the chase, I feel entirely
different about you.  Let’s be clear on that.  I’m not the sort of
guy to string someone along.  Despite what you might read in one of your
magazines.  I can’t be in a relationship with someone and not be honest.”

Her brain was rapidly trying to absorb what he was
saying.  Relationship?

“I don’t know where this is going Nico, I’m only
here for a few more days and for the record I’m not the type to string anyone
along either.”

“Let’s just see where this takes us while you are
here.  Are you still going to the beach in the morning?  You haven’t
changed your mind.”

“I will be there.”

“I look forward to it, Good Night Carrie”

“Good Night Nico”

How did she explain that one?  He had ended a
long term romance to a supermodel of all people.  One that he had been
rumoured to marry.  She had only known him for a few days and as she told
him earlier, they moved in different circles.  But she felt an attraction
towards Nico the man not the playboy celebrity.  He was like two different
people.  The man she was spending time with and the man she had observed
through the world of celebrity.  It was too much to take in and she knew
she needed to sleep to escape the thoughts replaying over and over again.

She set the alarm just in case she overslept and
tried to escape her racing mind.

The dream returned.  She was walking through
the woodland hand in hand with Rob.  They rambled through the forest
towards the water’s edge when she stumbled and pulled at his arm.

“No Rob, stop. Where are you taking me?”

“Home Carrie, I’m taking you home”

She woke with a start and sat upright in the
bed.  It was only 2am. 

Shaking she pulled back the covers and turned on the
bedside lamp.  She felt teary from the residue of the dream. 
Dreaming of Rob after her dinner with Nico made it raw.  She felt like she
was betraying Rob.  It was one step forward but a million steps back
mentally.  She washed her face again but it was a different Carrie staring
back in the mirror from just a few hours ago.  Her eyes sparkling not with
excitement but unshed tears.  Maybe she should just get out of the fantasy
land of staying in the Cape and go home.  Was it wrong to be here? 
Was that what the dream was about?  What she needed now was a cup of
tea.  Not the breakfast type ones that the inn provided but her good old
cuppa tea from back home.  That would soothe her.  But instead she
would try and sleep again.  As she walked back towards the bed she looked
over at ‘Rob’.  The coin that she had left after her return from the
restaurant no longer there. 

Was she going crazy?

Now the tears trickled down her face, no longer kept
at bay. Where had the penny gone, it couldn’t have just disappeared into thin
air?

Forget a cup of tea she needed a brandy.

Just a few hours later the alarm beeped.  The
first time since her visit that she had to use the alarm.  Her disturbed
sleep had interrupted the pattern that she had formed.  Under the hot
spray of the shower she tried to wash away the residue of a fitful sleep. 
No need to wash her hair again.  Even though the dream had left her doubting
her reasons for coming to the Cape she didn’t waver in going to the beach and
meeting Nico.  She dressed in her usual jeans but accompanied them with a
navy and white stripy t-shirt and red cardigan. She wore her hair down.  A
sweep of the lip balm and a spray of the perfume then she was ready to
go.  As always she had 20 dollars in her pocket for emergencies and her
phone. 

Charlie was on the desk.

“Good Morning Charlie”

“Morning Carrie, off for your walk?”

“Yes, I’ve only got a few more days before I go
home, got to make the most of it.”

As she walked along the boardwalk and the incline
towards the beach she could see Nico and Beau waiting for her.  Beau raced
ahead towards her.  She rubbed his ears and patted him as he jumped up in
greeting.  He head bumped her in affection and accompanied it with a
slobbering lick to the face.  “Hello Beau” 

Nico was dressed as casual as he was every morning
that she saw him.  Jeans and a long sleeved black t-shirt stubble on his
cheeks. 

“Hi Carrie,”

“Hi” she returned softly.

They fell into step walking along the beach that
Carrie was now familiar with.

“How did you sleep?” he asked.  Picking up a
stick to throw out to Beau.

Well, what could she say?  Hmm no, I had a
nightmare and cried myself to sleep! But instead she replied.

“I slept okay, how about you?”

“Not so great,” Carrie stopped walking. “Why?”

“I couldn’t stop thinking about you”

He pulled her forward into his arms.  His
aftershave was just as sharp and citrusy as she remembered. His lips brushed
hers, gently at first before deepening.  On a will of their own her hands
were cupping his face and pulling him into her.  She could taste the
toothpaste he had used as their tongues circled and stroked each other. 
What was supposed to be a gentle ‘hello’ was becoming much more.

“Is it wrong to feel glad that your sleep wasn’t so
great?” she whispered against his mouth as they kissed.  “You are wicked
Carrie, it’s not so good when I have meetings to attend and a business to take
care of but I think as its you I can make an exception to my sleep pattern.”

“Now it feels like Good Morning!” he said as they
pulled apart.  Beau patiently waiting by their side.

Carrie laughed.

“Okay Mr Millions, oops sorry Billions, what do you
have planned for your empire today?” she joked as they continued to walk. 
They took turns in throwing the stick for Beau who was enjoying the attention
of both of them. 

“I have to be in New York for the next couple of
days.”

“Oh I see” but she didn’t.  She didn’t know why
the thought of not seeing him for a couple of days brought a pang of
disappointment through her.  It was scary that she had this pull towards
him after such a short period of time.  When she first met Rob she liked
him but the attraction was different.  It was more of a slow burner when
dating and working together had brought them closer.  This she felt out of
her depth with and maybe she needed distance.

“This morning I want to check the progress of the
habitat homes here at the Cape then I have a luncheon in New York to get
to.  I can’t cancel the appointment.  It’s been planned for months.”

“I don’t want you to cancel your appointment, you
have a business to run, and I understand that.  Are you going to Monique’s
house?” 

“Yes, I’ve been pushing the contractors to finish
for Friday.  I want that family to move back Saturday some building
warrants need sign off.  Just finishing touches from what I have been
told. ”

“I saw Monique yesterday; she said they are really
hoping it all goes to plan.  I’d like to see how it’s progressing
sometime.  She already invited me along to see it in its glory”

“Why don’t you join me?  We could grab some
breakfast at the house and go together if you like?”

“I tell you what, why don’t we go our separate ways for
now, you have things to do before your trip.  I can go back to the Inn
grab some breakfast and meet you at Monique’s house?  I know you need Jay
to get you to the airport later and I don’t want to mess your plans ferrying me
around”

“Carrie, I want to spend more time with you.  I
would like to breakfast with you too”

“Me too but I don’t want to meet your family over
breakfast for the first time either, that’s if they are home.”

“They will be home, can’t guarantee up for breakfast
at this time apart from my Dad.  Are you sure?”

“Uh Hu, that’s fine with me, I can get directions
from Tansie.”

They had walked back towards the boardwalk, she felt
a bit like Cinderella at midnight.  Not wanting to say goodbye at that
moment.  She bent down as usual to say her goodbyes to Beau.  He was
such a friendly dog.  Maybe she would get a dog when she got home?

They stood awkwardly for a moment unsure of how to
part company now that there was some intimacy between them.  On previous
mornings they had shared a walk and a chat with some playtime with Beau. 
Now it was different.

He tugged at her hand pulling her forward into his
arms. 

“Can you be at Monique’s for 10am?” kissing her
softly. 

“Hopefully I can with satnav and directions from
Tansie permitting”

“You taste so sweet, what is it?”

“The label said kissable berry vanilla; I guess I
won’t need the money back guarantee now!”

“Mmm what guarantee?”

“Kissable lips in 30 days or your money back. 
Think it’s only been three days!”

He laughed “That sounds like a company to invest
in!” and she joined him laughing as it lightened the mood.

“Call me if you can’t make it or get lost.”

“I will,” she promised and once again walked up the
boardwalk as she had done on their previous mornings.  On the edge of the
board walk nature was creating its own walkway in a mixture of sea grass and
sand dune surrounding the path way. 

When she turned around he was waiting with Beau and
gave her a wave. 

Over breakfast she chatted with Tansie now a
familiar and friendly face to Carrie at the Inn.  Tansie happily gave her
directions and said that she too would be there later that day.  Their
paths had cross many times during her stay and Carrie didn’t doubt that they
would later.  She filled up on plenty of coffee but instead of the
addictive pancakes this morning she had scrambled egg and toast to start her
day.   Terri was helping with breakfast service and Carrie chatted
with her briefly.  She apologised that it was a busy morning and Carrie
explained that she was going to the habitat project and Moniques house. 
They agreed to catch up later.

Back at her room she brushed her hair into a pony
tail, added her sunglasses and a layer of lip gloss.  Not her usual tote
bag but a mini Marc Jacobs gun mental grey shoulder bag that she had bought at
Shamiqua’s boutique.  It had plenty of room for all her essentials, phone
and money etc.  A spray of her new perfume and she was ready to
leave.  Tansie had said it wouldn’t take long to find the houses but
Carrie still entered the zip code into the sat nav for directions.  It
estimated the journey to take ten minutes.  Adding a little time on for
her being unfamiliar with the area she should arrive there with a few minutes
to spare.  Tansies directions were spot on and she had basically driven in
a large u from one end of the cape to the other.  The houses were
detached, some with large plots of land and others built closer together. 
Monique’s had a fair sized front garden that was currently occupied with the
contractors equipment.  She spotted the familiar black car that Jay had
driven but no sign of Nico yet.  She parked and locked the car, pulled the
strap of her bag across her body to leave her hands free and walked towards the
house. 

The house was typical of what she had seen described
as the ‘Cape’ style.  Four steps lead from the path to the porch that ran
the length of the house.  From what she could see so far there were two
dormer windows on the first floor above the slopping roof that covered the
porch.  A car port to the right which she could see Nico standing under
looking at plans.  He looked up and walked towards her.  He was
dressed in a business suit and the stubble gone.

“Hi, you made it”

“I guess I did”

He picked up one of the bright yellow hard hats and placed
in on her head just before he kissed her softly on the lips.  “Health and
safety on site”

“Hi again”

“Hi yourself”

“Come on and I will show you what we have been doing
here.”

They walked towards the light grey shingle wood
building with its white window frames. The front door was open and she could
see a beautifully fitted out kitchen to her right.  White and glass
cabinets with a maple coloured table top.  A breakfast bar with four
stools which were covered up with clear plastic.  To her left a large
living area with a wood burning fire.  It appeared to have lots of space
as currently it had no other furniture.  Doors led off into two of the
downstairs bedrooms, closets and a shared bathroom. 

They walked up the stairs to the master bedroom
which she assumed would be Monique’s.  The room was large and filled with
light from the two dormer windows.

“This is perfect, Monique will love it”

“Building controls are coming over later and
hopefully it will pass.”

“I think your team have done a great job here, I
don’t know what it was like before but it’s perfect for Monique and her family”

Carrie stood by the window and looked out to the
street.  Nico walked behind her and wrapped his arms around her
waist.  She could feel his breath on her and shivered as he gently kissed
her neck.  The yellow hard hat falling to the floor.  She arched her
back into him as his hands moved to her breasts.  Needing through her top
as his teeth nipped at her neck.  She spun round wanting his mouth on hers
a need that she hadn’t felt in a long time building in her.  She forgot
that the house was full of construction workers who could walk in at any
time.  She forgot that she hardly knew Nico; that he was the first man she
had kissed since Rob.  She forgot everything but being in his arms and
feeling like a woman again.  He tugged at her top loosening it from her
jeans and slipped a hand underneath.  His fingers working more magic as
they rubbed and pulled at her hardened nipple through her bra. 

“Ohh my,” again she sounded like something from a
Doris Day movie.

A thunderous crash outside broke them apart.

“Jesus Carrie, you make me feel like a horny
teenager”

“I don’t do this, I don’t lose control like this”
Carrie replied anxiously.

“I eh, I think its best that you have your meeting
today because you make me feel like I want to barricade that door”

After saying that she was back in his arms, once
more kissing with a passion she hadn’t known before.

“Carrie, there is nothing I want more than to stay
with you but I have this damn meeting to go to.  I don’t lose control
either.  I want to lock you away in a room with no interruptions, explore
every inch of you and fuck you until we can’t move”

Wow, she could feel her body flush at the thought of
their intimacy.  He lifted her up and she wrapped her legs around his
waist.  His cock hard and thick against her.

“Oh fuck I want you,”

He slid her body down until her feet touched the
ground once more.  Sparks flowing through her as she brushed against his
hardness.  An electricity building inside her, a heat that began to pulse
deep inside and she knew she was going to come and he hadn’t even touched her.

“Please,” she pleaded unaware that the words had
even left her lips.  Her eyes caught his pleading and he knew.  He
knew her need and yearning.  “Oh baby, you are hurtin’ aren’t you,” his
hand found the button to open her jeans and slipped down. 

“Nico,” any thought other than saying his name had
vanished from her mind.  She craved his touch.  He teased her running
a finger over the edge of her panties.   “Is this what you want?”

“Please, I eh, I can’t stand this Nico you have to”

“Oh I think you can but that’s for another time
baby”

His fingers slipped into her panties and she was
lost.  One finger gently teased and found her pulsing clitoris.  She
was wet.  Her breath caught.

“You are so fucking hot, come for me”

She wanted to resist, to push him away and stop this
madness but her body wanted more.  The waves of pleasure were building,
almost ready to peak and take her with them.

“Look at me Carrie, let me see you as you come”

Her eyes opened and he plunged his fingers inside
her as his thumb continued to rub against her clit.  The waves rushed over
and she was gone, arching against him, his mouth covering hers to mute her
cries of pleasure.

She took a few moments to recover before the
embarrassment swept through her body.

“Oh my god, I can’t believe I’ve just done
that!”  She locked herself in the little bathroom of the master
suite.  Washed her very flushed face and tried to restore her dishevelled
clothes.

“What the fuck Carrie are you doing” she chastised
herself looking in the mirror.

“Carrie, it’s okay baby, open the door”

Oh how could she face him now?  She checked her
watch.  It was eleven am.  They had been upstairs almost an
hour.  Everyone would know they had been up to something!