Passionate Harvest (15 page)

She and Maggie had finished eating supper when the doorbell rang. Maggie went to answer it whilst Lucy finished cleaning up the kitchen. 

“You’ve a visitor.” Maggie appeared in the kitchen doorway looking coy before stepping aside to allow Dominic to enter the room.

Her aunt smiled at her and disappeared off to the lounge leaving her alone with Dominic. He still looked exhausted. The fine lines around his eyes had deepened and even the shape of shoulders appeared weary.

“You should be getting some rest.” She realised as she looked at Dominic why she had been able to burn Christopher’s letter so easily.

The strength of her feelings for this man, who had been a stranger to her only a few weeks ago, scared her.

“I’ll catch up tonight.” He continued to stand in the doorway, his hands resting in the front pockets of his jeans as he looked at her.

“Have you heard any more from Jake?” She placed her dishcloth back on the sink and dried her hands on a towel.

“All he said was that he’d landed and was on his way to Mom and Dad’s.” His gaze locked with hers.

“Can I get you a drink or something?” He still hadn’t told her why he was there.

“I’ve got the dog in the car. I wondered if you’d come for a walk with me.”

Her spirits lifted at his invitation. “Give me a minute to change and tell Aunt Maggie where I’m going.”

She crossed the room and he moved out of the doorway to allow her through the gap. As she neared him, her pulse speeded. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her to him, his mouth hot and hungry on hers. She twined her arms around his neck and revelled in the hard wall of his chest pressing against her nipples sending heat coursing into her veins.

With a final caress of his hair she broke free and hurried off upstairs to change clothes before Maggie could come into the hall and find her looking so flustered.

She tugged off her working clothes and slipped on a vest top, jeans and a comfy pair of her old sandals. Taking the steps two at a time she hurried into the hall and popped her head around the lounge door.

“I’m going out with Dominic for a while. I won’t be too late back.”

Maggie glanced up from her book. “Have a nice time.”

He met her in the hall and they walked out to his car together. Mutley bounced around in the back of the 4X4 when he saw them approach making the car rock on its springs.

Dominic drove them out of the town towards the river, parking in a different place. Mutley scrambled from the car as soon as Dominic opened the hatch.

“Someone’s eager.” Lucy laughed as the big dog capered around them. Just being with Dominic made her happy, as if the world shifted from being dull grey into Technicolor.

He looped an arm around her waist and whistled to Mutley to follow them and they set off along the winding path besides the waters edge. The sun was already low in the sky spreading orange fingers into the fat, white clouds. The dog loped ahead on them on the path, his tail swishing from side to side as he investigated every sound and smell in the long grass.

The water rushed and gurgled at the edge of the bank. Lucy was perfectly happy strolling along in Dominic’s embrace. Every few minutes he paused to kiss her. Tender, sweet kisses that held the promise of more passion later. There was no need for words and the tension she’d been carrying all day rolled away from her as they walked.

Dusk had fallen by the time they returned to the car. Mutley hopped in to back while Lucy took her place in the passenger seat.

“Thanks for walking with me.” Dominic joined her in the front of the car.

“I enjoyed it.” She nibbled her lower lip hoping he wasn’t going to just take her back to Maggie’s. The kisses he’d been giving her as they walked coupled with the delicious feel of his body so close to hers were driving her wild.

“Would you like to come back to the cottage with me for while?”

The spark in his eyes told her exactly what he meant.

Her response sounded husky even to her ears. “That sounds good.”

It only took a few minutes to drive the couple of miles to his cottage. He released his dog from the car and checked his pet’s water dish before opening the back door of the house to lead Lucy inside.

“I so much wanted to bring you back here last night.” His voice was low in her ear as he nuzzled her neck making her skin tingle with anticipation. “Being with you drives me crazy.”

He slipped the straps of her vest top down her arms, peeling the material down to expose her breasts. Lucy gasped as the cooler air met her heated flesh and his mouth closed around her nipple tantalising her with his tongue and his teeth.

“Come upstairs with me, Lucy.”

As his mouth blazed a trail from her breast back to her mouth she knew there was nothing she wanted to do more.

Lucy stumbled up the narrow stairway of the cottage hard on Dominic’s heels. Conscious only that she was with the man she loved. Once inside his bedroom, he pushed the old wooden door closed behind her trapping her with his body against the wood.

Her body flushed under the blue intensity of his gaze.

“Undress for me, Lucy.” His request was a low rumble unleashing heat low in her belly.

She slid her top down over her hips before unfastening her jeans and slipping off her sandals until she stood before him in just the cream lace thong she’d put on earlier when she’d changed. Her nipples were hard with desire and her breasts heavy with longing.

“Your turn.” She returned his look, although she trembled inside with desire.

A wolfish smile twisted the corner of his mouth as he tugged off his tee shirt and unbuttoned his jeans in the darkened room. The only light the soft glow of moonrise through the latticed window pane of the cottage.

Lucy ran the tip of her tongue over lips that had suddenly dried as he peeled off his jeans and boxers to stand naked and aroused before her. God, she wanted him.

Slowly and deliberately she ran her hands down the hard edges of his body pausing at his hips. He remained as still as a statue beneath her fingers waiting for her to lead. She moved her hand to cup him, causing a sharp hiss of desire to escape from his lips.

Smiling to herself she knelt to take him in her mouth, testing her teeth gently against him. He plunged his hands into her hair holding her head in place as she sucked and tasted. She revelled in the power she held as she teased and feasted.

“Lucy.” His low guttural warning that he was close to the edge alerted her and she stood once more, her body burning with want.

He turned her around steering her until she felt the edge of the bed hard against the back of her knees. She tumbled back on the cool cotton covers, her legs still hanging over the edge of the bed.

This time it was Dominic’s turn to kneel before her, his hands tantalisingly slow as he peeled the lacy thong down her legs before tossing it across the room. Her limbs shook and she tensed waiting for the next move.

“Open for me, lovely Lucy.” His breath was warm and sweet as he touched her sensitised core with his mouth, his words vibrating inside her. He grasped her hips to bring her towards him and she opened her legs.

The touch of his tongue made her gasp and she clutched at the covers of the bed. He took his time, exploring and teasing her with his mouth and his fingers. Just when she thought she could bear his touching and tasting no more without shattering he stopped. She released her grip on the bedcovers as she heard the rip of foil in the dark.

“Now, Dominic, fuck me, now.” She whispered as his shape covered her, blocking out the moonlight as he rode her to her climax.

A short time later she lay in his arms in the now dark room feeling the dull thud of his heart against her as their breathing regained its normal pattern.

“I’m not sure that this is taking it slow.” She felt his smile in the dark.

“Yeah, about that…” She walked her fingers across his chest delighting in the sharp intake of breath her touch caused.

“You are a very wicked woman, Lucy Morgan.”

She pressed a kiss against the base of his neck by way of a reply, relishing the slight salt tang of his skin on her taste buds.

She eased out of his arms and moved to sit at the edge of the bed. “I have to go.”

“I know.” She heard the bed creak as he moved to kneel behind her placing his hands over her breasts to tease the hard nub of her nipples with his thumbs.

“You’re not making this easy.”

He kissed the back of her ear and his erection pressed against the cleft of her buttocks and the small of her back. “No one said I had to, did they?” He murmured.

He eased his position so that his legs were either side of hers, holding her close to him so she was on his lap. She moaned as he rocked her against him while he pleasured her with one hand until she moved eagerly desperately needing to feel him inside her once more.

They came together still seated on the edge of the bed. Lucy’s back arched against his body and she cried out her release against his ear. He continued to hold her tightly against him until the shuddering bliss had ceased.

“Next time you’ll have to stay the night.” He whispered as she eased herself free.

* * *

He dropped her back at Maggie’s shortly before midnight. He watched her safely inside the house before returning to the cottage. Being with Lucy was like being drugged or enchanted. All he wanted was to be with her, to make love to her. He wondered if this was what it had been like for Jake with Sasha, why his brother had stayed married to her for as long as he had.

 Back at the cottage he climbed slowly upstairs, his mind still whirring. He took a quick cool shower, washing Lucy’s scent from his skin. His bed still smelt of sex and Lucy. He tugged the pillows in place behind his head and lay in the dark thinking about her. The way her passion matched his, and the way she felt, tight, hot and eager when he entered her body.

“Damn.” He thumped the pillows in frustration. He reached for his mobile.

‘Wish U were here’

A few seconds later a response appeared on his screen.

‘Next time’

The following weeks took on a pattern. During the day Lucy was never anything less than cool and professional. Almost every evening they spent making love, although despite her promise, Lucy still didn’t spend the night.

Maggie’s health continued to worry her. The results of the tests were worse than Doctor Parker had initially predicted and Lucy was afraid to leave Maggie alone for too long. Something Dominic completely understood. Maggie and Nick had been Lucy’s family for almost all of her life. Since she’d been back in England, her parents had only contacted her twice.

The closer he grew to Lucy, the fonder he became of her. She was everything he’d always hoped he’d find one day in a woman. Unlike his brother and sister-in-law where the situation between them had degenerated into war. She’d emptied their joint bank account. He’d packed her belongings into refuse sacks and delivered them to her rented flat.

It was hard to see Lucy at work and continue to keep things secret from the rest of the staff, especially when Lucy wore her strappy, floaty sundresses in the hot weather. Knowing she wore no bra under the stretchy tops, her small pert breasts straining against the material. More than once he’d fantasised about bending her over one of the office desks, lifting up her skirts to reveal her round, peachy butt and taking her from behind. Jo had even remarked on his poor concentration the one time he’d been day dreaming in the office and suggested he go outside for some fresh air.

The weather turned muggy and sticky. Jo kept the fan on full blast in the office and ignored any hints he dropped about the electricity bill. He left Lucy and Jo hard at work in the office to go and walk the vineyard with Bob, checking on the crop.

Isabelle waved to him as he set off. “Don’t be out in the fields too long. There’s a storm coming.”

He waved back as she continued to gather in the outdoor umbrellas for the café.

It took almost an hour to walk along the vines with Bob checking the progress of the grapes. Over the hills in the distance the sky turned purpley-black and ominous growls of distant thunder rumbled around over head.

Drops of rain as large as pennies started to pelt down around him as he and Bob made their way off the vineyard back towards the buildings. A crack of thunder and flash of lightning rent the air above him and he quickened his pace until he was inside the shelter of the building.

He shook the water from his hair and brushed his arms dry with his hands while walking up the stairs to the office. His shirt clung, cold and clammy to his back, already starting to dry in the warm air.

To his surprise, Jo was alone in the office.

“Where’s Lucy?”

“She had a phone call from Maggie’s friend about twenty minutes ago. Maggie’s been taken to hospital.” Jo’s face was troubled.

“Which one?” Cold clawed at his stomach.

“The General. A&E.”

He bit back a curse as he snatched up his car keys from the desk.

“Dominic, I don’t think it sounded very good.” Jo placed a hand on his arm, her concern clear on her expressive face.

“Okay, thanks, Jo.” He hurried down the steps and sprinted across the car park to his car. There were already big puddles on the gravelled surface and he was soaked to the skin. He switched the windscreen wipers to fast and set off after Lucy.

The force of rain slowed his speed along the country lanes leading into town. He hoped Lucy had made it to the hospital ahead of the worst of the storm. The roads had begun to flood and whilst his 4X4 could cope with the water, Lucy’s little runabout wouldn’t manage so well.

Parking at the hospital was impossible, every space was full and he began to believe the fates were conspiring against him. Spotting a piece of grass at the end of the row he abandoned his car there and hurried inside the hospital.

He was about to ask the receptionist at the desk in the accident and emergency department if Maggie Bell had been admitted when he saw Lucy. She was seated on a blue plastic chair at the side of the room, her wet hair plastered to her scalp and her face as pale as the emulsion on the walls.