The House on the Shore (37 page)

He stood up and pushed his hands deep into his pockets.
“
Then what is it about?”

“It’s about
how we feel
—
”

“Why, here you are!”
Morag said breathlessly,
entering the room.
She
flopped down into a chair
and
fanned
her flushed face.
“I’ve been looking all over for the two of you.
You have to admit, Mr
.
Alistair has done us proud this year.
Everyone is having a marvellous time.
I hope you’re going to sing for us
,
Anna.”
She turned to Luke and smiled.
“She has such a wonderful voice.
An alto.
Far better than mine.”

“Morag, I don’t think Luke is interested in my singing abilities.
Now, I don’t know about you two, but all this dancing has made me hungry.
Shall we go through to the buffet?”
She rose fluidly from the chair and started walking toward the door, stopping only briefly to
look over her shoulder at Luke.
“Are you coming?”

While her friends enjoyed the delights of their host’s table, Anna pushed the food around her plate.
She’d lost her appetite, and for her, the evening was officially a disaster.
After supper, she steadfastly refused to sing, despite Morag’s entreaties.
She didn’t have it in her heart to perform to an audience, preferr
ing
instead to le
t her friend take centre stage.

Luke’s behaviour had not only upset her, but had given her a headache too.
Every time she looked
at him, she wanted to hurt him
.
He doggedly remained by her side throughout the rest of the evening, even accompanying her on the dance floor for som
e of the less energetic dances.

Outwardly, Anna was smiling and happy, but inside she was a mass of conflicting emotions.
By the time the clock struck one, her headache had reached mammoth proportions, and she could take no more.
When the band finally struck up the opening chords of
Auld Lang Syne
she breathed a sigh of relief.
She joined the circle, linking hands with Luke and Morag, and sang along with everyone else, but all she really wanted to do was go home and crawl into bed—alone.

Anna climbed into the passenger seat of the Land Rover, closed her eyes and pretended to sleep.
St
ill annoyed with Luke
for his behaviour toward Alistair, she
had nothing to say to him as he drove
them
back to
the croft.

A soft sigh escaped her lips as the elderly vehicle rattled over the last cattle grid.
Without waiting for Luke to open the door, she climbed out
,
marched up to the front door, and inserted her key into the lock.
Ensay and Rhona, tired of being shut in, greeted her like a long-lost friend before rus
hing outside into the twilight.

It was humid, and
out over the
loch
storm clouds gathered.
Anna
followed
the dogs
down to the beach
and looked out across the dark, mysterious waters of the loch
.
Luke’s yacht
rode
silently on
its mooring
,
t
he tall mast app
ear
ing
to touch the stars.

Despite the warning voice in her
head, she ha
d walked into their relationship with her heart wide open
,
knowing that once the part Luke needed arrived, there’d be no reason for him to stay.
Y
et p
art of her hoped that he would.

Luke took off his jacket
and placed it round her shoulders.
When his hand brushed the back of her neck, she turned to face him.
His arms wrapped around her waist, pulling her into the warmth of his body
.
He
re
sted his forehead against hers.

“Am
I forgiven for being an idiot?”

The touch of his hand on her cheek was unbearably tender, and she felt a familiar rush of desire.
Half-heartedly she tried to push him away, but the need grew and grew until all her resistance dissipated.
When his mouth claimed hers in a slow,
thoughtful kiss, she was lost.

“No…Yes,” she whispered against his lips
, her voice husky with passion.

The first rumble of thunder echoed round the hills
.
Luke scooped her up into his arms and carried her into the house
.
T
he dogs follow
ed
at his heels.
In the hallway, he paused to lock t
he door and turn out the lights
then carried
her upstairs to their bedroom.

Once inside, his lips recaptured hers in a demanding kiss that left her breathless and wanting more.
When he lowered the zipper on her dress
,
she was powerless to stop him.
It fell to the floor as his hands began a slow sensuous dance over her body.
She couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think.
All she wanted was him loving her—forever.

His lips seared a pa
th down her neck to her breasts and
a delicious shudder spread through her body that left her gasping for breath.
She watched him
outline
her hardening nipples through the lace of her bra with his fingertips.
Heat surged through her as he continued to stroke and tease until she was hot and breathless.
She felt his fingers snap open the clasp.
Gently his hands caressed her breasts, his thumbs rubbing
the taut nubs.

Anna arched her back, inviting him to touch and taste.
When
his hot, hungry mouth replaced his hands
, she cried out his name
.
In her haste to feel his body against hers she tore at his shirt, sending
the
buttons flying across the carpet.
Even though her heart fought a battle with he
r mind, her body ached for his.

He l
ifted her onto the bed and
quickly undressed before lowering his body over hers.
With long, lazy strokes
,
he explored the creamy expanse of her flat stomach and thighs.
Her body quivered in response.
She inhaled sharply as pleasure radiated through her.
When Luke pulled aside the silk of her panties, seeking the core of her desire, she moaned.

“Luke, I need you to…”

“Yes
”

“I want you inside of me…now.”

“Anna, look at me,” he demanded.

Their eyes locked.
She felt his hot silky length enter her.
Her hands raked his back,
sending them both over the edge as t
he first shudders of
her orgasm surged through her.

The following morning, Anna lay in the drowsy warmth of their bed
and
listen
ed
to the sound of raindrops falling on the window.
She stretched languidly, enjoying the luxury of a lie-in.
The sound of the radio, accompanied by Luke’s tuneless whistle, drifted up from the kitchen below, along with the smell of bacon cooking.
She rolled over to look at the clock on the bedside table and was surprised to see it was nine-thirty.
Stifling a yawn, she threw back the quilt, climbed out of bed and padded to the wi
ndow to draw back the curtains.

The storm that had swept in overnight from the Atlantic had passed, leaving the mountains shrouded in mist.
With any luck, Anna thought, it would burn off before lunch.
She smiled to herself.
It was a typical Scottish summer,
fine one day, raining the next.

After a quick shower
,
she dressed and followed the scent of coffee downstairs
.
She
paus
ed
to pat the heads of the two dogs lying
on the mat at the bottom of the stairs
,
and then
enter
ed
the kitchen
.
Luke
sat at the kitchen table,
eating breakfast.

“A
ren’t you going to work today?”

Anna poured herself a cup of coffee and carried it to the table.
“Not until later.
Ewan hired some extra help so that the staff could attend the
c
eilidh.
They’ll deal with breakfast and clean the rooms.
I agreed
to
go in this afternoon to help serve high tea and dinner.”

“Judging by what I saw last night, there’ll be a whole lot of folk with hangovers this morning.
What a fun bunch they’ll be.”

“Aye, no doubt.
Even Morag was a more than a little bit tipsy.”
Anna buttered a slice of toast and put it on his plate.
Then she rethought the gestu
re and reached to take it back.

“Hey, that’s mine!”
He smacked her hand gently. “It’s pretty miserable out, Anna.
Too wet for a long walk.
What are you going to do with your morning off?”

She chewed thoughtfully on another
bite
of toast.
“Unfortunately, the dogs need exercising regardless of the weather, unless of course
,
you’ve already taken them out.”

Luke shrugged.
“Whoops.”

“In that
case, I’ll take them for a run. And
I really ought to work on my manuscript.
I’m way behind schedule.
Are you going to eat that?” she asked, indicating
a piece of bacon on his plate.

“Why?”

Anna smiled sweetly.
“It would go nicely with my toast.”

Luke laughed.
“I’m sure it would.”
He stabbed the rasher with his fork and took a bite, making a show of his enjoyment.
“If you want more, feel free to make some.”

“You’re very ill-mannered, Mr
.
Tallantyre
, e
ven though you’re a handsome devil.”

“Anna, about last night
—
”

“There’s really no need to explain.”

“I disagree.
After my temper tantrum, I thought you
would
be so pissed off at me that you might want me to leave.”

“That’s just silly,” she said, pleased at how nonchalant her voice sounded.
“We’re both
adults
.
Anyway, you weren’t the only one acting like the playground bully.
Alistair’s behaviour wasn’t exactly exemplary either.
I think what happen
ed is best forgotten.
”

Luke’s face split into a wide grin.
“I thought I woul
d row over and check on the yacht, if you’ll be all right on your own for an hour or two.”
He cut a piece of
sausage and offered it to her.

She shook her head and swallowed the last of her coffee.
She walked into the hall
,
pull
ed
on her boots and waxed jacket.

“Hang on.
I’ll come with you.”
Luke put his empty plate in the sink
, and then
snatched
his
coat
off the hook
and followed her outside.

They stood on the beach.
The pebbles were grey.
So
were
the sky a
nd the water
, a
nd the fine mist-like rain.

Anna squinted at Sandpiper.
“You worry too much about me.
You woul
d think I was six.
I was right about the other night; it was just a disorientated hillwalker.
I’ve told you a dozen times, the girls and I are used to our own company.”

“I don’t think you’re six.
I know you’re a strong independent woman
, b
ut you have to admit these are unusual times.
Stray hillwalker or not, I don’t want you wandering too far from the croft on your own until we get everything figured out.”