Page 22 of All Summer Long

They reached the Airstream and he opened the door and carried her in, banging the door closed behind him and tumbling her onto the bed.

‘What did you go back inside the house for?’ Alice asked him, and he dug inside the back pocket of his jeans and produced a gold foil packet without looking the least bit sheepish.

‘You’re sure of yourself, cowboy,’ she said as he slid down onto the bed with her, half covering her body with the welcome weight of his.

‘This is a holiday romance, remember? The rules are different.’

‘I remember,’ she whispered. ‘Shouldn’t we drink dodgy cocktails or something first?’

‘No time. Too horny. We can drink tequila afterwards,’ he said, already pulling her sweater over her head and then his own t-shirt.

‘This is about the point where Rambo interrupted us last time,’ she said, wide eyed and worked up as she revelled in the feel of his chest under her palms. He was firm muscles and soft tawny hair that tapered into his jeans, and she was light headed with the knowledge that this time around she was going to get to see where it went.

‘If that bird comes anywhere near this Airstream in the next couple of hours he’ll be in the stewpot.

’ Robinson dipped his head to trail kisses from Alice’s shoulder to her collarbone.

‘And technically, you’re wrong.’ He reached behind her and thankfully found the clip of her grey and black silk bra easily this time.

‘Lovely as this is, we need to get rid of it before we’re at the point where squawk interrupted us. ’

And then he peeled her bra from her body and sighed with happiness, and Alice wondered how to make a couple of hours feel like a lifetime because the way he was looking at her made her feel the most beautiful she had in her whole life.

‘What would you say if I said let’s do it once fast and then again real slow?’ he said, his knees either side of her thighs as he held her breasts in his hands and kissed them, his eyes hot on hers.

‘I’d say get naked,’ she said, smoothing her hands over his hair, raking her nails over his golden shoulders.

He groaned, and reached for her jeans snapper at the same moment that she reached for his.

Seconds later and they’d pushed their clothes away and lay down again, naked, and the intimacy was so shocking that Alice gasped, almost faltered.

Robinson seemed to sense her feelings and despite his own needs he slowed things right down, settling his body weight, his knee between hers.

‘Don’t think,’ he whispered, and then he kissed her, more sweet and gentle than any other time so far, moving her hair away from her face. ‘We’re on holiday, remember? Listen …’ He tucked her hair behind her ear. ‘You can hear the sea.’

A small smile touched Alice’s mouth as she went with him, floating away, closing her eyes.

‘Let’s be on a beach, pretty girl,’ he said, and she heard the crinkle of foil before he moved between her legs then held her hands loosely in his own over her head against the pillows. ‘There’s no one here but you and me.’

He stopped speaking then and pushed himself into her, his face next to hers when she breathed in sharply.

‘It’s okay, it’s okay, it’s okay,’ he said against her ear, and even though he’d said he needed to go fast, he didn’t, he lifted his head and looked down at her, his kiss barely there on her lips as he held still and let her lead.

She nodded, thinking of no one but him and nowhere but now, overwhelmed by the closeness after months of being alone. Moving under him came as naturally as breathing, and he responded with a gasp of his own as he started to move with her.

‘You’re so damn beautiful,’ he said, his voice ragged against her lips, his hands moving in her hair on the pillows. ‘It’s like fucking an angel.’

Alice just gave herself up to him, to the feeling of being held as close as a man can hold a woman, to the delicious build and the inevitable high. He touched her everywhere, and then he lost it and she held him through it until he fell against her, heavy and tangled and brilliant.

Holding him, Alice stroked her fingers over his back and looked at his face on her shoulder as he got his breath back. His eyes were closed, his full lips slightly parted, and his whole expression said contented, as if he were sleeping and having the most awesome dream ever.

‘Now I get why you moved out here,’ he murmured a little while later. ‘It’s fabulous. Can I stay in the Airstream too?’

‘It’s only like this because you’re here,’ she said quietly, and a lazy smile touched his lips.

‘Damn, I’m good,’ he said, making her laugh and cuff him on the shoulder even though she entirely agreed with him.

He was good. He was more than good. He’d turned her on like a moonbeam, as if she were shining from the inside out.

She held her hand up in front of her face, half expecting it to glow phosphorous bright in the darkness of the Airstream.

‘Can you still hear those waves out there, Goldilocks?’ he said, covering her breast with his hand in a thrilling, possessive way.

She tipped her head, listening, and he dipped his head, licking.

‘I’m pretty sure I can,’ she said, closing her eyes and melting completely into the quilts and into Robinson.

‘This is hands down the best holiday I’ve been on in my life,’ he laughed, and then he slid down her body and Alice stopped thinking altogether.

Early Saturday-morning sunshine filtered through the windows into the Airstream, bathing Robinson in a shaft of dappled, golden light.

Alice sat up and leaned against the wall in bed, her arms around her knees, watching him.

She hadn’t realised it up to that precise moment, but this was the first time that she’d seen him truly relaxed.

He was on his back, one arm flung above his head on the pillow, the other hand stretched out towards her in his sleep, exuding tranquillity in a way that invited her to lay back down and enjoy the peace of the moment with him.

In a while she would, but right now she wanted just to look at him for a little longer.

She didn’t regret what had happened last night.

Not the first time, nor the slower, sexier second time that followed soon afterwards, and definitely not the tender, half awake, half asleep third time in the middle of the night, either.

That kind of sex wasn’t something any sane person could regret.

He’d probably call it smokin’. She’d call it so hot that it was a wonder the Airstream hadn’t exploded and burned itself into a hole in the ground.

‘Come here, pretty girl,’ Robinson said, lifting the quilt and not even opening his eyes.

If he had, he’d have seen Alice’s gaze slide down his body and appreciate the view.

As it was she let out a contented little sigh and snuggled in, enjoying the feeling of his bigger, warm body spooned around hers, his arms holding her close inside the quilt.

‘What time is it?’ he murmured.

‘Just before six.’ Alice closed her eyes and listened to his breathing close to her ear. He moved her hair aside and smooched the back of her neck.

‘Early.’ Alice heard the smile in his voice. ‘Feels good.’

‘I know,’ she said, bringing his palm up to her face and kissing it.

‘Let’s stay in bed a while,’ he said, and from the way he stirred behind her, Alice guessed he didn’t have sleep on his mind. That was pretty lucky, because as it happened, neither did she.

‘Alice!’

Niamh banged on the door of the Airstream.

‘Alice, wake up. I need to talk to you!’

Inside, Alice was instantly wide awake and in a panic.

How do you hide a six-foot sleeping cowboy in a one-room caravan?

Answer: you didn’t. Niamh couldn’t come in, so she’d have to go out.

Flinging on her long robe and dragging her hair back in a band, she opened the door just enough to slide out and pushed it shut again behind her.

‘Morning,’ she said, tying her belt and leaning down to fuss an overeager Pluto. ‘Wassamatter?’

Niamh glanced behind her towards the manor. ‘Are we still supposed to be keeping it a secret that we have a superstar staying in the village?’

‘Absolutely and totally yes,’ Alice said, quickly and quietly. Even more so after last night and this morning. ‘Why?’

‘Well … shall we have coffee?’ Niamh looked hopefully towards the Airstream.

‘I’m all out. Why did you ask about Robinson?’

‘Tea, maybe?’ Niamh hedged.

‘No milk,’ Alice lied, getting that sinking feeling. ‘Niamh, what’s going on?’

Niamh gave up on the idea of a drink and sat down hard on an upturned bucket. Pluto sat beside her with his head on her knee.

’Nothing really,’ she said, but her tone suggested otherwise. ‘It’s just that I was in The Siren last night and a couple of things struck me as odd, that’s all.’

‘What things?’ Alice frowned, perching on the edge of a deckchair and pulling her robe over her knees.

Niamh screwed her face up. ‘Dessy, for one. I mean he’s always wearing something odd so it could have been nothing, but leather chaps and a Stetson seemed a bit extreme for behind the bar, even for him.’

Alice had seen Dessy pulling pints in many strange outfits, so she didn’t panic too much.

‘Which would have been fine,’ Niamh went on, ‘except Jase appeared in an almost identical costume, only without a shirt and a lasso over his shoulder.’

Okay, so that was maybe a little bit more worrying. The landlords of The Siren were divinely handsome men and Alice had no doubt that they’d have carried the look off with aplomb, but Niamh’s story was definitely starting to ring warning bells.

‘Anything else?’ she said, chewing her thumbnail.

‘Davina.’

The postmistress’s name sent a shiver down Alice’s spine. She hadn’t forgiven her for the way she’d taken repeated, thankfully failed, shots at Brad during their marriage. There was no way she was going to get her claws into Robinson Duff.

‘What did she say?’ Alice’s heart rattled behind her ribs. If Davina knew he was here, the rest of the world would know he was here before lunchtime. She sighed, already lamenting the end of the sweetest, shortest affair in history.

’She didn’t mention Robinson by name, but she tried every which way to get me to tell her who was renting the manor. Seems she’s got wind that there’s someone in there worthy of gossip and she’s desperate to get the low down before everyone else.’

‘You didn’t tell her though?’ Alice knew she didn’t really need to ask.

‘No, I bloody didn’t!’ Niamh said. ‘But he needs to lay really low if he’s serious about keeping his presence here out of the village newsletter.’

‘It’s more the nationals I’m worried about,’ Alice said quietly.

‘I know, hon. That’s why I came to see you. He might need a disguise if he goes out and about.’

Alice coughed. ‘Any suggestions?’

‘Borrow one of Stewie’s wigs?’ Niamh laughed. ‘Or get Hazel to cast some sort of invisibility spell?’

Ignoring Niamh’s less than impressive suggestions, Alice cupped her chin in her hands.

‘Will you help keep his secret, Niamh? I don’t want him to leave.’

Niamh tipped her head on one side. ‘Something you want to tell me, McBride?’

‘Nothing,’ Alice said, at the exact same moment as the Airstream door flew back and Robinson stood there buck naked. To his credit he didn’t turn a hair, even when Niamh’s hand flew to her mouth to hold in her shocked laugh and Alice’s hands flew to her face to cover it completely.

‘Ladies,’ he said, then tipped his invisible Stetson and closed the door again.

‘No coffee, huh?’ Niamh said.

Alice peeped through her fingers and shook her head. ‘Nor milk.’

‘But lots of hot sex with a naked cowboy?’ Niamh’s eyes could not have sparkled brighter if she’d had them surgically removed and replaced with diamonds.

‘You can’t tell a soul, Niamh,’ Alice said. ‘Promise me?’

‘Alice, relax, you know I won’t. I’m just so bloody happy that you’re getting some action! And with Robinson bloody Duff!’ Niamh somehow managed to squeal, whisper and swoon all in one go. ‘In your face, Felicity Shaw!’

‘Niamh …’

‘I know, I know,’ Niamh said, rolling her eyes. ‘I shouldn’t think it or say it, but I’m doing it on your behalf because you’re too nice to say it yourself.’

‘I’m not. It’s just … it’s complicated.’

‘Well don’t let it be.’ Niamh leaned forward, no longer laughing. ‘Alice, this is just what you need, don’t make it more complicated than it needs to be. Just take it for what it is and enjoy it, okay?’

Alice nodded. ‘I want to.’

Niamh started to laugh and covered her pink cheeks with her palms. ‘You know I can’t un-see what I just saw, right? It’s in there for ever.’ She tapped the side of her head and grinned as she stood up.

Alice couldn’t help but laugh with her. ‘Just make sure it stays in there. If it makes it out onto canvas we are no longer friends, understand?’

She accepted Niamh’s outstretched hand to haul her out of the deckchair.

‘Only because you’re my best friend. But you should know that my fingers are actually hurting from the effort of not painting something so mighty fine.’

‘Go. Go back to your ancient farmer willies.’ Alice gave Niamh a little nudge.

Niamh nudged her right back and threw a ball from her pocket to get Pluto moving in the right direction. ‘Thanks. Go back to your magnificent cowboy willy.’

‘Some girls get all the luck,’ Alice laughed softly, watching Niamh leave and then sliding back inside the Airstream and locking the door.