31 Days of Summer (31 Days #2) (7 page)

‘This is … this is why you don’t really drink much
now?’

‘Yes.’

‘Did you feel drunk when it happened?’

‘No, I wouldn’t have driven if I had, but what if
I was? What if it wasn’t completely out of my system? What if I caused the
accident?’

‘Have you ever driven drunk before?’

‘Never,’ he shot back. ‘I’ve just ruined this now
haven’t I? You hate me? Fuck. I knew you would, but I hated lying to you
Ellie.’

‘I don’t
hate
you, it’s just a lot to
process. I mean you’re still married and … and you’re not the same man I fell
in love with, I fell in love with
Dan.
’

‘Ollie, Oliver, Dan, it doesn’t matter. I’m still
the same person, Ellie. Sometimes I wear suits and attend board meetings, but
since I’ve lived up here I love the quiet, I don’t miss the partying,
socialising, or womanising. I promise you I never lied about that. Until you I
never broke my vows, I hate myself for breaking those vows,’ he sighed. I heard
his hand running over his stubble and lifted my head and caught my breath. He
looked so exhausted and broken. I picked up his hand and squeezed it in mine
trying to reassure him that I wasn’t bailing, not yet. ‘I just found you Ellie,
I don’t want to lose you too.’

‘So talk to me, tell me everything about Rebecca,
so I can understand why you won’t let Moira go? That’s a long time to leave
someone on life support, Dan.’

‘Ellie this is painful stuff for me. I don’t even
discuss this with my parents or best friend.’

‘I get that, I’m not going to force you, but if
you want us to try this, as a couple, I need to be clear where you’re at. I
need to be sure that I can trust you again, if you’re the sort of man I want to
be with. I’ve been through loss too and I don’t let people in easily either.
You know I’ve been let down before and I don’t want to go through that again.
Before you even think about baring your soul though, maybe I should be honest
with you too.’

‘You’ve lied to me as well?’

‘No, but given that damn file you had made on me,
would I get away with hiding anything from you? That’s something else we need
to discuss, as it was unacceptable.’

‘I have to ensure my privacy and make sure people
coming aren’t after a story by exposing my private life, Ellie,’ he protested.

‘I get that, but details about … my parents?
Brooke being bi-sexual? That’s personal, that’s nothing to do with a man who’s
renting me a holiday let.’

‘I’m sorry, I’m a suspicious man, I have to be in
business.’

‘Ok, but in future you want to know something
about me you ask me. No limits,’ I smiled. ‘That said, I believe in marriage
and I want children. If events in your past, and your current situation, mean
that you can’t offer that, or don’t want to offer that, then I’m not sure we
should let this go any further.’

‘Damn it, Ellie. That’s asking a hell of lot from
a man like me, a
married
man.’

‘I know that,’ I sighed. ‘I’m not expecting you to
tell me that you love me right now, or that you’ll definitely marry me and have
children, but I need to know that you’re not closed off to the possibility.’

‘You’re thinking about us making this work?’ he
looked at me with a mixture of surprise and relief etched onto his handsome
face. I reached up and palmed his face, kissed the corner of his mouth and
heard him take a sharp inhalation.

‘Despite everything Dan, I love you, you know it,
I know it. I’d love for this to work because I think we could be amazing
together. We’d argue a lot, we’d have hot makeup sex, we’d have fun, support
each other, but …’ I sighed as I pulled back.

‘But what?’

‘You
are
still married on paper. I don’t
feel like you’re cheating because you never really had a relationship, you
didn’t love her and it’s been a long time, but you
are
still married. So
if you want to see if we can make this work then you have to convince me that
we could have a future by making me understand your past.’ We both looked
around as the door knocked. ‘I’ll get it. We don’t want people gossiping that I
smuggled in some hot guy in the middle of the night.’ I stood up and went to
walk away, but he grabbed my hand and raised it to his lips.

‘You’re an amazing woman, did you know that?’

‘As well as infuriating and over talkative?’ I
teased. He gave me a half-smile and I quickly went to answer the door. I
wheeled the trolley with a few silver domed plates and a large pot of delicious
smelling coffee and poured myself some as he uncovered his food.

‘Are you eating anything with me? I ordered
plenty.’

‘So I see, but I doubt even all of that is enough
for you, let alone me as well. Besides it’s the middle of the night, I’m not
hungry. I’m going to sit in the lounge while you eat and have a think if you’re
really ready to tell me everything.’ I quickly walked out and closed the door.
It was hot, my suite was on the top floor in one of the turrets, so I opened
the doors to the roof terrace and headed out. I pulled my knees up to my chest
as I sat in a chair, looking at the moonlit loch while sipping my steaming coffee.
I hurt for him, really hurt. I knew loss, I knew the blackness living in his
heart, and to think he’d pretty much cut himself off by living up here? Denying
himself the pleasure of women’s company, of sex, when he was obviously a sexual
guy? I wondered what Brooke would make of all of this, too bad it was too late
to call her.

‘Ellie?’ I heard Dan’s panicked voice come from
the living room.

‘Terrace,’ I called. He strode out with his coffee
and ran a hand through his hair as he sighed and sat down next to me.

‘I can’t make any promises about the future Ellie,
but I care for you like … like I’ve never cared for anyone since Rebecca. I’ll
tell you everything on the condition it stays confidential. This is all extremely
personal to me and I don’t want the tabloids getting hold of it.’

‘You can trust me,’ I responded, insulted that he
thought it needed stating. He nodded and I settled back as he started talking.

Monday 7
^th
July ~ Year One

Ellie

I woke in bed, in my
t-shirt and knickers with Dan wrapped around me like a vine. It was our second
night sleeping together, without actually
sleeping
together. We’d talked
most of the night Saturday, slept in late on Sunday, then went out for Sunday
lunch and spent most of the night talking again. I’d cried, he’d cried, but we’d
come to the conclusion that we wanted to give us a shot, even though we’d not
had the dreaded discussion around marriage and children. He’d come around to
believing that he wasn’t being a bastard for wanting to have some happiness
with someone else, but equally he still hadn’t come around to the fact that
nothing was going to bring Moira back and he was punishing himself and her
parents by refusing to let her go. He’d been gutted that I’d refused to have
sex, with me reminding him it wasn’t exactly easy for me to abstain. I was
nearly there with trusting him, but I wanted to see her for my own eyes, to
hear from a medical professional that what he was telling me really was true.
I’d been so gullible with Matt and Zac, I wanted one hundred percent
reassurance that I wasn’t being made a fool of again. I opened my eyes to see
his face on the pillow next to mine and reached up and ran my fingertip over
his brow, down his chiselled cheekbone and circled his lips. They parted as he
let out a sigh and I leaned forward and gently kissed him.

‘Ellie,’ he sighed happily and tightened his grip
on me before slowly opening his stunning eyes making me gulp. ‘You’re still
here.’

‘I couldn’t have gone anywhere if I tried,’ I
smiled, realising from his comment that he’d inadvertently revealed just how
insecure he was about his suitability for me. ‘You’re like a straight jacket,
but on my whole body. Can I order you breakfast in bed?’

‘I’d love you for breakfast,’ he replied, with a
bite of his full bottom lip and a raise of his eyebrows.

‘We agreed,’ I sighed.

‘No, you bloody told me. You know no one tells me
what to do, with the exception of my parents and Magda, if I want to do
something I do it,’ he muttered with a sulky frown.

‘The mighty Mr. Davenport bowing to a mere woman,’
I teased.

‘You’re an amazing woman, not a mere woman. Can I
at least kiss you?’

‘Once we agree what I’m going to call you,’ I
reminded him. It was one of the few things we struggled with since he arrived
at the hotel.

‘I guess you met me as Dan, I won’t be moving back
to London and I like my anonymity up here, so it had better be Dan.’

‘Would I be allowed to call you that if we have
sex again?’

‘If we’re having sex again you can call me
whatever the hell you want, baby,’ he chuckled. ‘I just hated you calling me
that when you didn’t know my real name was Oliver, it reminded me that I was
keeping you in the dark.’

‘Baby eh?’ I smiled and laughed when he went pink.
‘You know you called me that the night you saved me from the loch?’

‘Did I?’

‘I got under your skin, even then,’ I nodded.

‘You did, you do,’ he smiled. ‘Now you promised me
a kiss,’ he advised, as he grasped my face and slanted his mouth over mine,
creating a perfect seal as his tongue gently flickered against mine and I went malleable
in his arms. I reluctantly pulled away when we started getting more vigorous
and his hands left my face to clutch at my body. ‘Damn it, Ellie,’ he groaned.

‘You still have a working hand,’ I replied, as I pecked
him on the lips again and bounded to the bathroom, locking myself in. I had a
cooler than normal shower to try and dampen the longing building up inside me,
which was made even harder as I heard him groaning loudly next door and
imagined him stroking himself. I couldn’t wait to fall into bed with him, for
him to fuck me as well as I recalled, as well as those memories I’d relived day
after day. By the time I was dry with some mascara on and smooth sleek hair,
dressed in a maxi dress with flat sandals ready for the heat, he was tucking
into an enormous breakfast.

‘Finally. I thought you were never coming out. I
ordered you scrambled egg and bacon and some muesli.’

‘Thank you. Room service didn’t care that I had a
deep masculine voice again?’

‘Organised via my Manager who brought it up
himself. I told him I had a hooker and was trying to be discreet,’ he smirked.

‘Very funny,’ I replied as I took a seat and
uncovered my plate.

‘You look beautiful this morning. Not that you
don’t look beautiful all the time.’

‘Thank you,’ I smiled shyly at him. How had the
sexiest guy on the face of the planet fallen for me?

‘No compliment back?’

‘Please, like your ego needs stroking.’

‘You have a point, but I do have something else
that needs stroking,’ he replied as he slid back on his chair and spread his
thighs, giving me a clear glimpse of his boxer clad erection.

‘I thought I heard you doing that earlier.’

‘I told you that I have a high sexual appetite.
Higher since you came on the scene.’

‘Can’t you employ someone to sort that erection
out, with your millions?’ I teased, as I tucked into my breakfast, determined
not to touch him until I knew for sure his wife wasn’t going to come back from
the virtual dead, like Bobby Ewing, and cause more problems with Dan feeling he
“owed” her something.

‘Hmmm. Not a bad idea. There is this little blonde
in the village that might be up for it,’ he winked. I scowled at him as I ate,
bristling at the thought of any other woman having their hands on him.

‘So are you sure about today?’ I asked hesitantly.

‘I guess,’ he shrugged, as the humour and
horniness quickly drained from his face.

‘I don’t want to force you Dan, but equally I’m
not prepared to go any further with you until I’m clear.’

‘You can’t just take my word for it?’ he asked,
then sighed as I raised my eyebrows at him. ‘No, after what I’ve done of course
you can’t. I’m an honest guy Ellie, everything that I concealed from you was
more a misdirection or avoidance. I can’t think of one instance where I flat
out lied to you.’

‘I know but you went about things in a seriously
wrong way. This will put my mind at rest that there are no more deceptions,
then we can talk about the future. Ok?’

‘As you wish.’

‘That’s on the no list,’ I laughed. ‘I
hate
that expression.’

I could feel the tension returning to him as he
drove the Land Rover down the mountain. At least it was daylight and there was
no ice or snow, but I felt nervous. This wasn’t your usual situation, going to
your potential boyfriend’s parents in law’s house, to see their comatose
daughter, who was still married to said potential boyfriend. Dan told me that
during his two hour visits he’d spend time with Moira, talking about his
business as it was the only subject that he felt passionate enough about to
talk about for a long time. He did spend time talking to her parents, Theo and
Florie who he assured me had been nagging him to date. Apparently someone, not
Dan, had told them that their daughter wasn’t a virgin and that she’d lied
about using protection to try and get pregnant. They’d been blaming Dan for
corrupting her, until someone set them straight. He told me that they’d
forgiven him, and whilst they were occasionally at loggerheads over his refusal
to turn off her ventilator, they were concerned that he’d put his life on hold.
He’d told me that they’d noticed a change in him during my stay in December,
and had managed to get him to confess that he’d fallen for me. Apparently
they’d encouraged him to pursue a relationship. Reading between the lines I got
the impression that they were genuinely fond of him, realising that he was a
good man to have stood by her, and to marry her, despite not being in love with
her. When he’d rung them to ask their permission for me to visit, having
explained that I was reluctant to date him, given her situation, they’d agreed
immediately.

‘I’m sorry if this is hard for you,’ I said
quietly as I watched him driving.

‘I just never imagined that I’d have a girlfriend
again, let alone be taking her to visit my wife and parents in law. It’s hardly
the stuff dreams are made of,’ he sighed, as he navigated a roundabout in the
town centre.

‘I’m your girlfriend?’ I queried, as I tried to
keep the grin off my face.

‘Damn right you are and if I have to tell Tom to
take a hike I will, along with anyone else who comes sniffing around you. Now I
have Theo and Florie’s blessing, as well as my own parent’s, it eases the guilt
somewhat, but I still feel like I’m cheating.’

‘What were you going to do? Remain single for
life? Never have sex again?’ I countered.

‘Yes,’ he sighed. ‘Until you came and fucked up
that plan.’

‘You really felt that strongly about me?’

‘Feel,’ he corrected as he turned his head to
smile at me, making me blush. ‘You’re the only woman I want Ellie and if we
can’t work this out there won’t be anyone else for me. I’ll stick to my
celibacy plan and use your photo and my memories of sex with you to masturbate
to.’

‘If we work this out you need to work on your
romance skills,’ I laughed, as he focussed back on the road. ‘Why do you drive to
see her every day? If you have a helicopter, why not fly? You’d be here so much
quicker.’

‘I’m rich because I don’t waste money, Ellie. I’m
not flash, I don’t have a fleet of expensive sports cars or go to the latest in
nightclubs buying bottles of Cristal for everyone. I don’t do drugs or call
girls and using my helicopter to come here would draw unnecessary attention to
me.’

‘So how do you usually travel?’

‘I have a helicopter and pilot for trips to and
from London, there’s a helipad in that clearing at the top of the island, where
we had the snow fight. I have a driver in London, my Land Rover up here and a
private jet for short journeys and a private 767 for travelling long distance,
mainly to my home in San Francisco. Most of my programmers and designers are
based in Silicon Valley.’

‘So you just sit at home working on your computer,
or working out to keep your delicious body in shape?’

‘Delicious?’ he smiled.

‘You know it is. You’re muscular perfection and
you’d better be feeling horny, because if I’m convinced that you’ve not tried
to bluff me again, I’m going to want sex with you for the rest of the day.’

‘Damn it woman, I’m hard at the thought of it,’ he
growled as he shifted in his seat. I felt hot myself, I needed to divert from
the topic of sex.

‘So what
do
you do for fun? You have no TV
and I’ve not seen you reading, yet you have a full library.’

‘I love my work, without you as a distraction it
takes up most of my free time and the library, well, I got that for you.’

‘You what?’ I exclaimed.

‘Ian, who did the report on you, gave me your
reading preferences. I contacted a book shop and gave them the list of your
highest rated books and asked them to supply those and others that they’d
recommended based on those. They were delivered on the Monday afternoon
especially for you.’

‘O my God, Dan. Invasion of personal privacy
aside, you seriously did that from receiving my request on the Friday night, to
me arriving on Monday night?’

‘Sometimes having lots of money has its
advantages,’ he shrugged.

‘You’re insane,’ I uttered as I shook my head in
disbelief. ‘That must have cost you a fortune.’

‘Hardly. I just felt so drawn to you and knowing
what you’d been through well … I just wanted you to feel at home, to be able to
relax and recharge.’

‘I can’t believe you went to all that trouble for
me,’ I whispered with a tear in my eye. ‘When you didn’t even know me. You did
that, you moved out of your own house, did manual labour.’

‘Ellie, when I lived in London women loved me for
my money. Not for me. Except … except for Rebecca. I started the company when I
met her. I was so attracted to you I wanted to see if you’d like me back when I
was just the hired help. You’ve no idea what it meant to me that you wanted
me.’

‘Dan, you’re an amazing man. It’s not just your
wealth. You’re dominant with a protective, giving, caring side as well. You’re a
great listener, hot with about twenty capital H’s and super mysterious. All
things women love in a man.’

‘All things you love in a man?’ he asked seriously
as he caught my eye.

‘Yes,’ I whispered and reached over and put my
hand over his on the gear stick. ‘And that’s without the super mind blowing
sex.’

‘Off limits,’ he chuckled.

‘I know you value your privacy, so with the
exception of Brooke and Molly I promise not to discuss where you live or what
you do.’

‘I trust you. It’s not so much for me, I was
worried about the negative publicity for Moira’s parents if it got out that
she’d set me up. The fact I was driving when the accident happened and I’d been
drinking the night before, that would just be an added complication,’ he
frowned, ‘but not insurmountable. Money also buys silence.’ I squeezed his hand
and just watched him as he drove. Could we really make this work? Him up here
and me down in London? If he could control the way his personality had changed
so often when I was here in the winter, we got on so well. The chemistry
between us was obvious, there was definitely no lack of attraction on either of
our parts, no issues with sexual compatibility. I just didn’t know if I was
going to be able to handle a relationship where I only got to see my man now
and again. Not when I had such strong feelings for him. We both took a deep
breath as he pulled into the drive of a large modern detached house on a
private road. ‘Ok, well we’re here.’