The Antique Love (18 page)

The auctioneer looked over in Penny’s direction and swung down his hammer. “Sold to the woman in black.”

“Yes,” she cried, eyes sparkling with pleasure. Kurt smiled at her childlike delight, and his fingers tightened on hers under the table.

Several more items followed, including the vintage brooch Penny donated, which fetched far more than it was worth. And then the diamond bracelet was on the block. Penny raised her eyes to Kurt. She gripped his hand warningly.

“Sure you don’t want to change your mind?” he asked. “I’m happy to buy it for you. This is your last chance.”

“No. Remember your promise.” she said in a low voice.

“Alright.” He shrugged, laughing down at her. “You know you’ll be sorry when someone else buys it.”

Immediately, as if on cue, Alex’s hand shot into the air. Kurt turned to her. “What did I tell you? Now you’ve definitely lost your chance. Buying it for one of his girlfriends, I’ll bet.”

“He might not be,” Penny answered, widening her eyes in innocence. “He could be buying it for his mum. Let’s not be judgmental.”

“Buying it for his
mum
,” Kurt repeated, teasing her on her English pronunciation. He looked over at Alex’s handsome, determined face and laughed out loud at the thought.

The price rose steadily. Alex was in competition with at least two others, including the head of the stables, but still his hand waved and waved again. At one stage, as the price climbed well beyond what the bracelet was worth, Penny thought she saw him throw an uncertain glance in their direction. The head of the stables dropped his hand and gave a defeated laugh. Kurt leaned back in his chair, his face impassive. Eventually the hammer went down on what Penny thought an exorbitant price. Alex sat back, a relieved smile on his face, accepting the congratulations around the table.

Kurt leaned over to her. “I’m sure that’ll make his
mum
very happy,” he whispered. Penny pinched his fingers under the table, not deigning to answer.

By the time the lights dimmed and the jazz band started tuning up, a feeling of weariness was beginning to creep over Penny. She’d been determined to enjoy the evening as much as possible, but the previous miserable sleepless nights were beginning to take their toll. When Kurt asked her to dance, she stood and almost swayed into his arms.

“Hey, you okay?” He looked down at her, concern etched on his face. “You look pale. Has it been a long evening?”

“Yes, but it’s been a good evening.” She lifted her face to his with a small smile. “I don’t want to go home yet.”

He regarded her steadily for a moment and then gave the slow nod that never failed to send her heart pounding.

“Alright then, just one dance. After that, I’ll take you home.”

His hand was warm on the small of her back as he guided her to the dance floor, and then his arms enfolded her, his hands travelling gently the length of her naked back. The heat of his skin penetrated the fabric of his shirt, and she pressed her cheek close to the warmth of him, her weariness swept away by a thrilling lassitude. His chest rose in a sudden deep breath, and the strong beat of his heart thudded under her cheek. When she tilted her face up to his, she found him gazing down at her, eyes dark. She arched back, and his hands tightened on her naked back. Her lips parted, and she watched his eyes drift down to her mouth. He drew in another breath, and then bent his head to her ear, his mouth grazing her soft flesh.

“Come, it’s time to go.” His breath was warm on the tender skin beneath her ear. He loosened his arms from around her and turned her gently. “Fetch your things and wait for me in the hotel lobby.”

In the draught from the rotating doors in reception, Penny shivered in her thin wrap.

“Here.” Kurt strode toward her, pulling off his jacket. “Didn’t you bring a warmer wrap?” He brought the suit coat around her, letting his hands rest on her shoulders. “You’re shivering.”

Her shoulders stiffened a little under his fingers. When she spoke, her voice was cool. “I’m not your kid sister.”

Kurt stared in astonishment at her averted head. “I’m sorry. I saw you shivering and was worried you were getting cold.”

Her stiff body softened a little under his hands. She pulled his jacket around her, burying herself in its warmth. Her face was pale, a little withdrawn, but she looked up and gave him a small smile. “Thanks for the jacket.”

A beam of yellow headlights caught the revolving door, and she picked up her clutch from the desk to make for the waiting taxi. Outside the hotel, with no jacket to protect him, the cold night air penetrated Kurt’s shirt sleeves, causing the hairs to stand on his skin. The warmth between him and Penny evaporated into the night, and his heart began to sink. For a few tantalising moments this evening, he had felt her reserve melt, but now the barriers she built around herself seemed to have dropped firmly into place. He slid into the cold seat beside her, and she shifted surreptitiously away from him. His heart sank further. The distance she made between them wasn’t enough to be obvious, but there it was. The physical barrier was in place.

She turned her head toward him.

“Thanks for a lovely evening.” There was a small smile on her lips, and for an instant, her features resumed their openness. He nodded his head slowly and saw her eyes gleam in response. For a moment, they gazed at each other without speaking. The dull light from the streetlamps played over her, and her eyes were wide and luminous in the dark.

“I got you a present,” he said and watched her dark brows rise in surprise. “Put your hand in my jacket pocket.”

She reached a hand down and fumbled through his jacket and then, with a small gasp, drew out a jewellery box. She flipped open the lid, and the diamond bracelet glittered dully in the orange light filtering through the cab. She turned to him, her lips parted in astonishment.

“How did you do this? Did you buy it from Alex?”

“No.” Kurt couldn’t prevent a grin spreading across his face at her wide-eyed astonishment. “You made me promise not to bid on it, so I didn’t. I asked Alex to bid on my behalf.”

“Oh,” she cried. “That’s cheating. I can’t believe you did that.” She looked down at the bracelet. “It’s beautiful. No-one’s ever bought me anything like it.” When she turned her face to his, her eyes were shimmering. “I feel as though I should give it back. It’s not right.”

“Give it back?” He took her hand in his, as he had at the ball, and brought it to rest on his knee. “Now what would I do with it?” He smiled, pleased he had been able to give her so much pleasure. Her fingers tightened in his, and she dropped her eyes, pretending to examine the bracelet, but he sensed something was wrong. He increased the pressure on her hand unconsciously.

“Why would it not be right?” he asked quietly. “I can’t remember when I enjoyed an evening more. I like being with you.”

She gripped his fingers, her head still bent, and spent the rest of the journey running the fingers of her other hand over the bracelet. Kurt leaned back against the seat. The vinyl was cold on his skin through the thin cotton shirt. He barely noticed the discomfort, intent on Penny’s profile. Her features gave nothing away. She was so lost in thought that when their cab finally pulled up outside her house, she raised her head with a start.

Kurt asked the driver to wait whilst he accompanied her up the short walk to the front door. The night was dark, cold, and still around them. When they reached the top of the path, she turned, sliding his jacket from her shoulders.

“Thanks for the jacket. And thank you for the bracelet. It’s been a lovely evening.”

“Yes, it has. A lovely evening.”

He reached to take the jacket from her, intending to kiss her cheek as he had done once before. But then the tilt of her uplifted face, her parted lips close to his, and the nearness of her naked shoulders filled his senses, and his hand moved to touch the smooth skin of her cheek. When her face turned into his palm, he pulled her forward slowly, and then her lips were under his at last, soft and warm as he knew they would be. He moved both arms around her and held her to him, feeling her mouth open under his in thrilling invitation. She tilted her head, and he tightened his arms around her. Her lips, sweet as plums, were like a drug to his senses. When he finally released her, her eyes were wide open, gazing up at him, dark like the night around them. He ran a finger down her neck and to her breastbone, following the trail of it with his gaze.

“All evening…” His voice drifted away as he followed the line of his finger down her cool skin. He lifted his eyes to hers. “I’ve been thinking of this all evening.” His mouth found hers again, and he kissed her harder. She uttered a soft moan, and he tried to draw back, but the desire he had held in check for so long caught him in its grip. With an effort, he lifted his head. She shivered, bereft of the warmth of his arms around her, and he caught her face in his hand.

“I don’t want to leave you,” he said tightly. She didn’t move. Her eyes were on his, dark and serious. “I’ll see you tomorrow, okay?” he urged. “You’ll come?”

He searched her face, and when she nodded, he gave a small smile.

“See you tomorrow,” she said. Her voice was hardly a whisper. And then she reached up and kissed his mouth gently, and the flame leapt up again and raged within him. She stepped back, twisted the knob on the door to open it, and was gone.

* * * *

The house was silent when Penny entered. Her grandfather had left a light on in the hallway, but the rest of the house was in darkness. He would be in his room, she thought, either sleeping or retired to bed. He would want to leave her some privacy.

One day you’ll find the man who truly loves you. And sooner than you think.
She remembered his words and the smile that accompanied them, and she closed her eyes. She leaned back against the front door and wrapped her arms around her burning body.

Kurt had given her roses. He overheard her say she liked the diamond bracelet, and he had gone out of his way to grant her wish. And he’d kissed her. He’d seen her home and kissed her goodnight on her doorstep. She hugged herself. For a man who declared himself an enemy of romance, he wasn’t doing badly. Then a small voice of doubt spoke in her head, and her eyes flew open. She stared down the hallway, and a cold feeling seeped into the pit of her stomach. What if her dreams were running away with her? Maybe tomorrow, in the cold light of day, Kurt would come to his senses and realise Penny Rosas just wasn’t the type of woman for him. Perhaps he’d think ending their evening by kissing her was a big mistake. She gripped her fingers together, assailed by terrible fear. She knew she was in love, all right. But she had no idea of Kurt’s feelings. No idea at all.

She continued to stare straight ahead for several minutes. Finally, she summoned the will to pull herself upright and away from the door. Her eyes fell on the bouquet of white roses which her grandfather had placed in a vase on the hall table. Kurt brought her roses. Not tulips or any other flower this time but roses. Surely that had to mean something?

Before the ball, and before Kurt’s kiss, Penny had resolved that tomorrow would be their final meeting. Now the perfume of the flowers filled her mind with an almost unbearable sense of hope. She moved a finger over the opening blooms, and a couple of petals drifted to the floor, as fragile as the hope that filled her.

Suddenly, and with a sick sense of anxiety, she remembered Kurt had still to see the bedroom she created for him. If he hadn’t guessed at the depth of her feelings when she kissed him, he surely would when he saw the passionate transformation she had made of that room. She had thrown all of herself into that space, leaving no neutrality and no doubt as to her feelings.

And she knew then with certainty that the next day would decide everything.

* * * *

Penny let herself in Kurt’s front door to be met with the surprising aroma of freshly ground coffee. She made her way to the kitchen. A jug of coffee was bubbling on the range, and Kurt was hunkered down by the oven door, feeding small chunks of wood on the fire. He straightened at the sound of her footsteps, and a heart-stopping smile lit his face.

“Hey,” he said. “Sleep well?”

He looked fresh and rested, and his eyes were filled with such warmth, all her previous anxiety melted away in a spine-tingling, flooding glow. She began to answer his question with an automatic yes and then stopped and shook her head.

“Actually, no,” she said honestly. “I didn’t sleep too well. I was thinking too much.”

He took a few steps across the room. At first glance, she had thought he looked rested, but as he neared her, Penny could see there were faint shadows under his eyes. He stood in front of her, and she caught his familiar aroma, like the skin on fresh apples.

“I’ve been thinking, too,” he said. He took a slow step nearer. “And one of the things that kept me awake was thinking how much I liked kissing you. And how much I wanted to kiss you again.”

He lifted a hand to her face. This time when his lips met hers, she could sense the urgency of his kiss in the tightening of his arms around her. She pressed herself to him, giving herself up to the luxury of his hard embrace with a fierce, tight joy. For a long while, she clung to him until Kurt broke their kiss gently, lifting his head and pressing his forehead to hers.

“Come and sit for a while, and we can talk,” he said softly. “I made you some real coffee. Real Wyoming coffee, that is. Good for people who’ve had sleepless nights.”

He turned to the oak table and pulled out a chair for her. “And I bought us some bacon and eggs.” He smiled. “A real Wyoming breakfast. See, you’ve made me feel at home here already.”

He went to a cupboard to get them both a couple of mugs.

“Have you looked round the rest of the house yet?” Penny asked anxiously.

“No, not yet.” He turned, mugs in hand. “I was waiting for you.”

Penny didn’t know whether to be glad or sorry. On the one hand, she wanted very much to be there to see Kurt’s reaction when he walked into his bedroom. On the other, she knew the room itself would reveal everything about how she felt for him, and the thought terrified her.