AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Freddy’s lips curve into a slow, sexy smile. “Let me remind you then.” He pulls me back in for another scorching kiss and the burn flaming over my body intensifies with every moment he holds me close.
I won’t be able to walk soon.
“Come,” he says, his voice deliciously low. “Let’s go for that walk.”
Once we’ve wrapped up, we walk the couple of streets to the beach. It’s deserted, just a few dog walkers and crazy Jack Russell’s running along the sand. The tide is rolling up the sand, churning the murky depths into a scummy froth. With our fingers linked and our hands swinging, we amble along making small talk. I’m pleased to be out in the freezing air as it’s helping to cool down the crazy heat I felt in the house. I need to get a handle on that. I mean, I don’t even know if he wants us to go there yet.
One.
The word taunts me again and I so want to ask for more details, but I know if he wanted to tell me what he was waiting for then he would. Instead, I ask about his mum. I just blurt it out. “So tell me about your mum.”
Freddy’s steps falter, but he soon recovers and matches his pace to my own, his long legs somehow shortening their stride to my short, stubby ones. “There’s not much to say. She got cancer, we all thought she’d beaten it, and then six months later we were told she had three months to live.” His eyes turn to the tide, and I ease him to a stop with my fingers, planting myself in front of him. His eyes storm over the grey sea, his generous mouth set in a determined line.
“I’m sorry, Freddy,” I say, although it’s nothing close to what I want to say, or do, which is to absorb all his hurt and heart pain, so he forgets such darkness exists.
His eyes shift and focus on me. “My dad didn’t take it well. The thought of losing her drove him crazy. It broke her heart in the end, watching him tear himself into bits at the thought of life without her.”
I have nothing to say, so instead of saying anything substandard I just hold his hands and wait for him to continue. When he does, he holds eye contact with me. “It made me realise I wanted to find a love I would live for. A love that would consume me. A love I would question I could survive without.”
Still have nothing to say, at all.
He carries on anyway. “My brothers have gone the opposite way, neither of them give a shit about relationships, or family. Hell, Grant isn’t even here, let alone thinking about family.”
“Where is he?”
“Last I heard he was in Australia. And Henry, well, you met him. He just struts about being an arse, pretending not to feel anything. Pretending not to see the state dad is in.”
“But Henry works at the garage?” Dickwad in his suit must do something.
“Well, yes and no. He does sales but really that’s his way of trying to keep his inheritance intact without admitting he knows jack about cars and fuck all about driving.”
“But you do?” I know he does, but I want him to tell me how deep his level of commitment to that firm goes. Deeper than family. A career he wants to do for himself, nobody else.
“Yeah, I know about cars. I was sharp at school, aced everything, and yes, I know I sound like a twat, but it was cars I loved. I took my first engine apart when I was eight. Of course, I couldn’t put it back together again, and Dad was as mad as shit when he found out.” He laughs at the memory, his eyes still dancing despite the heaviness in the air between us.
“And the driving?” I’m still not comfortable with the beautiful boy standing in front of me driving at high speeds around racetracks.
“It was the next logical step.”
“Logical? Are you crazy?”
Freddy leans down and graces me with a lingering kiss. “About you, yes.”
“Bah! You softy.” I laugh, but really, I’m glowing inside. My anticipation of the next few hours increases tenfold in the pit of my stomach. I grasp the wool lapel of his winter coat in my fingers and tug him closer.
“Well, you know.” He laughs with his words. “I hope one day I will find that love I’m looking for. Guess I’ll just have to keep searching.” He raises his voice and calls out to the sea, shouting over the top of my head. “She’s not here. She must be out there somewhere.”
“Come on, special one. Let’s go and eat, I’m starving.” It was the next step in his plan for the day, which means fire comes next. A flicker of flame kindles in my stomach as I slip my hand into his. The thought of what comes after fire creates a turmoil of scorching anticipation and fearful trepidation, as we make our back over the sand to our temporary home for the next two days.
