a pavilion decked with fairy lights, and many more birthday guests had arrived. Lauren said hello to an old classmate and his girlfriend in passing, and waved at one of Rachel’s friends who was standing chatting with Chris and Blake.
‘Would you like to dance?’ Tim asked, and his fingers on her paper-thin shirt set her skin on fire. The look in his eyes left no doubt as to how much he was enjoying being close to her.
Without hesitation she grabbed his warm, strong hand and as he closed his fingers around hers, pulled him with her under the glittering sea of fairy lights.
As if the Universe had been listening, the music switched to a Whitney Houston ballad. The sound of the music enveloped her as Tim led her through their first turn. She was not the world’s greatest dancer, and so she allowed Tim to take the lead. His hands were on his hips, and he smiled a tender smile.
‘Nice party,’ he whispered. ‘Thanks for inviting me.’ His eyes wandered from her face to her cleavage, and he pulled her a little closer still.
Every fibre of her being was electrified. She enjoyed his touch. He had an even nicer body than she’d imagined. At the diner he had told her that he liked to play hockey, and she had no idea what hockey training did to a body. Up until now, she hadn’t really noticed his muscular arms and broad chest, but now that she was letting her finger tips wander over the back of his neck and her body was brushing against his with every turn that they made, she felt the urge to find out what he looked like naked.
‘What if . . . what if I . . .’
Lauren bit her lip bashfully, and leaned with her forehead against his shoulder.
‘What if you what?’ He kissed her neck.
She looked into his blue eyes, and they seemed to pierce her heart like an arrow.
‘What if I were to ask you to . . . to stay around for a little while after the party?’
Tim grabbed her butt, and Lauren felt a pleasurable tremble in the pit of her stomach. This guy was hot, real hot, and goddammit, she wanted more. She wasn’t the easy kind, but never before had she felt so drawn to someone.
She could barely breathe for fear of what he might say.
‘Maybe I would stay . . . if you were to ask me,’ he answered provocatively.
Lauren’s stomach rolled. The star-lit sky had put on its best, sparkling gown for the two of them, and the chill of the night meant nothing when she was in Tim’s arms. His scent engulfed her and, as she was getting lost in his eyes, the world around them stopped.
‘Stay with me tonight,’ she breathed, standing up on tiptoes to kiss him. He returned her kiss, passionately.
‘I just hope your dad doesn’t bring you breakfast in bed,’ he whispered against her lips, then he lifted her up and pulled her body fully against his during the next turn.
Lauren closed her eyes and gave in to his kiss.
There was only one thought on her mind: when would the other guests finally leave?
* * *
Everyone around the bonfire listened intently to the stories of happy days past. It was almost as if they were re-living the events of that night, and everyone’s feelings were made so much more intense with the knowledge of what was to follow the next morning. The shared memory conjured up images as vibrant as life itself. They all had goose bumps, and not from the cold. The morning was drawing closer and closer and when it came it would mean it was time to say goodbye.
‘You turned my life upside down, Lauren. All I wanted was be close to you. And there isn’t going to be a single day in my life that I don’t want to be with you,’ Tim whispered, his voice breaking.
The pain in his blue eyes made it difficult for everyone else to keep their composure. It was hard, so hard, to keep their promise and not shed a single tear tonight.
‘Shh, don’t say that. You’re only making it harder for all of us,’ Lauren reminded him, placing a comforting hand against his cheek.
He swallowed hard and turned his eyes to the star-lit night sky above. An owl’s lonely cry sounded like his heart desperately screaming for a miracle, and the crackling of the burning logs sounded like his heart breaking. He could feel his happiness disappearing into the sky.
‘No matter what I say, I couldn’t possibly make it harder than it already is,’ he muttered, tormented with pain.
The Night at the Lake House
Lauren felt a little self-conscious as she walked hand in hand with Tim across the sandy beach and over to the lake house. She shivered in the absence of the torches that had spread a blanket of flickering warmth over the yard. Normally, she was never this bold, but she was determined to take charge of her own happiness.
‘Are you all right?’ Tim asked and stopped walking. He must have noticed Lauren shivering. ‘If you would rather I left, I’ll . . .’
‘No!’ Lauren almost startled herself with the sharpness of her objection. ‘No, I don’t want you to leave. I just don’t know if you’re going to like the lake house,’ she admitted, feeling uncertain. ‘It’s not in the greatest of shape, but . . . but I often spend the night in there. There’s a certain kind of magic to it . . . Plus, nobody’s going to disturb us there.’
She could tell Tim was smiling a sensual smile, even in the pale twilight, and heard him chuckle quietly.
He pulled her into his arms.
‘Nobody disturbing us? In that case I’m going to love it!’ he assured her, raising her up as if she weighed nothing, his hands firmly under her butt. She wrapped her legs around his hips and held onto his strong shoulders as he carried her the final few yards to the house.
Dark honeysuckle twined its way up the porch pillar and all the way up to the gable windows on the upper floor, inviting the two of them to spend time beneath its green canopy.
‘And here I was, hoping you were here for me,’ Lauren giggled, ducking her head under the twigs that were hanging down from above.
‘Don’t worry, Lauren, I am!’ He pinched her butt before he allowed her to slide down his body. Only reluctantly did he let go of her so that she could grab the key from under the entrance mat.
‘Secret hiding place,’ she whispered, then unlocked the door and entered. A band of moonlight was spilling in through the lattice windows, bathing the old furniture, the walls decorated with wide, flowery stencils, and the white-varnished floors in a soft, silvery shine. Stepping into the streak of light, she waited with a pounding heart and threw all caution to the wind. He would just have to take her as she was: not quite perfect. Boldly, she pulled her T-shirt over her head and let it slip to the floor. The move made her feel sexy and a little naughty, too. She hoped he wouldn’t be put off by her directness.
But her worries were unfounded. Tim entered the room slowly. He closed the door behind him, and drew her closer. Taking her face into his hands, he kissed her gently. Then he let his fingers slide down her neck and ran his hands over her shoulders and down her arms. His touch made her shiver. She leaned into him and pushed her hands under his T-shirt. His belly was taut, and his skin emitted an intense heat
