still frowning when he looks up with a sigh. ‘He’s an employee, not a recruit, so you won’t see him in class. But he’s an illiterate. He’s a keen mechanic so Freda lets him work in the garage. But he’s not capable of writing this.’
I stare at him. ‘But the motorcycle yesterday – that must have been him.’
He’s still frowning as we turn and walk slowly up the beach. ‘Must it? You saw him when we got back to the complex. Freda said he’d been there all afternoon. And those engines were cold – we felt them all. If he used a bike it wasn’t one of those. And why should he take another? He’d no way of knowing we’d turn back and ask. Anyway, Freda said –’
‘Freda? She said what?’
My fury must show in my face. His instantly contracts. ‘For fuck’s sake, Ella, will you –’
He breaks off as the boom comes again, fainter now but still terrifying in the rapidly dissolving mist.
I feel my blood chill. ‘What is that? Chet thinks it’s a troll. That’s what scared him.’
Darnley eyes me, his eyebrow arched faintly. ‘And you a teacher? You’ll be telling me you believe in fairies next. There’s a cave just round the headland. You can’t see it from here. You can only get there by boat. At high tide the waves set up an echo.’
He glances at his watch. ‘It was high tide about twenty minutes ago. So by now the sound should be easing off a little.’
I frown. ‘But surely the tide’s up roughly twice a day round here? So why haven’t I heard it before?’
He shrugs. ‘How do I know? Maybe the conditions vary. Maybe it depends on the wind or the height of the waves.’ He nuzzles against me, his hand reaching down to fondle my butt. ‘Maybe you should go ask the cave troll.’
I laugh, feeling happy and safe now.
Much later I realise I forgot to tell him about the seaweed on my boat. But by then we’re so busy it hardly seems to matter any more …
Later Darnley assures me he’s had a word with Freda and Chet is grounded for a while. I’m glad to hear it, but I wish he left out the part about Freda.
* * *
Next morning, I tune into the news again as I bolt my cereal. The sex attacker’s still in the area, the day’s set to be unusually warm and sunny for the time of year and high tide’s expected around noon.
Darnley’s busy over at the complex today, and it’s my last day of freedom before I start work with my new students and meet some of my colleagues. I’ve made what preparations I can. Brushed up on some stuff about more obscure special needs. But today’s a lovely, sunny day and I have plans. I’m going to make the most of my new present and try out my beautiful little boat.
Plus I’m going to hunt some troll.
My thoughts are interrupted by the sound of a motorcycle in the distance. I stiffen for a second, then make myself relax. Motorcycles are everywhere around here – but not last night, thank goodness. We slept in peace.
When we eventually did sleep.
I sip my coffee and grin. When I woke up in the small hours Darnley’s arms and legs were wound tightly around me, his twitching ramrod jutting deliberately against my derrière. Sometimes when he does this I’m too sleepy to do much more than lean back to fondle him and guide him inside. But this time I spun round and slipped my leg underneath him, so he fitted nicely into the soft flesh of my thigh, and I wound my other leg over him, trapping him by the waist.
‘You want to fuck? Fuck me then – but there’s a price, Mr Neglectful Fiancé.’
His breath was hot on my neck. ‘Oh, yeah?’
I smirked into the darkness as I plotted my revenge. I was still smarting from yesterday’s humiliations in my new boat and later at the complex where I had to meet the people he wants me to teach, for Chrissakes.
‘I want to come three times,’ I murmured sweetly. ‘And unless I do I’ll wake you up early in the morning and you’ll arrange it then.’
He stiffened in my arms, his business centre glowing warm and hard between my legs as I moved against him, thrilling to the feel of his muscles flexing between my thighs, and the glow from his leaping manhood as it made an instant response.
‘And how do you suggest I manage that?’ He whispered low, his lips barely moving on my skin. ‘Any ideas?’
I giggle, warm and dozy in his arms as he stiffens again. ‘Nope,’ I murmur, sleepily. ‘I’ll leave all the technical stuff up to you.’
Whoa.
With a surge of power he pulled away from my loving grip, hauled off the quilt and switched on the lamp. In the low light he crouched over me, his eyes blazing, his long mouth etched in a cruel smile. A sardonic twitch at one corner warned me, too late, that he’d been lying in wait.
I’d unleashed something wild, possibly dangerous.
His tone was low and menacing. ‘Do I understand you’re dishing out orders, Miss Dean? In my own house? I should warn you, Mr so-called Neglectful Fiancé has pretty strong ideas about that. Get up on your hands and knees. Now.’
Scared now, and waking up fast, I hurried to obey. The power tool jutting between his legs was already dark, reddish purple, the head glossy and slick. It twitched as I looked longingly at it, mocking me now it was out of reach.
But that big, and that hot? He must be close.
But as he lovingly patted my limbs into position I saw I’d missed a trick – I was in for a spanking. And the gleam in his eyes hinted that we’d not done it like this in a while. He’d been waiting to pounce.
Pounce he did, with a ferocious slap on my rear that almost jerked me flat. His hand landed again and again. He knelt beside me, the heat of his tense, muscular thighs burning into my side as he swung his arm. The jolts jerked me hard into the pillows and muffled my cries.
Each blow fanned a hot flame of arousal deep my groin. Each flame tingled in my throbbing little centre, pulsing for release.
‘How many orgasms did milady order? Three, was it?’
His low growl almost made me come on the spot as the blows paused and he swooped down to fondle my glowing, burning rear with a cool, loving hand. ‘First one coming right up.’
I writhed as his fingers searched out my money-spot and made short work of my resistance. The glow that started at the first slap on my backside now erupted into a blast of heat as he pressed home, his rhythmic fingers working me to frenzy. I convulsed around his hand, panting with pleasure and release.
I had precious little time to savour it.
‘Sit up.’ The calm in his eyes warned me we were on Wolfe Time now. This could get serious.
‘Taste it, right at the end.’ His low murmur fell somewhere between a purr and a threat. Instant desire pulsed through me. I
