Chapter Twenty-Three

Izzy

Hal proves impossible to resist in the shower, and in the end we are late getting to work. From the smirks that greet us as we roll in, I can tell everyone’s guessed what we’ve been up to.

“Shut up,” I say to Em before she has the chance to say anything.

She just grins. “I’ve never seen you like this before, that’s all. It’s nice.”

“It’s making me inefficient.” I have lots of work to do before I see my first patient, and I’m on call for the Animal Welfare Team today.

“It’s making you happy. That’s a good thing, Izzy, don’t knock it.” Em declares she’s going to get me a coffee and goes off, and I sit at my desk in the corner of the room and turn my laptop on.

While I wait for it to boot up, my mind drifts.

I am happy. I really am. When I think of making love with Hal, I glow inside.

But it’s quickly countered when I think about the second email from Rosie. Then I feel as if I’ve eaten a tray of ice cubes.

This morning’s email was longer.

You’re a cold, frigid bitch. You think you can keep him interested? You think you can satisfy him in bed? He gets bored quickly, does Hal. Do you let him tie you up? He likes that. Do you scream when you come? He likes that, too. He has a violent streak. Have you discovered that? Probably not, yet. Don’t worry—he’ll get there eventually. Just make sure you have the arnica cream handy.

Arnica cream is used on bruises. The thought makes me feel sick.

I don’t want to believe her. Hal, violent? I want to laugh. But equally I know I’m only just starting to uncover the depth of his passion. I’ve already teased him that he’s an animal in bed. What if that passion turns to something I don’t like?

I moved the email to spam, so I won’t be getting any more, but it’s done its job. My stomach feels uneasy. But I’m determined not to give Rosie power over me. I’m not going to let her spiteful words influence my relationship with my best friend.

The issues I have with Hal aren’t connected with Rosie. They’re to do with the fact that I’m convinced our relationship cannot have a happy ending.

I think back to Hal’s announcement this morning of Noah’s proposal. Of course, Hal must take it. He’d be fantastic at spearheading the creation of the new Ark. He’s modest about his business talents but he has an excellent understanding of the practical side of things and he’d have no trouble overseeing the project. It would be a shame that he’d have less time in the surgery, though. His affinity with animals is the driving force behind everything he’s done here, and in that sense, he’d be wasted behind a desk because he truly has a talent to calm creatures, especially dogs.

It’s a great opportunity for him. And I suppose if I went with him, I’d be part of that. I could help with setting up the new veterinary center, and with organizing the branch’s Animal Welfare Team. We could work together in bringing the place to life.

It would be an adventure, but it’s kind of come at the wrong time for me. I’m not looking for adventure. I’m excited about the notion of being half of a couple, of maybe moving in with Hal, of settling down. And he mentioned children… I thought that would never happen for me. I just couldn’t envisage it. And now he’s opened up the possibility of a family, and I feel a new lease of life I haven’t experienced before.

But I’m nearly thirty. I couldn’t join him in this new venture and expect to start a family immediately. There’d be no time for babies. I’d have to put it off by, say, five years, and although women do have children at thirty-five and older, I’m not sure I want to do that.

And of course, there’s the biggest issue. That I might make the move across the country, leave behind the job I love so much and the friends I’ve made, and then Hal and I might not work out. He’s convinced we’ll be together forever, but I can’t believe I’m going to be exciting enough to keep him. I can’t help but let Rosie’s words influence me. I’m a novelty, that’s all. He’s enjoying the idea of introducing me to sex, and he feels comfortable with me, which he needs right now. But he might not need that down the line.

There are never any guarantees in love, and there’s always a risk involved. I get that. But I don’t know if I’m prepared to take it. The odds aren’t good enough for me to lay down this bet.

Em comes back in with my coffee, and I thank her and turn my attention to my laptop before I start bawling my eyes out. I’m not going to think about the end when I’ve only just gotten him. Right now, I have Hal, and it’s amazing. I’m not going to spoil that.

*

The next week is nonstop busy. On Monday Hal gets caught up with some business with Leon and Albie, so I end up going out on call for the Welfare Unit with Stefan, and I do the same again on Thursday. Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday are flat out in the surgery. Hal and I barely have a minute to ourselves, but even so we manage to catch time for a coffee or a snatched bit of lunch together.

And in the evenings… ohhh… the evenings. Yes, there’s sex, and it’s full-on, breathtaking, no-holds-barred sort of sex, at least I think it is, not having had any experience. But it’s nothing like the sex I’ve heard friends of mine complain about in the past, where the guy has his way and then rolls over and goes to sleep. True, Hal has a tendency to doze off afterward, but then I’m not surprised considering the amount of energy he expends on the act itself. His passion is like a supernova, burning so bright I’m surprised I’m not burned to a crisp. His thirst for me seems unquenchable, because no matter how many times we sleep together, within hours he’s reaching for me again. I’m flattered and humbled and, to be honest, exhausted, but it’s certainly not a complaint. I feel gleeful that I have this man all to myself, because he’s the handsomest, sexiest, most gorgeous guy on earth. How can I have been this lucky?

On Friday, it gets to two p.m., and I look up from sewing up a cat after removing a lump on its back to see Hal standing in the doorway, watching me. He does this a lot. Em and the others have gotten used to him now, and they think it’s funny the way I always blush when I see him there.

“Hey.” I flash him a smile, then finish sewing up the cat. “You okay?”

“Yeah. How long?”

“I’m done.” I cut the thread, inspect the wound, and nod to Em that she can take her to the hotel. “Why, what do you need?”

“No prizes for guessing,” Em says, taking the cat and giving us a wry look.

Hal grins. “Actually I know you haven’t eaten and I thought you might want some lunch.” He holds up a cool bag.

“Oh!” I smile. “You’ve made a picnic.”

“I have. Stefan said he can spare us for a while, if you have the time?”

“Sure.” I’m more than happy to take a break, and both Summer and Clio are in the surgery at the moment so they can cover us. I wash my hands, gather my sunglasses and hat, and take Hal’s hand as we head outside.

Wow, it’s a hot day. This is the most humid time of the year, and the air feels heavy, the grass and leaves on the trees barely stirring. Hal leads me across the square, and we take the path around the paddocks, although instead of turning at the end toward Hector’s field Hal leads me left onto the path across the cliffs. The sea is an amazing azure color today, reflecting the cloudless sky.

“I don’t like to see you not eating,” Hal says, gesturing at a pohutukawa tree a little way from the cliff’s edge.

“I just forget half the time.” I follow him there, and smile as I see he’s brought a blanket, which he rolls out on the ground in the shade.

“I can’t imagine forgetting to eat.” He sits and opens the cool bag. I peer in and exclaim in delight. There are mini salad rolls, potato and pasta salad from the deli down the road, a tray of strawberries, and a bar of chocolate, kept cold on two ice blocks. “I didn’t bring wine as we’re working,” he says, and takes out a bottle of sparkling cherry-flavored water. It’s icy cold, and when he pours it into two plastic wine glasses, I drink it thirstily.

“You’ve made a real effort,” I tell him, taking a salad roll and having a bite. “What’s it in aid of?”

“Can’t I just want to feed my uber-thin girlfriend?”

“Mmm, probably not. Are you trying to get in my panties?”

He grins. “Maybe.”

I lean forward and give him a long kiss. “You don’t have to make me lunch to do that.” I open the potato salad and try a forkful. “You pretty much have an open ticket to those.”

He finishes off a roll and licks his fingers, his eyes on mine. “That’s the nicest thing you’ve ever said to me.”

I laugh and look out to sea. “What a glorious day. The weather’s been amazing.”

“It couldn’t be anything but, the way I’m feeling at the moment.”

I look back at him. His eyes are clear and honest. “Aw,” I tell him. “Have you got your soppy pants on?”

“I mean it, Izz. I’m so happy right now.”

I glow inside, even though I know it’s probably just the newness of the relationship that’s making him say that. He was happy with Rosie in the beginning. Who’s to say his feelings for me won’t fade in the same way?

“Don’t be sad.” He frowns and reaches up a hand to caress my cheek. “Why do you always look sad when I tell you how I feel about you?”

“I don’t.”

“Yes, you do. You still don’t believe me, do you?”

I hesitate long enough to let him know he’s right. “You’re the sun,” I tell him when he gives a long sigh. “And I’m just a meteorite flying past. I’m blazing brightly at the moment, but nothing lasts forever, Hal.”

“I’m hurt that you think I’m so shallow.” He says it quietly.

“But when you were with Rosie—”

“That was completely different.” He doesn’t like talking about her. “I didn’t know her, and when I did get to know her, I didn’t like the person she was. I’ve known you for eighteen years. I’ve loved you for eighteen years. Why can’t you see the difference?”

I don’t know what to say to that.

He studies me for a moment. His eyelids lower, and his eyes go dark, despite the brightness of the sun. I feel a touch of wariness. I know that look. He’s thinking about sex.

“Come here,” he says.

I don’t move, so he picks up my hand and tugs it, taking me by surprise. I lose my balance and fall onto my elbow, and he rolls me onto my back.

He moves up close, throwing an arm across my waist to stop me rising. Then he starts to unbutton my shirt. It’s white and long-sleeved, buttoned to the neck, and he gets to my bra before I put a hand on top of his, stopping him.

“We’re in public,” I remind him.

He looks around. “I’m sure the hordes of people won’t mind.”

“That’s not the point.”

“It’s totally the point. Nobody comes this way. Lie still.”

“Hal!”

He ignores me and undoes the rest of my buttons. I’ve stopped trying to cover myself up in front of him. My scars don’t seem to bother him at all, and if I do try to keep clothing on, he just protests that he can’t get to my breasts and that he really, really likes my breasts, and I’m being mean. I can’t be bothered to argue with him, and I figure if he didn’t like the scars, he’d want to cover them up, so I let him have his way.

Today, though, I feel exposed, lying here in broad daylight with the sea breeze, such as it is, whispering across my skin. But Hal obviously doesn’t care. While I’m lying there with my shirt open, he reaches into the cool bag and retrieves the strawberries. He pops the lid, takes one out, and offers it to me, and I take a bite of the rich red fruit, flooding my mouth with sweetness. I wait for him to eat the other half, but instead he places it on a plate and returns to my shirt. Pushing the two sides apart, he takes one cup of my bra and pulls it down, exposing my breast.

“Jesus, Hal!”

“Don’t move,” he demands, and I stop at his hot gaze and lie back down, my heart hammering as he picks up the strawberry. He rubs the half-eaten end over one nipple, then bends his head and covers it with his mouth.

“Ohhh…” My lips part in a sigh as desire shoots through me. Whenever he does this it’s like lighting a sparkler inside me that fizzes and shoots sparks all the way through my body.

“Mmm.” He does it again, then exposes the other breast and does the same to that nipple. I give up trying to protest because it’s too blissful, and instead I close my eyes and let him do what he wants to me.

“The best thing about today,” he says after a while, “is that you’re wearing a skirt.”

I’d forgotten that. After our first date when I wore my one and only skirt, Hal told me I had great legs and should wear them more often, so I went out and bought myself two more. They’re less practical than trousers, but I admit it’s a nice change.

Also, it’s easy access for him. I didn’t think of that, but Hal obviously has.

He places his hand on my knee and slides it up, and I inhale as his warm hand caresses my thigh before he covers my mound. He doesn’t attempt to slide beneath my panties at this point; instead, he strokes lightly between my legs over the cotton panties, and I shudder in response.

“Remember me telling you about edging?” he murmurs. “Let’s see if we can get you a nice, strong orgasm.”

“We should get back,” I say weakly, but he just snorts.

“Knowing you, it’ll only take five minutes.” He bends his head back to my breast.

It’s true; it doesn’t take him long to arouse me. I’ve never thought about it before; when I’ve been on my own it’s only ever taken me five or ten minutes at most to come, but he seems to think that’s unusual.

He presses on my clit through the cotton, and I drift away, listening to the sea and feeling the warm breeze on my breasts as he teases my nipples with his tongue. I should have put some music on, I think hazily. I wonder whether he’ll slide inside me, or if I should go down on him afterward. I did that for the first time the other night. That was an experience I will never forget; his deep groans, the way he held my head as he thrust between my lips, the sensation of him coming in my mouth. I liked the smell and the taste. It turned me on. Oh yes, I’d like to do that again.

But Hal has other ideas, it seems; he strokes me until an orgasm begins to build, then stops and has a drink while I pant and have to fight not to touch myself. He feeds me a strawberry and tells me to stop glaring at him, then starts all over again, arousing me to the edge before moving back and giving me a smug smile as I shudder and moan and beg him to take me.

Only when I can only take a few strokes before reaching that plateau of pleasure does he finally rise and move between my legs. “This is going to be quick and hard,” he promises, sending a thrill through me. “Get ready.” He unzips his cargo shorts, rolls on a condom, positions himself at my entrance, and then thrusts forward. For the first time, I think, since we’ve been together, he slides right inside me with one easy push.

“Victory!” He chuckles and kisses me, hard, and I realize from those words that this is what he wanted—he knew that by getting me so aroused, I’d finally relax and take him easily.

He does as he promised, thrusting fast from the start, and I come almost immediately. Oohhh, it’s a powerful orgasm, and I clench around him, forgetting myself and crying out into the summer day. Hal just pulls my legs higher around my waist and thrusts faster, and then he’s coming too—Jesus, the two of us must only have taken a couple of minutes. I forget that turning me on turns him on. He groans and buries his face in my neck, and I enjoy the delicious aftershocks of my climax, giving deep, heartfelt sighs as my thundering pulse gradually slows.

I let my head fall to the side and open my eyes, and breath catches in my throat.

Someone’s standing about ten feet away.

“Hal. Hal!” I bang him on the shoulder. He lifts his head and blinks at me. “Get off,” I say frantically. Frowning, he follows my gaze over his shoulder, curses, and withdraws. Hastily I stuff my breasts back in my bra and sit up, getting my first proper glimpse of our voyeur.

It’s Rosie.