Roberta hugged Bob’s mother goodbye and thanked her for the tenth time. “Thank you for inviting me to your home and for such a delicious meal.”
“You’re welcome. Come any time. You fit in with this noisy crowd too easily.”
Roberta felt at home around Bob’s family. They shared the same food culture and joy for life as her extended family. Lots of eating, talking and laughing. To be heard over everyone else, you learnt from a young age to speak louder. This was a skill Roberta had fine-tuned over the years.
She turned to Bob, who’d remained surprisingly quiet during the meal. Occasionally, she caught him glancing her way. Usually with a lopsided smile or a shake of the head, depending on what his nieces and nephews were talking or laughing about. “Thank you, Bob. Your family are lovely.” She gave him a brief hug too, liking this gentle giant of a man. Reminded of the cruel streak of bad luck that had followed him for most of his life, Roberta found a special spot in her heart for him.
“You’ll have to come over again someday. Mum will insist.”
Roberta chuckled, liking the friendly smile always pasted on Bob’s face. “With your mum’s cooking, don’t be surprised if I turn up every night.”
Bob shrugged. “Happens all the time, so she wouldn’t even bat an eyelid. I’m sure Mum feeds half the neighbourhood. If it’s not the homemade salami everyone wants to sample, it’s her legendary bolognaise sauce to die for.”
“I’m not surprised, so thank you again. Now, we better leave so you can all go home, since tomorrow is a workday. See you around, Bob. Oh, and thanks for ringing Mum. Or not.” Roberta grimaced. “She’s been ringing me daily to check I’m okay.”
“She’s probably missing you.”
“Nah, I’m a troublemaker. She’s probably enjoying the peace and quiet. Actually, I think she’s just worried I’ll lose the sapphire before she gets to see it again.”
“Then tell her to come and fetch it for herself. Melbourne’s not that far away.”
Roberta laughed. “I should. Okay, goodbye again.” Roberta gave another little wave to Bob and his parents, making her way over to Nate, who was chatting with some of Bob’s nephews about water skiing.
“Finally ready to leave?” Nate grinned, taking hold of her hand.
“Did Nanna give you a doggy bag?” one of the grandsons joked. “She’ll be worried you won’t be feeding yourself properly.”
Roberta chuckled along with Bob’s nephews. “She did ask, but I kindly refused her offer.” She understood exactly where they were coming from. Bob’s parents weren’t so different from her aunties and uncles. “It was lovely to meet you all.” Roberta thanked the young adults before adding, “Sounds like I’ll be back again before too long.”
“Yep, Nanna’s homemade pasta is hard to refuse.”
Roberta waved goodbye and walked off with Nate. Bob’s family continued to chat on the driveway. They could easily still be there in half an hour saying goodbye. She smiled, understanding how it worked.
Nate squeezed her fingers, leading her to her car. “Are you right to drive back?”
“Yeah, I held back on the wine.”
The drive back to the lake was in comparative silence, broken only by the occasional sigh and the purr of the motor. Only as Roberta turned off the main highway into the road leading to the lake did Nate reach over and place his hand over hers on the gearstick.
Comforting, secure, strong, and with enough warmth to put to rest any thoughts of curling up for a long sleep. His hand dropped away as she sliced down the gears and traversed the speed bumps forcing her to slow down as they approached the car park.
When she parked overlooking the lake, the moon had decided to turn a fabulous night into an enchanting one. Its undistorted reflection rippled gently on the surface of the water, ending in front of the teahouse. The moonlight glinted off countless mirrorlike facets in the small waves and ripples.
“Wow!” Roberta exclaimed.
“I know. Can be special some nights.” Nate opened his door and got out.
Roberta did the same before locking the car and pocketing the key in the back pocket of her jeans.
Nate came up behind her, wrapping his arms around her. “Thanks for being so much fun this week.”
“Same.” She snuggled in closer to his chest, liking how it warmed her back.
Nate touched her neck with his mouth and a shiver travelled along her arms.
“Cold?”
“I doubt it.”
Nate chuckled softly against her skin. “It’s been hard keeping my hands off you.”
Roberta blushed, grateful the night was hiding it. When it turned into an outright fire, the muscles in her stomach clenched. “We’re adults. Do we have to ask anyone for permission?”
Nate groaned as he explored more of her neck with his mouth. “I want you to be certain, that’s all. I’m a crazy, stupid person. When I fall for someone, I always assume it’ll last forever. But I’ve learnt the hard way it doesn’t work that way.”
“Shh, I’ve already figured that out about you.” She turned around and cradled his face in her hands, drawing him closer to her. “I’ve been foolish in the past, too, when it comes to this stuff. Always rushing in too early, but I got that vibe from you very early on. If tonight you’d kissed me goodnight and wished me a good night’s sleep, I wouldn’t have questioned it. I would’ve hated it, but there’s no way I was making the first move.”
“What? Roberta a chicken?” Nate teased, running his hands up and down her arm, making her hyper sensitive everywhere he touched.
“Stop it,” she admonished, grabbing his hands and entwining their fingers.
“Sorry,” he hummed, closing the space between them and deliciously warming the spot where they touched. “It’s not knowing that’ll kill me in the end if I don’t take the risk.”
Nate wrapped his arms around her waist, holding her closer still. They were touching from chest to knees. It was hard to ignore all the signs between them. The perfect lake night, the soft meandering breeze, the burning sensation on every patch of bare skin Nate touched.
“I don’t want to wait for another day,” Nate added, nuzzling her neck and sending tingles to every pore.
“I can’t promise you anything long-term because I suck at it,” she whispered, “but the time feels right.”
If Nate needed permission, this was it. They stumbled down the uneven steps leading to the cottage, not a word needing to be spoken. Heat radiated from her body doing all its usual preparations for what lay ahead. She wasn’t new to this, but she was in unknown territory. Nate was not a man she could discard easily. It frightened her how there were so many uncertainties between them. For God’s sake, she was only temporarily here, but tonight, she was ready for this. They wanted this. Preparing to risk it all, she held onto the hope that one day, their paths would align.
Nate shut the cottage door behind him and led her to his bedroom. Once there, he began stripping off his clothes. This was going to be fast and furious. Roberta didn’t hesitate to remove her jeans, shirt, bra and knickers.
Nate pulled the doona out of the way only seconds before they fell together on his bed. With senses heightened from the drive home, they fell onto each other, mouths burning, hands rubbing along scorched skin, tongues fighting for supremacy.
“Let me get ready. Give me a second.” Nate fumbled in a bedside drawer, coming up with a condom. Roberta took it from him, tore it open and handed it back.
“Get it on fast, Nate. Please,” she begged.
Nate sheathed himself and rolled her onto her back. Roberta raised her knees, opening up to him and groaned. “Now, Nate, please.”
Nate fell to his knees and took a moment to get his breath working again, his chest rippling in time with hers. It was his eyes. Shaded and dark with a reflection of the moonlight coming through the window that pierced hers for an intense moment. “Please don’t regret this.”
“I won’t,” she whispered.
With that promise, he slid inside, opening her up the same way he opened new possibilities between them. Then began a rhythmic thrust lasting only minutes. They were too hyped up. Too aroused for this to drag on for long. The same moment Roberta shattered, Nate moaned in unison with her groans, the earth cracking open where they lay and Roberta falling into its blissful abyss.
When the earth closed again and the room righted itself, Nate flopped down over her. She relished his weight. Could stay this way forever. Never wanted to move.
Nate was the first to do so, leaving her snug on his pillow while he went to the bathroom. When he returned, she gladly allowed him to spoon her, holding her close, holding her heart in his hands. She was all his now.
She might’ve dozed off but couldn’t be sure. The night air carried a cooler chill the later it got, and she snuggled closer, Nate’s hands secured around her waist.
When Nate whispered in her ear, “Would you like to do that all over again, but a lot slower?” her eyes fluttered open, and her heart picked up speed.
“Yes, please,” she whispered back, now certain she had slept. So they did. With infinite care and attention. More time spent on touching. Hushed moans in the dark room. When Nate’s hand idled down and his fingers found the entry, she pushed against them, instigating a rhythmic pulse, wanting so much more.
“Do I need to rummage in your drawer?” she asked, receiving a rumbling laugh in return.
“Nope, took it out earlier before slipping back into bed.”
Roberta chuckled. “So, you were planning this already?”
“You bet. The first time totally blew my mind. I wanted to experience it at least once more tonight.”
“This is nuts, Nate. How can I need this again so soon?”
“I know, right. Is this how it should be?”
“I hope so.” There, all dialogue ended. Nate rolled on another condom, took control of her mouth, and began their second ride. It would remain etched in her mind forever. All previous attempts had been practice runs for the real thing. And this was real because it involved their minds, hearts and bodies. When the earth opened again and swallowed them whole, it left Roberta believing they were the only two humans left on Earth.
If only.