Dion’s parents were already present when Toni and her parents arrived at the Happy Palace’s private dining room.
“Happy birthday.” Aunt Queenie swooped in and hugged Toni before pressing a gift into her hands. “This is for you, from your Uncle Kai and me.”
Uncle Kai patted her shoulder and smiled as she thanked them both. She hadn’t expected a birthday present from them, and when she unwrapped a silver bracelet she was even more surprised. The simple yet elegant piece of jewellery wasn’t something she could envisage Aunt Queenie – who loved her gold, jade, and pearls, preferably all in the same piece of jewellery – choosing.
“Oh, it’s gorgeous,” Toni said as she slipped on the bracelet and showed it to her parents.
Aunt Queenie beamed at her. “You like it? Dion help me pick it out last week. He knows what you like better than anyone.”
“He does.” Toni’s cheeks warmed. Hell, she hadn’t realised it would be this awkward, chatting to Dion’s mum and dad as if nothing unusual had happened. She’d slept with their son last night. Did they know that? She was willing to bet they didn’t, or she was sure they’d be looking at her differently. And she was convinced her parents wouldn’t have told them anything. It wasn’t the kind of news they’d like to share with their oldest and closest friends.
Pearl lifted Toni’s hand to examine the bracelet more closely. “Very nice.” She nodded with approval.
Uncle Kai was muttering with Toni’s dad. “Maybe I should check the kitchen,” he said.
Shen restrained his friend. “No, Dion can manage on his own.”
Uncle Kai continued to frown. “I just want to help him.”
“Wait until he asks first.”
“But he–”
Aunt Queenie rounded on her husband. “Not again. Why can’t you leave Dion alone?”
Uncle Kai huffed and tugged at the cuffs of his shirt. “He needs–”
“He needs you to trust him.” His wife pressed her lips together, looking uncharacteristically determined.
Before anyone could speak, footsteps sounded on the stairs, and Dion appeared, spruce in his chef’s jacket and black trousers, his demeanour smooth and collected.
“Evening everyone.” His gaze wandered around the room, passing over Toni without a flicker. “Why aren’t you seated yet? Dinner is about to be served.”
There was a general movement towards the table. When everyone was seated, Dion remained standing between his parents’ chairs.
“Dion.” His mother plucked at his sleeve. “Toni really like the bracelet you choose for her.”
His eyes met hers across the table. For a moment it seemed he was really looking at her this time, but he answered blandly, “I’m glad. I hope you like the dishes I’ve chosen for tonight as well. They’ll start arriving in a few minutes.” Without waiting for a reply, he disappeared down the stairs.
Toni released her breath. She didn’t know whether to be disappointed or glad that Dion appeared to have put everything they’d said earlier behind him. Evidently he’d gotten over his disappointment that they wouldn’t be sleeping together again pretty quickly and was satisfied they could still remain friends. If only she could get over it with the same equanimity.
Soon the waiter brought up the appetizers, small tasting dishes of delicate morsels. There was crispy tofu, pickled vegetables, and short soup with Dion’s special won tons in a clear broth. Toni breathed in the familiar aromas and felt some of the tension that had knotted her insides all day slip a little. These were some of her favourite dishes from her childhood, she realised, yet Dion had added his own twist to each of them, so they were at once familiar and yet different.
His culinary creativity continued with the main dishes. Barbequed pork, roast duck, steamed fish. All were dishes she’d eaten countless times before, dishes she’d longed for in the depths of her homesickness while sticking it out in London, dishes she’d miss when she left Piper Bay. Did Dion know what he was doing to her? Did he know that from now on all her favourite food would remind her not only of home, but of him?
The others were too busy clucking together to notice how little she was eating. “See, he can manage,” her father said to Uncle Kai. “This fish is excellent. Perfectly cooked.”
“It’s not bad,” Uncle Kai grudgingly conceded. “He would have got fresher one if he woke on time this morning.”
“What’s this?” His wife slid him a suspicious look. “You check up on Dion this morning?”
Uncle Kai heaved a sigh. “Yes,” he admitted. “I want to make sure he get up,” he added defensively. “He was still sleeping at nine-thirty!”
“Hmm. You only tell me now.” Aunt Queenie swivelled to Toni’s mother. “He always go behind my back.” Toni’s mother glanced about and fiddled with her chopsticks, making non-committal noises. Aunt Queenie leaned towards her. “You know about this already? Wah, you should have told me!”
At that moment Dion walked into the room. His mother beckoned him over urgently. “Dion, Dion. I hear you couldn’t wake up this morning. Are you sick? You shouldn’t work if you’re sick.”
“I’m fine, Mum.” He straightened, his shoulders stiff as he eyed everyone at the table. “And before anyone says anything, it was all my fault I didn’t wake up. Toni had nothing to do with it.”
His parents gaped at him, then turned towards Toni as one, their mouths still open. Her heart sank to her toes. Oh, Dion, you didn’t have to say that, did you? At the same time the realisation dawned on him too, making his eyes darken in dismay.
“What did you and Toni get up to last night?” Uncle Kai asked, still bewildered.
Cheeks flushed with embarrassment, Aunt Queenie nudged him in the ribs. “Ah Kai, you don’t have to ask. Can’t you guess?”
Uncle Kai blinked at her. “Oh …” Comprehension finally broke over him.
As they stared at Toni, a bead of sweat rolled down her spine. Her face felt as if it had caught fire.
“It just happen one time,” Pearl jumped in. “Don’t worry so much.”
Aunt Queenie’s eyes boggled. “You know already? And you don’t tell me?” Her voice squeaked.
Flustered, Pearl flapped her hands. “It’s Shen’s fault. He saw her and Dion this morning, and he didn’t tell me.”
Uttering a drawn-out groan, Uncle Kai clenched his fists on the table and lowered his head to his chest as if he was in great pain. Aunt Queenie started to exclaim, but before she could gather steam, Dion moved forward and rapped his knuckles on the table.
“Look, this is getting out of control,” he said. “I’m sorry about that, Toni.” He gave her a brief, wry smile. “I thought they all knew already. I didn’t know I was letting the cat out of the bag.” He turned back to the others. “But the fact remains that whatever Toni and I did last night is private and has nothing to do with what happened this morning.”
“But Dion, it does,” Toni felt compelled to speak out. “If we hadn’t, um, stayed up so late–” the fire in her cheeks intensified “–you would have woken up in time to go to the fish market. It is my fault.”
“How can it be when I wanted you to stay with me last night? I don’t regret that for a moment.” His eyes held hers. “Yes, it was slack of me to oversleep, but all that demonstrated was my dad’s lack of faith in me.” He glanced down at his father who was still hunched over the table. “Well, Dad? Are you going to check up on me every morning for the rest of my life? Because I may as well tell you now that most days I’ll be up when I’m meant to, and some days I won’t, and you just have to live with that, I’m afraid, because I’m not perfect.”
“Oh, yes, you almost perfect,” his mother chipped in, elbowing her husband. “Ah Kai, tell your son you trust him, go on.”
Slowly Uncle Kai lifted his head and gazed at Dion. “I thought you were … in trouble again. Why didn’t you tell me about Toni?”
“Come on, Dad!” A pink hue tinged Dion’s tanned face. “As if I would.”
“Okay.” Uncle Kai gestured calmly. “But if you told me I would be much happier. Toni’s good for you. She’s very sensible girl. She keep you out of trouble.”
His nod of approval towards Toni caused her throat to seize up. The last thing she’d ever expected was for Dion’s father to approve of her and Dion. But how was she going to tell him that his assumptions were completely false?
Dion cleared his throat. “Actually, Dad, Toni won’t be here to keep me out of trouble. She’s going to live in Sydney.” He gazed at her again. “Isn’t that right, Toni?” He didn’t seem angry, resentful, or even annoyed. If anything he appeared resolved.
“It’s for the best.” Her voice was a tight whisper. “Last night was … was an accident. It shouldn’t have happened.”
He shook his head. “No, you don’t get it. I–” He broke off and glanced around, clearly frustrated by the presence of their parents. He pressed his hand on his father’s shoulder. “Dad, I know I just insisted I could handle the restaurant on my own, but I’m also not too proud to ask for help. I’m asking you now. Can you run things in the kitchen while I talk to Toni in private?”
Uncle Kai blinked up at Dion. “Now?”
“Yes, I need to clear up a few things with Toni.”
“But you have customers downstairs!”
“That’s why I’m asking you for help. Gary can tell you what needs to be done.”
Uncle Kai snorted. “Don’t need Gary tell me how to cook. I was cooking before he was born.”
“So you’ll do it? We won’t be more than half an hour.”
Uncle Kai heaved himself to his feet and started rolling up his shirt sleeves. “I can cook all night.” He gestured at the others. “Come on, what you waiting for? We show Gary how to cook properly.”
Toni watched in stunned silence as their parents filed out of the room.
When they were alone, Dion turned back to Toni. “My car’s out the back.”
“We’re leaving?”
“Just for a short drive. I don’t want to be interrupted or distracted.” He moved towards the stairs, beckoning at her to follow him, then stopped when she remained motionless. “Toni, please.”
His soft pleading broke down the last of her resistance. As if in a dream, she followed him down the stairs and out the back where his SUV was parked. They drove off, and soon the lights and bustle of the shopping strip were left behind. Dion drove with intense concentration, hands clamped to the steering wheel, even though they were barely moving above a snail’s pace. A few minutes later he pulled off on the side of the road. She was so wound up it took her a while to realise they were at Fly Point, their old haunting ground.
Gravel crunched beneath her high heels as she climbed out of the car. Mauve tinted clouds streaked the darkening sky, and a light evening breeze tugged at her dress, licking the dampness from the back of her neck. Dion beckoned towards the stairs leading down to the beach. They hadn’t spoken since they’d left the Happy Palace, and she was reluctant to break the silence. She slipped off her shoes and padded after him down the stairs, the wooden boards beneath her soles still warm from the afternoon sun.
On the beach the incoming tide slapped and swirled against the rocks, restless and hungry. Dion turned towards her. In the dimming light he appeared hesitant, less confident than he’d been back at the restaurant.
“I didn’t expect our night together to be the focus of discussion at dinner,” he said.
She swallowed, trying to keep her tone light as she replied, “Our parents have no sense of boundaries.”
He moved a step closer but still kept his distance. “Back at the restaurant, you said last night was an accident. Do you really believe that?”
The earnestness in his voice made her pause as she tried to reconstruct all the events that had led to last night. It seemed ever since she’d arrived in Piper Bay three days ago every event had conspired towards and ultimately culminated in her falling into Dion’s arms.
“I don’t know.” She shook her head in confusion. “I’d never thought of you as a potential lover, and then, these past few days, when I did start to notice you, I didn’t know what to make of it. It seemed as if a giant wave came out of nowhere and swept me up, like a flash flood. I guess that’s why it felt like an accident, because I wasn’t expecting it.”
He breathed in and out several times. “For me it was no accident. I’d been dreaming about just such a night for years.”
Shock squeezed her lungs. “Years?” she wheezed.
He nodded, a wistful smile playing on his lips. “That’s how long I’ve been in love with you, Mei-hua.”
She couldn’t breathe, couldn’t speak. Blood thrummed in her ears. “You’re in love,” she managed to get out, “with me.”
“Yes.”
“I don’t understand.” She began to hyperventilate. “You’ve never … you’ve never said a word, dropped a hint … anything.”
“I was going to tell you. When I realised how I felt about you, I got in my car and sped all the way down to Sydney.” His smile became a grimace. “And then I saw you with Nick, and I knew I was too late. So I came back home.”
This couldn’t be happening. “When?” she spluttered. “When did this happen?”
“About eighteen months after you started uni.” He paused. “You were on the lawn outside your college. With Nick. You were obviously enthralled with him.”
A rush of painful memories assaulted her. Those first months she’d been giddy with astonishment that someone as popular as Nick had chosen her, and in her eagerness to prove her worthiness she’d turned herself inside out to please him, while all the time suspicion had lurked that she wasn’t good enough, conspiring with hope to twist her into an emotional pretzel. If Dion had appeared then, would she have seen through her confusion and recognised that what she’d felt for Nick wasn’t love but infatuation?
“I didn’t even know you came to see me,” she protested. “You should have stayed and talked to me.”
“No, in a way I’m glad I didn’t spill my guts to you. It wouldn’t have been fair on you. At the time I was a total mess. I didn’t know what to do with my life; I was mixing with the wrong people …” He hesitated before continuing, “You may as well know that was just after Dad caught me smoking dope. He made me see how low I’d fallen. I realised how much I missed you, how much you meant to me. But imagine what would have happened if I’d thrown myself at you. You’d have felt obliged to help me out, and I would’ve just been a big, dead albatross around your neck.”
That’s not true. She couldn’t get the words out for the suffocating lump in her throat. If he’d been there maybe he’d have saved her from making such a terrible mistake with Nick. He would have reminded her of who she was, would have shown her that she didn’t need to change for anyone, that she was fine just the way she was.
“Seeing you with Nick was the kick up the pants I needed,” Dion continued. “I realised I had to stop wasting my life. I’d lost you–” For the first time his voice quivered. “– but on reflection I realised I wasn’t ready to love anyone, not the sorry screw-up I’d degenerated into. I had to get myself sorted out first. I had to make something of myself so that I could stand tall, so you’d be proud of me instead of just pitying me.”
“All this time, I didn’t know.” Hot emotion clogged her voice. “I wish I’d known.”
“Would it have made a difference?”
“Yes. Maybe. I don’t know.” Shivering, she wiped the moisture from the corners of her eyes. “So last night wasn’t just a casual thing for you.”
He swallowed, his smile wavering. “Couldn’t you tell? I’d been waiting for last night forever. I never thought it would happen.”
Still, she couldn’t allow herself to hope because there was still so much left unexplained. “But you’ve made no attempt to stop me returning to Sydney. Why?”
His smile widened, became teasing. “So you want me to throw my weight around, huh? And you’d be willing to stay here? Move in with me?”
The look in his eyes hooked her, sent warmth unfurling through her veins. “Yes,” she answered without hesitation.
“That’s a drastic step. I’ve been thinking about you for years. You might call it an obsession. When you finally arrived and started paying some attention to me, I was a bit frightened that reality wouldn’t live up to my expectations, but last night …” He exhaled a slow breath. “Last night I knew beyond a doubt I’m in love with you. It’s taken me many years and a lot of soul-searching to reach this point, but for you it’s different …” Pained uncertainty showed in his eyes.
“I’m in love with you. Can’t you tell?” Her legs were shaking. She longed to reach out and touch him, but his doubtful, searching eyes held her at bay.
“I think you should come up here as often as you can, spend more time with me, get to know me better.”
That was what she should have done with Nick, and if she had she would have realised their relationship wouldn’t last. But with Dion? She threw back her head, letting out a groan of frustration. “Dion, I know you already. I’ve seen you at your worst and your best. For God’s sake, don’t you want me in your life?”
His expression became tortured. “I want that more than anything, but I’m not going to ask you to make changes just to suit me. You have a great career ahead of you. I won’t jeopardise that by asking you to stay.”
She shook her head. “You’re happy for us to live apart?”
“Hell, of course I’m not happy about that.” He rubbed his hands against his jacket then clenched them at his sides as if he didn’t trust himself. “But I don’t want you to stay here just because of me. I don’t want you resenting me ten years from now. If there’s one thing I’ve learnt over the years it’s this – you can’t pin your hopes on someone or something to make you happy. Only you can make yourself happy. I want you to go out there and be the best you can. Build your career in Sydney, come back to Piper Bay whenever you can. I love you, Toni. I’ll always be there for you.”
His face blurred as the tears she’d fought to keep away surged again. “But what about us?” she almost wailed.
Finally he took her hand, his touch tentative. “I’ll admit it’s not the best start to a relationship, but we won’t always be apart. Right now my life is here, in the Happy Palace, but who knows what will happen in a year or two? I might follow you to Sydney, or you might decide to come back here.” He twined his fingers through hers. “Do you think you could manage that? Do you think we could weather the separation?”
She gripped her fingers round his. “I don’t know. Maybe.” But inside her heart was still protesting. She felt as if she was being sent into exile and by the very man who said he loved her. “You don’t really believe that I love you, do you? You think I’m just on the rebound from the divorce.”
A muscle flexed in his jaw. “It’s not an unreasonable assumption, but no, I think you’re past Nick. You did that on your own. But falling in love with me in just a few days? I think that’s out of character for you.”
“And you acting so cautious and sensible? That’s wildly out of character for you.”
“Touché.” Smiling, he slipped his free arm around her waist. “Maybe our best bits are rubbing off onto each other.”
Her heart skittered as the warm solidness of his chest pressed up against her. “One of your best bits is rubbing on me right now,” she whispered.
He laughed, his teeth glinting in the thickening dusk. “Whoa, your raunchy talk is making me blush.” His voice hitched, and she knew he was struggling to keep the mood light.
Wrapping her arms around his waist, she linked her hands behind his back and squeezed him until every muscle in his body was imprinted against hers. She shut her eyes and sucked in his scent, concentrating all her senses on him. “Dion,” she choked. “Don’t you know how hard this is for me?”
He buried his face in the crook of her neck, his rough jaw scraping her skin. “I know, chuckle berry, but it’ll be worth it. Trust me.”
Standing on tiptoe, she threaded her fingers through his close cropped hair and leaned up to kiss him, trying to channel all her clamouring emotion into the embrace. At her fierce clasp, he inhaled and then returned the kiss, his mouth as starved and wanton as hers. She pressed herself into him, the hem of her skirt riding up as she hugged her hips against his. His hands slid compulsively down the backs of her thighs then moved up beneath her skirt, clamping around her buttocks and pulling her closer so the apex of her thighs met the swelling heat of his groin.
He groaned against her mouth. “Toni, you’re making this very difficult for me.”
Lust and exhilaration shot through her, but at the same time she knew she wasn’t being fair on him. Everything he’d said made sense. If they were going to have a future together, they had to start off on the right foot. She had to show him that she could stand on her own, that her happiness didn’t depend solely on him, just as his satisfaction with life didn’t rely only on her. Reluctantly she loosened her grip on him.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to.” Even so she couldn’t help stroking his shoulders, moving down to his arms and chest, the compulsion to touch him too strong to resist. He still had his hands up her skirt, his thumbs caressing the crease of her bottom. She wiggled her butt against his palms, revelling in the friction of his calloused hands. “But there’s still tonight,” she murmured in his ear. “We’re still going to have au revoir sex, aren’t we?”
His hands tightened. “Yeah …” he stuttered out before hauling in a deep breath. “It’s going to work out, Toni. It’s all gonna be fine, I just know it.” He brushed his lips against her forehead. “I have faith in us.”
She leaned her head against his chest, the breeze stirring her hair. The thump of his heart echoed in her ear, and his arms were strong around her. Incredible to think how their paths had diverged so wildly and then come together now. The timing wasn’t perfect – in fact it was downright lousy – but the main thing was they had found each other. Everything else could be sorted out.
“Shall we leave the old folks running the kitchen all night and sneak off to your place?” she asked.
Dion hesitated, as she knew he would. “That’s very tempting, sweetie, but I’m afraid if I didn’t go back I’d never get rid of my dad. As it is, he’ll be crowing for days about coming to my rescue.”
“I guess you’re right.” Smiling wryly, she disentangled herself from him, keeping hold of his hand. “Come on. We’d better get back before Gary loses it and hands in his resignation.”
He touched his lips to her cheek one more time before they left the indigo beach and climbed the stairs hand in hand.
Back at the Happy Palace, the first person they ran into was Toni’s dad. He came out of the storeroom just as Toni and Dion walked in the rear entrance. Shen stopped, wiped his hands on his apron, and narrowed his eyes at Toni, causing her to press her lips together and tighten her hold on Dion’s fingers.
“Hi Dad. We’re back,” she announced unnecessarily.
“I can see that.” He shifted his gaze to Dion, still unsmiling.
“Hope I didn’t cause everyone too much work,” Dion said.
“We used to hard work. We don’t disappear while we still got work to do.”
His pointed criticism was aimed squarely at her, Toni knew. “Dad, you don’t have to worry. I won’t be distracting Dion when I’m back in Sydney.”
“You’re going back?”
“Isn’t that what you want?” She bit her lip, still grieving that the two most important men in her life wanted her elsewhere. “Dion thinks I should go, too.”
“Wait a minute.” Dion frowned. “Uncle Shen, you think Toni shouldn’t stay here because you’re afraid she’ll be too much of a distraction to me?” Folding his arm around her shoulders, he drew her closer to him, his body vibrating with protectiveness. “Honestly, I wish you and Dad had a little more faith in me.”
Shen pulled a face. “I also think it’s better for Toni. She need to find her independence again.”
“Well, I agree with that,” Dion said.
Toni sighed. “Why is it that both of you want to get rid of me?”
Her mother appeared in the corridor. “Who want to get rid of you?” Pearl darted a sharp glance at her husband before settling on Dion. “You break up with Toni already? Why you still hugging her then?”
“No, no, we’re not breaking up.” Dion’s hold on Toni’s shoulders intensified. “We love each other, but for the time being Toni’s going back to Sydney. We’ll have a long-distance relationship for a while.”
“Hah? Long-distance relationship? What is that?”
“It means that I’ll be here and Toni will be in Sydney but we’ll see each other every other weekend or so.”
Pearl’s mouth dropped open. “You live apart? What kind of marriage is that?”
Toni squirmed. Clearing his throat, Dion glanced quickly at her. “Er, we haven’t really discussed marriage.”
“But when I come up to Piper Bay I’ll be staying with Dion,” Toni said, keen to make the situation plain to her mother.
“Aiya!” Rolling her eyes, Pearl clutched at her apron. “I don’t believe it. My own daughter–”
“Mum, get a grip,” Toni broke in before her mother could gather steam. “It’s the twenty-first century, and Dion and I are adults. Besides, I’ve only just gotten my divorce. I don’t want to rush into anything.” Not that that would hold her back from marrying Dion, but he hadn’t mentioned marriage, and she wasn’t going to pressure him into something for which he’d never shown any inclination.
“But your mother,” Pearl appealed to Dion. “She want you to get married. We both looking forward to planning your wedding.”
Toni felt the muscles in Dion’s arm bunch up, but before she could say anything, her dad intervened.
“Leave the kids alone or you’ll frighten them away, you and Queenie.” He waved at Dion and Toni. “Go home, you two. We can manage here tonight.”
Dion hesitated. “You sure? What about my dad?”
For the first time Shen smiled. “He’s enjoying himself, even though he complains.” He made more shooing gestures. “Go on, you better leave now.”
Dion looked at Toni. “Well?”
She circled her arm around his waist, the need to be alone with him overpowering everything else. “You heard my dad. Let’s get out of here.”
They got back into his car and drove to his house in total silence, the air between them charged with unspoken tension. As he fiddled with the front door lock, she let out a light laugh. “Mothers, huh? We’ll have to avoid them for a while or they’ll drive us nuts. Hopefully my dad will talk some sense into my mum.”
Opening the door, he ushered her inside. As soon as he’d shut the door, he closed in on her, settling his hands on her hips. “Let’s get one thing straight here. I’m not afraid of talking about marriage.”
Her breathing wavered, the proximity of his body joining with the force of his words. “You’ve never shown any interest in settling down.” She brushed her hands over his shoulders, trying to keep the conversation light. “That’s fine by me.”
“Is it? Or are you just saying that to make me feel okay? Because if you are, don’t. I’m serious about you, Toni. I want us to get married, have children …”
Her fingernails dug into his shoulders. “Children?”
“Yeah, at least a couple, maybe more.” He rotated his palms slowly over her back, his movements mesmerising. “Not right now, of course, but sometime not too far off.”
“Wow, my head’s spinning.”
“You don’t have to say anything. Just keep it in mind.” His strokes became more urgent. The heat of his hands kindled her lust as he bent his head and sought her mouth with his. All the day’s tension shattered. Finally they were alone and in harmony. She flung her arms around his neck and returned his kiss, her tongue slipping between his lips, tasting him, taking the initiative. He grunted with satisfaction, with lust, his hands moving greedily down to her bottom. He hitched her up, and she wrapped her legs around his hips, her skirt riding up her thighs. Holding her, he marched them both into his bedroom, where he toppled her onto the sheets.
Buttons popped off as he ripped the chef’s jacket from his chest. His singlet followed next, and then his trousers and boxers. The sight of his erection caused her throat to dry. The searing promise in his eyes made her nipples harden. She thought he was going to tear her clothes off, but instead he was unexpectedly gentle as he helped her out of her dress, his nimble fingers quickly dealing with her bra and panties. As soon as she was naked, his lovemaking grew more demanding, and to her surprise the extra edge of roughness stoked her lust. It wasn’t the same as last night, when they’d made love for the first time. Tonight they more in tune with each other, more eager to explore the boundaries, and the fact she was leaving tomorrow brought out the animal in both of them.
His hands roamed over her, followed closely by his mouth, igniting a hot trail all over her skin. He liked to be in charge, she found, liked to dominate her and lick and fondle her until she was half-crazy. As she moaned and writhed, his eyes burned brighter, and he stretched out the teasing even more. With his lips and tongue possessing her breast and his fingers stroking her tight slit, she was held captive, surrendering everything to him. Finally he entered her, the bloom of tender ecstasy on his face belying his forceful urgency. His power drove them to the edge before her hot wetness enveloped them as they climaxed together.
Afterwards, they clung to each other, skin slick with sweat, their limbs entwined. She rested her head against his chest and listened to the quick thump of his heart. This is where she belonged. This is where she wanted to remain. But in the morning she would have to pack her bags and head south, away from all this, away from Dion.
The back of her eyes stung. She pressed herself closer into him, and he half-rolled onto her, pinning her beneath him. Why don’t I stay a few more days, postpone my interview, how can it hurt, she wanted to say. But when she gazed into his dark molasses eyes, she knew he was struggling too, and she had to be strong for his sake. She didn’t want to be clingy and hesitant, she wanted to be self-assured and self-sufficient. She wanted to be his equal.
She cupped his face between her hands and draped a leg over his butt, pulling him in close. “You sure know how to say au revoir.”
“I gotta give you a reason to come back.”
She stroked the sides of his face, brushing her fingertips over his lips. “Oh, don’t worry. I’ll be back.”
The tip of his tongue flicked across her fingers and a trail of heat streaked straight to her centre. Shifting her body, she rolled him onto his back and pressed her hips against his. “It’s my turn now,” she whispered and leaned over to run her tongue over his damp chest. “I’ve got to give you a reason not to forget me.”
He sighed and let his arms fall to his sides, a grin stretching across his face. “Okay. This I’m going to enjoy.”
The sun beat down on Martin Place. Pigeons and pedestrians scurried about the plaza. Above Toni’s head, office buildings soared towards the clear blue sky. Sydney sizzled in the early summer heat. Three hours north in Piper Bay it would be perfect weather for a day on the water wearing only a bikini. Here, she was dressed in a navy sleeveless dress with matching jacket and pointy toed high heels. The stickiness clinging to her nape wasn’t just due to the humid weather, but more because of the job interview she had in fifteen minutes.
The job had great career prospects. The company was solid, the management progressive, the potential rewards unlimited. According to the agent, her CV perfectly matched all the requirements of the position, and she had glowing references to back up her qualifications. It seemed a shoo-in that she’d pass the interview and be offered the job.
But her mouth was bone dry and her stomach wouldn’t stop lurching. It was the morning of her wedding all over again. She should heed the warning signals this time and bail out while she still could. She didn’t need this high-profile job or a prestigious career, not when the thought of being apart from Dion made her so ill.
As if he’d read her mind, her mobile phone buzzed, and she knew even before glancing at the screen that it was him.
“Hey, chuckle berry,” he answered laconically. “Ready for the interview?”
“No,” she gulped. “I think I’m going to be sick.”
“You always said that before exams, and you always got straight As. You’ll be fine.”
“It’s different this time. I was always desperate to get those As, but this time I’m not.”
There was a pause, and then Dion said, “You’re not going to sabotage your own interview, are you?”
She shut her eyes and imagined Dion standing in front of her, radiating confidence in her. “Where are you now?” she asked.
“I’m in the office at the restaurant, going over a few receipts.”
“The weather’s beautiful today. I thought you’d be out on your kayak.”
He laughed. “Later, maybe. I have a business to run. And you have an interview to do.”
“Yeah,” she sighed, picturing herself in Dion’s office. She could help him with his receipts, and then they could go kayaking together and find a deserted beach where they could get naked under the hot sun. She could almost feel the slide of his body over hers, taste the tang of his salty skin … She shivered and ran her hands over her arms. The dream was so tantalising, so real. But she couldn’t let Dion down, or herself. She had to prove she was worthy of him. “Hey,” she said. “Did you hear about the cannibal accountant? She charges an arm and a leg.”
Dion chuckled. “That’s better, but maybe you shouldn’t mention that in the interview.”
“Wish me luck.”
“You don’t need luck. You’ve got it in the bag.”
“My agent has another interview lined up for me tomorrow.”
“Great. They’ll both be falling over themselves to hire you.”
“I’ll be inspecting an apartment too.” She hesitated, then added, “The – the location is ideal and the rent’s reasonable.”
He drew in a breath. “Great,” he repeated, but this time there was a crack in his voice.
“But I’ll definitely be back in Piper Bay Friday afternoon. Should be there by six.”
“I’ll have some short soup waiting for you.” His voice was tender, longing.
“It’s not short soup I’m hungry for.”
His warm laugh tickled her ear. “I’ve got something for that too.”
“See you soon.” She clicked off the phone and slid it back into her jacket. Lifting her head, she gazed up at the skyscraper above her, then walked inside, shoulders squared, ready to take on the world.
Eighteen months later.
Dion opened the fridge in Toni’s apartment and blinked in surprise. “Hey, what’s with all the fruit and veg in here? And all these tubs of yoghurt? You on a health kick or something?”
She gave him a smile. “Uh, something like that.”
“There’s barely any space for all the food I’ve brought you.” His arms were filled with plastic containers of dumplings, spare ribs, and noodles. Each time he came down to Sydney he restocked her fridge with all her favourite meals. He didn’t have to. There were plenty of great restaurants within walking distance of her place. But she loved his food, and he loved cooking for her.
“Stick some of it in the freezer for later,” Toni said. As he opened the freezer, she came up behind him, wrapped her arms around his waist, and leaned against him. “I’ve missed you, honey,” she murmured, nuzzling her lips against his neck.
Hot need surged in him. He slammed the freezer shut, spun her round, and pressed her up against the appliance door. “Yeah, it’s been too long,” he replied, his voice husky with longing pent up for two whole weeks since he’d last been with her. But instead of swooping her into his arms and carrying her off to the bedroom, he studied her, his hands travelling over her arms and finally settling on her shoulders. “We need to talk.”
“Oh.” She stroked his chest, still smiling seductively. “This sounds serious.”
“Your fridge is too small.”
“My … what?”
“Your bedroom is too small, your TV is definitely too small, in fact, this whole place is too small.”
She pinched his arm warningly. “What’s going on here?”
He grinned. He was enjoying this. “We need a bigger place now that I’m moving permanently to Sydney.” Her eyes went wide, her gorgeous lips forming an O of astonishment. “I’m going into partnership with an investor. He’s buying a half share of the Happy Palace, and we’re opening a second restaurant here in Sydney. We’ll finally be together, sweetheart. Won’t that be great?”
She didn’t squeal or fling her arms around him like he’d expected. She just stood and stared at him, a strange expression in her eyes. “So … you’re leaving Piper Bay?”
“Yeah.” His heart tightened. What was going on here? Why wasn’t she as ecstatic as he? Finally, six months after they’d tied the knot, they’d be a real married couple, with one address, one home, one bed. No more endless trips, no more lonely nights, no more missing her like crazy. Isn’t that what Toni longed for too?
“And – and our parents? They’re happy about the Happy Palace?”
“Very happy. They’re planning a round-the-world cruise with the windfall. Gary will be head chef.” He shrugged, unease slithering through his gut like a python. “Talk to me, Toni. Tell me what’s bothering you. I thought you’d be happy.”
“I am. It’s just that I … well, I’ve been searching the internet looking at houses for sale in Piper Bay.”
It was his turn to gape. “You want to move back to Piper Bay?” His head spun. “But what about your job? You love it. You just got a promotion.”
“Oh, that, yeah.” She waved her hand nonchalantly, dismissing all her hard work of the past eighteen months. Her smile widened as she gripped the front of his shirt and tilted her head up at him. “I don’t care about that at any more because I’ve just gotten the best promotion ever.”
Her eyes were dazzling, in fact her whole face glowed with excitement, but he had no idea what she was on about. “Huh?”
“I don’t know about a bigger TV, but we definitely need a bigger fridge for all the extra food I’ll be eating.” She smoothed her palms over his chest, teasing and bubbling. “And we’ll need another bedroom, too. Not right away, but in a few months …”
Dion gawped at her as the clues slowly piled up. The fruit and veg, the yoghurt, the house in Piper Bay … the bottle of folic acid on the kitchen counter … the bloom on her cheeks … it could only mean one thing.
“Toni.” He gripped her shoulders tighter, his throat closing up. “Are you pregnant?”
She nodded, her smile breaking out like pure sunshine. “Yeah,” she said softly.
He gulped. “How long?”
“About eight weeks now.”
The air whooshed out of his lungs, and he felt himself filling up with an indescribable mix of emotions – exultation, pride, anxiety, all rolled into one great big ball which swept everything else aside. Nothing in the world mattered any more except his beautiful, gorgeous wife and the new life she carried.
He curled her into the circle of his arms and showered incoherent kisses all over her face and hair, holding her as if she were made of glass. “Oh honey, oh sweetheart.” He couldn’t get out anything more lucid than that. “That’s – that’s so … terrific. I’m so–” he let out a breath, ruing his lack of vocabulary, “–so happy I could burst.”
“Really?” She stroked his cheeks, gazing at him intently. “I know it’s unexpected, so I understand if you feel panicked or trapped–”
“No, never. Maybe panicked in a good way, but never trapped. But what about you?” Anxiously he kneaded her shoulders. “Are you ready for this?”
“I’m ready. Oh, I’m so ready.” Folding her arms around him, she pressed herself up against his chest. “As long as you’re there, Dion, I’m ready for anything.”
The delicious feel of her body rubbing against him ignited all his cylinders again, but he kissed her with reverential awe instead of just plain blazing lust. He was ready too, he realised, more than ready to be a husband, a father, a provider, a friend, a stalwart. Whatever Toni and his child needed of him, he was there for them.
“Now comes the difficult question,” he finally murmured against her lips, his hands sliding over her stomach. “Who’s gonna tell our mothers, because I don’t think I could stand all the squealing and fussing.” No way would those two set off on a round-the-world cruise now, not when there was a pregnant daughter to flap over and later, a first grandchild to spoil.
She laughed breathily into his mouth. “We’ll worry about that later. For now, let’s just celebrate in private.”
He picked her up in his arms and carried her out of the kitchen.