Carved in Stone: Monochrome Destiny (12 page)

Unable
to focus on any work, she switched off the lights, locked the door from the
inside and exited the building via the fire door.

The
sky was beginning to darken as she walked down the ramp at the back of her room
and across to the car park.  Only a few cars remained, but she was taking
little notice as she walked over to the MG.

Robyn
was lifting the boot lid to put her bags in, when she heard a car door close
quietly off to her right.  Without paying too much attention, she
continued to fill the boot until she became aware that the footsteps she had
heard were heading in her direction.  She looked up as Andrew glided over
to her with long strides.

“
Some day
,
huh?”
His face was a mask, apart from one raised eyebrow.

“
Some day
,” she sighed, slammed the boot and leaned against
the car.  “I believe I owe you a thank you.”  She owed him more than
that, but it was a start.

“Perhaps
you do.” There was a wry smile underneath the austerity.

Robyn
shook her head from side to side smiling to herself.  She was still at a
loss as to why he would do such a thing for her or why she liked the fact so
much that he had.

“I
should take you for a drink, to say thank you properly.”  Manners had been
drilled into Robyn since birth and Andrew had done her more of a service than
he could possibly imagine.  She intended to thank him. “I mean, I probably
owe you my job, so?”

“How
about dinner tomorrow?”
 He knew he shouldn’t, but he’d spent two
nights wondering what would have happened if he’d let go, let his control snap,
whilst she was in his arms the day before yesterday.  The memory of the
heat of her body against his had plagued him throughout the two long nights and
he knew that he no longer had the option of trying to avoid her, as if he ever
had.  Robyn Darrow had managed to get herself ingrained into his psyche
and he wasn’t going to be able to shift her from there until he let this play
out.  A smile curved his lip at the thought.

“Dinner?”
Her brow
furrowed.  Was she going to turn him down?

“Tomorrow,
but I drive.”  He stared, daring her to accept.

She
wavered, he saw it immediately.  She tried to avoid his eyes but focused
on his mouth instead.  He curled his lip further and watched her eyes
widen in response.  She liked a challenge.

“Okay,”
she said, able to look him in the eye again now that her decision was made,
“You drive, but I’m paying.”

Robyn had been
told to wear something she could walk in.  It was infuriating to be
ordered about, but she was determined to go to this dinner and keep her
composure.  She wanted desperately to stay at the Truscott-
Tremain
Academy and really make her mark.  Andrew had
done her a huge favour and she would accompany him this evening in order to
thank him.

Just
who was she kidding?  She could tell herself that this was not a date, but
it would be a lie.  If it was just a thank you, why had she taken so much
time to choose an outfit?  And why was her stomach in knots?

She’d
finally settled on dark, inky jeans tucked into knee high boots and a V-neck,
long sleeved, knitted top that she knew to be bright red.  It was both
practical and figure hugging.  She kept her make up light, but let her
hair cascade down her back rather than pull it into its usual tie.

When
she heard the knock, her heart leapt enough to cause damage and she took a
moment to settle herself before answering.

Opening
the front door, Robyn found Andrew leaning casually against the wall.  He
was wearing a similar outfit to that which he’d had on that first day she’d
bumped into him on the beach.  It did nothing to steady her already frayed
nerves.  Andrew could really wear a suit.  There was no denying that
he looked stomach-
clenchingly
good at work, but the
jeans, boots and sweater ensemble that he now sported had her stomach not
clenching, but melting and falling away.

“Are
you going to tell me where we’re going?” She had a need to know things, hated
surprises, but she knew that there was little hope he would tell her.  The
quick quirk of his lip answered her question before his voice did.

“No.” 
His answer was smooth and gravelly calm, the cadence both pleasing and
infuriating.  In everything he exuded control, and Robyn didn’t like to be
controlled.

Andrew
stepped back to allow Robyn out with a grace that reminded her of a predatory
cat.  He was all quiet strength and stealth and on the outside looked
harmless, beautiful and even appealing, but there was a danger to him,
something that simmered beneath the tightly controlled surface.  It should
have given her reason for alarm, but instead only made her curious.

“It’s
early for dinner.”  Robyn’s statement was meant to unbalance Andrew into
giving her a clue as to their destination.  It was, after all, only four,
but Andrew had no difficulty thwarting her.

“Not
for what we’re doing.”  He grinned as she locked the house.

There
was a chill in the air as Robyn walked to Andrew’s car and she was glad that
she had brought her coat.  She wrapped it around her shoulders before she
noticed two rich, deep, almost black eyes looking longingly at her from the
rear window.

“Max
is coming?” she asked Andrew in surprise.

“Yes,
he needs a walk.” He got in the driver’s seat without saying more.  His
curt responses were maddening, but Robyn knew that he did it only to get a rise
out of her.  She decided not to play his game and got into the car without
responding.

After
driving south for half an hour, Andrew swung the car into a layby. 
Already parked, were two cars and a white, nondescript food van labelled simply
‘Sue’s Van’.  Robyn could see three sets of cheap plastic tables and
chairs set out behind the van.  Andrew got out and proceeded to walk
around the car to open her door.

“Come
on, you’re buying,” Andrew pulled the door wide as Robyn sat confused. 
His smile became dazzling as he added, “Fish and chip supper on you.”

“Err,”
was all she could say.  Looking at the little white van and its cheap open
air dining area, Robyn was less than impressed.

“They
have just won an award for the best chips in the county.  I promise you
that you won’t be disappointed.”

Surprised
and somewhat unconvinced, Robyn got out of the car.

They
joined a small queue, and Robyn could see that, sure enough, the proprietor, Sue,
had a certificate proudly on display stating that hers was the best takeaway
this year.  Robyn ordered, paid and was swiftly led back to the car with a
very well wrapped package.

Andrew
clearly had plans to eat their meal elsewhere.

Sticking
to the coast road they travelled further south before turning onto a very
narrow lane.  Before long the lane became little more than a track that
headed uphill.  Andrew drove the car slowly over the bumpy ground. 
The suspension, low and solid on this model, was not built for comfort, and
every bump rocked and jostled the three occupants.  After a while the
track disappeared as they entered a field.  The grass slope got steeper
and steeper, until driving no longer seemed prudent and Andrew parked.

“We
walk from here,” he said and got out.

After
grabbing the bag of food and letting Max out, Andrew grabbed a bag from the
boot.

“Where
are we?”  They’d come a long way from the main road and were surrounded by
nature on all sides.

“Nearly
there.”  Andrew answered and proceeded to walk further up the hill.

The
grass was short, despite it being very rural, and the weather had been dry, so
Robyn had little trouble keeping up with Andrew as they climbed the hill. 
Max ran around both of them with giddy excitement, jumping up and running off
before running back and circling once more.  Robyn got the distinct
impression that the dog had been here before.

Robyn
could see the crest of the hill ahead as she buttoned up her coat.  The
wind was getting stronger the more they ascended.  By the time she got to
the very top of the incline her calves and quads were burning, but the view was
so resplendent that all her pain was miraculously ignored.

They
were stood on the top of a hill surrounded by the sea.  Ships floated far
off in the distance, traversing some unseen shipping lane and they looked
miniscule.  The sky held but a few wisps of cloud and the sun hung low,
suspended over the ocean.  The light glinted off of the waves, a magical
dusting of powder and the ships stood black against the twinkling
background.  It was a great shining, shimmering carpet
laid
out before them.

Andrew
turned to her. “Well?”

“It’s
amazing.” She was still taking it all in; the sights, the smells, the rush of
the wind.

From
the bag that he had taken out of the boot, Andrew removed a thick blanket and
laid it out so that they could both sit.  He handed Robyn her drink and
meal first before opening his own, but Robyn wasn’t interested in the food, not
with the majesty of their surroundings.  She sat facing the sea, the wind
blowing off of the ocean and whipping her hair into a frenzied dance. She
breathed in the crisp sea air and felt mesmerised.

“Go
on, try them” Andrew gestured to the food in her lap.

Blinking,
she picked up a chip with one hand and tried to eat it between gusts of wind
but her hair kept blowing into her face.  Using her free hand, she grabbed
her hair and held it back as she struggled to take a mouthful.

The
food was indeed lovely, and Robyn immediately knew why Sue had won her
accolade.  She looked at Andrew, smiling as she chewed.  Her second
mouthful was as wonderful as the first, but again her hair caused
problems.  If only she had tied it up after all.

Robyn
knew Andrew was watching her.  She was very aware of his presence just
inches away, but she kept her eyes on the view until she saw him move.  He
put his food down on the blanket before lifting himself up onto his knees with
a kind of grace that pointed to some serious abdominal muscles.  She
turned to him as he stalked closer.  Her breath caught in her
throat.  As Andrew crossed the distance between them, all Robyn could
think about was Tuesday morning outside the staff room.

Slowly,
without saying a word, Andrew raised his arms and placed both of his hands on
Robyn’s face.  Leaning forwards, his body now close enough that she could
smell the seductive scent of him despite the sea air and the food; he began to
trace the contours of her face with his fingers.  Deep muscles tightened
within Robyn at the feel of Andrew’s touch and that all too familiar warmth
pulsed through her skin.  She felt drowsy, enticed.  She wanted to
close her eyes and just feel, to cut out all the other senses apart from touch
but she was once again locked into his gaze.

Robyn
felt Andrew’s thumbs slide across her jaw and journey around her neck. 
She wanted to gasp in pleasure but realised he was catching her windswept hair
and sweeping it back from her face.  Where his skin had brushed hers he
left a trail of tingling fire.  She was paralysed, wondering what he was
going to do.  With her locks caught soundly in one hand, Andrew gently
pushed Robyn’s coat collar away from her neck, his breath now slid down her
exposed skin making her want to sigh in pleasure.  He took the clump of hair
he had gathered and tucked it down into the back of Robyn’s coat and underneath
her thin jumper; his palm running gently down her neck and between her shoulder
blades as he slid the errant strands into place.

“There,”
he said in a whisper at her ear, “Now you can eat.”

Robyn
laughed.  It was a somewhat nervous reaction to the sensations that swept
through her when he was near.  Andrew seemed to be completely oblivious to
the tingling all over her body.

They
ate the rest of their meal in silence, except for the roar of the wind and
occasional bark from the dog.  Stolen glances, curious glimpses, passed
between them, but nothing was said.

When
Robyn felt full, she laid her wrapped leftovers on the grass and stretched out
her legs.  Andrew watched her carefully and added his wrapper to the pile.

“How
did you know about my meeting with the Head yesterday?”  She kept it light
but could still feel the echo of his touch upon the skin of her neck and back.

“The
secretaries like to gossip.” He looked at her directly.  No hint of a lie
on his face.

“Exactly
what did you say to the Head to get him to change his mind?”  Robyn didn’t
think that David Rowe was easy to persuade.  He hadn’t gotten to his
position by being a pushover.

“Ah”
Andrew looked away, facing the breeze in the darkening sky as the sun hung
lower, suspended ominously over the water.  “You really want to know
that?”

“Yes”

Andrew
turned slowly and Robyn watched the sunlight dance across his face, framing his
chiselled features.  Her swallow was involuntary, as was the flutter
within.

“I
might have stressed that you were concerned about your friend, had not meant to
cause distress and that you felt the police could give you answers.  I
might have told him that when the police found nothing untoward you would
settle again.” His words were tight, concise and spoken deeply.  She could
almost feel the tenor of them.

“That’s
all you said?”  It took a breath to speak, a breath and a swallow. She
reached for her drink.

His
eyes flicked over her face before he answered. “I may also have told him that
you were one hell of a teacher and that I wouldn’t want to work in a school
where the Head was foolish enough to dismiss such staff on a whim.”

“You
said what?”  Shocked, she stared at him open mouthed.

Andrew
shifted, slowly.  Unfurling, he came to her, crawling, hunting even. 
Long muscular limbs stalked smoothly over the blanket.  The air thickened,
she could feel it clotting in her lungs as he moved in and placed his hands
either side of her outstretched legs.

“I
didn’t want you to disappear too.” His eyes narrowed slightly. “I like having
you around.”

“I
thought you hated me?” It came as little more than a croak.

There
was a moment of silence as the sun ducked behind a cloud, a silence that Robyn
wanted to fill because it was almost painful, but there was nothing she could
say.  She had taken the conversation here.  She had needed to
know.  Now she couldn’t take it back.

Robyn
knew that she could lose herself here, and that was a bad idea, but right at
that moment she could only feel want, need.

“Not
hate, no, never hate.  You bring out strong emotions in me, Robyn Darrow,
things I haven’t felt in a long time, but never hate, even when you are at your
most infuriating.”

Her
heart fluttered as something shifted inside, moved and warmed.

The
sun ducked out from its hiding place and shone into her face, the last light of
the fading day shining its brilliance into her eyes.  She watched Andrew’s
eyebrows furrow in puzzlement.

“What?”
she whispered into the small gap between them.

“Your
eyes,” he paused as he studied her face. “They’re green.  They’re green
around the edges.  I thought they were brown, but the brown is only in the
middle.  They’re beautiful.”

He
lifted his hands from the blanket and held them to her face.  Warm palms graced
her cheeks whilst long fingers slid into her hair.  Immediately she felt
the warmth.  She didn’t understand it, oozing into her skin, spreading
into her body, flowing from his touch, but she craved it.