Un-Break my Heart: Book 2 (The Heart Trilogy) (10 page)

“It’s like coming home” I whispered.

“Us being together, wherever that may end up being is really coming home” James murmured, his lips closing the gap between us.

Time slipped by until we heard a faint knocking sound from the kitchen.

“It must be Mum and Dad” James said.

“I’ll just go and freshen up” I replied “I assume the bathroom is still in the same place?”

“Yes, but our room is to the left of it and not the right. Mitch has my old room”

“I won’t be long as it will be good to catch up with Pam and Peter”

Chapter 17

Climbing the stairs with my small case I could hear music coming from James’ old room and thought about the many happy times I had spent in there. Passing the bathroom I pushed open the bedroom door and took in the crisp white walls, highlighted by the red wall behind the wrought iron bed frame that dominated the room. I approved of his good décor as I placed my bag down and noticed the mirror fronted wardrobe doors that splashed light across the room. To the side of the bed was another door and I pulled it open to find an en-suite with a large shower, sink and toilet.

Hearing the voices downstairs I freshened up and hurried back down to meet the final missing piece in James’ life. Pam waved as she busied herself around the kitchen and I spotted Peter sat in the lounge. He looked up and smiled as James headed to my side. Leading me into the room I spotted a tall dark haired young man and a petit blond next to him.

“Stephanie, I’d like you to meet Darren and his fiancée Sophie” he said.

“Hi Darren, Sophie” I replied, nervously shaking hands with the product of James’ betrayal all those years ago.

“Its great to meet you and Charlie is lovely” Darren said. Sophie remained quietly by his side and smiled shyly at me.

Footsteps sounded from the stairs as Charlie and Mitch filled the room instantly with their infectious giggling.

“Hope we haven’t missed anything” Mitch said.

“No I was just about to open a bottle of champagne to toast the happy couple” James said, winking at Darren as he started to hand out glasses.

“Mum, come on in here for a moment” James called. Pam appeared in the doorway and took a second to smile at the happy scene in front of her. Accepting a glass she stood next to me as we raised them in congratulations.

“Food is almost ready if you want to sit down” Pam said.

“Can I give you a hand to serve” I asked.

“Sure” she replied as I followed her into the kitchen.

The plates were already laid out on the side and as we formed a small production line she turned to me.

“I can’t begin to tell you how good it is to have you back” she said. Turning to me she opened her arms and I walked into them. I did feel as if I was home in her embrace.

“James is like a different person since you’ve been back in his life, it’s wonderful to see him so happy again”

“I’m pretty happy too” I replied, as we continued with the job of feeding everyone waiting at the table.

“I mean the boys are both wonderful but I have to admit that I never really liked Felicity much, it always felt as if she was hiding something from me” Pam said “But hey lets go and eat”

Taking the seat next to James at the one end of the table I felt his foot nudge mine. A quick gaze into his clear blue eyes had me drowning in the warmth that radiated there. Throughout the meal conversation ebbed and flowed between everyone, but occasionally in a quiet moment I realised what a momentous event this meal was. It was bringing my small family into a larger one and the seams that bound us were strengthening. After dinner Darren took Sophie home. Pam and Peter headed down the garden and Charlie and Mitch headed upstairs. It left the two of us to clear up the devastation on the dining room table. We made short work of it as the dishwasher roared into life and we retreated to the lounge with the remains of the wine.

Lazing back into James’ arms I felt so full and content, this was how my life should be for always.

“Penny for your thoughts” James said, softy. His breath tickled the skin of my cheek.

“Just happy” I replied, turning slightly so that our lips could meet again, like long lost friends after years apart. Like a couple of teenagers again we snogged on the sofa until I couldn’t help but stifle a yawn.

“I love your room” I said, as he pulled the door closed behind us and reached out to pull me backwards into his arms.

“I love you being in my room” James replied. I kissed him gently and then wriggled out of his arms.

“I’ve got a surprise for you” I said “But you need to close your eyes and wait” I said, as I slipped from his arms and disappeared into the en-suite. I quickly shed my clothes and then headed back into the room wearing the black set I had found which had small white hearts all over it. I loved it as it reminded me of the set he had bought me all those years ago.

“You can open your eyes now” I said, as I lounged on his bed. I watched his eyes darken with desire.

He crossed the short space that separated us and it was as if his body was blocking the usual flow of air around us. My body felt flushed just from his hot gaze as he knelt down beside the bed and looked up at me.

“I can hardly speak” he gasped. He trailed one finger lazily up my leg and the breath that I was struggling for left me in a whisper. He continued to take in the contour of my hip and the valley of my waist, like a stream finding the path of least resistance. Meandering his way to the wire of my bra he continued upwards to the thin skin that covered the nerves in my neck. I was sure that he could feel every minute beat of my heart through the tip. He was close enough for me to touch him and as the rest of his hand joined his fingers in my hair I pulled him closer.

It seemed like an age before his lips found their way across my cheekbones to meet mine. My numb fingers struggled with the buttons on his shirt but eventually I felt his hot skin pressed onto mine. My hands slid down his smooth back and rested lightly on the waistband of his boxer’s and then slid underneath to move across the taut skin. Lifting up I slid them off as his fingers made light work of my bra. Letting it slither over my body, the silky material brushed against the nerve endings beneath my skin, they burned like flames of a thousand candles.

His lips moved down my body to capture my nipples one at a time. They sprang to life beneath his tongue before he abandoned them and moved lower.

“I love this underwear” he breathed “It reminds me of another set from many years ago just the opposite way round”

“That’s why I bought it” I said “I missed that set when I eventually had to throw most of it away”

James looked up at me and I caught my breath at the sight of the sheer unbridled love that sprang from his hot gaze. I knew that he was truly mine again and I sank further into the soft cradle of the bed covers.

Removing them he ran his finger down the strip of hair and then beyond. I sighed as his finger tips were replaced with his tongue and with such infinite care he drank from me. James came up for air and I pulled him down onto the bed and then moved across so that I straddled him.

“Stay there for a moment” he said. His eyes followed his hands up and down my body. I rested my hands on top of his and enjoyed the feelings of love and desire that were disrupting the smooth flow of blood beneath my skin. Parts of me shivered and parts blushed in perfect opposition to each other. Leaning down I ran my nail down his chest and then I stooped to kiss James. He gave me no time to go any lower with my tongue as I found myself beneath his firm body once more.

The moonlight from the open window highlighted the sheen of sweat that lay over our bodies like a blanket. I could see the sky reflected in the large mirrored doors of the wardrobe and I tried to count the stars there until my eyes finally closed and I slept soundly in James’ arms. The next morning I felt his lips gently touch my cheek as I crept closer into his arms. I was determined not to get out of bed too early and just enjoy the feel of being back in James’ life, in a house that held so many happy memories from our past. Lazily we made love and then he turned to me

“Would you like breakfast in bed?” he asked.

“I thought I already had” I replied, thinking about the warm mouthful I had just swallowed. He grinned at my cheeky remark and then started to move the covers from our bodies.

I knew that I could never tire of looking at the tone of his muscles that rippled as he stretched for his dressing gown. He blew me a kiss as he stepped through the door and I was alone. I looked across and caught a glimpse of my reflection in the mirrors and grinned at my hair all tousled and my lips swollen from all the kissing they had done. Apart from the wardrobe and a chest of drawers the walls of the room were really bare in comparison to the multitude of pictures that adorned mine. It definitely lacked a woman’s touch I thought as I hopped out of bed and freshened up before heading back beneath the covers to wait.

James returned with a couple of steaming cups of coffee.

“So what shall we do with the day before we need to go out this evening” he asked. Having temporarily forgotten about the engagement party I felt my pulse start to race for all the wrong reasons.

“Perhaps we should have a wander around the shops” James said, filling the silence between us.

“Yes that sounds like a plan” Eventually we headed for the shower and as we dried off we heard the sound of footsteps on the stairs and Jester’s enthusiastic barking which sounded until the front door opened and closed.

“That’s probably Mitch and Charlie taking him for a walk” James said. I crossed to the window and looked out to see the pair of them hand in hand as they were towed along at the end of a lead.

Smiling I turned back towards James.

“Our kids look so great together” I sighed.

“We used to look like that many years ago” James said, closing the gap between us as I moved into his arms. He planted a soft kiss on the tip of my nose as closing my eyes I inclined my head to his. Our lips met once more and I felt the floor beneath me slid away as they years seemed to drop from our faces. We were in the kitchen cooking bacon when Charlie and Mitch returned from their walk. The autumnal breeze had caught their cheeks planted shades of red there like a last rose in bloom.

“Hi Mum” Charlie said, bounding over to me and hugging me tight. She had always been a very tactile person and I loved her for it.

“Hi James” she said, leaving my arms and heading for a hug “Or can I call you Dad now” she enquired. I saw the cheeky grin that lit up her whole face and watched as James turned to me for clarification.

“Let’s stick to James for now” he replied as Jester bounded over and pushed between their legs.

James lent down to stroke his soft fur and I watched as I saw Charlie sidle back towards Mitch who had stood watching the scene with a wry grin on his face. We sat down for bacon sandwiches and then the two of them disappeared back upstairs to change and then straight through into the dance studio.

“Shall we head out then, the weather seems to be holding up so we could walk into town” James said.

“Sounds good to me” I replied. As I grabbed my coat and bag James popped his head round the door and the music paused for a second.

The leaves of the trees that lined the pathway glinted in the golden warmth of the lower sun. I reached for James’ hand as we walked along together and eventually reached the bustle of the shops. The town had changed from what I could remember of it as empty shops seemed sad and desolate between those that remained. We stopped for a coffee first and then as we browsed I tried desperately not to think of the strands of time clutching at my skin and pulling me closer to the inevitable meeting with her. I pulled James inside Accessorize as I realised that the best way to cover my scars was some chunky jewellery.

I started to try a couple of different silver bangles as I watched the penny drop in James’ expression. He reached for my hands and held them both in his.

“I guess you’re trying to hide these” he said, turning my palms face up and staring at the faded lines of my despair. I nodded as I tried to pull my hands away. Shame glowed on my cheeks.

“There’s no need to hide them, they are part of you” he continued. He lent down and dropped the lightest of kisses on each of my wrists.

“I just need them; it’s the only way I think I can get through the evening”

Already I could feel the blackness descending upon my good mood, smothering all the happiness away in its blanket of fear. My hands started to shake in his and I tried once more to pull them from his grasp.

Realising my anguish he let his hands drop and waited as I chose some bangles and we headed back out into the fresh air. Pulling me close once more he felt my body trembling in his arms, I could almost taste the fear in my mouth. Its bitterness was hard to swallow as I floundered with the conflicting emotions of being in James’ strong arms and yet at the same time wanting to flee from them. We wandered along and found a quiet pub and as James ordered us both a drink I hurried to the privacy of the rest room. I looked at my reflection in the mirror, my slight tan had started to fade but the paleness that tinged my skin was the mask of pure fear. Within my eyes I saw the reflection of the Christmas tree bauble that I had crushed in my hand as my future shattered around me. I knew that I somehow had to find the strength to face my enemy once more. The pieces of my newly mended heart started to become dislodged, like the snowflakes in a globe waiting to be shook up and swirled around.