Chapter 7
Laura was the first to wake the next morning. She lay beside him, watching him sleep. She had a theory regarding sex. The second time with someone was always the best. All of the tiny inhibitions were gone, there were no more first-time fumbles. But there was still plenty of novelty and excitement.
Through the night, her theory had been tested and shattered, completely blown apart. The second time had been sensational but the third time, even better. Way better. She was relaxed in a way she'd never experienced before. A smile lit her face at the memories, a familiar heat suffused her body.
Robbie watched her beneath his lashes. Whatever she was thinking had made her smile, brought a flush of color to her cheeks. "What has you smiling this morning?"
Opening her eyes, she smiled at him, "A good night's sleep." At his expression, she moved closer to him, "Brought on by the exhaustion of an extremely pleasurable evening."
Bringing his hands behind his head, he looked up at the ceiling. "The opera was very nice, wasn't it?"
She pinched his side, "Robbie Lewis."
Moving quicker than she would have imagined possible, he grabbed her hands, rolling her onto her back. He pinned her hands above her head. "Laura Hobson." Her eyes darkened with desire as he stared down at her. He wondered how he'd managed to resist her for as long as he had.
He knew it had been his own insecurity that had kept him away. Laura saw a shadow of something cross his face. Lifting her head, she tenderly kissed him. "What's wrong, Robbie?"
He shook his head, "Nothing, just lost in your eyes for a moment."
She recognized the lie, the instant he told it. Her body tensed, pulling against him. "Let me go."
Instantly, he released her hands, rolled away from her. "What's wrong, did I hurt you?"
Pulling at covers, trying to cover her body. "I spend my days surrounded by cops, Robbie. Don't you think I've learned to recognize a lie when I see one?" Giving up on the covers, she scooted across the bed. "If you didn't want me here, all you had to do was ask me to leave."
Robbie stared after her, trying to understand what she was saying. He grabbed her arm, stopped her from leaving. "Laura, please…"
She looked back at him, tears filling her eyes, "I saw the look on your face. You weren't lost in my eyes. You were having second thoughts."
"No, Laura, I would never. You saw my insecurity. I don't understand why you would want me. You're so young and carefree and I am neither of those things."
His words softened her. She moved back to the middle of the bed, wrapping her arms around him. "Funny thing, I don't see your age when I look at you, I see the handsome detective I met fifteen years ago. The one who made me laugh and who laughed at me when I was dealing with a snarky Inspector. Even all these years later, you make me smile. When I've had the worst day imaginable, I only have to hear your voice and I'm better."
"I'm not the same man you met all those years ago."
"I know, you're better. Because that man was still trying to figure out who he was, still trying to find himself to some extent. Now you're more confident, a bit sadder but ever so much more. And I love every nuance of who you've become."
He stared at her, playing her words over in his mind. "I love you too. I have for a long time."
"Then why didn't you ask me sooner?"
"Fear, what if you rejected me? Then I would have lost my best friend."
"I'm not rejecting you, Robbie. And I never will."
He nuzzled against her neck, "I can't guarantee I won't have insecurities."
"Nor can I." She kissed him, smiling against his lips, "What made you kiss me?"
"I saw the panic in your eyes when I asked if you considered this a date. I knew if I let you answer, you would talk yourself out of it." He smiled, somewhat sadly, "We've become experts at taking one step forward and two steps back. So I kissed you, took away the argument. You didn't mind, did you?"
Laughter bubbled out of her, "I think my current state of undress would suggest I didn't mind at all." Pushing him onto his back, she slid across his body, "In fact, I'm quite grateful for your intervention. I'd much rather be here than across the cottage alone."
Smiling up at her, "And how will you feel when we go back to our normal lives?"
A flicker of insecurity crossed her face, "I hope you mean back to Oxford and not back to our solitary existences?"
"Oxford is exactly what I mean. Do we tell everyone?"
"I'm comfortable telling everyone but I also quite like the idea of having this just between us for a while."
"Are you ashamed of me, Dr. Hobson?"
Rolling her eyes, she kissed him soundly. "Yes, you've figured out my secret." Seeing his insecurity, she kissed him again. "If you want we can shout it from the roof tops. But, it might be nice to keep it between us. To figure out who we are before we let all of the prying eyes into our relationship."
"You are as smart as you are beautiful."
"You already have me naked, in bed, the time for flattery has passed."
Running his hands down the bare skin of her back, "Or perhaps, you would rather I show you how I feel…"
"I've always preferred active demonstrations than pretty words."
Rolling them so she was beneath him, he kissed his way down her neck. Robbie spent the rest of the morning demonstrating exactly how he felt. And Laura discovered the fourth time was even better than the third.
And this is where I leave you. Assume things just kept getting better.
