It was Nell who wouldn’t let him down. Always knowing, always understanding. He kissed her, feeling the thump of his heart against hers. And suddenly it didn’t feel like a precursor of doom. It felt good.
‘Your heart and mine, Nell. Beating together.’
‘That means we’re both alive.’ She smiled up at him.
‘I feel more alive than I have for a long time...’
Hugo sat down on the bed, spreading his legs and pulling her close, kissing the wide strip of flesh between the open fronts of her robe. He felt her hands on his shoulders, and heard her cry out when he ran his tongue lightly across her stomach. He could see now that the robe had concealed ivory lace underwear, and he felt another jolt of longing. More time, more pleasure involved in taking that off.
She sank down onto his knee, and he held her close, kissing her and gently working her free of the wrap. It slid down, draping around his leg.
‘You are so beautiful, Nell.’ He heard his own voice, thick with desire.
‘You are, too. I want you to make love to me, Hugo.’ She was working on the last few buttons of his shirt, pulling it from his shoulders.
A stab of self-doubt cut through the desire. It was impossible that she couldn’t have felt it, he was hers already in as many ways as he could think of. She ran her fingers lightly over the scar on his chest, and he shivered.
‘It’ll be okay.’ She laid her hand on the side of his face, kissing him on the lips. ‘Believe me, Hugo.’
Suddenly he did. He let her pull his shirt off, and as she ran her fingers across his chest, he gave himself up to her caresses.
They were both so aroused already that even the smallest gesture seemed to provoke a reaction. When Hugo brushed his fingers across the lace that covered her breasts, Nell felt a sharp tug of desire. When she laid her hand on his belt buckle, she felt him tremble, as if just the thought, just the implication of an action, was as potent as the deed itself.
Undressing each other slowly was an expression of a shared need, which demanded that they take each moment and make it last. The leisurely rocking motion of the yacht seemed to follow their pace, as unstoppable as the movement of the ocean.
And Hugo was all hers. No more fears, no looking over his shoulder. He took pleasure just as wholeheartedly as he gave it, smiling up at her when she found herself on top of him, astride his hips.
‘Doesn’t anyone ever call you Penelope?’
‘No.’ On his lips, her given name seemed to sparkle. ‘You like it?’
‘Yes, I do.’
‘I like hearing you say it.’ This was something that she could share, just with him.
He chuckled, pulling her down for a kiss. ‘Penelope.’
He said it again, gasping it when she lowered her body onto his, taking him inside her. When he gripped her hips, pushing her further towards her own climax, he may have said it. By that time, Nell was a little beyond thought. But he did say it again as she clung to him, turning her over to explore every angle of their lovemaking.
He was her heart. Even that thought didn’t seem out of place tonight, because there was no tomorrow.
* * *
‘I loved the lace...’ They were sprawled together on the bed, whispering the quiet minutes of the night away. ‘Is that what you usually wear?’
Nell grinned. She’d hoped he would like it. ‘It’s my body armour.’
‘Really? Can’t say it worked too well in that regard.’ Hugo kissed the top of her head.
‘I noticed. But a good friend always used to say that if you’re feeling a little under-confident, nice underwear helps.’
‘You’ve been feeling under-confident?’
‘I’m not as used to standing up in front of a lot of people as you are. Or having people notice me on the street, or seeing my face on the front pages of the paper.’
He laughed quietly. ‘Okay. So you were wearing lace when you first met me?’
‘No, if you remember I was fresh off the plane. I was dressed for comfort.’