WindSwept Narrows: #4 Alice Branch Read online

  Alice suddenly found herself looking up into his eyes, blinking at the speed she ended up on her back. His hands framed her face and his mouth was down hard and hungrily on hers. She stared at him, breathless when he lifted his head.

  “I just spent the most incredible hour with an absolutely amazingly sensuous woman in my arms,” Nick whispered erotically against her mouth. His body was already aroused when he rolled to his back, pulling her over him again. “I don’t plan to give the boys in England a second chance at you, Alice Branch,” he promised, spearing the long hair with his fingers and pulling her mouth to his.

  Alice tipped her body to the side without breaking their kiss. She wanted to feel him beneath her hands. She wanted to learn the shape of him, hear the husky groans she could bring to him and see the excitement in his eyes again and again. She lifted her mouth from his, kissing his throat and onto his chest. Fingertips lightly touched his left arm, tracing the intricate military tattoo.

  “A long night out with the guys a long time ago,” he answered the unasked question.

  “At least it isn’t a naked mermaid,” she teased, letting her palm glide over the muscles on his stomach, fingers tracing the ridges before trailing around the band of his shorts.

  “That would have been hell to explain.”

  “Parents?”

  “Hmm…” His breath caught in his chest when her small hand slipped inside his shorts. It wasn’t like he could hide his reaction to her, but when she touched him, his whole body stiffened. She kept her eyes on his, staring as she dropped kisses along his jaw, her fingers tracing the hard length of him and then trailing around the sensitive ridge. The groan of need came from deep inside him.

  “They probably wouldn’t understand this, then…” She said softly, leaning up and trailing hot kisses over his chest, onto his stomach. She let her tongue draw a slow circle around his naval.

  Nick didn’t stop her from pushing his shorts lower, her tongue tracing hot, moist lines along his arousal, each new foray making him harder and harder. His body was close to exploding when he reached for her shoulders and pulled her away. He found another packet on the nightstand and used it.

  This time, he pulled the skimpy panties down her legs before beginning his exploring, her slender body arched hungrily for him as he licked, suckled and nipped around her pussy for several long minutes. By the time he moved between her welcoming thighs, they were both panting. He seated himself and eased inside on the aftermath of her climax, her body still quaking and the tension inside hot and clutching him tightly.

  Instinct had her legs rising, first just to bend her knees and then to circle his hips, pulling him hungrily inside her, meeting his thrusts with her own need. He felt the small nails in his shoulders as she clung to him, their breathing slowly, very slowly returning to normal as he rolled to the side.

  Chapter Three

  Sometime later, Alice wasn’t sure how she ended up in a tee shirt with Coast Guard across her chest, but she snuggled against Nick with a long sigh. They had talked and whispered and laughed and made love again. It was after three before she remembered the numbers on the clock fading into nothing.

  Alice stirred as the sun was beginning to sparkle in the fog. Pale lashes blinked slowly, her stretch curtailed when she felt the very warm body next to her and the unfamiliar muscles complaining. She eased carefully from the large bed, gathered clothing scattered throughout the big room and slipped quietly into the bathroom.

  Nick had a beautiful house, she thought, slipping her feet into the heels and running damp fingers through her hair. She was walking down the long hall when she noticed the second bathroom and a movement off in another room.

  A room with a low gate at the door.

  She pushed lightly on the door and stood immobile, staring at a miniature Nick, sitting cross legged in the center of a small bed. He had a book open on his lap and was tracing the letters with his fingers. Dark eyes met the quizzical silver grey stare without wavering.

  “Hi.”

  “Hello,” Alice couldn’t stop staring. “My name is Alice.”

  “My name is Matthew,” he replied, closing the book.

  “May I come in?” She saw surprise on his face but he nodded, her fingers opening the gate and stepping into the room. She extended her palm. “How do you do, Matthew.” He put his hand in hers, grinning when she shook it lightly. “Then you say, I’m doing very well, thank you.”

  “I’m doing very well, thank you,” Matthew repeated with a broader grin. “Did you sleep over?”

  “I believe I did,” Alice confessed, sinking slowly to the floor and the colorful blocks spread out on the carpeting.

  “Gran’ma says daddy shouldn’t have sleep overs…”

  “Then I think it best that gran’ma isn’t here at the moment, don’t you?”

  “Yes. Can you build a tunnel?” Matthew slid off the bed, joining her on the floor on his belly, watching.

  “Hmm…tunnels are rather difficult…but I might be able to manage a bridge…” Alice began stacking and rearranging the blocks.

  “I think it’s okay for you to sleep over,” Matthew announced with a nod.

  “You do? Why is that?”

  “Gran’ma says daddy can’t have girls sleeping over, but you aren’t a girl,” he declared simply.

  “I’m not?” Alice wrinkled her nose at him.

  “No…those aren’t girl shoes,” he scrambled to his feet and went to the book shelf next to the head of the bed. “I saw them…you’re a princess…a fairy princess…see?” He brought the book to her, opening it to the pages with a collection of fairies flying around the flowers. “That’s you…”

  Alice looked into the book at the blonde fairy he pointed to, her dress very similar to the one she wore and her shoes, crystal.

  “Can you fly?”

  Alice tipped her shoulder toward him. “I seem to have left my wings at home.”

  “Did you meet daddy at the ball? He was talking about going to the ball with Aunt Delia. Was it like Cinderella’s ball?”

  “It was very much like that…there were so many people dancing and having fun,” Alice moved the blocks around. “There…a very nice bridge…and I suppose a little tunnel…” She watched Matthew set the book on the bed, dropping to his belly and driving little cars beneath the bridge.

  “I don’t like big tunnels…it’s dark in there…”

  “We shall make certain we have lots of lights in our tunnel,” she promised, her hand out to brush the dark brown hair from his forehead. How could Nick not mention his child? Did he think she would run because he was a single father? She shoved the thoughts aside. “Perhaps you should get dressed and help me make breakfast…does that sound like a good idea?”

  Alice laughed softly at the immediate nodding. He was on his feet, tugging and struggling with getting his shirt off. She helped and tossed it to the bed.

  “What would you like to wear today?” She stood up and opened a drawer, noticing the surprise on his face.

  “I can pick?”

  “Of course you can pick,” she watched his little fingers going over the collection of colorful shirt, pulling a bright green one from the bottom. “And jeans?” He did the same thing, selecting a pair of black cargo pants from inside.

  “I like these pants…daddy wears pants like this,” he told her with a grown up nod.

  She opened the gate and they walked down the hall, hand in hand to the second bathroom. Alice waited politely outside, helping him with the clothing when he pulled the door open to her. “You’re looking quite handsome today, Matthew. Very good choices. Now…what shall we make for breakfast?”

  “You have pretty words…” He said as they went into the kitchen. He didn’t protest when she lifted him to one of the high stools and eased it next to the breakfast bar.

  “Thank you, sir…that’s a very nice thing to say,” Alice opened the fridge and peered inside. “Well…first…juice…do you like scrambled eggs?”
She laughed at the rapid nod. “And cheese? And toast…”

  “Daddy doesn’t make eggs for breakfast,” Matthew confided, his little legs swinging back and forth.

  “What does daddy have for breakfast?” Alice quickly got the pan hot, added some butter and whipped the eggs. Bread went into the toaster and she watched Matthew’s face with a laugh.

  “Coffee…lots of coffee,” Matthew said in a dad like voice.

  “Well…short people shouldn’t have coffee…at least, not a lot. A sip now and then is alright, I think,” Alice poured juice for her and milk into a cup for Matthew. “I like frosted coffees…it’s like ice cream coffee…very yummy.”

  Alice buttered the toast and cut it into small pieces, adding some of the eggs and covering the others on the stove. She put the plate and fork out for Matthew and was peering into the fridge for jam.

  “Well…I do like marmalade with my toast…however…we shall settle for cherry jam this morning,” she brought out the jar and spooned some onto the slice of toast. “Would you like a taste? It’s quite good,” she assured him, cutting off a small bite and handing it to him.

  “Tastes like pie,” he said in approval, quietly eating his eggs.

  “Yes…yes, it does taste like pie,” she agreed. “How old are you, Matthew?”

  “Three…gran’ma says I’m not very big. She says daddy is feeding me the wrong food,” he parroted between bites.

  “I don’t know about that,” Alice poked his pudgy belly with one finger. “I think you’re eating quite well…” She smiled at his giggle.

  “Do you think we can go outside? On the beach?”

  “I don’t see why not…it’s quite warm out…when you finish your breakfast, we shall test the air and play for a bit,” Alice promised, slathering another slice of toast with cherry jam before she began cleaning up the kitchen.

  She found two small towels and used them to tie up the sides of her dress, slipped out of her shoes and stepped onto the large deck with her hand firmly in Matthew’s. It was a very warm Saturday morning, she decided, lifting a brightly colored ball from the deck and tossing it into the sand.

  “Can you play soccer?” She saw his head shake quickly from side to side, his eyes wide in expectation. “Well…every smart young man must learn to play…so…”

  Chapter Four

  Nick woke to the smell of breakfast and giggling. He shoved his elbows behind him, disoriented only for a moment.

  Matthew!

  He bolted upright and bounced out of the bed only to lean two heavy hands on the window ledge. Blurry eyes watched a bare foot Alice darting back and forth in the sand with a three year old and a bright yellow ball between their feet. His mouth fell open as he watched her hug him and hold him and whisper in his ear, to which Matthew nodded and they went after the ball once more, his little feet connecting and sending it soaring toward the water.

  Nick was about to call out when Alice scooped him up and ran with him to the water’s edge, both of them tip toeing into the cold water and running back to the higher sand. She bent over and caught the ball, tossing it toward the house and running hand in hand with Matthew along the sand. She had her fancy ball gown tied at the sides, like a scullery maid’s outfit, long blond hair flying behind her.

  Nick fell face down on the bed.

  Alice walked slowly toward the deck, her cheeks red from the exertion.

  “We gotta wash our feet,” Matthew told her, pointing to the small pipe with a handle on it over the drain.

  “Well…that’s very nice and warm…” She said stepping onto the dry mat once all the sand was gone, four feet with wiggling toes entering the house.

  “Daddy’s up!” Matthew told her excitedly.

  “How do you know?” Alice slipped into her shoes and picked up her bag from the table, tapping in some numbers and dropping it inside with a snap.

  “The shower,” he said simply.

  “Matthew…” Alice led him to his bedroom. “I have to go,” she told him sadly.

  “Why?” Was the three year old innocent question. “Will you come back?”

  “I…I have to go,” she whispered softly, kissing him lightly on the forehead. “You please be a good young man and read your book until your father comes for you, alright?” She swiped at the tear when he nodded, confusion in his eyes. “Thank you…good bye, Matthew.”

  Alice quickly removed the towels from the sides of her dress and slipped out the door, running to the main street without looking back.

  Matthew picked up the book with the fairies, staring at the picture of the princess for a long time. He looked up when his father came to his door.

  “Morning, pal…how’s it going?” Nick looked around expectantly, frowning slightly. “Where’s Alice?”

  “She had to go…” He went immediately into Nick’s arms, hugging him tightly. “I don’t think fairies can stay out in sunshine long…”

  “Fairies?” Nick looked down at the open book and the page he had been staring at. “Oh…I see…”

  “Alice made you coffee…and eggs…she likes marg’a’laid but we didn’t have any,” Matthew confided chattily. “She left her mask,” he said in a hushed voice. “Maybe that means she’ll come back.”

  “I think we can get her to come back, pal,” Nick promised with a hug, setting him down by his toys and wandering into the kitchen. He poured a large mug of coffee and opened the laptop on his desk, tuning up the cameras he had around the house.

  He watched her, saw the expression on her face.

  If she left because she was angry at him, it never showed in the two plus hours she spent with Matthew. She spoke to him like an adult and never raised her voice. He watched her holding him on her lap while they played the driving game on his Xbox, giggling and laughing. He saw the tear on her cheek when she told him good bye.

  “Grab a pair of shoes, Matt,” Nick pulled his sneakers on, tying them and helping Matthew with his.

  “Where we goin’?” He said, perched comfortably on his dad’s arm as they left the house.

  “To find us a fairy princess,” he told him, meeting the broad grin with one of his own.

  He laid the mask on the dashboard, driving along the road a short way before pulling into a driveway and pressing the buzzer. “Hey, Red…open up…I need some information.”

  Chloe Oliver pulled the front door wide, dropping to her heels for the little boy who ran into her arms.

  “Hi, Chloe!”

  “Hey, kid…how you been?”

  “I learned how to play soccer today,” Matt told her with a grown up nod. “A fairy princess showed me how to kick.”

  “A…hmmm…” Chloe stood up slowly, meeting the dark eyes. “I’m guessing that’s why you’re here…” She looked at the mask he held out to her.

  “I know this is your work.”

  “That glitter is evil,” Simon growled, winking at the giggling Matt. “Hi, kiddo…looking good today.”

  “I picked ‘em out myself,” he said proudly.

  “Coffee?” Simon offered, looking from one to the other.

  “Not this morning, thanks. So? Where do I find her, Chloe?”

  “Gimmie your phone,” she said after a long minute. Agile fingers tapped over the surface then handed it back to him.

  “We appreciate it,” Nick told her with a grin, loading Matt back into his seat. “Let’s go find our princess, pal.”

  Simon wrapped one arm around Chloe from behind. “Should I ask?”

  “He’s looking for Alice…”

  “Somehow a line about falling down the rabbit hole comes to mind…” Simon dropped a kiss on her bare shoulder, striding into their home with a smile.

  Alice had showered and dressed in jeans that hugged her hips and stopped mid calf, a simple scoop neck tee shirt in deep gold and a pair of comfy sandals. She carefully folded the dress and carried it to the shop below, smiling at Josie, a very happy late teenaged girl helping a customer. She waited patiently, look
ing over the costumes and possibilities.

  “Well? How was the ball?” Josie asked excitedly, grinning at the slight blush. “Ohhh…you had a really good time, didn’t you?”

  “I had a wonderful time, thank you,” Alice handed her the dress. “I met a wonderful young man who thought I was a fairy princess…’cause he had a picture of me in his story book. He’s all of three, Josie…but absolutely adorable.”

  “What’s on the table for next week? I’m guessing something to go with the new hair…”

  “Alice, actually…I already have the dress and pretty black Mary Jane’s,” Alice said with a smile. “Have a great day…”

  She wandered back to the side of the building, frowning at the dark blue SUV until she heard the giggle.

  “Nick,” came the whispered, breathless answer.

  “Alice!” Matthew wiggled but Nick held him firmly in his arms.

  “Not on the stairs, sport…Alice is coming up here…” Dark eyes met the wide silver grey circles. “Aren’t you, Alice…” He stood to the side, letting her sidle past and put her key into the lock, pushing the door open.

  “We came to find you, Alice,” Matthew told her happily, holding his book up with the fairies on the cover. “Daddy says there’s a secret map in here on how to find you and we did!”

  “Daddy is very smart,” Alice said quietly, one hand up, fingers twirling the long ponytail nervously.

  “How about you sit and read your book and let me talk to Alice for a bit, Matt?”

  “Okay…” he sidled back on the sofa and opened his book, looking over at the large wicker basket. “Can I play with those?”

  “Of course you can,” Alice kept to the side, out of arms reach. Nick had very long arms, she recalled, closing her eyes against the flush of red that struck her cheeks at the memory of his hands all over her. She could make out half of the Coast Guard emblem on his bicep, her gaze going to the toys she’d collected in the large wicker basket.