31 Days of Summer (31 Days #2) Read online

  I’d told him to screw the escorting career, work for me and ask her out. I’d never known Logan talk about another woman the way he did this mystery brunette, not even his ex Lucy. In return he’d told me that I needed to go and see Ellie and come clean and see if we could make a go of it. I’d not been back to London since I’d walked away six months ago. Ian my IT genius had offered to keep track on her and give me regular updates, but I’d told him I didn’t want to know unless she was in serious trouble. I needed to distance myself from her, knowing she was seeing someone else, fucking in my house, in my bloody bed no less, would kill me.

  ‘Oliver, where are you?’ my mother sighed as she reached over and grabbed my hand and squeezed it. ‘You look so sad, even more than normal. I worry about you.’

  ‘I’m sorry, the takeover contracts are due to be signed on Saturday so I’ve been focussed on that,’ I smiled, as I stopped staring out of the window and turned to face her.

  ‘Nonsense. Don’t lie to your mother. This is woman trouble. I recognise the look. Talk to me, darling.’

  ‘I met someone,’ I sighed, as I rubbed my free hand over my eyes. ‘Someone I can’t stop thinking about.’

  ‘Oliver, you need to let Moira go. It’s been nearly four years since the accident. Four years that you’ve holed yourself away, visiting her nearly every day, denying yourself the basic pleasures in life.’

  ‘I’m married,’ I snapped. ‘I never wanted to be the sort of person that would get married and cheat, mother.’

  ‘And I didn’t want that for you either, but the doctors say she’ll never wake up, darling. I can’t understand why you insist on keeping her on that ventilator. It’s hurting you and it hurts her parents. Theo still rings pleading for us to talk some sense into you. They can’t bear seeing their daughter like this and you’re not living. They’ve forgiven you, it was a tragic accident. You need to forgive yourself and live your life while you’re still young.’

  ‘I don’t deserve forgiveness.’

  ‘You do. I could understand you grieving if she were the love of your life, but she wasn’t. She was manipulative and deceitful and snared you. She didn’t deserve the fate that the cards dealt her, but neither did you. I want you to be happy.’

  ‘That’s the problem, for a few weeks I was. This woman …’ I shook my head and blew out as I closed my eyes and visualised Ellie’s face. ‘This woman has got so deep under my skin I can’t stop thinking about her.’

  ‘There’s nothing wrong with that. She must be very beautiful for you to have your mind all in knots over her. Other than Rebecca, I’ve never known you be affected deeply by a woman before,’ she smiled as she raised her dark eyebrows.

  ‘She is, but it’s not just about her looks or her body for once. She’s beautiful on the inside too, she has a huge heart and fell in love with me when she thought I was just Dan, the hired help who was renting her the island house and looking after her.’

  ‘Dan not Oliver and the house? You rented her the house instead of the boathouse?’ Mother looked at me surprised. ‘You’d better start at the beginning and fill me in right now.’

  ‘I’d prefer not too,’ I sighed, but one look at her creased brow and determined stare told me that I wasn’t going to get away with any less. I commanded respect from thousands of employees, held audio visual conferences with some of the most wealthy men in the world, dominated women in the bedroom, yet one look from my mother had me caving like a pack of damn cards. ‘Fine, you’d better get comfortable, it’s not a short story.’

  ‘Oliver,’ she sighed as she dabbed her eyes with a cotton handkerchief embroidered with a navy blue D, our Davenport monogram. ‘You’re falling in love with this woman, if you aren’t already. You need to let Moira go and pursue her. Don’t let this turn out like it did with Rebecca, when you told her too late. Promise me.’

  ‘How about I promise to think about it?’ I suggested, trying to get her off my back. ‘Are you good? We’re here and I don’t fancy you having a melt down over Sunday dinner. I’d like to come back.’

  ‘I won’t have a meltdown, but I plan on talking some sense into you. Even James agrees that you need the love of a good woman in your life, don’t you James?’

  ‘I think Mr. Davenport deserves some happiness in his life and if this Miss Baxter is that woman, then yes, Mrs. Davenport.’

  ‘See,’ she beamed at me, as I rolled my eyes. I offered her my arm as we headed inside and smiled proudly to see men’s heads turning as they looked at her. She was a stunning woman, with a shoulder length bob of raven hair and dark green eyes. I owed many of my genes and features to her. ‘I wish your father was with us, he’d talk some sense into you,’ she sighed.

  ‘It’s his annual law golf tournament, nothing interferes with that,’ I laughed.

  ‘His son’s emotional wellbeing would. You know he adores you and wants the best for you, as do I.’

  ‘I know Mother,’ I leaned in and kissed her cheek, before straightening up and walking to the Maître d’ to be seated.

  Ellie

  ‘Brooke, seriously, I’m really not convinced that this is a good idea,’ I sighed, as I adjusted my green lace dress, tugging on the hem.

  ‘Please,’ she sighed with a roll of her eyes. ‘It’s been over six months, Ellie. Six months of bloody pining and moping after arsehole three and you’ve refused to date every single guy I’ve set you up with. This is the perfect plan, isn’t it Molly?’

  ‘Got to say I agree with her for once,’ nodded Molly. ‘You’ll never get over him if you don’t get out there. Besides this is just dipping your toe in the water, you’re simply going for lunch with a work colleague.’

  ‘A work colleague who’s been asking me out for months,’ I reminded her with arched brows. I’d settled into my new role as Junior Partner at my publishing firm well. There’d been some chemistry with Tom, my replacement as Senior Editor, when we met and we’d had some harmless flirtation as I’d settled him in, but I’d constantly knocked him back when he’d asked me out. I kept telling myself it was because it wasn’t professional, I was effectively his boss, even though John was encouraging me to date Tom, on the condition if we started something it was kept out of the office at all times. I knew deep down though it was because of Dan. Tom was intelligent, good looking and seemed to keep himself in great shape. We had a lot in common, due to our love of literature and could spend hours talking and debating novels, but every time I looked at him, I wished for those deep sea green eyes to be looking back at me, for that husky sexual baritone voice. I just wanted him to be Dan. I’d cried for days after fleeing Scotland before I’d pulled myself together. Despite having told him not to contact me, I’d secretly hoped that if he had an explanation, like he’d claimed to have at the airport, that he’d come to see me, to apologise and set the record straight. I lived in his best friend’s house for God’s sake, it wasn’t like he didn’t know how to get hold of me if he was worried about turning up at my office, the address for which he had on my original rental application, or in that damn manila file my landlord had put together on me. I really had trusted him and was so disappointed that he’d been proven to be another jackass.

  ‘O crap, she’s in Danland again,’ sighed Brooke as she gently shoved my arm, startling me from my daydream. ‘You get this dreamy vacant look when you’re fantasising about him. He’s a shit, a lying deceitful shit. Tom on the other hand is single, available, desperate for you and in London. What more could you ask for?’

  ‘I know, I know, but I’m doing this under duress,’ I protested, as she grabbed my clutch and shoved it in my hands.

  ‘Well, on the bright side, you get an amazing Sunday lunch for free with those vouchers Dan left you and you have us to come home to, so we can dissect how it went,’ Brooke grinned. ‘Or if you want to come back and shag like rabbits you text us and we go back to ours. Even better don’t come back, fuck at his.’

  ‘I may have only known her for six months Brooke, b
ut even I know she’s not going to bring him back here, or go there,’ scoffed Molly. I laughed, she was dead on. No way was I ready for sex with another guy, not after … I bit my lip as my nipples peaked at the thought of Dan’s lips on mine, his manhood stretching me pleasurably, no one would compare. I gave them both a hug as the doorbell rang.

  ‘No shagging in my bedroom, or on any of the kitchen or dining surfaces please. Plus I’m going to start charging you both rent you’re here so much.’

  ‘Yeah yeah, sing another tune,’ Brooke smiled as she put her arm around Molly and kissed her. I smiled with an internal sigh, as I watched Molly kiss her back. They were so happy. In fact I’d never seen Brooke so happy, ever. Even though I was ecstatic for her, I was also kind of jealous. I’d never been alone for so long, without someone to love and take care of. It had done me good in a way, I’d realised that although I preferred being in a relationship, I could manage on my own. I headed downstairs and got into the taxi. I was meeting Tom there, I didn’t want him asking loads of questions about how I could afford to live in such an affluent area.

  He was waiting outside for me, tugging at his shirt sleeve as he bit his bottom lip. He was nervous. I took a moment to study him as the taxi slowed to a halt. He was about six foot, with short brown hair, blue-grey expressive eyes and a decently proportioned body. If I hadn’t met Dan, I’d probably have found him really attractive. I took a deep breath, maybe going on a few dates with him would change how I felt. It couldn’t be instant attraction and chemistry with every guy I met. I paid up and stepped out and he marched forward with a big smile on his face.

  ‘Ellie, you look amazing,’ he advised as he kissed both cheeks.

  ‘You too,’ I nodded. ‘You’ve shaved.’

  ‘I have to keep something for out of the office,’ he smiled. He held out his hand and I felt myself stiffen. ‘Shall we?’

  ‘Please, I’m starving,’ I replied, as I stepped forward and wrapped my arm around his. I wasn’t at hand holding stage, far from it. I looked around impressed, they’d done an amazing job with the refurb of The Savoy. It was about time I spent those vouchers Dan had left for me, when I’d moved in. I handed them over and we were seated and ordered a bottle of white wine and I tried to break the obvious tension, by talking about one of the books I was working on, that Tom had wanted to be given. We ended up laughing as we finished our main courses. I really needed to just relax and take this one step at a time. ‘Please excuse me and no eating my dessert when it arrives,’ I warned, as I put my napkin down and headed to the ladies. I touched up my lip gloss and fluffed out my hair before heading out, as I tugged on the hem of my dress again. Brooke had insisted it wasn’t too short, I had to disagree, this was a clubbing style dress, not Sunday lunch at The Savoy. ‘Damn it,’ I muttered, as I spotted a loose thread. I tugged it as I walked, trying to snap it off and walked straight into a wall of muscle and fell straight on my backside in an ungainly heap.

  ‘Shit, Ellie are you ok?’

  ‘Embarrassed,’ I replied, as I quickly put my knees together to protect my modesty, right at the time I froze, as that deep voice stirred memories in me and made all the hairs on my arms stand to attention. I closed my eyes quickly and took a deep breath. Please no, I thought. It couldn’t be him, not here, not in London.

  ‘Ellie?’ came his unmistakable voice again. I gulped, the last time I’d seen him I’d fled in tears and now here I was in a crumpled heap on the floor of a luxury hotel.

  ‘Please go away,’ I whispered. ‘I don’t want to see you.’

  ‘I can’t leave you on the floor flashing your knickers at everyone, take my hand.’

  ‘My knees are together,’ I protested, as I slowly opened my eyes. My heart started racing as I saw he was crouched in front of me, his knees parted showing a visible bulge that made my mouth water, along with other parts of my anatomy. I trailed my eyes up to see he was in a black three piece suit, with a white shirt and purple tie, and had to swallow hard as his square clean shaven chin, perfectly formed lips and those ridiculous deep green eyes came into view and locked on mine. I saw his pupils expand and his nostrils flare as we just looked at each other for a moment. I suddenly felt hot and dizzy.

  ‘Then how do I know that you’re wearing green lace knickers, like the ones I ripped off you?’ he asked, his lips curving up into that sexy smile I’d never forget.

  ‘Please go away,’ I begged. I hadn’t shed a tear over him in five months, but suddenly the sting in my eyes warned me that there was a backlog waiting to flow. All my twisted mixed up feelings of love, lust, hurt and betrayal were swirling around in the pit of my stomach. A shot of energy flowed up my arm as he grabbed my hand and pulled me up, before slipping an arm around my waist as I wobbled.

  ‘I’m so sorry how things were left between us.’

  ‘You’ve already said that, a number of times if I recall. I’d really like to get back to my dessert.’

  ‘You’re trembling,’ he observed, as I looked at the knot of his tie, it was done in a sophisticated double Windsor. If I’d thought rough and ready Dan looked hot, this was just blowing that look out of the water.

  ‘I just fell over, it has nothing to do with you,’ I replied, trying to sound as emotionless and cold as I could.

  ‘Don’t lie, Ellie. You’ve missed me as much as I’ve missed you. I can feel your heart beating extra fast, the pulse point in your neck is racing and you’re all flushed. You want me, you remember how good we were don’t you?’

  ‘All I can remember is that you’re married and an arsehole, so dream on, it’s never happening again,’ I bit and shoved him as hard as I could. He barely even wobbled and I could hardly breathe, his unique sexy smell and physical proximity were firing off all sorts of memories, hot, sexual, happy memories. Why couldn’t I focus on the memories of how much he hurt me? He grabbed my chin and pulled my face up to his. I clenched my teeth and willed myself not to cry as I took in his gorgeous face. He was even better looking than I’d remembered, or than his picture had captured. The one I looked at every day, several times a day, unable to move on.

  ‘I deserve a chance to explain, I told you it’s not what it seemed.’

  ‘You had plenty of chances Dan, every day for the four weeks that I stayed there, then every day for the last six months when you’ve known exactly where to find me. You didn’t even contact me.’

  ‘You told me not to,’ he reminded me.

  ‘So what, the guilt got too much and you got your investigator to tail me, then report my location so you could come and ambush me on my date?’

  ‘You’re on a date?’ he exclaimed, as a look of pain crossed his face.

  ‘Yes, although it’s nothing to do with you what I do,’ I bit angrily, secretly pleased he seemed pissed about it.

  ‘Please, just agree to stay for a drink with me and I’ll explain everything, even if it means I lose you. I don’t want to walk away from you again. I really thought I could forget you, I thought I could stay away, but seeing you again has ignited something in me.’

  ‘Well it’s ignited all the feelings of hate I have for you,’ I lied, as I felt my bottom lip trembling. His body was so warm against mine, his erection laying heavy against my stomach. How could my mind and body betray me so much, by telling me to succumb to him?

  ‘You don’t hate me Ellie, you told me as much. You’re too good to hate, you see the good in everyone. Why can’t you give me that chance? Meeting you today was fate, I never planned it, but I’m not going to waste the opportunity. If you don’t believe me when I’m done, or if you tell me that you don’t love me anymore then I’ll walk away, for good.’

  ‘Love? Who the hell said anything about love?’ I felt my cheeks betraying me now, burning to a deep shade of pink, while I desperately tried not to flex my fingers against his firm chest.

  ‘I heard you, you thought I was asleep, I wasn’t. That’s why I panicked in the morning and ran, but I came back. I came back for you and you’d
already left for the airport.’

  ‘It wasn’t love, it was … it was lust, you spun my head when I was vulnerable,’ I protested.

  ‘Don’t accuse me of being an arsehole when you continue to lie to me and yourself. You love me, Ellie. We both know that you shouldn’t, but you do. Even if a tiny part of you hates me, you can’t help yourself, we’re fated.’ He leaned in and nosed through my hair, as I closed my eyes and tried desperately to hold in a sigh of pleasure as his lips gently touched my neck and he whispered in my ear as I shivered. ‘You’re aroused, those big pink nipples are stiff, just like the first time you saw me and I can smell you watering for me. Your tight little cunt is just desperate to have my cock back inside you. No one is as compatible as we are Ellie and you know it. Meet me in the bar,’ he coaxed.

  ‘Dan,’ I moaned. My insides were liquefying, he was like some sexual master, his voice was hypnotic.

  ‘Say yes, Ellie. I need to be back inside you.’