Read Online Nearest Thing to Crazy by Elizabeth Forbes - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Elizabeth Forbes
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love Dan but . . . sometimes he’s so involved in his work I don’t think he realizes what’s going on at home. And because he hasn’t been around he does the usual over-indulgent parent bit to make up for it. Laura’s got him round her little finger, and he can be a bit . . . insensitive. I don’t think he means to be. I mean I’m not saying they’re not happy or anything. But, oh, you know . . .’
‘Yes,’ I said. ‘I do know.’
I did the right thing not asking her to come out with us because it really did give me chance to bond with the others.
The following morning I woke up feeling cold, even though we were barely past mid-summer. The curtains sighed under a draught from the open window, and I could hear a duck quacking frantically on the pond. The wind carried the sound of the drumming of wings against the water’s surface. And closer to the house I could hear the swallows chirruping away manically to each other. These were the sounds that I loved to wake up to, the morning percussion that reminded me that
I lived a perfect life, with everything I had ever wished for.
Dan was sleeping soundly. He was facing me in the bed and his breath waxed and waned rhythmically. I wanted to slide into his warmth but at the same time I didn’t want to disturb him as he looked so peaceful. I lay on my back, blinking at the ceiling for several moments, tracing the cracks in the plaster and thinking about the day to come. I was secretly annoyed with Dan for inviting Ellie but it wasn’t fair to have a go at him for just being his usual kind self. I had really wanted it to be just the two of us because I was enjoying the rediscovered closeness we had brought back with us like a memento from our holiday. I suppose I knew I was being stupid over Ellie. But here, lying in bed, we had our own little world, of sorts, and everything that I ever wanted was in Dan’s circle of warmth.
I couldn’t resist him or the possibility of a reassuring cuddle, and so I turned around and shuffled against him, easing myself into the folds of his body, slipping my buttocks into the bend of his lap, so that my knees buckled against his. He shifted slightly and then placed his arm around my waist. His hand dropped onto my stomach and he pulled my body closer, nuzzling his nose against my hair. I sighed, savouring the delicious feel of his bare chest against my back, flesh to naked flesh. I felt his growing erection against my buttock and so I responded by squeezing my body more tightly against him.
‘Hmm,’ he sighed, and his breath tickled the back of my neck, making my skin come alive, reminding me of the self I had so lately rediscovered. I let my toes drift down to his foot. He inhaled quickly and jerked his foot away. I repeated the movement, aware that he was now fully awake.
‘Hmm,’ he said again. ‘What time is it?’ sleepily.
‘Nine. Time to wake up.’ I wriggled myself even more tightly into him and felt an answering twitch of hardness. Then slowly I turned around to face him and his eyes opened and we stared, expressionlessly, at each other. I broke the moment by placing a small kiss on the end of his nose and he smiled and closed his eyes once more, sighing deeply. I had always loved watching Dan sleep. I loved seeing him with his eyes closed. I loved the black curve that his eyelashes painted, and the smoothness of his skin inches from my face. It was when, to me, he looked at his most vulnerable and approachable. But as I watched him, his eyes remained closed, and his breathing assumed the same gentle rhythm of relaxation, so much so that I feared he had gone back to sleep. I kissed his nose again and put my arm out and stroked his naked shoulder, willing him to wake up, to pay me attention. ‘Morning . . .’ I don’t know if he could sense the edge of insistence in my voice.
‘Hmm,’ he repeated, shivering. ‘Your hands are cold. You’re very awake.’
I traced my fingers over his arm, lightly, letting
‘Yes,’ I said. ‘I do know.’
I did the right thing not asking her to come out with us because it really did give me chance to bond with the others.
The following morning I woke up feeling cold, even though we were barely past mid-summer. The curtains sighed under a draught from the open window, and I could hear a duck quacking frantically on the pond. The wind carried the sound of the drumming of wings against the water’s surface. And closer to the house I could hear the swallows chirruping away manically to each other. These were the sounds that I loved to wake up to, the morning percussion that reminded me that
I lived a perfect life, with everything I had ever wished for.
Dan was sleeping soundly. He was facing me in the bed and his breath waxed and waned rhythmically. I wanted to slide into his warmth but at the same time I didn’t want to disturb him as he looked so peaceful. I lay on my back, blinking at the ceiling for several moments, tracing the cracks in the plaster and thinking about the day to come. I was secretly annoyed with Dan for inviting Ellie but it wasn’t fair to have a go at him for just being his usual kind self. I had really wanted it to be just the two of us because I was enjoying the rediscovered closeness we had brought back with us like a memento from our holiday. I suppose I knew I was being stupid over Ellie. But here, lying in bed, we had our own little world, of sorts, and everything that I ever wanted was in Dan’s circle of warmth.
I couldn’t resist him or the possibility of a reassuring cuddle, and so I turned around and shuffled against him, easing myself into the folds of his body, slipping my buttocks into the bend of his lap, so that my knees buckled against his. He shifted slightly and then placed his arm around my waist. His hand dropped onto my stomach and he pulled my body closer, nuzzling his nose against my hair. I sighed, savouring the delicious feel of his bare chest against my back, flesh to naked flesh. I felt his growing erection against my buttock and so I responded by squeezing my body more tightly against him.
‘Hmm,’ he sighed, and his breath tickled the back of my neck, making my skin come alive, reminding me of the self I had so lately rediscovered. I let my toes drift down to his foot. He inhaled quickly and jerked his foot away. I repeated the movement, aware that he was now fully awake.
‘Hmm,’ he said again. ‘What time is it?’ sleepily.
‘Nine. Time to wake up.’ I wriggled myself even more tightly into him and felt an answering twitch of hardness. Then slowly I turned around to face him and his eyes opened and we stared, expressionlessly, at each other. I broke the moment by placing a small kiss on the end of his nose and he smiled and closed his eyes once more, sighing deeply. I had always loved watching Dan sleep. I loved seeing him with his eyes closed. I loved the black curve that his eyelashes painted, and the smoothness of his skin inches from my face. It was when, to me, he looked at his most vulnerable and approachable. But as I watched him, his eyes remained closed, and his breathing assumed the same gentle rhythm of relaxation, so much so that I feared he had gone back to sleep. I kissed his nose again and put my arm out and stroked his naked shoulder, willing him to wake up, to pay me attention. ‘Morning . . .’ I don’t know if he could sense the edge of insistence in my voice.
‘Hmm,’ he repeated, shivering. ‘Your hands are cold. You’re very awake.’
I traced my fingers over his arm, lightly, letting
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