Learning to Love (New Zealand Sailing #1)

Chapter 4

CHAPTER FOUR

Ellie

Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday. Five days since I last heard from Sam, but who’s counting. Sunday passed by pretty quickly, between taking Daisy out for a walk on the beach, and some quality girl time with Tayla. I didn’t have time to think about him too much.

Since Monday I’ve been back at work at Cheeky Monkeys daycare, and the kids are taking up all my time. They’re all sweethearts, and they challenge me in so many ways. I can’t imagine my life without them.

I’ve secretly Googled Sam. Feeling a bit odd, learning things about him that he hasn’t told me. His family, his mum and dad, his brother. His MANY competition prizes.

The biggest shocker of all, his failed engagement. Had to scrape my jaw off the floor. Jealousy took hold of me, and I don’t think it’s left me ever since. I don’t know how I hadn’t heard of this before. He met someone that he was in love with, enough to propose. Doesn’t match up to the Sam I’ve met, as briefly as it was. I thought I was getting to know him deeply, and not just intimately through sex, but turns out it was all a lie.

Laura Killarney is a gold medal Olympian in rowing. In the photos of them together she looks nearly as tall as him, and so confident. They are much more alike than I care to admit. She’s very good-looking. When I saw the photos I felt very inadequate. I’m short, I don't know a thing about sailing. Turns out they were engaged, then broke it off a short while before the wedding. Wonder what happened. Wouldn’t be surprised if Sam left her without a word, like what he did to me.

I’m on kitchen duty today at daycare, and for a while I can afford to daydream about Sam, while preparing the kids’ meals and tidying up. I wonder what he’s been up to this past week. Has he been thinking about me at all? Gracie called on Monday to snoop. I told her Sam and I weren’t suited, and left it at that. She seemed quite disappointed, as she prides herself on her matchmaking skills.

The clock on the kitchen wall strikes 4 PM. Another day of work coming to an end soon. I pack up the rubbish bags, and go out to the big bins. I’m always amazed at the amount of rubbish a small centre like ours can produce, even though we’re always thinking of ways to reuse and recycle.

I didn’t notice the big SUV parked outside at first, as I was fighting to shove the black bags into the massive rubbish bins.

“Let me help you with that”. Sam’s familiar voice makes my heart ache painfully. I don’t know how to react, I’m stunned. In two strides, he’s next to me, effortlessly putting the rubbish away, and closing the lid.

I look him up and down, incredulously. He’s wearing his usual black combo of shorts, t-shirt, cap and sunglasses. He’s a bit more tanned, and his face is covered by some stubble since the weekend. Still makes my heart race, and my mouth water. Still maddening.

“What are you doing here? I’m working”. My tone is very short, I can’t let him off the hook easily. He can’t just breeze in like Prince Charming and expect me to fall at his feet, after not a single word for five days.

“I’m sorry. I needed to see you. We could grab a drink, talk. When do you finish for the day?” His words betray tiredness. Sadness as well, perhaps. My resolve crumbles in an instant. Tayla says I’m a softie, and she’s right. At this point in time, I’d love to see a smile on his face.

“I finish at 4:30 today. I’ll see you in a little bit”. I go back inside, fully aware of his blue-gray gaze boring into my back.

Over the next half an hour, I try my best not to look out of the kitchen window. I didn’t see him go back into his car. I didn’t see him checking his phone. I didn’t see him looking at the daycare entrance several times. I also absolutely didn’t see him sighing and wished I could kiss him there and then...

Deciding this torture is enough for both of us, I pack my bag for the day, and hastily say goodbye to a couple of the other teachers. They haven’t noticed someone’s waiting for me outside, and I hope to keep it that way.

When I get to Sam’s car, I see he’s fallen asleep. His head back, auburn hair peeking from under the cap, strong arms crossed, mouth slightly open. He looks so vulnerable, so tender. I think I'm more than halfway to falling in love with him, and it’s only the second time I've met him. I’m treading dangerous waters.

“Hey”. I touch his arm and speak gently, to not startle him awake. He opens his eyes, realises where he is, and springs into action. I don’t make any move to get into his car.

“How about we take a walk to a place down here on the beachfront? Not far, maybe 5 minutes walk”.

He looks unsure for a moment, then leaves his car and locks it. Pulls his cap further down his face, and adjusts his sunglasses.

“Let’s do this.” To me, he looks like he’s getting ready for battle. I’m curious why he’s on the edge.

As we start walking side by side towards the beachfront, I wonder if he’s going to try holding my hand. After how he left on Sunday, I doubt it.

“So what have you been up to?” I keep my tone light, no reproach. The implication is there, in the background. Will he take the bait though...

“I’ve been up North with the team, training”. With the cap covering his face, and his dark sunglasses, I can’t tell what he’s thinking.

I see a family with two teen boys are pointing at us excitedly, and start making their way towards us. Sam must have noticed them as well, because he tenses up, his jaw sets, and he touches the small of my back, for reassurance.

“Sam! Sam Northcroft! You’re a legend, mate. The boys want to be just like you. They’ve been sailing since they were five years old. Can we have a photo, please?”. The dad is so excited, and I can’t help but feel so happy for them that they get to meet one of their idols.

“Well done boys, keep at it!” Sam poses with the boys, and takes my hand and starts walking fast. I can barely keep up.

“Slow down, please. Your legs are longer than mine”. My words make him relax slightly, and he starts walking slower, but doesn’t let go of my hand.

“This is why you weren’t keen on walking, isn’t it? You don’t like being recognised”. The sudden realisation strikes me.

“It’s all part and parcel of what I do. I wish it were different”. He sounds unhappy but resigned to it.

We reach the beachside bar, where he gets recognised yet again. He asks for a private booth at the back, as far away from the entrance as possible, and they indulge him. I order a glass of rose wine, he orders a ginger beer.

Only after the waitress has left, no doubt to tell everyone in the kitchen about us, does Sam take off his cap and sunglasses. His eyes are the same hue as a stormy ocean. He places a hand above mine on the table. He’s got large sailor hands, rough and calloused. I shiver as I remember last weekend, when his hands were all over me.

The waitress brings back our drinks, and silence hangs above us like an invisible thread.

“I’m sorry I didn’t call. I thought it was for the best”. His voice is low, nearly a whisper. “I missed you”. He squeezes my hand.

I try to catch a glimpse of the truth in his eyes. He holds my stare with an intensity I've seen before, when we first met. It was only last weekend, but it feels like a lifetime. He lifts my hand to his lips, and slowly kisses it.

“You’re not often lost for words, Ellie. I’m usually the quiet one”. My lack of reaction bothers him. He’s affecting me so much, I need to clear my head.

“Is this how it’s always going to be? You’re going to look for me when you want to get me in bed, and the rest of the time, you’ll be a stranger?” I blurt out, unable to contain my feelings any longer.

He seems shell-shocked. I don’t know what he expected but this definitely wasn’t it. He’s going to withdraw from me again.

“I’m sorry. I don’t know what to say. Corey would tell you all the right things, and you’d forgive him in an instant”. He looks down, and smiles bitterly. “He’s a lucky bastard”.

“I don’t want Corey. I want you.” He looks up at me with renewed hope. “But I don’t want to be messed around. If we’re dating, we’re dating. If we’re not dating, we’re not dating”.

Not sure that I’m using the right words for what I’m trying to convey, but he gets it.

“We’re dating. And I’ll let you know in advance when I’m going away. And I’ll find a way to get in touch with you.” He looks serious and determined.

“Ok, let’s do this”. I lean over and kiss his nose. He laughs and pulls me in for a kiss on the lips.

“Shall we get food here, or..” I ask in between kissing and nibbling on his lower lip.

“How about we go to my house for dinner? I can make some sushi”. He gives me a hot look, while stroking my hair.

“No fucking way. You know how to make sushi” I’m stunned. Is there an end to this man’s talents? “Do you sing? What other talents do you have?”

He laughs heartily. “Come home with me and I’ll show you”.

Now I'm really weak at the knees. We pay for our drinks, and head off back to his car, hand in hand.

“Where’s your car? Do you want to follow me in your car?” he asks all of a sudden. How thoughtful of him.

“I park down by the lake, about 15 minutes away. It’s free”. I raise my shoulders apologetically. “I’ll leave it there tonight, and bus my way in tomorrow”.

He seems to think about it, but doesn’t say anything. We get in his spaceship of a car again, but this time he’s in the driver’s seat, so different from last time we were together. His hand caresses my thigh from time to time, and I feel a rush of excitement move through me.

Sam

With Ellie by my side, the windows down, and the sea air rushing past as we go over the bridge, I’m feeling like the luckiest man alive.

I don’t know why I suggested we make sushi, I’ve made it once before in my life, and it was edible but not stellar. I wanted to get her into my space, make her presence and light fill the empty corners of my house. I wonder what she’ll think of it.

I’m absolutely exhausted. We trained in the morning, then started heading down to Auckland by morning tea time. After four long hours, I was back home. Showered, put on some fresh clothes, and drove straight away to the Shore to Cheeky Monkeys to see Ellie. I feel like I've been running on a surge of adrenaline all day.

The moment I saw Ellie struggling with those massive rubbish bags I was reminded how much she’s come to mean to me in such a short period of time. It’s not even been a week, and she’s occupying my thoughts like no one else before her.

She’s dressed in leggings and a baggy t-shirt completely hiding her figure. She could be wearing a rubbish bag and I would still want her.

We’re cruising slowly on the streets of Bella Vista, the old suburb I live in. She must be taking in the surroundings because she’s gone quiet. I don’t think she expected that I’d live somewhere like this. When we get closer to my house, the garage door opens, and I reverse in.

“Fancy digs”. She’s quieter, more subdued than usual. She’s unreadable, a mystery to me.

I pick up her hand, and lead her in through the side door, into the hallway, past the bedrooms, into the open-plan living kitchen area.

“Beautiful home you have here”. She looks around, touches the sofa cushions, the edge of the kitchen counters.

“It’s from 1910. Practically ancient, when it comes to New Zealand homes”. My remark seems to put her at ease. “Would you like something to drink? Some more wine maybe?”

“What do you have?” She comes closer, and I show her my wine fridge.

“A wine fridge? Sam.” She looks at me like I've sprouted two heads, then leans down to examine the bottles.

I don’t know what to say. She picks out a bottle of Prosecco. “I think this one will work best with sushi”.

Shit, I’d completely forgotten that’s what I’d said we were going to make. My mind is racing wondering if I have the ingredients for it in the pantry. We’ll make do.

“Let’s make some sushi then”. I pick out the nori seaweed, the sauces, the rice, some avos, and a pack of tofu, and lay everything on the counter.

Ellie starts preparing the rice, while I slice the rest of the ingredients. While the rice cools down, I show her the outside area. It's small, no big lawns, just some loungers on the deck, a BBQ in the corner, and a dipping pool.

As her eyes take in the sights in the fresh evening air, I imagine how it would be like if she lived here, with me. She'd have Daisy as well. My yard isn't as big as the one she has where she is now. We would have to move house, perhaps.

“I just need to make a quick call to let Tayla know I'm not around”. She extricates herself from my embrace, leaving me feeling bereft. I go to check on the rice, and hear Ellie's voice from the hallway.

“I'm away tonight. Do you mind taking Daisy for a walk and giving her some extra pats?... Yes, I know I owe you big time… I'm at Sam's place. Talk about it tomorrow... You too”

Ellie comes back, stands up on her tiptoes, and kisses the side of my neck and jaw.

“The rice is cool enough, now it's time to throw everything in and roll”. My hands are shaking. Does she know the effect she has on me?

We roll the sushi, and I try to slice it into equal pieces, a task which at this time is as difficult to do as steering a ship through a storm. The nearness of her makes it impossible to focus on anything else.

“Looks great! I'm ravenous” she picks up a piece with chopsticks and dips it in soy sauce. I don't trust my hands to be steady enough for chopsticks this evening, so a fork it is. I stab two pieces at once and start eating.

Her eyebrows shoot up at my use of a fork, and her laughter fills the house. She tries to pinch me with the chopsticks, I put down my fork and start chasing her around the house to get the chopsticks off her.

I don't know how long it's been since I've laughed with all my heart like this. Probably since I was a child, playing with my brother and Thea in O'Neill's Bay.

Using my larger size to advantage, I finally catch her and we tumble onto the sofa. We start kissing with more urgency, riding waves of desire. I want to explore every inch of her, make her mine again. I can't believe I've lasted five days without hearing her voice, touching her, being in the same room as her.

She frees her dark hair from her ponytail, and it fans out onto the cushions. Tonight I'll worship her body until she'll burn for me.

She takes off her oversized t-shirt, and pulls her leggings down her slim, tanned legs. I'm nearly drooling by this point. She's wearing some white plain cotton underwear that I'm dying to take off. I struggle to unclip her bra and curse my big hands. She sighs softly, and helps me out. I cup her breasts, and place gentle kisses on her collarbone, the outline of her breast. Her nipples are begging for attention, so I rub my face stubble on them. She moans, and I struggle to keep a firm hold on my sanity.

Slowly, I kiss her belly, then slip her undies off, exposing her pussy. My rough stubble touching her thighs must make her feel extra sensitive. I take a first taste, she's divine. Ellie's moaning and whispering my name. I start licking and sucking her clit, and as her thighs tremble I know she's ready to come for me. She cries out my name and comes hard.

I'm so hard, I'm ready to explode. I pick her up from the sofa and carry her in my arms to the bedroom. I place her gently on the bed, take my clothes off as I'm racing the clock, put on a condom, and I slide inside her.

Ellie feels so good, like she was meant for me. Try as I might, I can't hold it in too much longer, so I claim every last bit of her.