Staring at the Sun Ch. 11

Staring At The Sun – Chapter 11, Monday

On Sunday night I had slept fitfully, my mind full of thoughts of Mike and I together and the possible repercussions it would have on my life if I decided to do what he wanted. I couldn't deny the attraction between us, but I had noticed a slight change in him over the last few days. Wanting to know the reason why had kept me awake until the small hours.

Last night our conversation had been interrupted by the arrival of Lisa with a pot of coffee and Mike had returned to his chair with a thoughtful look on his face. Lisa seemed to sense the tension between us so I tried to turn the conversation to lighter matters in an effort to return to normality. There was no more mention of me leaving early; Mike was probably right, there would be nobody at the Harpers' farmhouse and I would end up looking silly when Jilly returned.

I had excused myself soon afterwards and looked forward to going to bed and reading before sleep overcame me. I didn't want to remain downstairs with Mike alone, not quite trusting myself with him after our conversation earlier, but he had kissed me goodnight on the cheek, a warm touch of his lips that sent a shiver down my spine.

But now it was Monday morning and the long day stretched ahead of me, my nerves jangling at the thought of what was to come. The urge to call my father was strong but I wanted to make sure he had had enough time to find out as much as he could about the Harpers.

Breakfast was taken on the terrace this morning and Mike seemed almost back to his usual self. Smiling and welcoming, he poured me a cup of coffee and sat back in his chair, his long legs stretched out in front of him.

"Do you fancy a tour of the vineyard today? I know how interested you are in the wine."

I nodded and felt a slight shiver of anticipation travel the length of my spine. He seemed to come alive when discussing his precious vineyard and I bathed in the glow of his enthusiasm. "Pierre's going over to Lyons today to see a business contact so I'd appreciate some company."

"What about Lisa?"

"Oh, she'll be around but she's due to go to Avignon this afternoon." He looked at me carefully and I experienced that twist of desire again as I thought back to our conversation of last night. "You can go with her if you want, but it's just a visit to the bank..."

I felt myself blush under his intense gaze and concentrated on my cup of coffee. "I'll see how I feel after lunch. It might just be nice to stay here and relax..."

Mike smiled and stroked my hand which lay on the table between us. "That's what you're here for, after all. Isn't it, Louise? To relax and enjoy?"

I nodded. The start of our holiday seemed an age away and I pondered on the changes that had taken place since Richard and I had boarded the ferry on the first Saturday, our heads full of holiday plans and how much time we would have to relax. My mind went back to the terrible discovery of the tiny lump in my breast and I realised I had pushed the thought of it to the back of my mind, so preoccupied was I with worries about the business and my affair with Mike.

"You seem quiet...are you OK?"

Mike's voice brought me out of my reverie and I smiled. "Yes, I'm fine, just thinking about all the things that have happened over the last week. So many changes in such a short space of time. It's unbelievable, really."

"I agree. Did you have any idea about the business before you went away?"

"No, I honestly didn't. Richard never really told me a lot anyway. He ran it with my parents and I spent all my time looking after the house and the children. Silly of me, wasn't it? To take such a backseat?"

Mike folded his arms across his chest and looked at me thoughtfully. "You did what you thought best at the time. A lot of women would have done the same. And what were the alternatives?"

I shrugged my shoulders. "Putting the children into full-time day care I suppose. Employing a cleaner...or trying to do it all myself. I don't know. I just feel as if I've let him down."

Mike leaned over and took my hands in his. "Stop feeling like that, Louise. This isn't your fault. Why are you so against Jake helping?"

I stared at him, feeling the small doubts start to grow again. "Because I want us to sort this out ourselves, Mike. Can't you see that? How would you feel if a stranger came and took over the running of your vineyard?"

"But Jake isn't a stranger. He's a friend of Richard's."

"He's someone I've never met before. My parents don't know him at all. And he's hardly a close friend of Richard's, is he? I don't remember my husband mentioning him at all before this holiday."

Mike dropped my hands and sat back in the chair, his fingers running through his hair in a way that I had realised was a sign of stress.

"Do you know what they're doing in Toulouse?" I asked. "I can't imagine why Jake's taken Richard there."

"Business associate, I think."

I looked at him, trying to read his face for clues, but seeing none. He drained the last of his coffee and stood up. "You still want to have a look around? Lisa's going to be busy with the cottage this morning; we've got guests arriving tomorrow so you're welcome to stay with me."

He knew, without asking, there was nothing I'd enjoy more, so we agreed to meet in an hour and I returned to my room to call my father. I wasn't sure whether he would have any news, but I couldn't resist phoning any longer.

But when I retrieved my mobile out of my handbag, the battery was dead. Cursing myself for not checking the evening before, I plugged the phone into the socket and went into the bathroom to rub some sun cream into my arms and legs. The call would have to wait until later and in the meantime I would push all worries aside and concentrate on enjoying the day ahead.

*

Before I joined Mike in the vineyard, I sat in the kitchen and chatted to Lisa as she prepared lunch. We both deliberately avoided talking about Mike and she told me how she was hoping to get the money together to fly back home after the summer.

"I want to see my parents. They've been here a couple of times, but that was a long time ago and I miss them."

"Will you go home for good?"

She paused. "I think so. There's no reason for me to stay here. Mike will have to employ someone from the village to help with the cottage. It's well and truly over between us, but we're still good friends. I think I love him in my own way, but physically it's been over for a long time."

I sighed and she looked at me and smiled. "Life's complicated, isn't it? So many difficulties."

I nodded. "I just want to sort things out but this attraction to Mike has added to the problems." I felt a sudden yearning to tell her about the lump I'd found but was aware that she was busy.

"When you get back from seeing the vineyard we'll have some lunch and a long chat. I have to go to the bank deposit box in Avignon later this afternoon. You can always come with me if you want to have a look around the town..."

I blushed at her words and stammered over my reply. "I'll see, Lisa. I need to call my parents again." She gave me a strange look, but said nothing and at the same time, Mike appeared in the door, a warm smile on his face as he gestured outside.

"Your carriage awaits!"

I laughed and followed him out to an old tractor, the noisy engine making conversation difficult. "What do you think?" he shouted over the roar, "want to take the wheel?"

I laughed again and shook my head, taking my place next to him on the hard seat. With a wave to Lisa we were off and I held on tight as the rickety vehicle shuddered and jolted its way down to the first field of vines. The dogs ran beside us and I had a sudden vision of living here with Mike, the children attending a local school, long days filled with the heat and peace of the countryside.

"You OK?" he shouted. "We'll soon be there."

I smiled and gazed out at the view, at the neat rows of vines following the lie of the land, the distant smudge of hills with their tiny villages almost obscured by the heat haze.

I felt myself begin to relax as we drew up outside an old barn filled with rusty farm equipment. The silence was absolute once Mike turned off the engine and we sat together just staring at the view.

"This place..." he looked at me and smiled. "My little patch of paradise."

I stared at him as he gazed at the vines. "You love it here don't you?"

He was silent for a minute and I waited for him to reply, feeling the closeness between us as he struggled to find the words to explain how he felt.

"Louise...all my life I've wanted this. Ever since I visited France with my parents when I was ten years old. All I want is to make great wine, but..."

I waited for him to continue but he just continued to gaze at the fields.

"What's stopping you?"

He shrugged. "It's the age old problem. Money." He jumped down from the tractor and held out his hand to me. "Come on."

We walked side by side through the vines, the foliage a glossy green against the intense blue of the sky. "We'll be pruning again soon. Stripping back the leaves so the energy goes into producing fruit."

I nodded and noticed how his voice was filled with enthusiasm. How he seemed to come alive amongst his precious vines. "They're beautiful."

"Beautiful but hard work."

"And running a vineyard is expensive?"

"Oh, Louise, you don't know how much. And with just the two of us it's hard work. I want to pay Pierre more, but I can't."

"Does Jake make a lot of wine?"

He stopped and gave a short laugh. "Oh, he makes a fair amount, but it's not his passion. He has a team of helpers and the latest equipment. And it's just a bloody hobby for him."

I stayed silent, willing him to go on and give me any crumbs of information that I could use against Jake. Was there a slight tone of jealousy in Mike's words? And was their relationship really as friendly as they made out?

"Has Jake helped you at all with the vineyard?"

"I wouldn't let him. I wanted to prove that I could do it on my own."

"So why is my business different to yours?"

He stopped and looked at me in surprise. "You have children, Louise. You could lose your home if the business failed."

"True. But I don't want a stranger giving us money."

He sighed and held me by the shoulders. "Give him a chance, Louise. You can trust him, I swear."

"I can't. All I can see is us losing the business, our house and my parents seeing their hard work wasted."

"But that won't happen if you trust the Harpers, Louise. Can't you see that?"

I stared at him. "Is this what this "tour" is all about? A way of softening me up?"

He drew me close and held me tight. "No," he soothed, stroking my hair. "I just want to help, that's all. I know what it's like seeing the business you love fail. If I don't get some money soon, I'm going to lose all this."

I looked up at him, saw the sadness in his eyes and my stomach contracted with pain. We gazed at each other and I felt that slow melting of desire inside me. The peace of the morning was absolute and we were all alone. I had a vision of us lying in the grass, our bodies entwined under the warm sun, our skin glistening with perspiration from our love-making.

He kissed me then, as if he sensed my feelings, and I opened my mouth willingly to his warm tongue. Our tongues joined and I pressed my body close to his. It felt so right to be doing this and all thoughts of my husband and children fled in the face of my desire for Mike. His mouth was warm and gentle as we kissed, his hands stroking my back and making me shiver with the anticipation. I felt the kisses grow more passionate but just as I began to think we would consummate our lust for each other in the shadow of the vines, he pulled away.

"Come on, there's more to see yet."

I followed him as he strode off down the hill, his long legs covering the ground far faster than I could. Almost running to catch up with him, I felt that stab of disappointment again.

"Where are we going?"

"Wait and see!" he replied, a grin spreading over his face as he opened a gate into another field. "These are different grapes. Syrah."

The vines looked the same to me, but I nodded anyway. Row upon row of vines stretched away in all directions and I gasped when I thought of the back-breaking work involved in pruning them all, picking the grapes and then making the end product.

"Are all these yours?"

Mike laughed. "Of course. Now can you see how much work is involved?"

We walked more slowly, the heat intensifying as we made our way across the huge field. Nothing stirred and I felt as if we were the only two people in the world as we meandered along the rows of vines, the tiny flowers soaking up the sun and heralding the arrival of fruit.

Mike took my hand and kissed it. "This feels good, Louise. Being alone here with you."

I smiled at his words, felt the disappointment ebb away. "Likewise. And it's great to see the old Mike back. The one I first met in Amboise."

He looked at me in surprise. "Sorry?"

"You can't deny you've been preoccupied lately? At the restaurant yesterday..."

"Oh that. I'm sorry; it's been a tough week. I was just tired."

"Nothing else?"

He stopped and kissed me again. "Stop it. Look, this is what I wanted to show you."

I followed as he led the way through a small copse of trees. At the far end, was a natural pool, its clear water glistening in the sun. "Oh my!" I exclaimed, feeling a sudden urge to remove my clothes and wade in. "How beautiful!"

Mike took obvious enjoyment from my delight and slowly started to remove his tee-shirt and shorts. I felt my insides melt again and followed suit, the heat feeling delicious on my bare skin.

Our eyes locked as we undressed and the tension between us was heavy with desire. Now, I thought. It had to be now. How could we not take advantage of this situation? The heat, the solitude, the calm clear water that was just made for naked bathing?

The first splash of cold water made me gasp out loud. The shaded pool was cool and refreshing as I dipped my body under the surface, loving the contrast of hot skin and cold liquid.

"Ahh," I breathed as I lay back and let my hair flow out into the water. "Oh, this feels wonderful."

Mike grinned and ducked under, emerging right next to me, his muscular tanned arms encircling my waist and pulling me close. "You like this?"

I nodded, a stupid grin spreading over my face as we faced each other.

"We don't have a swimming pool, as you know, but this makes up for it. And it's free!" He laughed and swam away from me, the sun glistening on his broad back as he made his way powerfully through the water.

I looked down and saw how erect my nipples were, tiny goose bumps covering the skin as I watched him swim from one side to the other. My right hand strayed to one of my breasts and I gazed at him as I rubbed the small responsive bud. How I wanted him now...This moment, perfect in every way, our love-making the climax of the pleasure I'd been feeling since we'd left the house earlier.

Was it so wrong to want this? To forget, just for a while, the trouble and stresses of every day life? He was making his way back to me now and I could see the desire on his face as he took in my breasts and the curve of my stomach as it disappeared into the water.

"You look beautiful," he murmured, kissing me on the lips. "Let's go and lie in the sun for a minute and dry off."

He threw himself down on the grass at the side of the pond and I followed, feeling a little vulnerable out of the water. Mike continued to gaze at me, his eyes settling on my naked pussy, the hunger in his eyes clear.

He held out his arms and I sank onto the ground next to him, the grass soft beneath my skin. "Heaven?"

I nodded as he started to stroke my breasts, his mouth following his hands as he sucked the cold water off my nipples. The feeling was electric and I reached down to touch his semi-erect cock, my fingers lightly gliding over the wet surface as we explored each other's bodies.

My pleasure was so intense now that every coherent thought had fled from my mind and all I wanted was to stay here, under the warming sun and finally be at one with the man I now knew I loved. He moved over me and I opened my legs in welcome, willing him to enter me and fill me up with his body. We were so close, I could feel the tip of his cock hovering at the entrance to my pussy and I urged him closer, whispering how much I needed him, how much I wanted him to be inside me.

He lifted his head and smiled at me. "Now, hey, Louise? You want this?"

I nodded, too emotional to speak but as he pulled my legs wider apart, the shrill insistent ringing of a mobile phone made him swear with sudden anger.

*

The short ride back to the house was conducted in silence. I was close to tears of frustration and Mike's face was dark with fury. We'd dressed hurriedly and almost ran back to the tractor, neither of us saying a word.

The phone call had been Lisa, panic in her voice as she informed Mike that their guests had arrived unexpectedly early and nothing was ready. They were sitting drinking coffee on the terrace and I listened as Mike shouted down the phone.

"For fuck's sake, Lisa! Can't you deal with this? Tell them the place isn't ready!"

But the guests had been travelling all night and wanted to settle into the cottage straight away. Mike swore as he started up the tractor and reversed angrily.

"Bloody guests! More trouble than they're worth!"

I kept quiet, my body in shock at being denied the one thing it truly desired. How close we'd been to expressing the need we both felt, how good it had been to have him so near, his body warm and hard as he moved over me. I shook my head and tried to clear my mind of the thoughts that were invading me. Perhaps it was for the best.

Back at the house, Lisa met us at the door, her faced lined with worry. "I haven't done anything yet! I mean, the cottage is clean, but the beds need to be made and I have to go and shop for the welcome pack!"

"Calm down," Mike said as he pushed past her into the house. "If Louise doesn't mind, she can help while I drive to the shop and get what they need."

I followed them both into the cool interior of the house and tried to tidy my hair which was still wet from my swim. By our appearance, Lisa must have known what was going on but she kept quiet, running upstairs to fetch the linen for the beds.

"Do you mind?" she asked anxiously five mintues later as she started the car up and steered it out into the small lane that connected the main house with the cottage. "This wasn't supposed to happen today. I'm so sorry."

"Don't be silly, Lisa. You've put me up for the past few days and treated me to dinner. It's the least I can do."

She smiled gratefully and I watched as a tiny cottage came into view, the shutters closed against the heat of the summer day.

"It's beautiful!"

Lisa laughed. "Yes, it's a lovely little place. I've often thought about moving here myself, especially over the last few months, but it's booked up solid now until the Autumn."

Over the next hour we busied ourselves airing the cottage and making up the two bedrooms with fresh linen. Mike arrived and stocked the small fridge and then left us to go and prepare lunch.

"Let's take a breather and then we'll head back," said Lisa smiling at me. She looked hot and we went to sit on the small bench in the tiny back garden, the view here the same as the one from the back terrace of the main house.

"Did you enjoy your tour this morning?"

I paused. Maybe she had taken in more than she let on. "It was lovely, Lisa. Mike certainly loves his vines."

She nodded. "Oh yes, he does. They're his passion."

We were silent for a few minutes, both of us lost in our own thoughts. The heat was at its zenith now, the sun directly above us and I thought back longingly to the pool and the crystal clear water.