Page 49 of Nigel

“Do you mindterribly if I love you for the next few minutes or so?” heasked her thickly.

“The woman I amcrazy in love with, just confirmed that she is also crazy in lovewith me. I need to celebrate.”

“I think thatcan be arranged. I love you.” She felt the jolt from him againand could not believe she had this much power over a man like him.Not that she had ever lacked confidence, but having someone like himfeel this way about her, was an eye opener.

“I will neverget tired of hearing it,” he whispered against her lips.

“And I willnever get tired of saying it,” she promised him as he slippedinto her.

*****

They found enoughfood to pack a basket to take with them. He also grabbed a bottle ofwine from the concealed panel in the kitchen to add to the mix. Nowthey were lying on a blanket next to the pond where the ducks weremeandering along the clear water. He was propped up against an oaktree, her head on his lap as he fed her with grapes.

“It’snice out here,” she murmured, chewing on grapes.

“Hmm.”

“You designedit?”

“Yes.”

She turned her headto look at him. “A little more detail if you please.”

He smiled at her andpopped another grape into her mouth. “It was a warehouse.”

Sheturned to look at the grounds, the landscaped lawn, the dazzle offlowers, the arbor, with the wisterias dripping from the sides andthe sounds of the water flowing over smooth stones.

“No way.”

“Yes way.”He was laughing at her, utterly delighted by her frank manner andunaffected way of speaking. “An abandoned warehouse thatbelonged to an eccentric former actor who was reluctant to get rid ofit.” He dabbed at the sides of her mouth absently.

“The land wasprime, the location as you know is in this secluded part of town.Distant enough and near enough to not be out of touch. It took somedelicate negotiations and some very frustrating meetings to get himto agree to let go of the place.”

He watched as sheshifted, so that she was on her side, her hands clasped underneathone cheek, her eyes bright with interest. She was laying so near tohis crotch that he could feel the heat she was generating.

“And?”she prodded.

He laughed a littlehoarsely. “I had every intention of turning it into anapartment building.”

“Then yourealized the value of it and that it was somewhere you could makeinto a home.”

“Precisely.”He tugged at a loose curl and watched in fascination as it bouncedback. “I wanted something unique, not a house, but theappearance of one.” He nodded to the surroundings. “And Ilove flowers.”

“Don’ttell me you actually plant them yourself.”

“No,” hechuckled. “My mother was the gardener in the family as well asmy aunt. I want you to meet her. She has been on at me to settle downand give her some offspring to bounce on her knee before it’stoo late for her.”

“She might notlike me.”

“She is goingto love you. She is brutally honest to the point of being rude andshe will appreciate that you are the same.”

“Hmm.”She loved the sound of his deep cultured voice and could listen tohim all day. “Tell me about your parents.”

Moving her head offhis lap, he scooted down, so that he was next to her. Winding an armaround her shoulder, he pulled her against him. “She was sweet,my mother. She wanted more than one child, but she got me and I was ahandful. Rebellious and disobedient.” He stroked the back ofher neck slowly.

“Dad was alwaystraveling. He was the company; it had been handed down to him fromhis dad and he wanted to prove himself.” He kissed the top ofher head. “He was hardly home, you see, because it takes a lotof traveling. We have interests in several countries and he wanted tobe the best, better than his dad.

So mother was stuckwith raising me and she did it with a firm and loving hand.” Hebent his head to stare at her, a smile touching his lips at the avidlook of interest on her face. “I was involved in all sorts ofactivities and was a terror with a bad temper.”

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