She could feel her body moving toward his. It was as though a rope had been tied to the middle of her and he held the end of it.
He didn’t speak, just gave a quick movement of his head. The rope was pulled.
Part of Olivia knew she was a rational being. She’d been an adult who’d cautioned young people against following their “base instincts.”
“You just have to say no,” she’d told teenagers at church. How pompous she’d been!
As she followed Kit to wherever he was leading her—and she didn’t care where it was—had someone tried to stop her, she would have used a gun on them. What she was feeling was as primitive as a fight for survival.
When they were at the back of the property, Kit halted and put his hand out to her. Taking it, she felt his touch through her entire body. She threw back her head and laughed from pure joy. She was here and now and the man she would love forever was with her.
Kit smiled, but he asked no questions. Instead, he began to run. He left Tattwell, stepping over the old fence, then led them through the woods that used to surround the plantation. Olivia knew that in the eighties a developer would plow most of the big trees down and build some boring little houses.
With a jolt, she realized where he was leading them. “River House,” she said. Kit was silently asking if that was all right.
Olivia hadn’t believed that her happiness could be increased, but it was. This was the day they’d sneaked over the stone wall to Camden Hall. Today they’d make the memory that Olivia had repeated with Elise. I mustn’t forget to leave my bra behind, she thought, and laughed again.
At the sound, Kit tightened his grip on her hand and began to run faster. When they reached the wall, Olivia knew how to get over it. The first time, Kit had been the one to figure it out, but this time she already knew and she couldn’t wait. Back then, it had been under twenty-four hours since they’d last made mad, passionate love. But this time, it had been over forty years.
She ran along the wall, ducking under overhanging branches until she reached the big limb that went over the side. She bent her leg for Kit to give her a boost up, then he vaulted up behind her. When they stood up, for a moment she thought he was going to kiss her, and her eyes flickered in anticipation.
Smiling, knowing what she wanted, he caught her about the waist and stepped past her to walk along the tree. But he didn’t kiss her.
“I’ll get you for that,” she said.
“That is my hope.” His tone was so suggestive that Olivia’s gasp made the leaves move.
When they were on the other side of the wall, Kit silently jumped down and held up his arms to catch her. As he swung her down, it was her turn to put her lips close to his, then turn away. He laughed in delight.
She knew where they were going, so she took his hand. To reach the bridge, they had to walk through water that was a lot deeper than it would be when she and Elise went through it. On the island, the ruins of the little building were still there, surrounded by trees and pretty flowers, all of them left over from when the estate was loved and lived in.
Stopping in front of the little building, she turned to Kit. As she started to say something, he grabbed her to him, his mouth coming to hers with all the passion they both felt.
In an instant, her clothes were discarded and his shorts fell to the ground. Before she could take a breath, he was inside her. Strong and fast, as only all-consuming desire—and youth—could make it.
Long, hard thrusts, so deep she thought they were hitting her heart. She was no longer a living, breathing person but something primitive, all feeling, with no thoughts.
It didn’t take long before the first round ended, then Kit picked her up, her nude body against his, and laid her down on a mossy bit of ground.
They made love again, taking their time, kissing and touching, stroking and caressing.
Exploring their young, beautiful bodies that were so full of energy and need.
When they fell back from each other, sated at last, the sun
was low in the sky. This time around Olivia’d had a lifetime of being responsible for other people’s food and clothing and transportation, and with Alan, supporting the families.
“We should go,” she said softly, but she didn’t move. Her head was on Kit’s bare shoulder, her leg between his. Oh! The sweaty skin, the happy exhaustion. How had she forgotten all this?
“What’s happened to you?” Kit asked. “You’re different. What’s done this to you?” There was worry, maybe even fear, in his voice.
She took a long, slow breath to give herself time to think. If she was to make this permanent, that meant marriage. But how could she ask him to marry her? Should she tell him she knew about his secret mission that she wasn’t supposed to know about? Or tell him that it was possible she was carrying their baby? If it was true that she’d forget their alternate future, for the rest of her life she’d wonder if he married her because he felt he had to. “When are you going to leave Summer Hill? I was wondering because I have to go to New York soon.”
“About that.” His arm tightened around her. “I was thinking about... You see, I have something coming up but I don’t know exactly when it will be.”
When he said nothing else, Olivia looked at him. “That was clear. Now that we have that settled, we can go home. I need to cook—”
He didn’t let her go. “I’m here in Virginia for a reason.”