She stumbled, quickly recovered. ‘What about Aimee?’ What happened to asking me?
‘Brendon’s happy to look after her. He’s got to get his fishing tackle ready and cook a pie or something for lunch tomorrow.’
Her chuckle warmed him. ‘Dad’s fishing gear is always ready.’
‘Yeah, I kind of figured that, but I’m not going to turn him down when he offers to babysit so I can take you out for some one-on-one time. So, my lovely, how about you take yourself inside for a long, relaxing shower or bath? Then dress in something gorgeous and we’ll hit the town.’ Excitement twirled in his belly. A night out with Charlie. Bring it on.
CHAPTER NINE
MARSHALL STARED AT the apparition floating down the hall towards him. A cloud of pink and yellow balanced on dangerously high heels. A hint of frangipani tickled his nose, bringing back memories of nights on the beach in Honolulu. The biggest, sweetest smile he’d ever seen split Charlie’s face.
He could not speak. The roof could’ve fallen on his head and he wouldn’t have got a word out. Charlotte was the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen, had ever had the good fortune to meet and touch, to kiss and laugh with. Holy Toledo.
‘Marshall? Is something wrong?’ The hesitancy in her voice mobilised him.
Two strides and he reached for her hands. Her fingers curled around his. ‘No.’ A swallow. ‘Nothing.’
Her eyes scrunched up, her brow creased. ‘I can change if my dress is all wrong. I’m so not used to dressing up these days.’
Now he got the hang of talking. ‘Don’t you dare. You look sensational. You took my breath away, that’s all.’ That’s all? It was huge. He didn’t usually stop breathing for anyone, let alone a woman. But Charlie was something else. If he ever fell in love it would have to be with someone exactly like her.
Relief battled with laughter in her eyes as she relaxed. ‘Thank goodness for that. For a moment there I thought I’d have to wear my best pair of jeans.’
‘Want to say goodnight to Aimee and your dad?’ He had to get out of there, get Charlie to himself. He’d come to Taupo with the vague idea of spending time with her, and so he had, but he’d been sharing her all the time. Tonight was his. Theirs.
*
The waiter showed them to their table at the window, where they had a bird’s-eye view of Huka Falls. Marshall had gone all out to find the best restaurant around. Charlie felt even more special, and determined to be fun and witty. And to stay awake—at least long enough to have dessert.
‘This is lovely,’ she murmured as she sank onto the chair he held out for her, having just nudged the waiter aside none too gently.
Then he further upset the young man by shifting his setting around so that he sat beside her and not opposite. ‘I want to see the view too.’
The way his voice caressed her, she wondered exactly which view he meant. Though if he’d wanted to stare at her all night, he wouldn’t have shifted, would he? Then his shoulder settled against hers and his hip touched hers and she smothered a sigh of pleasure. When his hand engulfed hers she smiled directly at him. ‘Are we eating one-handed? Rice or mashed spuds maybe?’
His grin warmed her through and through. ‘I’ve missed you. I want to be with you. It’s been great staying at your house, getting to know you and your family, but tonight I want you for myself. All of you.’
Gulp. So they were to have an interesting, exciting evening, were they? Bring it on. Heat trickled along her veins, warming her from head to toe. She loved being treated like someone very special. It boosted her flagging ego, made her feel completely feminine again. ‘I think I’ll have a glass of champagne tonight.’ Her strict regime of no alcohol could go to blazes. For tonight at least. She’d spent too long worrying about the possibilities of getting sick again. It was time to let her hair down and have fun. Pity she didn’t have that long hair Marshall had known before.
‘Atta girl. Let’s celebrate being together again after far too long apart.’
She could do that. And when a bottle of very good champagne appeared on their table almost immediately, she smiled. ‘So you’d already ordered?’
‘Yep. I remembered how much you used to enjoy drinking this stuff so hoped I could entice you into partaking tonight. I’m surprised that you don’t drink wine at all now.’
So she couldn’t relax completely. There was no way she’d spoil tonight with her sorry tale. ‘The moment I suspected I was pregnant I gave up anything remotely alcoholic. Then I breastfed Aimee for a while. Guess I’ve never really bothered since.’ She raised her glass and toasted him. ‘To you. Thanks for turning up out of the blue. You have no idea how much that meant.’
The rim of Marshall’s glass tapped hers very carefully. ‘The pleasure’s all mine. I really had missed you and during this last deployment found myself thinking about you more and more. Besides, I wanted to know how your medical career was going since I had some input in it.’ His lips seemed big and full against the delicate glass. Lips that could turn her body on with a single kiss. ‘I’m glad I followed up on those instincts.’
‘How often have you been deployed overseas since we were in Honolulu?’
‘Twice.’ When the gleam faded in his eyes she wished her question back. Marshall also had issues best left alone tonight.
Quickly changing the subject, she said, ‘Tell me about your grandparents and their farm. Didn’t you say you went there for school holidays?’ It must’ve been the right thing to say because the tension she’d begun to feel in the hand holding hers backed off. She turned a little so she could watch all his facial expressions. There’d never be enough time just to absorb them, drink in this man who had her heart in his care.
‘You’d have loved Grampy and Gran. They were so loving and sharing, like you and your father. I always put on a right performance when it was time to go back to whichever base my parents were at after my stays with them. I never understood why I couldn’t just go to their local school.’
‘So you went to a lot of schools?’
‘Oh, yes. Too many. Not like you, eh?’ His hand squeezed hers. ‘What is it like, living in the same place all the time?’
That was easy. ‘I don’t know anything different. Apart from Mum’s death, I had a truly happy childhood. I learned to sail on the lake and can catch a trout on a spinner.’ She grinned when his eyebrows rose. ‘There were week-long school trips to the mountains for skiing and day trips to Rotorua and the mud pools.’
‘You sound like a travel brochure.’
The champagne bubbles burst on her tongue. ‘That’s divine. How could I have managed not to have this for two years?’ She saw the waiter hovering and added, ‘Guess we’d better order our meal.’
‘What’s the hurry?’ Marshall picked up his menu.
I turn into a pumpkin at nine o’clock. ‘I’m hungry.’
Charlie ordered steak, medium-rare, and mushrooms, while Marshall went for the lamb rack. ‘Should try what this country’s famous for.’
‘Have you told any of your family about Aimee yet?’ she asked quietly a little while later.
‘No. I’d talk to you before I did that.’
She stared at him. ‘You don’t get it, do you?’ Hadn’t he picked up on any of her vibes? ‘If I hadn’t wanted you and your family’s involvement with Aimee I would’ve sent you packing the moment you stepped through the front gate.’
As the waiter placed their meals before them Marshall kissed her cheek. ‘Sometimes I get it wrong when it comes to knowing you.’
‘We don’t know much about each other at all.’ But for her it had been love at first sight.
They talked and ate and enjoyed the wine for the next hour. Marshall was reticent about his army career and his parents. Charlie avoided her illness completely, fudging over those months when she’d been going through treatment. He raved on about the farm in Montana and how he’d learned to ride horses when he was nine. She spoke of her girlfriends and all the pranks they’d go