Meaning...
She lifted her top and showed him the straining zipper that had simply refused to go all the way back up.
Only Steele didn’t really see that. He saw pink lace and a teeny flash of jet hair and the stomach that his mouth had kissed over and over.
And as she put down her top Candy looked at the teabag he was squeezing the hell out of with his spoon and, yikes, there was a sort of gravelly note to his voice as he asked her how many sugars she had in her tea.
‘The same as last time,’ Candy said.
‘Sorry, I’m a bit distracted.’ Steele smiled. ‘Two?’
‘Two.’
‘Do you really want tea?’ he checked.
‘No.’
‘Because I don’t,’ Steele said. ‘I want a glass of wine but I’m driving.’
‘Poor Steele.’ She smiled. ‘It really is a problem.’ Candy thought for a moment. ‘I know!’ she said brightly.
‘Do tell.’
‘Why don’t you have a glass of wine and drive me home later?’
He turned and faced her. ‘That’s so clever, but you’re stuck in those uncomfortable jeans. I insist you take them off...’
They started to kiss, the best kiss ever, because she’d got so lost in babies and feeling massive and unsexy but his tongue swiftly took care of that.
It hadn’t really entered her head that he might want her again in that way. Now his fingers were at her zipper and somehow she felt back to the woman she had been.
Out of her jeans, she moaned in relief.
‘Nice?’
‘Nice,’ she said to his mouth.
‘That bra looks a bit tight too.’
He unhooked it and took it out through her arms and it was lovely to be all loose and floppy and to rest a moment in his arms.
‘Feels so good,’ she said.
‘It does,’ he said. There would be no rushing. He loved feeling her all relaxed against him.
‘Get your wine.’
They headed over to the sofa and it was nice to be back there. Steele sat and Candy lay down as he drank his wine and played with her hair. It was good not to talk. She remembered the mornings with Macey and her nonna, and the bliss of hush when words could only serve to make you sad.
‘Are you all packed for Hawaii?’ he said finally.
‘Nope.’ Candy sighed. ‘We’re here to get my case, remember?’
This time tomorrow she’d be at Heathrow.
‘Can I paint your toenails?’ she asked.
‘Er, why?’
‘It relaxes me and my mum’s still sulking at me so I haven’t been able to do hers.’
‘Do you have some nail varnish with you?’
‘In my bag.’
He was so laid back and yet so austere. It was a lovely mixture that made her stomach curl and also gave her a peace that she could be herself.
And she was.
He lay down and she sat on his calves and started on his right foot. ‘I like men’s nails,’ Candy explained, ‘because they’re bigger.’
‘Have you painted a lot of men’s nails?’ he asked, and then let out a moan of surprise. ‘Oh!’
‘What?’ She smiled as she painted his big toenail.
‘I have nail-painting jealousy issues,’ Steele said. ‘I just felt it burn. I’m looking at your bum and enjoying the view when I suddenly got the Annie burn that you had.’
‘I’ve never painted another man’s toenails from this angle.’ Candy smiled again.
‘Take your knickers off, then.’
She did as told and then got back to painting the toenails on his left foot but she made a terrible mess of his long second toe because she heard his zipper slide down.
‘I’m making a bit of a mess here, Steele,’ she said.
‘I forgive you,’ he said.
‘Steele.’ She was arguably the most turned on she had ever been. She had never thought she’d feel sexy again, had never thought sex would ever be fun again, and yet here they were and it was bliss. ‘Can I turn around?’
‘You’ll finish what you started,’ Steele warned.
She gritted her teeth and did the last three toes really quickly. ‘Done.’ She turned around on his calves to the delicious sight of him and she moved up to sit on his thighs and lowered her head and they shared a long, deep kiss. Her breasts flattened against his chest and she could feel his erection pressing against her stomach.