Chapter 27

“What a lovely way to start the day.”

The gentle chatter of Radio Four woke Will early the next morning. He normally made sure he deactivated the alarm before going to sleep on Friday nights, reactivating it again before bed on Sunday, but for once he’d forgotten. He lay on his back, his arm around Amy as she lay sleeping on his left. Her breathing was rhythmic and peaceful. Her head rested on his chest and she had an arm and leg draped over him.

Will couldn’t remember ever sharing his bed and sleeping so soundly—even when he was married. Since moving to Westmouth he hadn’t shared his bed very often, but when he did he always awoke feeling tired after tossing and turning and failing to get comfortable with a relative stranger next to him.

There was one exception—Sophie, but he didn’t think she counted. And besides, if his daughter shared his bed it was because something in the dark of the night had spooked her. Ever since she was very small, she would climb in bed and snuggle up to him whenever she got scared. And he would lie awake, holding her tight, and listen to her gently fall asleep. Sometimes he’d drift off himself. Others, he’d lie awake all night just to listen to her breathe.

But that was different. He was protecting his daughter. This night with Amy...

He’d slept so soundly partly because she’d worn him out. They’d made love in every position they could until the early hours. Then when he slept, he held her close not to protect her, but to know she was still there and to feel her next to him. He felt content. Happy.

He kissed the top of her head. She looked beautiful with her eyes closed and a peaceful look on her face.

“I love you,” he whispered, so as not to wake her. “I always have.”

He slipped his arm from around her and gently pushed himself into a sitting position. Her head fell from its resting place on his chest and she woke with a jolt.

“Wha...?” She looked around the room.

“It’s okay. It’s okay. I’m just going for a shower, that’s all.”

“What? Oh. Sorry. I forgot where I was.” She smiled. “Morning, handsome.”

“Morning.”

“What time is it?”

“Too early. I forgot to switch the alarm off.”

“I wonder what made you forget.”

“I wonder.” He kissed her forehead. “Go back to sleep. I’ll have a shower then make you some breakfast and bring it up.”

She stretched and yawned as he got out of bed and then settled back into a comfortable position on her side. He padded into the en-suite, where he pulled the cord that switched on the electricity supply to the shower, climbed into the cubicle and pushed the button that turned on the jets of water. The room soon steamed up and condensation formed on the glass panel walls surrounding him.

He had his back to the shower door, his head under the water and his eyes closed, so he didn’t see the shadow that Amy cast as she approached. And he didn’t hear the door open or hear her step inside with him.

He jumped and turned around when he felt her hands on his body.

“Mind if I join you?” She didn’t wait for an answer but stood on tiptoes to kiss him instead. She reached up to the small shelf in the corner of the cubicle and grabbed the bottle of shower gel.

“Hmm,” she said when she read the label, “with honey and milk extract, for sensitive skin. Sensitive skin, eh? In that case, I’ll be gentle.”

“You weren’t very gentle last night.”

“Neither were you.”

She poured some of the peach coloured cream into the palm of her hand and rubbed it on his chest. She took care to work up a lather, rubbing her hands all over his chest, stomach and sides.