Ruthless - [23]

‘Thanks,’ he said.

‘You’ve done well,’ she said, her eyes skimming over the pile of wood before returning to rest on him. Her gaze dipped to his chest, to the rivulets of sweat running down there. She thought he looked like some Norse giant from a fable, golden and muscular and strong.

Rufus watched her watching him. For God’s sake, he thought in frustration. What was going on with her? She was clearly interested. He knew she was. Yet there had been that locked door, the cold shoulder.

‘Can I ask you something?’ he said, draining the glass and handing it back to her.

‘Sure you can.’

‘That first night I came here – and the two times I tried after that – didn’t you hear me at your door?’

Orla’s smile slipped. She stared at the ground. Didn’t answer.

‘Why d’you have to lock your door anyway?’ asked Rufus.

She shrugged, looked up. ‘I can’t sleep without it locked.’

‘Really?’ This sounded strange. ‘But you heard me at the door, didn’t you?’

Her eyes met his. ‘Yes. I heard you.’

‘Orla… why don’t you leave it unlocked, tonight.’

Orla stared, said nothing.

‘Don’t you want to?’ asked Rufus gently.

Orla started to shake her head, then slowly she nodded. Her fingers were clenched so hard around the empty glass that he thought she might break it.

‘Leave it unlocked,’ said Rufus, and his eyes held hers. ‘I’ll take care of you, I promise. You know I will.’

‘I do,’ she said. ‘I know that.’

She walked away, back indoors. He watched her go. Then he started chopping more wood, with a smile on his face. He couldn’t wait for the day to go, for night to come.

And now here he was, outside her bedroom door again. He knocked lightly – he didn’t want to disturb the old folks – and then tried the handle. This time, it opened. He went in. The bedside light was on. Orla was sitting up in the bed, wearing a pink winceyette nightdress, the kind a granny would wear, her hair loose around her shoulders, the soft light making her glow like an angel.

Rufus closed the door behind him. He turned the key in the lock, to keep her happy. Besides, he didn’t want the oldies wandering in and finding them making love. Unbuttoning his shirt, he went to the bed and smiled down at her.

She looked nervous. In fact, she looked afraid. He was puzzled. Of course she would have had lovers over the years.

‘It’s all right,’ he said soothingly. ‘I promised to take care of you and I will.’

He took a packet of Durex from his trouser pocket and placed it on the bedside table.

He kicked off his socks and shoes, unbuckled his belt, unzipped, slipped off his trousers and underpants. Then he slid under the sheets and cuddled up to her. She stiffened, but he drew her close, nuzzled at her neck. Tentatively, her arms went around him. He kissed her more deeply, and she pulled away.

‘We’ll take this slowly,’ he said, although he didn’t want to. ‘As slowly as you need. Don’t worry about a thing. Now, perhaps we could just slip this off…?’ He indicated the nightdress.

Orla nodded. He thought that she looked as if she was about to be shot, not pleasured. But she yanked the unflattering thing off, tossed it on the floor, and then clutched the sheet against her breasts.

He was almost amused by her reticence. It was like seducing a teenager, not a full-grown woman. He’d had lots of experience, personally. There’d been many women, impressed by his bulk and strength, younger ones and one particular older one, a goddess in human form, who had taught him at a very young age how to make a woman lose her mind in bed.

‘And the sheet, if you could let go of that,’ he said, smiling, making light of it to relax her.

Orla let go of the sheet. Rufus pushed it down to the bottom of the bed, his eyes running over her with great admiration. Where his eyes went, his hand followed, smoothly gliding across her silky white skin, lingering at the fiery red bush, progressing to her cinnamon-coloured nipples, which were hard as pinpoints on the soft small mounds of her breasts.

‘I’ve dreamed of this,’ he said with a shiver of delight. ‘So many years, I’ve dreamed of it.’

‘I know,’ she said in a small voice. ‘I always knew.’

‘And you wanted this too,’ he said. ‘Didn’t you?’

She didn’t answer. She pulled his head down for another kiss. It became deeper, longer. Her head snapped back, but his hand was on her neck, holding her there. He came forward again. This time Orla drew away completely.

‘What is it?’ he asked. ‘Don’t you like that?’

Orla shook her head.

‘OK, I won’t do it. No problem.’

His kisses were lighter now, fleeting, and she relaxed a little. He guided her hand down, folded it over his erection. She flinched again, jerking her hand away. Rufus looked at her.

‘You’re not ready for this, are you?’ he said. ‘Maybe I’ve rushed you.’

‘No! You haven’t, I’m just being silly.’ Her eyes were wild.

‘I can wait,’ said Rufus. ‘I’ll wait until you’re ready. I don’t mind.’

‘No. Do it to me, Rufus. I want you to. Just do it.’

Rufus pushed her back down on to the bed, easing her thighs open. He knelt between them. As he reached for the packet of condoms he was aware of her watching him, something like panic in her eyes. He hesitated.