The Stepsister by Jenny O’Brien

Author:Jenny O’Brien [O’Brien, Jenny]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Thriller Bests bookseller
Published: 2018-10-29T04:00:00+00:00

We travel by tram to Kijkduin, a beach resort just outside The Hague. It’s a short twenty-minute ride and before I know it he’s helping me down the steps and taking me for a brisk walk to the sea edge, with Nigel pulling at his lead. The cold breeze blowing off the North Sea takes my breath, making any form of conversation impossible. But, funnily enough I’m happy. He’s tucked my hand in his and slowed his pace to match my much shorter one and I could have carried on walking for miles along the long stretch of sand with only the odd seagull and hardy dog walker for company.

We turn and the wind shifts to our back and snatches at my hair, tearing it loose from the clip I’d found on the dressing table. I reach up and try to gather it together but he stops me.

‘No, leave it, it’s pretty like that,’ his gaze travelling from my hair to my eyes before pausing on my lips. His arms tighten their hold, his hands buried deep in my hair. The kiss when it comes is feather-light. He tastes of salt, of sea air, of…

The kiss deepens, the pressure increases, and senses dull as I give myself up to feeling something other than lost, lonely and frightened. He pulls away when I would have stayed, his words dragging me back to the reality of the beach, the cold. The reality of him - this man I call husband.

‘Sorry, I probably should have asked permission or something but—’ he says, stepping back and avoiding my gaze.

‘But?’ I prompt.

He lifts his hand, brushing it across my cheek, his eyes finally meeting mine. ‘Remember, it’s difficult for me too. This situation we’re in. I feel I should be giving you time, all the time you need. When the truth of it is, all I want to do is—’ His eyes stare into mine for a second before dropping away and I know the conversation is over.

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