Callie practically scampered off the seat to stand between Sarah and Finn. Finn took her cold hand in his and linked their fingers together. Sarah walked around to the back of the Land Rover and looked at their pile of luggage. Well, Callie’s pile of luggage. He just had one suitcase.
‘Let me see you inside and then I’ll come back for the luggage.’
Finn shook his head. ‘Nah, I’ll help. Cal, do you need all these suitcases or can you get away with just one?’
Callie pointed to the smaller case and her tote bag. ‘I just need those two.’
Sarah looked relieved as she reached for Callie’s bag.
Finn leaned past her and snagged his suitcase and Callie’s tote bag. ‘I’ve got it,’ he told Sarah, who had started to protest.
‘I’ll store your other bags at the lodge, Mrs Banning.’
Mrs Banning. Still weird.
‘We’ve set out a picnic dinner for you, including some wine and beer. There is also a selection of spirits and mixers. If you are unhappy with our selection please just call Reception and we’ll have someone deliver anything you require,’ Sarah said as she led them to the tree house.
As they walked up the stairs Sarah secured a gate behind them, and Finn could see the unobtrusive but strong netting under the first platform that would prevent leopards or any other creatures from making a nocturnal visit. He pointed out the animal-proofing to Callie and watched her shoulders drop a half-inch. He allowed himself a small grin as Sarah showed them the facilities, which included a shower, his and hers basins, and a slipper bath on the edge of the platform that overlooked the river and the valley below.
The second floor held comfortable couches and chairs, a hammock strung between two branches, and a small dining table covered with cloche dishes and champagne bottles in ice buckets. There was a small chest freezer containing soft drinks and beer, and a steel wine rack holding five bottles of exceptional red wine.
How much did they expect them to drink in one night? Finn wondered.
‘I’ll leave you to explore the bedroom on your own,’ Sarah told him, gesturing to the mobile and the radio on a side table. ‘You’ll hear lions and hyenas, typical bush noises, but do not hesitate to radio or call me if you are uncomfortable or encounter a problem. Nick will collect you at six a.m. for a guided tour—which is a pretty big deal because he rarely does them any more.’
‘Why not?’ Callie asked.
‘Pretty wife in his bed …’ Finn explained, and was enchanted by her blush.
‘Also the fact that he has two kids under the age of three who are up and roaring around at that time,’ Sarah added, before bidding them goodnight and leaving them to their night under the African stars.
Within minutes they heard the Land Rover pulling away and Finn turned to Callie and gestured to the view. ‘So, what do you think?’
‘Pretty shoddy digs …’ Callie teased. ‘They’ve gone to absolutely no trouble at all.’
Finn watched as she walked to the edge of the platform and placed her hands on the safety railing. ‘Want some champagne?’
Callie looked at him over her shoulder and wrinkled her nose. ‘No, thanks. Actually, I’d love a beer.’
Finn poured beer into a glass for her and brought it and his own bottle over to where she stood. In silence they scanned the river, saw a pod of hippos on the far bank, and watched as the sun tossed ribbons of gold over the treetops.
Finn saw her shiver as the temperature dropped further and allowed the backs of his fingers to drift over the bare skin of her shoulders. ‘You’re cold … This wind has a bite to it. Why don’t you change into something warm and I’ll start a fire in the pit?’
Callie looked around. ‘Where are our bags?’
‘Sarah took them to the bedroom area,’ Finn replied.
‘Ah, the bedroom area. Bet you it’s a massive bed covered in white linen and a mosquito net, surrounded by candles.’
‘That’s a sucker bet,’ Finn replied.
Callie took a nervous sip of her beer before lifting her eyes to Finn’s. ‘So, are we still paying it by ear?’
He’d never met a woman as direct as Callie before. He liked that—respected it. He didn’t need to play games with her.
But she wasn’t ready to share herself with him yet, Finn realised. He could see reluctance in the hitch of her shoulders, the slight shake of her fingers—although that might be from the cold—and in the worry in her eyes. She would share his bed one of these days—just not yet. And that was okay. He could wait until the time was right.
And, in the spirit of honesty, he knew the more time he had between his break-up and sleeping with her, the better handle he’d have on this entire situation. Damn, it would all be so much easier if he didn’t like her quite so much—and if she didn’t make his junk want to do a happy dance whenever she breathed.
So. Much. Easier.
Finn’s expression turned serious. ‘I have the sense that your flirty nature doesn’t often translate into bedtime fun.’
Callie tipped her head. ‘How do you figure?’
‘Well, if it meant less to you then we’d have already ripped each other’s clothes off.’
Callie looked out at the stygian darkness. ‘It wasn’t always like that. I was a lot more impetuous when I was younger.’ She held up her hand to explain. ‘I wasn’t a slut—I just didn’t take sex as seriously as I do now. It used to just be a romp … some slap and tickle … fun …’
‘It still can be,’ Finn said, his eyes locked on her face.
‘I know, but these days I prefer to have a little bit of friendship with my sex. Just a smidgeon—I don’t expect more than that—but liking is a prerequisite, respect is a bonus.’
‘I like you.’
‘I like you too, but …’
Finn quirked an eyebrow. ‘But?’
‘But …’ Callie sighed. ‘I’m just not—’
Callie stopped speaking and Finn waited for her to finish her thought. She just wasn’t what?
Callie sighed. ‘Ready. I’m just not ready.’
Yeah, and that was a lie. There was another reason why she was hesitating, why she was treading carefully. She wanted him—he knew that … had no doubts about that. So something else was causing her to hesitate. What was it and why was he so desperate to know?
Callie was waiting for his reply, buy there was nothing that he could say except, ‘We won’t be doing anything together until you are a hundred per cent comfortable with me, Cal. So try and relax, stop worrying, go and get warm. We can share a bed without me jumping you, I promise. Actually, tonight I’d love to sleep in this hammock. It looks super-comfortable and I’ve slept in far worse.’ Finn took a long sip of his beer. ‘Go and put something warm on, honey.’
Callie nodded, put her untouched beer on the table and walked to the stairs leading to the sleeping platform. Finn watched her gorgeous ass moving up the spiral staircase and felt the action in his pants.
All he had to do was follow her, start kissing her, and she’d be his. He knew that. God, it was tempting. But he didn’t want to have to coerce her, tempt her, persuade her. When they made love it would be because it was a mutual decision.
It had something to do with the respect that Callie had been talking