“Sad, but relieved.”
“That’s natural, I would think.” He kisses me and smirks. “I like the idea of being your boyfriend.”
Ohhh… he did overhear us. I blush. “I hope you don’t mind me saying that.”
“Not at all. In fact, it sounds perfect.”
I look up at him, into his warm brown eyes. “You just have to look forward, don’t you?”
“Definitely.” And he kisses me, because that’s what we’re both doing. Looking forward, and moving forward.
I’m just glad I don’t have to do it alone.
*
When we get back to the bay, we all go for a swim, and then Cullen tells me he’s going to cook us dinner. He does an easy one-pot seafood chowder with onion, potato, corn, smoked fish, and prawns, all cooked in stock and more than a little cream, and we eat it on the deck with soft rolls to soak up the juice.
Afterward, we go for a walk and treat ourselves to an ice cream atScoops by the Sea, and eat it slowly while we walk back, Max and Ghost dashing in and out of the waves.
We watch a movie in the evening, and then, after Max goes to bed with Ghost, Cullen and I cuddle up on the sofa and have a glass of wine.
“I have something to ask you,” I say tentatively.
“Okay.”
“Would you… like to stay the night?”
His eyebrows rise. “Really?”
“Well, as much as I enjoy making out on the sofa, it might be nice to have some room for once.”
He chuckles and nuzzles my neck. “Room to do what?”
“You know… move around a bit… change positions without worrying about falling off.”
“Mmm… I like that idea.” He nips my earlobe.
I giggle and kiss him. “We’ll still have to be relatively quiet. These walls are paper thin.”
“I’m happy to smother you with kisses if you feel the urge to moan.” He kisses me back. “And I’m intending to make sure you do.”
“Ohhh…” I sigh happily.
“Are you sure you don’t mind me being here in the morning?” he asks. “When Max wakes?”
“No. I think he’s already used to the idea of you being around a lot more.”
I hadn’t expected the day to end like this. I thought Jack’s anniversary was going to overshadow the day. But although he’s been in my thoughts a lot, I’m glad that, on the whole, the day has felt so positive.
Cullen and I kiss for a long time, and then when we’ve finished our wine, we turn off the TV and move to the bedroom.
It’s heavenly to be able to strip off all our clothes and to lie together naked beneath the duvet. Cullen is obviously enjoying the freedom of space, because he declares his intention to kiss me all over, and presses his lips down my body before parting my legs and proceeding to make me come with his tongue.
It’s been so long since a man did this for me, and afterward I feel close to tears, although I don’t let them fall. But when he kisses back up and slides inside me, I don’t worry about letting my emotion show. He doesn’t seem to mind. He kisses mywet cheeks, moving slowly inside me, and gradually my passion takes over, and things heat up between us. This time, he’s able to change position, and he rolls me onto my front and slides into me from behind, covering my body with his own so he’s hot and heavy on top of me, which is pure heaven.
It’s not long before I come again, burying my face in the pillow, and it only takes another minute of him thrusting hard before he finally shudders and spills inside me, stifling his groans against my shoulder. Mmm… it’s blissful, warm, and heavenly, and when he eventually withdraws, I’m more than happy for him to pull me into his arms and to lie there and kiss him while we gradually drift back to Earth.
I want to stay awake and revel in the moment, but it’s too late and I’m too tired, worn out with all the emotion of the day.
