“I don’t ever want to leave, but it’s not the lighthouse that’s making me want to stay...it’s you. I think you’re my heaven, Grace.” Placing his glass down he gently grasped her chin, pulling her face up to meet his before kissing her.
Grace’s stomach flipped upside down at his words. She was falling fast; there was no way could she deny it now. The way he made her feel with just a look or that smile. Oh my God, that smile; it melted her heart. Deepening the kiss she sucked gently on his bottom lip offering gentle nibbles as she did,working her way along his jawline towards his neck where she began her slow assault on his senses, trailing soft, biting kisses down towards his chest, undoing buttons as she went. Alex groaned as she undid the final button on his shirt and began to run her fingertips along the waistband of his jeans. Hooking his hands under her arms he gently lifted her, placing her directly over his body, laying her chest against his. He curved one of his legs around hers, anchoring her to him as he began his own exploration, allowing his hands to roam freely over her back and down over her behind as he returned to taste her mouth.
Placing her hands either side of his head Grace wriggled free, positioning herself astride him. Holding his stare she lifted her shirt over her head, exposing her tight well toned stomach and bra covered breasts. His eyes took in the full glorious sight as his hands embarked on their journey north from her hips where he had been holding her steady, travelling up her sides before his hands settled on the exquisite lace that ensconced her breasts. Stroking his thumbs over each nipple he watched them tighten into hard buds at his touch. He watched in awe as the slight pink hue that now flushed her chest worked its way up her body. Lifting his hips slightly he brushed his now strainingerection against her groin, desperate for any kind of contact with her.
Detecting his need Grace leant her body forward filling his hands with her breasts. Adjusting her position slightly forced a low guttural growl to escape his throat as she rubbed herself along his now throbbing erection. Inclining her head she whispered in his ear, “Let’s go to bed.”
Stopping abruptly he grasped her face, lifting her so he could look into those soft green eyes. “You said just the first few bases. Bed isn’t on that list. Grace, I want to do this right. I want you to know the real me first. I can wait as long as you need, babe.”
Kissing him she silenced the words. “Where’s the bedroom, Alex?” She spoke once more through hungry kisses.
Frustration ran rife through his veins now; it would be so easy to drag her off to his bed. Make love to her all night, but Grace was different; he didn’t want to mess this up. “Stop, baby. I want to wait, do this right. I want you so badly, but can we just slow down a bit?” He never thought he would ever utter those words in his life. He had the girl of his dreams half naked and willing sat on top of him. His erection strained against the denim, desperate to be freed, but somehow he needed to stop. Hewanted her to know he was in this for the rest of his life.
“Really?” Grace almost pleaded with him now.
“Really,” he stated with a chuckle.
“I can’t persuade you?” Grace ran a fingernail down the length of his chest as she quizzed him.
“Nope. Not tonight anyway. Come on, I’ll show you the spare room. ‘Cos if I don’t, well, I can’t promise to leave you alone.” Alex lifted her from him, needing to sit up now.
Frustrated and slightly put out she pulled her top back on, grumbling as she did. “Well, that’s a first.”
Closing his bedroom door he rested his head against it, heaving a huge sigh. Shower, he needed a shower. Standing beneath the powerful jets his hand slid low over his tight abdominals before gripping his erection hard; slowly he began to pump his hand back and forth. Closing his eyes, images of Grace naked flashed through his mind as he worked his hand harder desperate to find his release. Shuddering he exploded against the tiled surface in what felt like an endless eruption leaving him spent. He rested his forehead against the cooling tiles, his hands supporting his weight as his breathing returned to normal. That girl was sure to be the death of him.
Tentatively Grace knocked on the bedroom door,tray balanced in one hand. She cracked open the door a few inches, peering inside. “You don’t have to knock, Grace.” The muffled voice sleepily drifted out from beneath the pillows. Alex felt the mattress dip as she positioned herself at the foot the bed. Freeing himself from the tangle of bedding he wriggled to a sitting position careful to disguise the morning glory. “Please tell me you didn’t cook, Grace, I don’t think I could face that at...” he glanced at his watch, “eight in the morning.”
There was that smile again; he could get away with murder using that smile.
“Nah, just tea and toast. I can manage tea and toast.” She handed him the tray before she crawled up the bed to sit beside him. “I thought that’s what girlfriends did, made breakfast in bed for their boyfriends.”
Grinning stupidly he placed the tray on the bed before pouncing on her, pinning her to the bed raining kisses down on her face and neck.
“If you are really going to make me wait then you have to stop laying on me naked, Alex, it’s just mean!” Grace playfully slapped his arm as she tried to wriggle free.
Snorting with laughter he sat upright again, pulling her with him as he handed her breakfast. “Itain’t happening today, babe, ‘cos my parents will be walking through that door in...oh, roughly thirty minutes time.” The look of horror that spread across Grace’s face forced his laughter to stop abruptly. “What? You don’t wanna meet my parents? They don’t bite, in fact my mum is gonna love you. My dad will just be pleased you’re not famous.” She didn’t look any less horrified by his statement. “I want you to meet them, Gracie. I knew you’d freak if I told you, that’s why I didn’t mention it. Please don’t be worried.” His eyebrows were pulled together in a frown.
“I’m not worried. Why would I be worried? I mean, I only spent the night trying to seduce their son to be turned down flat and shoved in the spare room. No, I’m not worried, Alex. Frustrated, wound up, desperate to spend the day in bed with their son, yes, but not worried.” Grace pouted as she sipped on the hot tea cradled in her hands.
Right on cue he heard the door bell ring loud and impatiently. “No time to over think it now, baby. That’ll be them.” Scurrying out of bed he grabbed last night’s clothes before dragging Grace from the bed by the hand and heading downstairs.
Throwing open the front door he found his parents standing there with a single carry on suitcase each. “Oh, son, you look like a different person. Isobel saidwe wouldn’t recognise you. Now, where’s this girl you’ve been telling me all about?” Pushing past her son she entered the lighthouse making a beeline straight for Grace who had remained positioned on the bottom step almost cowering in the shadows. “You must be Grace. Call me Ann, none of this Mrs Carter rubbish, makes me sound old. This is Patrick, Alex’s father. Come on, dear, let’s get that kettle on. Patrick gets antsy without his tea.” Bustling through the corridor she dragged Grace along behind her as Alex and his father stood open mouthed watching the older woman make herself at home.
“So, tell me why you’re wasting your time with my delinquent son. I’m sure a pretty girl like you has a line of eligible men queuing at your door. Men that have proper jobs and aren’t covered in so called‘ink’. I think that’s the term you use nowadays, isn’t it?” Patrick spoke with a glint in his eye; he had always been a ladies’ man. It drove his wife insane. The flirty nature he portrayed as a young man had never left him. It had been the very thing that had made Ann fall in love with him all those years ago.
Sitting around the sleek breakfast bar they all laughed at the dismayed if slightly horrified look Alex now wore. “Dad! You’re supposed to be on my side.” Burying his face in his hands, he pretended to be moreupset than he was with the man he had looked up to all his life. His father was his inspiration in life. Alex had acquired his father’s work ethic but his mother’s more subdued nature. Cameron on the other hand was like a carbon copy of the man who was now pulling his stool closer to Grace in order to drape his arm around the less than comfortable young woman. “You can stop molesting her now, Dad. She’s mine!” Alex held out his hand to pull Grace from her seat and positioned her protectively between his open denim clad thighs where she happily nestled as they finished their tea.
“No long queue of men, Mr Carter, and I quite like your son’sink. It makes him who he is. Are you staying for the week?” Grace slid her hand into her pocket to hide her now crossed fingers, praying they were going home sooner rather than later.
“No, dear. Just a few days. We have our grandson’s christening to attend next weekend. Well, I say christening in the loosest sense of the word. Our daughter-in-law is not a Christian so they’re having some fancy naming ceremony thing in their back garden. It’s all a bit ‘tree hugging’ for me but, well we don’t like to interfere do we, dear?”
At that father and son spat their tea out in a burst of laughter.
“I think Cam and Em would disagree, Mum. Theface you pulled when you opened the invite was enough. You even complained about them getting married on that cliff top instead of in church. Turning up in your rain hat ‘just in case’ wasn’t the best idea either.” Alex high fived his father as he watched his mum’s face contort as she tried to hold in the laughter that was obviously bubbling under the surface. “Grace, we can elope. Don’t worry, I won’t let her ruin your day with her plastic rain hat.” He planted a soft kiss on her now crimson cheek.
“Whoa there, tiger! I agreed to a weekend not a wedding!” The panic was evident on her face as she turned to face him. Giving her his undivided attention he studied her face as though there was just the two of them in the room. Placing his hands in her hair he gently gripped her head as he pulled her towards him until their foreheads were touching.
“It’s just details, babe. Weekend, lifetime, beyond. Whatever. I know how I feel.” His voice barely above a whisper, he held her in place making his point. He was in this for the long haul. She couldn’t vocalise, only grinned stupidly at him as she planted a kiss on the tip of his nose before remembering they had company. Without lifting his head or breaking their gaze, he addressed his parents.
