* * *
Blake’s cottage was cool and quiet when I walked in. With the other cottages being renovated first, it still had its quaint old charm that I remembered from years ago. Blake let me in and poured us two glasses of chilled rosé wine in the small but functional kitchen. He wore a plain T-shirt with jeans this evening and his arms were tanned from the day outside. ‘Dylan wants to create small patio gardens out the back for each of the cottages,’ Blake said. ‘But right now, we have two options: drink these out the front – but the others might see us – or stay inside.’
‘Let’s stay inside.’ Willow didn’t know I’d come here after I said goodbye to her and Maple. I knew she was excited about the potential of me and Blake but I didn’t want to get ahead of myself just yet. We went into the living-room part of the open-plan downstairs where there was a comfy but slightly threadbare sofa that we sank into. The late sunlight streamed in through the large window that offered a view of the birch trees and the farmhouse. I removed my straw hat and fluffed up my hair.
I took a sip of wine. ‘That’s refreshing after a long day. I’m still a bit achy from last night.’
Blake grinned. ‘Yeah, me too, and tired, but it was all worth it. I had a great time with you.’
‘Me too.’ I found myself hesitating for what to say next. ‘I guess though it’s super complicated between us.’
‘Hmm, true.’ He leaned back against the sofa, our thighs almost touching. I longed to curl up against him but that felt like couple behaviour, which was far too soon for us. ‘It has taken me by surprise. But a good surprise.’
‘Not when you saw my wedding dress,’ I couldn’t help but joke.
‘That was definitely a shock after all that had happened with me and Sarah. But I told you, I thought you were beautiful that day. I had an irrational thought that I wanted you to be mine.’ He looked sheepish. ‘Too much, too soon?’
‘Probably, yeah, if we’re being sensible about all of this. But it’s hard to be sensible when I think back to last night…’ I admitted. ‘We’ve both been through a lot, though.’
He nodded. ‘I don’t want you to hurt you. That’s the last thing I ever want to do.’ He leaned in and gave me one of those soft kisses that were capable of melting me right on the spot. He tucked my hair behind one ear and smiled. ‘Maybe one day, you could be mine?’ he whispered then, looking deep into my eyes as if he was searching for something.
Perhaps we both were.
My heart sped up at his closeness, his touch, his words… I wanted them all. ‘We have a lot of things to sort out first,’ I said, trying desperately to be cautious because I didn’t want to get hurt but I also wanted to climb into his arms and lose myself in them. ‘But maybe one day, I could be,’ I admitted, finally saying the words out loud that I’d honestly felt since our first kiss. Maybe even before. Because when Blake treated me so rudely when we’d first met in my wedding dress, I was pissed and hurt and disappointed. I knew now it was because he had attracted me from the off.
‘Can I kiss you again, gorgeous?’ Blake asked. It was sweet that he checked with me. Did he not realise how badly I wanted to be in his arms again?
‘Blake, surely you know the answer is yes?’ I put my glass down on the coffee table in front of us and he did the same. Then I reached for his T-shirt and pulled him towards me, catching sight of those dimples before our lips found each other again. We scooted closer and Blake pulled me into his chest, his hand on the back of my head as I clutched his shirt, longing for us to be closer.
I leaned against him. ‘I like your chest,’ I found myself saying after we broke apart and Blake kissed my neck in that sweet spot that made me sigh with enjoyment. I moved my hands from holding his shirt to run over his chest. ‘So strong. Can I?’ I moved my fingertips to the bottom and slipped them under.
‘Surely you know the answer is yes?’ Blake repeated my question, making me giggle. I lifted his shirt off him and was rewarded with his bare chest. He pulled me back to meet his lips, his tongue massaging mine as he murmured contently. He reached for the buttons of my linen shirt, undoing them and then peeling it off me, laying it on top of his on the floor. ‘Come here.’ He moved me so I sat astride his lap, bringing back memories of yesterday on the blanket outside. ‘Do you have any idea how sexy you are?’ he purred into my ear. Then he kissed the spot just underneath it as his hands slid up my back, holding me close to him.
I loved how complimentary he was. It made me feel like I didn’t need to be anyone else but myself with him. Something that was incredibly intoxicating after years of feeling like I needed to perform a version of myself. ‘You’re so handsome,’ I replied, trying not to blush but accept his words. I wasn’t sure a man had ever called me sexy before, though. I leaned in and kissed him again.
Our kisses were becoming almost frantic as we gripped each other. His slight stubble brushed against my chin as we kissed passionately but I didn’t care if it chafed. I just wanted to be closer to him. To become tangled up together. Our skin grew hot and sticky in the warm night.
‘Can I take all your clothes off?’ Blake asked urgently, the fire in his eyes reflecting my own back at me.
‘Only if you take yours off too,’ I replied, my voice husky with lust. I jumped off him and he chuckled at how fast I pulled my shorts down. But he got up too and we watched each other as we peeled all our clothes off.
Blake was as aroused as I was. He stepped forward and bent down to kiss my breasts as his hand gently parted my legs to stroke me. I gripped his shoulder with one hand and brought my other hand down to touch him. We both let out a moan when we started touching one another. It hadn’t been long at all since we had touched but we were clearly desperate for more.
‘I want you so much,’ Blake said when he lifted off my nipple to kiss me again.
‘Me too,’ I gasped against his mouth as his touch was driving me crazy. ‘Please, Blake,’ I found myself begging.
‘You want more, Daisy?’ he asked gruffly. ‘I want you to tell me what you want.’
I definitely blushed then. ‘I can’t…’ I whispered, leaning against him for support as his touches were sending off shots of pleasure through my body. He felt so hard under my hand that I knew he wanted this as much as I did.
‘Gorgeous, tell me…’ he repeated gently, before giving me an encouraging kiss.
I’d never been particularly chatty in bed before but Blake had me more engaged than I ever had been so maybe I could be. When he teased a nipple with his tongue before sliding it into his mouth and sucking on it, all embarrassment faded because I wanted him, wanted this, so much. ‘I want you inside me,’ I gasped out as my body trembled beneath his tongue.
Blake lifted off me and smiled. ‘Good girl. I want to be inside you so much too. Stay here.’ He let go of me and ducked out of the room before returning with a condom. He sat down on the sofa as he slid it on, his hooded eyes on me the whole time as my knees trembled in front of him. ‘Do you want to sit on me?’ he asked when he was ready.
I nodded eagerly and went over to sit astride him. He found my lips, kissing me hard as he slid inside me. We moaned against each other’s mouths as I sat on Blake, him filling me up in the best way.
