She leans back in her seat, stretching her arms above her. “How far away are we?”
“Not far,” I tell her.
She hums and rests her socked feet on the dash as she returns her focus to her poetry book. I can’t resist watching her from the corner of my eye, loving how relaxed she looks despite the heaviness of our conversation. She looks like she belongs in the front seat of my car.
Less than five minutes later, we pull off the main road and follow a gravel track through a stretch of bushland that’s thick and green. I slow the car as the cabin comes into view. It’s low and wide, nestled into the trees like it grew out of the bush. Single storey, made from locally sourced timber and stone, with floor-to-ceiling double-glazed windows that make you feel like you’re surrounded by the environment. There’s no manicured lawn or paved driveway, just raw ground and bush.
Andy’s parents live in the middle of Sydney, so it’s their place to get away from the hustle and bustle of the big city when they come to visit him.
Leni leans forward, her eyes wide as she takes it all in. “So, this is the infamous love shack. Or have you brought me here to murder me because it will be easy to hide the body?”
Her voice is light and teasing, and I roll my eyes. “Neither.”
“Mmm,” she hums, unbuckling her seatbelt when I pull the car to a stop and turn off the ignition. “Then what would you call it, sir?”
My dick automatically jumps to attention at that word.Fuck. I don’t have enough time to put him to good use. He’ll have to wait until after the game.
With a groan, I climb out and shut the door.
“Do you own this place?” she calls over her shoulder as she walks to the edge of the veranda and runs her hand along the timber railing.
“I wish,” I say with a chuckle. “No, it belongs to Andy’s parents.”
“Andy?” she enquires with a furrowed brow when she turns back to face me.
“Professor Johnson.”
“Oh.” Her eyes widen. “Does he know about us?”
I don’t know if it’s hope or wariness in her tone, but I don’t miss the disappointment and slump in her shoulders when I say, “No, he just thinks I’m having a much-needed reset.”Although I’m sure he suspects I’m not here alone.
Something about her demeanour makes me wonder if she was hoping I would tell her he does know, even though she knows how dangerous it is for us if anyone finds out while she’s still a student.
Before I can press her further, she looks back at the cabin.
“This is actually incredible.”
I grin, grabbing our overnight bags, the groceries, and the esky from the boot before locking the car and following her up the steps. “You haven’t seen the best part yet.”
Inside, Leni walks slowly through the open-plan kitchen and living space, taking it all in. The big stone fireplace. The deep armchair by the window. The timber shelves lined with books. She runs her fingers over the spines, reading some of them out loud.
It’sthe beginning of spring, but the weather is still quite fresh. A shiver runs through her, and I quickly drop the bags so I can light a fire. When the flames are stoked, and the sound of crackling logs fills the space, I turn to see her watching me, a soft smile playing on her lips.
“What?” I ask, rubbing the back of my neck.
“Nothing,” she says quietly.
“You were staring.”
Her cheeks flush, and she ducks her head. “No, I wasn’t.”
I cross the room to wrap my arms around her waist, and she places her hands on my chest, tilting her head to look at me. Closing the distance, I brush my lips over hers. I’ve been desperate for a taste since the Uber dropped her off at my place this morning, but we didn’t want to risk being seen together, so we got in the car and left straight away.
“You’re going to be late for your game,” she murmurs against my lips.
“Don’t care,” I tell her, pulling her in to deepen the kiss.
She melts into my embrace, moaning into my mouth. I know she can feel my growing bulge pressing into her stomach, but she doesn’t make any move to take things further.
