Very fucking easily, in fact.
Leaning in and lifting and twisting her baseball cap backwards, Sean brought his lips to Cherry’s. To that delicious full mouth that tasted like coconut nectar and sweet pineapple with an intoxicating twist. Before self-control stood a chance, their tongues were tangling hot around one another’s and, in the middle of the cooperage yard, they were sliding into the fevered body of an exceptionally adult kiss. A kiss that could stop traffic on a freeway and the flight path up above.
Sean drew Cherry closer, sandwich bag dangling from his hand, unable to resist the soft swell of her breasts against his chest.
She was no less restrained, tangling her hand into his hair, fingernails making their presence very much known. Fuck, he was hardening already. This was way too erotic a kiss for daytime at work.
Thankfully, a chorus of male voices resounded through the yard, whooping and calling out ‘Wahey!’ and ‘Get a room!’.
Sean pulled back, the sunlight dazing him as much as the kiss had. He didn’t need to turn to know that his colleagues were watching. It wasn’t often that women came to the cooperage, never mind ones like Cherry.
‘We’re taking the faking to the max, I see?’ He ran his tongue over his lips and cupped his free hand on Cherry’s hip. Reeled as he inhaled the honeysuckle blossom of her scent. This day just got so much hotter.
‘Of course.’ She squinted into the sun. ‘No point doing things to the minimum, Seany. If you want the world to see that I’m madly in love with you, that is what they’ll see. I’ve learned a few skills around the poker table.’
Sean nodded. As much as he hoped she would fake so hard she couldn’t backtrack, he’d have to categorise that asfantasy. Cherry was well versed in detaching from her feelings. If he didn’t do the same, he’d look like an idiot. He shook the brown paper bag.
‘I appreciate your commitment. And the sandwich, of course.’
‘You’re welcome, baby. I’ll have your favourite dinner on when you get home.’ She tilted her hips far too suggestively for someone talking about dinner. ‘Whatever that is.’
Sean’s attention idled on the curve of her hip before rising to her face, where sunglasses were once again shielding her eyes.
‘Can’t wait to taste it,’ he said.
‘Me neither. Now get back to work. Oh, wait. I got your favourite juice.’ Cherry pulled a can of Irn-Bru out of her bag, but before she passed it to him, she rolled it over her cleavage.
‘Mmm, that’s so nice and cool,’ she drawled, a mischievous smile playing on her lips.
Sean had never wanted to be a can of Irn-Bru until now.
‘You’re a troublemaker, Paradise. Get out of here before I find a barrel to take you over.’ He reached out for the can and grinned at her. She was a first-class tease, and he loved it, but if he didn’t focus on some hoops and staves and listen to his workmates’ drivel, his balls would be ready to explode.
A short time later, after splashing his face and neck with cold water, Sean sat down to eat the sandwich Cherry had brought him.Madefor him,by the looks of the roll and abundant filling spilling out the sides. The local sandwich shop was never this generous with filling. And they didn’t do a BLT like this.
BLT. His favourite sandwich.
Cherry had made him his favourite sandwich. Filled itto the max, including a fuck-load of lettuce, no doubt because of their conversation about healthy eating. And walked into the village to bring it to him at the cooperage, accompanied by a scorching kiss.
She didn’t do things by halves.
He’d married a belter alright.
Chapter 13
Sean
When Sean got home from an after-work run, the sexual tension coiled up within him was as pressured as the seams of the bruised storm clouds above. Fuck. He wanted his wife. And that was normal. What wasn’t normal was to live in the same house as that wife but not be able to have her.
She had to feel the same way. There was no way that she didn’t. The kiss at the cooperage had spoken loud and clear about how good the sex between them would be, if they were ever to have sex.
Which they would not be doing. Because Cherry thought she was depriving him of something. Thought she was responsible for his life. For how it turned out. It was sweet but also unnecessary. He was an adult, capable of making his own decisions about his future.
But it didn’t feel like the future was in his hands. Cherry held all the cards, and Sean wasn’t sure how to play the game. Where did you start with someone who’d been through that much trauma? And what would his arguments be to convince her otherwise? He’d tried presenting his ownfamily dynamic to show he didn’t have fixed ideas about family, but it hadn’t hit home.
Thunder rumbled in the distance.
Cherry was sitting at the dining table, laptop open, deep in concentration, phone, sunglasses and an empty water glass by her side.
