‘Has your family ever used you as the face of Butlers?’ Cherry forgot the cold now she had a sexy, wet Scotsman to gape at. He had all the right angles to promote the family drink. In fact, who better than the man who crafted the barrels the whisky was matured in?
Sean scraped his wet hair back from his forehead. ‘No. I don’t mean anything to anyone. We’re using Alicia’s brother, Connor, though. He’s Hollywood hunky, a walking orgasm, y’ know?’
‘I guess.’ She rubbed her foot on the silt at the bottom of the pool. The sun was warm on her skin, but she would need to keep moving to stay warm in here. ‘At least they got someone young. If I’m going to be persuaded to drink whisky, then it needs to be by a guy whose abs I could drink the stuff off.’
‘Fair point. Whisky advertising has started moving withthe times, but it’s still geared towards men. Getting women to drink the stuff is a slow burn.’
‘Hmm, you know who’d drink whisky off your abs?’
‘You, I hope?’
‘Those ladies up there. What were their names? Val and Gloria. They were ogling you.’
‘I don’t think so. They’re lesbians.’
‘I’m sure they can still appreciate you objectively. There’s a lot to appreciate.’
Sean dragged his hand through his hair again, affording Cherry a first-class view of his underarm hair and curved biceps which sent her into cavewoman mode.
‘You know,’ he reminded her, ‘this is the place where you could tick two things off your bucket list – sex with a younger manandunder a waterfall.’
‘Hmm. It’s a bit cold. I kind of imagined a waterfall in the Caribbean or something.’
‘I’ll take you there one day… Listen, Cherry.’ She heard the semitone drop in his voice, and she knew joking-Sean was gone. ‘What you said up there? Does this mean you want to be my wife?’
‘I am your wife, Seany.’ True, but not what he was asking. It was only fair that he press for an answer on this one. In fact, she wanted him to.
‘Aye, I know that but, like, forever?’ He eyed her sharply. How did he manage to look seductiveandinterrogative at the same time? ‘Do you wantthisforever?’
Cherry’s feet were sinking into the silt. Goosebumps rose up on her skin; her nipples were like frozen peas skimming the water’s surface. And her gorgeous husband was waiting for an answer on whether she wanted to be his wife forever. He didn’t seem to be remotely cold, like he could wait all day.
She crossed her arms over her breasts. Sean glanced at them and then back up to her eyes. He waited. Patient. Determined to elicit the answer that she was pretty sure he already knew – the answer she wanted to give him. Like the leap into the cold water of this pool, she would need to take the plunge because fear might always breathe somewhere inside her.
‘Yes,’ she said, the words shivering warmly off her lips into the air between them. ‘Yes, I do want to be your wife forever, Sean. I really do. And I want us to…to make a go of things.’
Sean’s face softened with relief and Cherry’s heart soared. But he stayed where he was. Waiting for more from her. What more could she say? What did he want?I love you? It felt wrong to blurt that out now, in case she was spooked again. She bit down.
Don’t cry, don’t cry.
Sensing her inability to move, Sean came to her. Stood over her. She considered that she’d never seen him so serious, not even when he’d told her to stop being a massive prick tease. Gently, he reached down and prised apart her arms, opening her to him in a way she seemed to struggle with. Cherry let her arms fall, and Sean pushed the stray streak of damp hair from her forehead, examining her with so much tenderness it nearly broke her. Then his arms were curving round her, and he was pulling her close. Right into that solid chest of his, bringing her cheek to rest on his beautiful muscular shoulder, allowing her to freely lose herself in the sweet, woody scent of his skin.
She curved her arms around him, too. Oh, thank God for the boundless heart of this man – for never giving up, letting her reach him in her own way and time, and meeting her at the last stretch. Being held by Sean was exactly whatCherry needed, what her body craved. He was everything. Safe, solid, warm. All she had longed for, but had been too scared to believe she deserved.
‘Cherry, Cherry, Cherry.’ Sean’s chest vibrated as he spoke her name, low and assured. Gently, he manoeuvred her to face him, kissed the top of her head, slowly ran his nose down her forehead, over the bridge of her nose, their breath synching, the cool water on his face mingling with the warmth of his skin.
She whimpered in appreciation. It might not be much, but Sean read it correctly and swept her mouth into a kiss, hot tongue insistent against hers, rough stubble grazing her cupid’s bow, those hands that hammered and sculpted all day cupping her face like she was the most precious thing he’d ever held.
To love and to cherish.
She knew he would. If she could get through life’s tribulations with anyone, it was with Sean. He was strong, safe and supportive and, most importantly, aware of what might lie ahead.
Cherry pressed into him. Sean gave a low groan in response, going deeper, harder with the kiss, before he raised her onto his hips in one swift motion. She clamped onto him with her thighs, the water giving her buoyancy, hands on those muscular shoulders surprisingly tanned for a Scotsman.
‘Fuck, Cherry. You’re so fucking beautiful. My perfect wife.’ Sean lowered her slightly, cradling her backside and urging against her. The Butler jewels pressed insistently at her centre. He reached round, unclipped her bra, peeled it off, and cast it onto the rocks behind him, never taking his eyes fromher breasts.
Pressing into him, she found a rhythm as he leaned back and watched her, his face etched with arousal.
‘Fuck, that feels so fucking good, Cher. Keep going. I need you so much.’
