I watched as she pulled down my boxers and straddled me, and I watched in lust-addled fascination as she pulled her thong to the side and guided me to her entrance.My fist came to my mouth, the other dug into her hip as she lowered herself on to me, making both of us moan.I let her lead when she was fully seated, rolling her hips.She felt so tight, so warm.I undid her bra and palmed her breasts, her head falling back.
‘That’s it.Ride me,’ I said as I raised my hips to meet each move in her hips.‘God, you feel like heaven.’
‘Ren,’ she panted as I circled her clit, making her movements choppy.‘I think I’m close.’
A few moments later, she clenched around me.
‘Come for me, gorgeous girl.’
I kept my pressure on her clit, until she fell forward, coming, and I thrust upwards through the waves of her orgasm.She clenched around me, and I couldn’t take it any more.I shifted us so that I was on top, so that I could see her beautiful face.Our mouths met, wet and messy.I came deep inside her, jerking and moaning.I was still panting when I shifted us on to our sides, so that I was not weighing her down but was still touching her.I touched her face, kissed her cheeks and neck.
‘I can’t get enough of you, I swear,’ I murmured into her skin.I pressed a kiss to her temple, my heart pounding stupidly fast.The words slipped out before I could stop them.
‘We should do it, you know.’
She shifted to meet my gaze, sleepy but curious.‘Do what?’
‘Everly Heath Farm,’ I said into her hair.‘We could go to Liam and see if he could be persuaded.We could renovate the site together – find a little nook or apartment for ourselves.Or there’s that cottage tucked away down the bottom of the farm.It’s probably a bit too far away to convert it for visitors anyway.It’s overgrown, but it’s got good bones.’
I felt her breath hitch against my chest and, for a second, the world felt terrifying and perfect all at once.So I kept going.
‘And you could open up a gym with private studios for Pilates or yoga.Eventually we could add sauna pods, make it really fancy.Momentum wouldn’t know what hit it.’
She was quiet, and for some reason, I couldn’t shut the fuck up.
‘I mean, Bethan and Gareth seemed happy enough.Thirty-odd years together.That could be us maybe.Not that I need marriage or anything like that—’ I squeezed one eye shut as the cringe wracked through me.‘We haven’t even talked about that.Although I’d like that.I mean, just forget I said that.It’s too early.What I’m trying to say is I could see it, Lydia.I could see us running Everly Heath Farm.You’d be incredible running your own gym—’
‘Ren.’ Her voice was thick and unreadable, and suddenly I wished I hadn’t said anything at all.I thought she was about to tell me it was too much, too soon.But when I glanced at her, there was something soft in her eyes I couldn’t quite name.Pity?Worry?
Brilliant.I’d only just got her back and here I was, already pushing for more.Like buying, fixing up, and running a giant money pit of a farm was standardsecond-day-of-being-officialbehaviour.God, I’m an idiot.
I squeezed her to my chest.‘Just think about it.You don’t have to say anything now.’
‘Okay,’ she said, a smile in her voice.‘I love you.’
Those could be the only words I’d hear forever, and I’d be happy.
‘I love you too.’
As I drifted off, a tiny corner of my mind caught the sound of Lydia’s voice, low, serious, like she’s talking to someone.Part of me wanted to wake up and pull her back into me, but the exhaustion won.So I let her words slip under the tide, and sleep carried me away.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Ren
A bang on the door jolted me out of sleep.Instinctively, I shifted, my hands searching for Lydia, only to find the sheets peeled open, cold to the touch.I frowned, sitting up, rubbing a hand over my face.Swinging my legs over the side of the bed, I pulled on a pair of trousers before heading towards the bathroom.
‘Lydia?’ I called towards the en suite.No answer.
A prickle of unease crept up my spine as I moved through the living room, my brow furrowed.Something was off.I felt it in my bones.
I pulled open the door to find Amy and Gen standing in the hallway.Gen had her arms crossed, dressed head to toe in her usual all-black hiking gear, her expression unimpressed, as ever.Amy, on the other hand, looked like Lydia had dressed her herself, decked out in bright pink leggings, matching top, hair dyed to the same pastel shade.
‘Morning, Ren,’ Amy squeaked, an awkward smile on her kind face.
Gen’s eyes flicked down to my chest, pouting, she nodded, ‘Fair play, Lydia.’
‘What the fuck is happening?Where is Lydia?’
