“Well, don’t kiss me like that if you don’t want to start something!”
William sighed and rubbed his eyes. “You’re killing me. I physically don’t know if I have any cum left in my body.”
I giggled. “Yes, that’s always been my plan. The American succubus using you for your seed.”
We made our way out of bed to the bathroom, and William laughed and slapped my ass after turning on the shower. “Alright, witch, time to get ready.”
I caught William up on everything leading up to my arrival. His mom picked me up from the airport and made sure nobody saw her stashing me away in his cottage. Before William got home that day, I took my time exploring his space. It was masculine, clean, and cozy. The wood beams and white stone made me feel like I was in a different time period. The windows had cute swirly designs within the glass, giving it a whimsical feel. He didn’t have many pictures displayed, except one of him and his mom standing in front of the inn and William with a group of men dressed in tactical gear. A long wooden dining table in the kitchen separated the open space from the living room, and the views of the ocean and mountains from every window were breathtaking. It had two bedrooms, but it felt spacious with the way he’d arranged everything. All the furniture fit in place, butthere was also something a bit lonely about it. He had nothing particularly personal to him except his bookcase, which was stacked with his favorite mystery novels.
Once we were dressed in layers and boots, we walked out into the crisp morning air. A light fog rolled around the grounds, and I breathed it all in as William locked up.
“So my mum was in on all of this, huh?”
I smiled and took his hand.
We walked together through the wet grass, and I hugged his forearm against me. “Yup, Elspeth helped me call her and set it all up.”
He grunted. “And what did you two talk about?”
We neared the front of the inn, and I took in its beautiful red shutters, time-worn stonework, and matching red tin roof. It was just a larger version of the individual cottages.
The gravel crunched as we made our way closer to the front door. “It was like she already knew me. I guess Lindsey talked about me a lot. Mostly she was just excited to hear what I’ve been up to.”
William smiled and opened the door, wiping his feet on the mat before entering. I did the same and was hit with a smell of rosemary and honey. The warmth immediately heated our faces from the bite of cold outside. William took my coat and hung it on the rack with the other guests’ jackets.
The ceilings had the same wood beams as in William’s cottage, and the entryway led into the front room, where I saw a front desk made from an old apothecary table. It gave the room a lived-in feel, as did the art on the wall. Everything was mismatched but somehow worked together with vintage oil paintings ofdogs and black-and-white photos of the locals around town.
We approached the empty front desk, and I swung my gaze around. To the left was a big sitting room with plush couches, an extra-large fireplace, built-in benches by the windows, and a beautiful antique crystal chandelier. A spacious dining room was on the right, where a few guests enjoyed their coffee and scones while looking out at the seaside view. Small individual tables and a larger communal table filled the space in the middle with a plethora of fresh breakfast goodies already set out. My mouth watered, but William pulled me closer to the front desk. I turned in time to see a girl behind it.
“Poppy, this is my girlfriend, Nairie.” He motioned between us. “Nairie, this is Poppy, our manager of sorts. She’s also my cousin.”
Poppy’s blue eyes widened in shock. She had a short pixie haircut that made her look like a fairy, a scattering of freckles across her face, and piercings trailing both ears.
“Youhave a girlfriend?” She scoffed.
“Yes, me,” he said patiently.
I awkwardly waved. “Hi.”
Poppy looked between us and shook her head.
She rushed out from behind the counter and grabbed me in a bone-crunching hug. “Oh my god. I’m sorry for being so rude. It’s just William’s never brought a girl home except for... Well, it’s been a while, and he never says anything to anybody, so this is quite the shock, but you’re so beautiful, and I’m so happy you’re here.”
Everything came out in a rush, and it was hard keeping up with her accent, but I just nodded and smiled. “Are you Elspeth’s cousin too?”
“No, I’m from William’s mother’s side. But I love Elspeth. Is that how you know William?”
“Yes, she and I grew up together. We’re best friends, and William visited us every summer.”
Poppy absorbed every word I said like she was filing it away in a Rolodex in her brain. “Oh, so that’s how you two got together. I was sorry to hear about Elspeth’s mum. How long are you here for?”
“Um, kind of indefinitely. I’m working on an art piece for a retailer out here, and I’m just playing everything by ear. See where the wind takes me.”
William smiled down at me and squeezed my hand.
“Ah, a free-spirited artist?!” She clapped her hands in excitement.
“I’m trying to be.”
