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Gabe moved the kiss slowly down, kissing along her clavicle, and then he found the spot where he had started this morning. Pushing her breasts together and massaging them, tasting them, sucking and flicking her nipples in turn as his hand slipped beneath the water.

‘You feel…’ He loved the swell of her as he explored her, the way she moaned as he stroked her jewel, and how she pressed her lips together as he slipped his fingers inside.

Just last night, how her own reactions had startled her. Now she welcomed the unfolding desire, and how he pulled her to him, then lifted her up so her legs wrapped around his waist.

‘We’ll go slow,’ he said and she closed her eyes at the first nudge of him.

He pushed past resistance and then to the tight grip of her and they locked eyes as she took a moment to acclimatise. He could see her flushed cheeks darken, and knew it had hurt, but then she pushed a little down and with each thrust he was deeper in…

‘There,’ she said, and ‘there,’ again, because the pain was turning into warm pleasure, and spreading.

Her pleas, the clutch of her and his hands guided her hips and then he pushed her down hard, forgot perhaps her inexperience, he stole a couple of rapid thrusts, just unleashed inside for a moment, lost in her grip, and then he heard her moan, and slowed down.

‘Don’t stop…’ She clung to his neck and his hands were tight on her hips, resisting her almost.

‘Gabe…’ She was desperate. Wanted more of what they’d just had. ‘Please…’ she was on the edge, and so was he. ‘You said…’ she was panting ‘in the garden…that you would not hold back.’

And she never wanted to know him holding back.

And he had sworn, every step of their cliff walk, that she would come first, that he would be tender and slow, and all things good.

But this was so good. And this was their own bliss and so Gabe unleashed, they were locked in eye contact, hidden from the world, and every nerve-end was focused on her centre.

And then a shout from him and even Stella knew what it meant. It summoned her, and as he came deep inside, as promised, Stella felt the deep pull of her own.

* * *

It was magical, sitting next to the waterfall, hidden away from the world.

Exploring each other.

She lay so the water splashed to the side of her and sprayed over her, as Gabe explored her tender place with his mouth as she looked to the jagged slice of blue sky above. And wondered if she would ever be this happy, or feel this free, again.

‘Oh,’ she said as he stroked with his tongue, and he was turned on by her pleasure, how she didn’t fight it or hide. ‘That was bliss…’ She was catching her breath, closing her thighs, dizzy with sensation.

‘We’d better head back before the sun starts to set,’ he said.

‘I don’t want to go back,’ she admitted.

But of course, they must.

And so they dressed and they climbed back up the cliffside and then walked back through the gate past the lemon orchard and she breathed in the citrusy scent. ‘That’s sublime.’

‘It is in the evenings—’ he nodded ‘—after a hot summer’s day, the fruit is warm.’ He watched as she reached up and her hands squeezed a plump ripe fruit. ‘Pick it,’ he said, a memory unfurling, just a vague one, rather like trying to recall a dream.

‘It really is warm.’ Stella smiled and turned towards his car.

‘Don’t go back just yet.’

‘I need to pack…’ She glanced down at her rather scruffy attire. ‘I’m setting off early tomorrow.’

‘Stella?’

‘We agreed to one day.’ She could feel her cheeks stinging from the wind and the sun and soon there would be salty tears to add to that mix, and she had to get away. ‘We’re out of time.’

She wasn’t sure she could extend this. The more she saw of him, the real him, the more she wanted, and she didn’t want to be the fool that cried.

‘We’ll have a drink on the terrazzo.’ He took the lemon from her hand. ‘Then I’ll drive you back.’