“Ella, the community Robert has envisioned doesn’t exactly fit with the small-town vibe you’ve got going on here. The kind of people he wants to attract, they won’t be interested in salmon burgers from Seas The Day or talking to Mr. Thompson on the sidewalk. They’re more interested in privacy, gourmet grocery stores, five-star restaurants, and luxury amenities. What Robert wants to build would destroy everything that makes Westmount Island amazing.”
“Oh.”
I’m starting to see the problem. Marcus thinks the island is too quaint, which also means slow and quiet. Part of me worries he’s not just thinking of the development when he says this, he also means it’s too quiet for him.
Marcus hops off the bench and comes to crouch down between my legs. His beautiful blue eyes pierce my soul as he settles his hands on my legs.
“I mean it when I say the island is amazing, Ella. And I don’t just think that because of you, although you are a big part of that.” He smiles softly at me, and I can’t help but smile back. “But Robert won’t see it that way. I’m going to try and convince him to change his plan, but I don’t know if I’ll be able to. And I have to go back to the mainland in a few days to meet with him.” His voice goes quiet at the end, and I get the sense he didn’t want to bring that up.
He’s leaving. I knew this was coming, but it still hits me like a ton of bricks. I lean down to run my fingers through his hair, trying to push away the feeling that I’ve lost him already. He’s right here in front of me, yet it feels like he’s already gone. The reality of how different we are, how different our lives are, comes crashing down around me.
Marcus must sense my mounting sadness because he rears up, sits down on the bench, and pulls me into his lap. He strokes my hair, and I fight back tears. We sit that way for several moments until Marcus finally speaks.
“I don’t want to leave you, Ella. You’re everything I never knew I wanted. I’ll come back, I promise.”
All I can do is nod into his chest as the tears finally spill down my cheeks.
Chapter eight
Ella
The hike down the mountain is a lot more subdued than the hike up. And the drive back to my cottage isn’t filled with the comfortable silence of this morning. No, what’s between us now feels heavy.
Marcus parks in front of the inn, not my cottage, and my heart plummets even further. Is this it? Is this already the end?
“I didn’t want to presume I could come over…” he starts, and I cut him off with a kiss. He clutches me close, as if he, too, is scared that whatever is between us is over.
“Please presume, please. I need you. For as long you’re here, I need you.” I don’t care if it sounds like I’m begging. All I know is, I’m not ready to say goodbye to this man. I want him close to me for as much time as possible.
He looks at me with such burning desire, I think I may combust into flames. Then with a sharp nod, he puts his car back in gear and drives the short distance to my cottage. Once there, we both leap out of the car, leaving our backpacks from the hike behind. I hurry to unlock my cottage door, Marcus’s hands already roaming my body as he stands against my back. Inside, it becomes a whirlwind of clothing coming off and our bodies coming together. Marcus sweeps me up into his arms and carries me to my bedroom, where he lays me down on the bed and settles himself beside me. For a moment, we lay there, hands exploring each other, eyes staring straight into each other’s souls. But the stillness doesn’t last long before Marcus growls and pulls me underneath him. I wrap my legs around him and reach my hand down to grab his cock, but he stops me.
“Let me love you, baby.”
It’s the first time either one of us has said the word love, and even though he isn’t saying he lovesme,I feel it just the same. I nod, and he strokes some hair out of my face before moving down my body, peppering my skin with gentle kisses. When he reaches my breasts, my arousal spikes as he teases my nipples with his hands and his mouth. I never knew it was possible to come so close to orgasm from a man playing with my breasts, but fudge, am I close. I need more, though, and Marcus must know this because he continues down, swirling his tongue around my belly button and over my hip bones. His hands travel down my legs and back up, lifting them over his shoulders as he goes. His big hands cup my ass and draw me to his mouth. My eyes flutter closed as he sucks my clit into his mouth, and I climb higher and higher toward what seems an impossible peak. The heat from his mouth, sealed over my sex is making me burn from the inside out and my hips start to move. I move my hands from grabbing the sheets to hold onto his shoulders, holding him right where I need him. All sense of reality disappears when Marcus slides two fingers inside of me. He twists and turns, before he curls them over to hit that perfect spot, and I fly.
As I slowly regain an awareness of my surroundings, the first thing I notice is that Marcus is lying beside me again, and his fingers are drawing patterns across my stomach. The next thing I notice is his rock-hard cock, poking me in the hip. I roll over onto my side to kiss him, trying to pour everything I’m feeling into that kiss. Then, without saying a word, I gently push him onto his back, and make my way down to grab his cock in my hands. I lean down, and swirl my tongue over the tip, eliciting a groan from Marcus. I glance up, to see him watching me, a fierce gleam in his eye. I maintain eye contact as I open my mouth and take him in as far as I can go.
“Fuck,” he growls, as his head falls back against the pillow.
I take that as an invitation to continue and begin to work him up and down with my tongue and my hands. He’s so big, I can’t get all of him in my mouth. But I run my tongue up and down his length, loving the silky smooth texture of his skin. So much softness covering so much hardness. I want to make him feel as amazing as he made me feel, so even when he tries to lift me off, I just shake my head at him and carry on.
Moments later, I feel him grow even bigger in my mouth.
“God, fucking shit, Ella, I’m going to come.”
Secretly I love the fact that he can’t seem to form a sentence right now. And when he does let go, I swallow his release down, and continue to suck until every drop is gone and he’s lying on the bed, arms flopped to the side, panting.
I prowl up the bed, licking my lips with satisfaction. That felt good. I’ve never felt such power in the bedroom before, but bringing him such pleasure has me feeling on top of the world.
It’s my turn to run my fingers up and down the ridges of his abs, as he slowly comes down from the high of his orgasm. Eventually, he turns his head toward me.
“Ella. That was fucking spectacular.”
I don’t hold back my giggle at the awe in his voice. Which apparently turns him on, because Marcus gives me a wicked grin, before pulling me on top of him. He’s hard again already, which astounds me since I always figured guys needed time to recover. But apparently not Marcus, given what I can feel between my legs. He reaches a hand over to my bedside table where I put the strip of condoms that I found in my bathroom this morning. He tears one off and hands it to me silently. I don’t waste any time rolling it down his cock, lifting up my hips, and sinking down on top of him with a moan of satisfaction.
“Yes…” I sigh, as my hands travel over his torso. His muscles flex underneath me as he thrusts up into my throbbing core. Slowly we find our rhythm, rocking together. Every time his cock hits me deep inside, I feel it like he’s branding himself on me. Marking me as his. I want this feeling to last forever, this completeness that comes only from being connected to him so intensely.
“Shit. Ella. Fuck me, baby.” Marcus’s dirty words make me gasp. My hips start to move faster, until I’m bouncing up and down on him. My hands fall down to his chest, and he grabs my ass, holding so tightly I’m sure I’ll see the evidence of it in the morning. But I don’t care. Let the bruises be one more memory of our passion.
