Page 35 of Doubting Hearts

Chapter Ten

RAIN

THE FOLLOWING morning I awoke to the sound of a softly snoring man only inches away from my face. I hadn’t heard Toby snore before. He normally made little breathy sighs, which were a real turn-on when I lay awake watching him sleep. I hadn’t told him that, though, as it sounded a little obsessive. He’d come back to his room last night, and I’d hardly given him time to get in the door before I’d ripped his clothes off and pounded his arse as he lay face down across the small dining table. I’d already prepared it, taking off all the junk he had on it and getting the lube and condoms ready to hand. The walls next door must have been shaking with all the action.

Having Toby like that, at my mercy while I screwed him, driving into him like a man possessed, had been incredible. Once I’d come, with an intense orgasm that had made me cry out his name more than once, I’d taken him into the small en-suite bathroom and made him get in the shower, then given him a blowjob that had made his toes curl. We’d crawled into his double bed and fallen asleep almost immediately. I’d woken up this morning with him curled around me, one long leg flung across mine, and a hand on my chest that just dared me to move.

Seeing that young man with him last night, kissing him—normally I’d have been as jealous as hell. But it had given me such a warm thrill that he really believed he was mine and I was his. His use of the word “boyfriend” had sent a shock of pleasure through me. I’d hardly thought about the conversation with Tommy in the past six weeks. I was beginning to accept I was really over him now that I had this man in my bed. Toby’s gentleness, his warmth, his dry wit, and his ability to make me feel special touched me in a way no one had done in a long time.

I detached myself carefully, trying not to wake him up. He was starting work later today. I wanted to try and let him catch up on the sleep he’d missed last night because I’d been a horny, needy bastard. I showered, and by the time I was ready, his eyes were opening blearily. He

grinned as he saw me standing in front of the mirror trying to tame the hair that had grown longer and seemed to be getting curlier. Toby loved it longer, so I thought I’d give it a try. But it was driving me crazy.

“Hey, you,” he said softly. “What time is it?”

I finally managed to get some order in my hair using a little bit of his hair gel. I wasn’t one for it normally, but it seemed to work. “It’s 8:00 a.m. You still have an hour before you need to be downstairs, so take it easy.”

He grimaced as he sat up, and the sheets fell to his waist. I could see his morning hard-on tenting the cover. “Jesus, my arse is sore. Last night you were a bloody animal, Rain. I might not be able to sit down today.”

I looked at him. “I’m sorry. I didn’t hurt you too much, did I?” I felt a sense of dread, remembering my own ordeal, and my stomach clenched. He knew what I was thinking, and he shook his head as he clambered out of bed and came over to wrap his arms around me and kiss my cheek softly.

“No, I’m fine. You didn’t hurt me, at least, no more than I wanted.” He chuckled and kissed my lips. Morning breath had never tasted so sweet. “It’s the price I pay for having a horny boyfriend with a big dick.”

I laughed but still felt a little apprehensive. “You do things to me that drive me wild. But you will tell me if I ever go overboard, won’t you, if I ever do anything… umph.”

My words were cut off by his lips taking mine in a passionate kiss and that rapier tongue of his darting into my mouth. I sighed and leaned into a hundred and forty odd pounds of naked, warm man and thought I could gladly go back to bed.

Finally, he let me go. His eyes were bright. “I will tell you if you do something I don’t like, so stop worrying.” He patted my arse and cast a wicked hand over my groin, raising his eyebrows when he felt the hardness there.

“Huh. Perhaps you shouldn’t have been so quick to get out of bed. In fact….” He slid to his knees and unzipped my jeans, and I closed my eyes as he took me in his mouth. God, I loved morning starts like this one.

* * *

IT WAS nearly lunchtime, and Lucas and I stood back with a sense of pride to regard our handiwork. Our work on the Canterbury Bar was nearly finished. In the past three months we’d had more blisters, swollen and hammered fingers, calluses, and splinters than I could ever recall having on any other job. This bar had definitely been a bitch. But our labor of love was paying off. The whole room had been transformed into Simon Winslake’s vision of a gleaming, warm quintessential English pub. It was contemporary meeting old-world elegance. Gleaming, polished cherrywood surfaces with a bar that curved around the room like sleek waves. Shelving that almost floated along the walls, they were so seamless.

Antique oil lamps glowing softly, a chandelier that looked as if it would be better suited in a Russian palace, and the rich plushness of deep-red carpeting that simply screamed decadence. The barstools matched the bar perfectly as I’d sourced them. They’d needed to complement my design, and I’d been adamant about having the right ones.

I was particularly pleased with our efforts on the shelving and storage behind the bar. It was done in such a way that everything just looked as if it was made to fit and gave the impression of stylishness and sophistication. I knew Simon was coming back to check on our final product in a couple of weeks’ time, and I wanted it to be perfect for him.

Lucas looked at me with a grin. “It’s beautiful, Rain, a work of bloody art, mate. I knew it would look good because it’s your design, but this—wow. It’s inspirational.”

I felt a surge of pride. “Yeah, it came out well. I’m pleased with it now I see it all coming together. Just a few more touch-ups here and there, and we’ll be done. We can start something new. That job we have in Leicester to build that library that rich git wanted.”

I had mixed feelings about that. It would mean I’d no longer be working here and wouldn’t get to see Toby as often as we did now.

Lucas glanced at me. “Nothing’s going to change, Rain,” he said softly. “Toby and you will still be an item. You just won’t be together as much, is all. I would have thought you’d have wanted that, seeing as how you always tell me you’re not ready to settle down with him yet.” His tone was dry.

I scowled. “It’ll also mean you won’t see Tammy as often either.

Things are really heating up between you two, aren’t they?”

His face softened. “Yeah. I’m glad she’s finally given that arsehole of an ex-boyfriend the boot. He was a nasty piece of work, although he didn’t make it easy for her. He threatened both me and Toby with a good fucking up if he ever saw either of us.” He stopped suddenly and flushed. I got the feeling he’d said something he shouldn’t have.

I felt a chill run down my spine. “You never mentioned that before.

Why has he got it in for Toby? You’re the one screwing his ex.”

Lucas’s face reddened more. “Steady on, Rain,” he rebuked, and I grinned. Lucas had it bad.