Page 109 of Unapologetic Love Story

‘You taste so fucking sweet,’ he murmured against her, and she started to tremble. ‘Come for me, sweetheart.’

She grabbed his large hand, pulling it to her mouth and using it to muffle the sound of her scream. He smelled of soap and he made soft, soothing sounds as she came down from the enormous high he’d coaxed from her.

‘Tom,’ she half sobbed.

‘I’m here, sweetheart.’

She raised her head to look at him and she could see realization hit him as he met her eyes. He read in her face what she was feeling. What she was finally ready to feel.

‘Tom, I lo—’

There was a sudden knock on the door of the snug. Tom pulled Raina into his arms and she laughed at how his soft and loving face hardened into a protective scowl.

‘Occupied!’ he growled at whoever was on the other side.

‘I know you’ve got my sister in there,’ came Solana’s apologetic voice.

‘We’re busy,’ Raina called out.

The door to the snug was suddenly wrenched open and Solana materialized looking panicked and breathless. Raina had righted her dress, but she knew both she and Tom were sporting swollen lips and wild eyes.

‘What’s wrong?’ Raina asked, going into immediate older sister mode.

‘It’s Pep,’ Solana whispered. ‘She just bolted upstairs to hide. I don’t know why.’

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

Raina convinced Tom to stay with her sister while she ran up the stairs to track down Pepper. She had to check multiple bedrooms before finding the right one. The room prior to Pepper’s contained two people rolling around on top of the bed. The man’s face hidden beneath the woman’s dress as she writhed on the sheets.

‘Sorry!’ Raina yelped into the darkened room before slamming the door. ‘Carry on!’

She found Pepper in her parents’ bedroom. She was sitting on the window seat, looking completely haunted. Raina ran over to her and clasped her hand.

‘It’s him, isn’t it? He’s here. Downstairs.’

Pepper was frighteningly still, staring out of her parents’ window. It overlooked the grounds and all of the cars that were parked up around the house.

‘He’s never come before,’ Pepper finally whispered, her breath causing the window to mist. She wiped it away with her finger. ‘Why now?’

Raina had no idea what to say. ‘Maybe it’s been enough time, you know?’

‘Enough time,’ Pepper repeated sadly. ‘All these years, I thought he was staying away because he’s mad at me. Then I saw him walk in with her . . .’

Raina sat with her friend and looked down. The handsome man from Pepper’s hidden photograph was mingling with some other guests in the courtyard below. A pretty redhead stood beside him, smiling politely at people.

‘Maybe they’re just friends,’ Raina said carefully.

‘Nah.’ Pepper laughed humourlessly. ‘He’s too great. Always was. She’ll be someone super worthy. And if he were a petty, wretched person like me, he would have brought her here to rub my nose in it. But he’s not. He’s just here to be nice. And that hurts worse than anything I’ve fantasized about over these last few years.’

She sniffed and Raina dived towards the bedside table to grab a box of tissues. Pepper accepted it gratefully and blew her nose.

‘You know how some days you really just feel like you’ve made a complete mess of your life. Made every wrong choice, said every wrong thing.’

‘Said every wrong thing? Pep. I’m autistic.’

Pepper laughed through tears. ‘Stop. You’re more sensitive to people’s feelings than anyone else I know.’

‘Ah, you didn’t know me in the early noughties.’