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My name sounded like an ode. It felt like a promise.
25
MAL
Lavender Haze – Taylor Swift
What the hell just happened?
One minute I was sulking alone in my cottage, mindlessly flicking through the television channels in an attempt to stem the reminders of what a moron I’d been earlier. For anything that would keep me from going up to the manor and acting like a moron all over again. Then her face was on my screen like a cruel taunt. The film I knew by heart. The film I’d driven all the way to Inverness to watch on the day of its release years before.
I told myself it wasn’t right to watch it now with her so close, but still I’d settled onto the sofa and raised the volume until it felt like she was in the room with me. And then she was, like I was Pygmalion, creating the perfect woman from clay and water.
My humiliation was so fierce I thought I might die from it, but somehow—somehow—she turned the most embarrassing moment of my life into the one all future happiness would be measured against. I knew with absolute certainty the single image I would carry to my death bed would be April, writhing in my lap as though it were the most erotic thing to ever happen toher, while I’d barely been able to string a coherent thought together.
Even with the musky scent of sex and the sweet perfume of her hair filling the air, her soft curves pressed to my chest, I wasn’t entirely convincedit had really just happened. She started to stir, peeling her sweat-slicked skin from mine. I resisted the vital urge to hold her tighter.
Green eyes flitted over my chest, then my face. She had the slightest blush to her cheeks and for the first time, I didn’t feel embarrassed about the heat in my own.“Do you want me to go?” she croaked after a beat.
Never.
I’d made my desire for privacy pretty obvious over the weeks, but my need for her was stronger. Having her here feltright.“No.” I shook my head, letting my fingers dip into the curve of her waist and over the silky skin of her lower stomach. I’d seen her on screen countless times—I knew she had a beautiful body. Seeing her in the flesh, having myhands be the ones allowed to caress and stroke and bring her pleasure, almost overwhelmed me. She was so stunning, I didn’t know it was possible for a person to be put together so perfectly.
My fingers stroked higher, over the tips of the breasts I’d been too distracted to take in entirely before. I took their weight in my palms and she sat back on my thighs, head tilting until her fiery hair tickled my skin.“Good.” She hummed in pleasure.“I think it would tear Dudley’s heart out if we left now.” In sync, we turned to look at our dogs curled up together in the basket beside the unlit fire.So bloody adorable.“I think they might like each other more than we do.”
“I don’t think that’s possible.” Her eyes came back to mine, the flush on her cheeks even brighter now. I wanted to lick it. I wanted to worship at her feet. And I would. But first— “Come on.” I stood and lifted her smoothly. She squealed happily, clinging to my shoulders as I carried her the few steps to my bed and set her in the centre. She instantly reclined on her elbows, completely unabashed in her own nakedness, and watched me with amused curiosity as I collected her stray clothes. I supposed most people wouldn’t be shy if they looked like her.
Depressing the mattress with my knee, I held the T-shirt up, waiting for her to poke her head through. She complied easily but offered no help as I threaded her arms through the sleeves. I hated covering her, but it was a little chilly here and I couldn’t concentrate when she had no clothes on. There wasn’t a single other thought in my head.
Once I had her dressed, I pulled the sheets back and managed to grunt,“In.” Hardly my most charming moment, but I was quickly losing control of my vocal cords at the thought of having her in my bed all night. It was going to take every ounce of discipline I possessed to keep my hands to myself, but I’d do it. I would let her sleep undisturbed if it meant I had to tie my hands to the bed posts.
Sinking beneath my sheets, she laughed and tugged the corner to her face.“They smell clean.”
I frowned.“What were you expecting?”
“A single pillow and crusty sheets.” She made herself comfortable against my pillow on the side where I usually slept. I was already anticipating it smelling like her.“I should have known you aren’t like most men.”
That felt like a compliment. I forced myself not to analyse her words from every angle as I crossed the room to turn out the light and switch off the television. Then, second-guessing myself, I quickly made a fire small enough to burn for an hour or two, just long enough to get her warm. By the time I made it back to my bed, she’d removed her shirt again and was sitting up against my headboard. Sheets pooled around her waist and wearing only an innocent smile that didn’t suit the devilish glint in her eyes, she said,“Watching you made me hot.” Slowly, she reached up to remove the clips that held the heavy top half of her hair. My head was light, the laugh that left my lips hoarse.“I’m surprised you didn’t make me light it.”
Any notion about letting her sleep fled and I dug beneath the cover to free her foot, pressing a kiss to the arch.“No lessons tonight, I want to take care of you.” My eyes were hypnotised by the sight of her nipples hardening again in the cool night air. Her head fell back against the headboard, small fingers drifting over her pale stomach. I knew I wasn’t what anyone would describe as a loquacious man, but with April, I managed to say the right thing without even trying. It made me want to tell her every single thought in my head. Climbing onto the bed, I unbuckled my kilt with practised fingers, my thoughts only on what had been interrupted in the dunnage.“Do you want to be taken care of, princess?”
“Yes.” My hands tugged at the bedsheets and she lifted her hips free.
“Legs open as wide as you can this time. I’m not getting interrupted again.” She complied immediately, a tiny whimper catching in her throat.
Anticipation made my blood pound and I pressed flat against the bed, the pain exquisitely sweet as my cock compressed between my body and the mattress. Meeting her eyes over the swells of her body, I placed a gentle, wet kiss to either thigh, loving the tremors in her legs when she hooked them over my shoulders. Her toes grazed the length of my back in her attempt to drag me nearer.“Patience,” I murmured the word into her skin.
“It’s beenweeks, Mal, I’ve been bloody patient.”
I laughed, letting the breathy sensation touch her wet folds. She bucked, cursing wildly. I’d only ever donethisonce before in my life, and I was too anxious to do anything but hope that my partner enjoyed herself. I felt no nerves with April, though, and to hear she was as tormented as me all of these weeks bolstered me enough that when I finally pressed my tongue to her, I held her eyes, letting her moan ripple through me.
I pulled back enough to whisper,“I want to buy you flowers and take you on a date, would you like that?”
I licked her again, longer this time, drawing a soft lap of her clit.
Her answer was a mewlingyes.
“And make you breakfast. Do you like pancakes, princess?” I lapped at her opening now, sinking my tongue between her folds until I felt her clench around it.Fuck.My hips bucked reflexively into the bed, right there with her.
