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My heart thrummed in my chest as I leaned forward and grazed my lips over his, breaking the wall that had been keeping us close but separate since the dinner at my father’s house. Ending the kiss, I spoke against his lips. ‘There’s no place I’d rather be.’
‘Right, you soppy buggers,’ Gladys chimed in. ‘Enough of that before you make an old lady jealous. Alec, go help Eva with the drinks and make mine a double.’
She shooed him off as I giggled, watching Alec helping Eva and feeling contentment flare within me. And for the first time, hope.
FORTY-TWO
ALEC
The dinky cottage was perfect for Esther and I. Jock and I had stripped out the old moth-bitten furniture after he’d eventually stopped cussing me out every three minutes, and I’d worked tirelessly to clean, repair and paint.
Finally, it was looking ready for my girl. I’d thrown the windows open to clear the paint fumes as I moved in our new furniture, setting the house up as best as I could, but leaving plenty of room for Esther to fix it to her liking when she finished up at the taverna. Watching her was like watching a new leaf on a plant unfurl, from a tight, stiff spike into a beautiful, relaxed, and open leaf. As the first week had turned into the second, and into the third, she relaxed more every day. Her skin was sun-kissed and her shoulders were no longer tense. I’d been giving her space, letting her flourish under the fuss of Eva and Gladys, and even Jock, but being there when she needed me. Every night she would crawl into bed next to me and place her head on my chest, her warm skin soothing me.
If it was all she could give, it was enough. Knowing she was safe and happy would always be enough.
The sun dipped outside, and I stopped working, showering myself off and letting the hot water soothe my skin. A knock at the door startled me before Esther’s pretty face popped around the frame. ‘Can I join you?’
I tensed as she watched me showering. Despite every part of me wanting to say yes, I’d been giving her space and time to get over what Harold had done to her. I didn’t want to push anything too soon and hurt her more.
‘Please? Before you use up all the hot water?’ She was in the room and stripping off her clothing before I found any words.
‘Course you can.’
I couldn’t help but skirt my eyes over her as she stripped off, her freckled skin and delicious curves making my mouth water. Tearing my eyes away, I focused on the water running in rivulets down the tiles. I didn’t want to get a hard on and scare her off.
She stepped in over the side of the tub and shimmied past me to get under the spray, turning to face me and sighing.
‘Good shift at work?’ I asked, keeping my eyes above chest level.
‘Yeah, it was pretty busy, so went really quick. My feet are aching.’
‘You know you don’t have to work, right? We have some money put aside.’
She smiled up at me. ‘I know. I like it.’
‘If that changes, let me know.’
We stood quietly as she lathered up her hair; it became more and more difficult not to watch the soapy bubbles cascading down her chest. Her hand found mine, and she pressed it against her waist, looking up at me with pleading eyes.
‘Stop avoiding me, Alec.’
‘I don’t want to hurt you. What if you aren’t ready after--‘
She stemmed my words with a kiss, fighting against my resistant lips until my willpower crumbled. ‘I need you to erase it. I need you, Alec. I miss you. I need all of you, not just the parts you are letting me have. Stop holding back and give me everything.’
My fingers trembled as I pulled her toward me, deepening the kiss and groaning. Fuck, I needed her too. The space I’d put between us created an awkward barrier that neither of us knew how to deal with. Her tongue slipped against mine as she pushed her fingers into my hair, her soapy tits against my chest as I reached down and cupped her ass.
She whimpered into my mouth as we discovered one another anew after our weeks apart and then chaste. Her fingers tugged at my hair as she claimed my mouth, taking no prisoners in the passionate kiss. My hands toured her body, reacquainting with every curve, even the new one that was ever so slightly rounding on her stomach. Not enough to notice, but enough that I could feel it was different.
‘Fuck, I’ve missed you, baby girl,’ I said against her throat, my teeth and tongue marking their way down her neck.
‘I need you so badly,’ she said breathily, as I slipped a hand between her thighs. Her body rocked as I circled her clit, her hands clinging tightly to my neck as she slid a thigh up around my waist to give me better access.
‘You sure you're ready, sweetheart? You can use your safe word if it gets too much. Do you remember it?’
‘Home,’ she moaned against my mouth. It had a whole new meaning now. She was my home.
‘Good girl,’ I said, grinning as she sighed happily at the phrase.
