Page 58 of Tricks & Treats at The Cosy Cornish Bakery

‘Thought we promised ourselves a walk before breakfast?’ Ginger broke away from him and pirouetted, her boots leaving indents in the wet sand. She tugged her beret further down over her ears. Lifting her arms to the sky and crashing waves, she bellowed, ‘Thank you, world. Thank you, world. Thank you, world!’

Josh laughed. ‘What was that for?’

Ginger wheeled round. Going to him she put a mittened hand on either side of his face. ‘I’m happy and I want the universe to know.’

He kissed her again, his lips cold against hers. ‘And so am I. More than you’ll ever know. Now, can we go back to The Sanctuary for coffee and bed.’ Lifting her up, he whirled her around.

‘Put me down, Josh.’ Ginger giggled helplessly. She slid down his body, excited by its hardness and muscle, amazed that this gorgeous man had chosen her. They kissed again, slowly and lingeringly, exploring each other’s mouths and faces and lips until breathless. Ginger felt her body erupt into desire, her nipples budding under the thick layers of winter clothes. A thought quickened. The beach was deserted. There was a cave around the next headland known only to a few locals and the tide wouldn’t turn for another hour or so. ‘Come with me,’ she said breathlessly.

Taking Josh’s hand she began to jog towards the southerly outcrop of cliff. The cave had a smooth flat rock, a notorious spot for couples who had nowhere else to go. She and Josh had his supremely comfortable king-sized bed but it was at least a fifteen-minute walk back to the house from this end of the beach and she refused to wait. The idea of frozen fingers and chilled limbs exploding into heat suddenly seemed impossibly naughty and irresistibly sexy.

‘What are you doing?’

Ginger tugged on his hand, putting a finger to his lips. ‘Ssh! Trust me.’ Skirting the cliff and dodging over the slippery, seaweedy rocks that ran ragged towards the sea, she splashed through a puddle at the bottom of a craggy outcrop and led him into the cave.

Skidding on the sandy floor, she pulled Josh to her, unable to wait to clamber onto the flat rock. Instead, she leaned her back against it and pulled Josh to her.

‘You can’t be serious.’ His voice echoed off the cave’s hard interior.

Ginger ripped off her gloves, fumbled with his coat and unzipped the fly on his jeans. Her fingers found their target. She’d never tire of the power she had to make him harden instantly.

‘Jeez, Ginger. You are serious.’ Josh’s eyes glazed with lust. ‘Oh, man.’ His lips found her neck and his mouth fastened onto the curve of her neck as her grip on him tightened. He groaned throatily into her skin and the feel of his teeth on her throat felt primeval. Unbuttoning her coat, he tugged up her T-shirt and bra. Cupping her breasts with his long fingers, his mouth surrounded a nipple, frantically sucking and licking each in turn.

It had Ginger hollow with lust. The contrast between his hot, greedy mouth and the cold, salty air was impossibly erotic. Reaching for him again, she began to rhythmically caress.

‘Wait, wait.’ Josh gasped and unbuttoned her jeans. Slipping a hand over the hollow between her hip bones he found her, and rubbed gently. Ginger bucked against him, knotting her hands in his hair, wanting more. His fingers slid inside her, slick and knowing.

The rock pressed into her back but Ginger didn’t care. She wanted Josh’s weight heavy against her. She’d never felt this turned on. Sex had never been like this with Ryan. Hell, sex had never been like this ever. She felt wild. As wild as the crashing waves, as free as the shrieking gulls riding high on the thermals. Her head fell back. Taking her hands to her breasts, she pinched her nipples hard as Josh brought her to a shuddering climax.

Her head fell onto his chest, weak and spent, her legs trembling. He held her close, kissing her hair, her face, nuzzling her neck until she recovered. Determined, she twisted him so this time he had his back to the rock, pushing back his shoulders.

‘Whoa.’ Josh exhaled, arousal flushing his face.

Ginger slid down his body, her massage expert fingers taking their time. She found him hard and ready. Pressing one hand against his warm, softly haired stomach, she took her mouth to him, smiling at the guttural sound that ripped from his throat. Now it was her turn to lick and suck, to caress and cup. Josh’s fingers bit into her shoulders as he came violently and his shout of pleasure echoed around the cave.

They collapsed against the rock, holding each other close, replete and sleepy, fingers straying to touch and caress, kisses lingering until their breathing settled and the cold defeated them. Strolling back, arms wrapped around one another, giggling softly, they stopped every now and again to kiss, unable to resist.

‘I’m starving,’ Josh murmured against her lips. ‘No idea what got into you back there but I’m glad as hell it did. Jeez, Ginger. You’re a goddess. Get me back to The Sanctuary for a repeat, only in the comfort of my bed this time.’

Ginger giggled, feeling happiness flood through her. ‘Glad you think so but, at this moment in time, what this goddess wants first of all is a big fat bacon sandwich, dripping with brown sauce and a gallon of hot coffee.’ Reaching up on tiptoes, she kissed his nose. Then, pushing her arm through his, she led him around the small rock they’d bypassed before, avoiding the puddle at its base. As they passed it, a furry grey-white nose edged out from behind and two enormous round black eyes stared mournfully up at them. The creature’s nostrils flared open and closed in a rapid panic.

‘Think we had a witness,’ Josh said. ‘Is it a seal? It’s the cutest thing I’ve ever seen.’

He made to go nearer but Ginger held him back. ‘Give it some space,’ she whispered. ‘We need to observe it a while, see if it’s injured or just resting. I think it may be in trouble, though. It looks very young.’

Josh matched her tone. ‘Will its mother be around somewhere?’

‘Something else we need to look out for. Sometimes when they’re tiny, they get separated. The mother may return but if she doesn’t the pup won’t survive unless we intervene.’

‘Me intervene? I haven’t a clue what to do!’

‘Not us. I’ll ring Nik and he can get in touch with the seal sanctuary over at Gweek. They can take it from there. Come on, we can ring from over there.’ Ginger sighed. ‘We may already have scared the mother off. She may not come back to feed her pup, in which case we definitely need to get it some help.’

‘Jeez. Poor little thing. I didn’t see it on the way into the cave.’

‘Neither did I.’ Ginger pulled a face. ‘I was a bit preoccupied, though.’

They sat on a patch of drying sand about a hundred metres away from the seal pup but with it in view to keep check. Ginger made a quick call to Nik who promised to let the sanctuary know.