Page 5 of One Salty Beach

Chapter 4

Brody

Waking up, I’m curled up against Winnie’s back holding her close. It’s still pretty early in the morning, but I need to take a piss. Moving slowly so I don’t wake up Winnie, I walk across the hall to the bathroom and take care of business. Once I’m finished, I look at myself in the mirror and find lovemarks on my neck and chest from Winnie last night. Grinning, I wear them like a badge of fucking honor as I remember making love to her a few times throughout the night.

Unable to go back to sleep, I slip into her room and grab my jeans from the floor then close the door softly so I don’t wake her. I pull on my jeans then go into the kitchen and find everything I need to make a pot of coffee, then I get started on breakfast. I thank God that I know Winnie as well as I do, even if she has kept me at a distance for a while now. Winnie spent the night over at our house hundreds of times over the years so I know that she loves anything and everything for breakfast. I whip up some bacon and scrambled eggs, while I’m sipping my coffee. By the time the eggs are done, I hear Winnie moving around.

A few minutes later Winnie walks out of her bedroom with her long hair up in a bun at the top of her head wearing a pink tank top and a pair of dark grey leggings. I swear my woman looks good in anything, but damn, those leggings really show off her ass. I’m a lucky fucking man, that’s for damn sure.

“Good morning,” she says softly, walking into the kitchen.

I open my arms and she walks into them, wrapping her arms around my back and resting her head against my chest. Fuck, is this what happiness finally feels like?

“You made coffee?” She asks, sounding surprised.

I laugh. “And breakfast.”

“Yes, but coffee. I need coffee.” She says dramatically.

I grab a mug from the cabinet I found them in earlier and pour her a cup as she grabs a bottle of creamer out of her refrigerator. When I hand her the mug, she takes it from me and pours in the creamer before putting it back in the fridge and stirring her coffee with the spoon I hand her.

When she takes a sip, she moans, making my dick even harder than it already is. “So good.” She says. Holding her cup in one hand she grabs my hand with the other and pulls. “Come on, let’s go sit outside.”

I grab my coffee mug as well and let her lead me out the sliding glass door to her patio that overlooks the ocean. I take a seat beside her in the only other chair out on the patio and watch Winnie as she sips from her mug and watches the ocean. She looks completely at peace and it makes my heart feel good to see her this way. Usually, when I’m around she looks irritated or anxious, but now she just looks happy. “You love it here, don’t you?” I ask.

“Hmm?” She asks, swallowing a sip of her coffee.

“Out here, watching the waves crash against the shore.”

She smiles and looks back at the ocean. “It’s so peaceful. I love listening to the ocean waves and the birds cawing in the distance before the world wakes up and ruins it.”

I nod and drink my coffee, watching the waves with her.

A few minutes later Winnie clears her throat. I look over and find her smiling shyly. “So, last night was…”

“Long overdue?” I grin.

She laughs and nods. “Yeah, that too.” I wait for her to finish her thought and a moment later she smiles at me. “I know we didn’t really get a chance to talk last night, but what was this to you? I mean, if this was just a one-off, I get it, I don’t expect–”

“Darlin’, I want you to expect it all from me.”

She bites her bottom lip and nods, then tilts her head to the side. “What do you mean?”

“I’m going to be very clear so we’re both on the same page. I want you, Winona Graves. I’ve wanted you probably before I even knew it, but when you came home from school I knew exactly what you meant to me.”

“Which is what?”

“I’ve known you since you were in middle school running around with Ella. You’ve been a part of my life for a long time. I don’t know what it was, but when you came home from college everything became clear. One day out of the blue, I realized I was in love with you, and every day since my feelings have only grown stronger. I didn’t want to start something with you until you were ready because I didn’t want to risk losing you.”

“You’re in love with me?”

“Come here,” I say, opening my arms.

Winnie stands and walks over to sit in my lap sideways so she’s looking at me. I look her in the eyes as I hold her face in the palm of my hand. “I’m in love with you, Winnie, and one day soon I’m going to give you my last name and put a baby in your belly.”

Her eyes get big and round. “Brody, we didn’t use any protection last night!” She says, jumping out of my lap.

“It’s okay, I’m clean, remember? It’s been years since I’ve been with anyone.” I say trying to calm her fears.

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