Page 67 of Close to My Heart

“This is heaven,” I said as I tipped my head back to get my hair wet.

Wes reached for me, his gaze on my breasts. “I’m starting to think that you’re heaven. Our friendship, the way our bodies respond to each other…”

“We are pretty great together, aren’t we?” I didn’t ask the obvious question. Did being together change anything for him? Did this feel like we could be in a relationship?

Wes pulled me between his legs, his hands on my hips. “You’re gorgeous. Between the moonlight and the fire, you have this ethereal feel.”

“I like the sound of that.” I’d never felt more beautiful than when Wes was admiring me.

“It’s hard to believe you’re mine,” he said right before he kissed me, his hands gliding up my sides until they cupped my breasts.

And maybe it’s because I didn’t feel like his, even with the rings and the vows, and the living arrangements. I needed something more. A declaration that our deal was off. That he couldn’t live without me. But it was too soon to ask for more. He was helping me, and it had to be enough.

He lifted me so that I was straddling his lap, and I eased myself over his hard length, slowly filling me up. Then he helped me move over him, his jaw tight as he held himself back from taking over. I couldn’t think of anything better than making love in the hot tub with the fire illuminating our bodies.

I wrapped my arms around his neck and held on for the ride. I was exposed in a way I hadn’t experienced before. At the same time, I felt closer to Wes.

If we were on our honeymoon, if we were married, we’d be whispering words of love to each other, telling each other how we felt, but instead we both held back. This wasn’t our honeymoon.

Wes kissed me, and I let the worries fade away. I would enjoy this time with him. I wasn’t sure I’d get this opportunity again.

He eased his hand down the front of my body to my clit, and when he touched me, it created the friction I needed to go over. I spasmed around his cock as he continued to lift me through it, and then he thrust hard and deep, groaning his release.

“It just gets better,” Wes said as I moved off him and to the side.

“It does.” But the real test would come when this honeymoon period was over, and we were back to our normal routines. Him at work in the outdoors and me at the estate. Would my family intrude on our happiness? Would his think this fake relationship was too much? I couldn’t help but think that moments like these would dwindle over time. The stress of our situation would eventually be too much to overcome.

Early the next morning, he took me fishing. He wanted to give my feet time to heal. So we casted off the rocks around the shore near his house. The park owned the piece of land between his house and the water, but we were free to use it to enjoy the lake.

Wes caught a few fish big enough to fry up for lunch. I made a pasta salad while he gutted the fish and cooked them on the grill. We ate, and while we were enjoying the quiet, Wes said, “You want to try paddleboarding? You don’t need shoes for it.”

“Why not?” I’d always wanted to try but was scared to go out by myself. I trusted Wes to take care of me.

We cleaned up lunch. Then we changed into swimsuits. I decided to go for a red string bikini. When I met him downstairs, his eyes heated as he stalked toward me. He pulled me against him, and my core tightened. He was all hard muscles and a warm body.

“How am I going to concentrate on paddleboarding?” His voice was gruff.

I tipped my head to the side. “I don’t think you’re supposed to.”

He dropped his head, kissing me, slow and deep. I was ready to hop onto the counter and spread my legs, but he pulled back. “We’d better go now before we get distracted.”

“I was trying to distract you.”

He grabbed the life jacket that he’d left on the counter and put it over my shoulders, buckling it. “You’ll love paddleboarding. Think how good you’ll feel when you do it.”

“If I don’t fall in,” I mumbled as he led me through the woods to the edge of the water.

He let go of my hand to show me how to kneel, stand, and to catch my balance. When I got it, we waded into the water, and he held the board while I climbed on and got into position.”

“Now try to use the oar to move.”

I used a similar motion to what I’d do with the kayak, and it glided easily through the water.

“Perfect. You’ve got it,” Wes said with a satisfied grin before moving to his board.

“I think the real test is standing,” I said as he climbed easily onto the board, kneeling like me.

He rested his arms on his thighs, his limbs golden tan from working outdoors. “You know some people actually do yoga on the boards?”

---