Page 78 of Swim To Me

But I don’t dislike it. Not at all… quite the opposite, actually.

I nip to the toilet quickly when my bladder protests staying beneath the sheets for much longer, lingering in the hallway to watch Grey’s silhouette standing in front of the fridge. With his back to me, I’m free to look for as long as I want, although I get a distinct feeling that even if he did turn around right now and caught me checking him out… I wouldn’t be able to deny it, nor stop myself.

His lean muscles bunch as he reaches for something, causing my eyes to stay focused there for a second too long, before I’m trailing down the rest of his trim body.

The way his black briefs cling to his pert arse should be fucking illegal.

As are his defined calf muscles, all sculpted from hours and hours of swimming.

It’s not lost on me that I’d watched Grey like this the first time we’d met; me sitting on the bed in the infirmary room, soaking wet, the graze on my upper thigh stinging like a bitch, Grey with his back to me while he rummaged around the medical cupboards for a tube of antiseptic.

My eyes had glossed over him, taking stock of how attractive he was.

Even then, there’d been something about him.

Something that made my heart race.

And this time is no different, except for the fact he’s standing in my kitchen, preparing me breakfast after having looked after me all night.

Cocking my head, I wipe the corner of my mouth with my thumb to check I’m not drooling. My nipples stiffen, rubbing pleasantly against the silk fabric of my camisole. While my core grows heavy, a stab of desire shooting through me.

“You gonna stay there all day watching me, Delilah?”

I raise my eyes to Grey’s, the side of my lips cocking up. “Maybe... You going to stop me?”

“Not in the slightest.”

“Good.”

“Good?”

“Yeah,” I say, wondering if I should spit out the words on the tip of my tongue.Test the waters or take the plunge?“I can look at what’s mine, can’t I?”

Take the plunge it is.

“I’m yours, am I, gorgeous?”

My heart pitter patters in my chest, while I nod silently, squeezing my legs together to allow myself a small reprieve from the heat gathering at the apex of my thighs.

“Well, that works out, doesn’t it? Because your mine, Delilah. Always have been. Now, get back to bed.”

I scurry to the bathroom, quickly brush my teeth, and then crawl back into bed, opening my blinds to allow in the sunlight as I go.

Grey appears a minute later, a wooden tray I used once as a centrepiece before storing it away and forgetting about it, clutched between in his grasp. He places it gently onto my lap, rescuing the two cups of tea before they can slosh over the sides.

“I thought tea might be better than coffee, I didn’t think caffeine would be the best idea for recovering after a migraine.”

Careful not to tip the tray, I pull him down for a kiss. “It’s perfect, thank you.”

I pick up the spoon beside my bowl of yogurt, granola, and berries, digging in and crunching down happily.

“No one’s ever done anything like this for me before,” I say in between bites, feeling juvenile as the truth spills from my lips. I’m twenty-five for crying out loud, I’ve been in love before, or at least what I thought was love… surely someone should have bought me breakfast in bed at least once.

Grey peers at me over his own granola bowl. “Would it be really feeding into the toxic masculinity culture if I admitted I like being the first one?”

I can’t help the way my lips curve up into a pleased smile. Grey doesn’t make me feel weird about the situation, or singled out, instead he reminds me it’s okay to still be experiencing first times in life no matter your age.

Plus, now he’s said it, I do like the sound of him being my first.

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