Page 28 of Whimsical Ink

Arousal seeps from me, and the sounds of my broken gasps and his fingers inside me echo throughout the room.

My walls clench tighter around him, and I drag his head to mine. Our lips meet as mine fall open in pleasure, and I convulse around him. Breathing him in, I rest my forehead on his, eyes closed, while my body relaxes.

He slows and stops, removing his fingers and running his hand up and down my leg. Back and forth as I come down to earth, the motion soothing as I’m surrounded by him.

I open my eyes and smile. “If you keep doing that, I’ll fall asleep.” An orgasm mixed with champagne, sun, and Daniel means sleep.

He rolls to his back and drapes me over his chest, and his other hand is free to tuck hair out of my face. “That’s fine, sweetheart. Sleep. It was a long day.”

“But what about you?”

“It’s your birthday, my love. Don’t worry about me.” He hauls me closer and guides my head to his shoulder. His fingers scratch through my scalp. “Sleep.”

Too tired to worry, I snuggle into him, clutching his T-shirt, and sleepily realise he’s still in the clothes he changed into after the beach.

I drift off to the sound of his voice calling me ‘my love’ and the sensation of hope in my chest.

7

DANIEL

December 25th:Christmas Day.

My body jolts when something hits my face. I gaze blearily around the room, the light dim but bright enough to see Maddy’s arm resting across my collarbones. She rolls closer to me and burrows her head in my neck, throwing a leg over mine.

Must have woken when she moved. She tends to shift around a lot, but I don’t care that I’m awake early on Christmas Day because Maddy’s draped over me and the whole day is ahead of us. My chest flutters with excitement. She’s in the T-shirt she stole from me last night. The one I hiked to her hips so I could see my fingers disappearing inside her.

Her underwear is still on my bag, and I’m definitely not letting her go now.

I didn’t mean to tell her I loved her last night. But she said it back to me. She didn’t run or ask what I meant. She said it back and let me closer to her than I’ve ever been.

Nothing will top the day we had yesterday.

My hand grasps hers, and I slowly shift her off me. When I manage to extract myself, she curls into the warm spot I left and clutches the pillow instead of me. Lucky.

First, I need to change out of the clothes I’m still in from yesterday. I’m surprised I managed to sleep wearing them.

Second, make coffee for Maddy and give her the present tucked in my bag.

Third, join the family and convince Maddy to stay with me forever.

After last night, I hope she won’t be opposed to the idea. Unless all she wanted was an orgasm, but I’ll cross that bridge if we get to it.

By the time I change clothes, fix myself in the bathroom, and sort out coffee, Maddy is stirring in our bed.

Her head rises, and she blinks at me, confused and sleepy. Adorable, and the only reason I’m not kissing her already is because I’m holding two cups of coffee and I don’t want to burn her.

She sits up and rubs her eyes and when she opens them I hand her the coffee and sit carefully beside her, our sides pressing together.

We quietly sip our coffee and when she’s halfway done, she turns to me and says, “Hi.”

“Merry Christmas, sweetheart.” I tuck knotted hair out of her face. “Sleep okay?”

Red creeps into her cheeks. “Merry Christmas. I did. Did you?”

“The best. Even though I had someone trying to climb me.” I smile into my cup and watch the red spread down her neck.

She clears her throat. “Sorry.”

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