Page 162 of King of Obsession

I took Cleo’s hand, the contact sending an electric current through my body.

She’d been restless for days now since we’d arrived in Sydney.

We spent most of it in bed; when we didn’t, we explored the beaches near our temporary home.

We strolled along the shore at Manly as the sun began its lazy descent, painting the sky in dazzling streaks of orange and pink. The sand was soft beneath my bare feet, the waves lapping at the seashore.

We attempted to relax, letting the salty breeze wash over us. We dined by the water, twilight ashing us in brilliant hues as we sipped wine and nibbled on seafood.

But I sensed the crowds—the endless stream of joggers, sunbathers, and surfers—were setting Cleo’s nerves on edge.

She wasn’t used to the city, the constant buzz of life around us.

This showed in her silence and quiet, the white ring of anxiety on her mouth.

I tried kissing away her angst, distracting her by touching her.

It worked, and I’d never made love so much to anyone ever.

The more I got, the more I needed.

I just couldn’t pull myself from her magic, her pussy, her lips, her essence.

I loved how she touched me, all her little elaborate ways that got me wild.

When we weren’t fucking, I did everything in my power to distract her, spoiling her with shopping trips, day trips, anything to make me feel at ease.

The weeks blurred together in a whirlwind of activity as I endeavored to lift her spirits.

I surprised her with a trip to a luxe day spa, where we were pampered with hot stone massages and champagne facials.

As the masseuses kneaded the knots from our shoulders, I tried to release the tension, the worry for her coiled inside me, to let my fears melt away.

But her unease remained, and it ate at me, knowing nothing I was doing was working.

Not that she wasn’t grateful.

She always said thank you in her soft, husky intonation.

Still, her joy had ebbed; the light in her eyes was dimming.

It was killing me.

I sensed that the city was just noise, a discomfort she wantedto escape.

I pulled her close, my arm a solid anchor on her waist. ‘What’s on your mind, amore? You seem a thousand miles away.’

She leaned into me so I’d breathe in her enticing scent. ‘I’m sorry. I know I’ve been distant. It’s just a lot to take in.’

I pressed a kiss to her temple. ‘I understand. We’ve been through a freakin’ shit season and need time to heal. This too shall pass.’

She gave me a wan smile.

She wanted to believe me, but she had doubts.

It showed in her troubled jade eyes as they leaked with uncertainty she couldn’t escape.

I squeezed tight, wanting to reassure her that our love was enough of a balm to soothe her fractured soul.

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