Page 7 of Stronger Than Love

She was the first girl I ever had the courage to kiss, her lips soft yet firm under mine. Her fingers trailed up my chest to wrap around my neck, as mine descended down her back. I had no clue if I was doing it right, since there was nothing but instinct to guide me. Her moan made my hands on her waist tighten and me to press her into the wall, my hips colliding with hers.

Her lips opened and the tip of my tongue flicked along the seam of her bottom lip. I may not have kissed anyone before, but I’d certainly paid attention to what my friends had said when they were boasting.

We lost track of time as both of us honed our new skill until my jaw throbbed, and my dick became a constant ache in my jeans.

“I should get you home,” I said, my forehead resting against hers.

There was nothing more I wanted but to stay with her. The only time I felt normal was when Oonagh was with me. She was the only person who knew the real me.

That summer, we spent stolen moments far from prying eyes as we practiced kissing until both of us were experts in it. The odd time my hands wandered slightly, but we were at the age of exploring.

It was only when she was gone back to wherever Oonagh lived without me that I realised how much she’d done while I was working that summer. Her Dad was a solicitor and she’d convinced him to help my family. It wasn’t a permanent solution, but my brothers were safe for the time being and her Dad had organised some benefits and grants that helped us out and allowed me to stay at school.

That was the summer I realised I’d lost my heart to a girl who was far too good for me.

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Chapter Five

Liam

Ten fucking years she’d disappeared from my life to come jogging up the drive like she’d gone out for milk. Every summer, butterflies invaded my stomach in anticipation that this would be the year that she returned.

Only, she never did.

Her dark-red hair was tied on top of her head in a pile of curls that went every-fucking-where. Those leggings should be illegal with the way they hugged her curves, and there was no way she was wearing a bra under that vest top with the way her breasts bounced since her hooded top was unzipped.

She was the vision of wet dreams.

Niall paraded his latest trophy girlfriend out to introduce to his sister. There was something missing from Oonagh’s eyes. They didn’t shine with the inner light of compassion that she had for everyone.

I didn’t care. She was here and that was all that mattered.

“Hey Oonagh.” I grabbed her into a hug, needing so much to feel her warmth. “Good to see you home again.”

She tensed before melting into me the way she always did. She tried to pull back, but I’d waited for her to return for too long. “Can’t breathe here, buddy,” she teased and pantedto make her point until I let her go. “I guess I need to change since everyone’s here.”

I didn’t hear what else was said around us, since my vision was trained only on her. She’d been the love of my life, and my world had fallen apart when she left. It had taken me years to piece myself back together again to be the man she deserved. She didn’t need a poor boy with no prospects and no way to provide for her.

So I focused on becoming a better man for both of us. Every year I came back to the cove, hoping she’d come home. I wasn’t going to come this year, only Niall had texted to say their mum had finally worn her down.

I fought the urge to drag her off to share everything that had happened to me. When she returned to the barbeque, she wore faded jeans that clung to her hips and accentuated her legs, her flip-flops showed bright-red toenails. Her white T-shirt displayed a hint of her cleavage. Oonagh rarely wore make-up and her hair was in loose curls around her face.

She was my first everything—girlfriend, kiss, sex. Every one of those first experiences had been with this woman on our beach. She cautiously wandered around, picking at the food and eating little. It was a habit she had when she was nervous. Her gaze darted about the people warily.

When she was with me, all the time between the last time I saw her, and now, melted away. That last summer she’d been here, we’d fucked like bunnies everywhere and anywhere until I thought my dick was going to fall off. Once we started, we didn’t seem able to stop ourselves.

“Hey.” Drawn to her like those moths from so long ago, I arrived at her side. Her lips tipped up on one side in greeting. “How’s things?”

It was corny, but I didn’t know what else to say, my mind going blank when her eyes had met mine. I stayed away before because she deserved better, there was nothing standing in my way now. Niall handed out information on his sister willingly: no boyfriends or significant other, always working. I never deserved to hope that she would be mine one day, but fuck me, I’d prayed for it often enough.

“Same crap, different day.” Her voice sounded slightly different, it held hints of where she’d lived around the world, and it was deeper and huskier than I remembered.

“Tell me about it,” I muttered.

“How’s Michael?” She always did have a soft spot for my youngest brother. He tended to follow her around since she fed him. He reminded me of a cat—feed it once and it kept coming back. The next thing you knew, it’s moved in and was demanding tummy rubs.

“He’s at university.”

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