Page 57 of The Castle in the Bay

She’d expected to make the first move, but he raised his hand and ran his warm fingertips over her cheek before cupping it. ‘It’s an honour to kiss someone like you.’

‘What?’ She couldn’t move. Her eyes were fixed on his, his hazel irises darkened by his almost blown-out pupils.

‘You’re just so… So incredibly talented, spirited and buzzing with energy. So fearless. It’s inspiring, and it’s a privilege to get to do this with someone like you.’ He leaned in and pressed his lips to hers, so soft and unassuming, just like him. She returned it, relaxing into the warmth. He ran his fingers from her cheeks into her hair, cradling her head, deepening the kiss. Their tongues touched and sharp bolts of lust shocked Iona. The sounds of the beach faded, and it was just them, the taste of salt on his lips and the warmth of his body. She reached up, sliding her fingers around his jaw, and he wrapped his arms around her, holding her close. There was no great hurry. The intensity was rich and decadent, something to be savoured. The growing urge to take this somewhere else was ever present, but not so much that Iona wanted to call a halt to this moment. She couldn’t recall a kiss ever having this effect on her before.

‘Well, this is educational,’ Monty murmured against her lips.

‘I’m not sure why you ever thought you needed practise at this. You’re already bloody epic.’

‘You think?’

‘I know. That was some kiss.’

She glanced over his shoulder. The two guys were still flicking them a look here and there, but they seemed to be searching elsewhere too. Perhaps looking for someone to hook up with.

Well, it won’t be me.

Once upon a time, she might have been open to the idea, but right now there was only one man she wanted to go home with. The one whose arms were around her.

Pulling back slightly, she smiled up at him. ‘You’re a quick learner.’

Monty raised an eyebrow and stroked the loose hairs from her forehead. ‘I think I might have missed some of the finer points. Maybe a little more practice is needed.’

‘Ah… Ok. Then try this.’ She lay back, leaning on one arm, and patting the blanket behind him with the other. ‘Lie down.’

‘Yes, Miss.’ He lay alongside her, and she shuffled right in close. For a moment, they just looked at each other. Monty stroked the hair from her face. Nothing like this had ever happened to her before. In films, people did this kind of thing after sex, but she didn’t recall anything like that. This was all meant to be pretend… Practice for Monty. Why then was her heart racing so fast?

When his lips touched hers again, she closed her eyes. Warmth and a deep sense of contentment flooded her system. She was drowning in his kisses, but it wasn’t scary. It was perfect.

Iona pulled back eventually. ‘Catriona and Eilidh have food for me. I could go and nab some and bring it over.’

‘Don’t you want to sit with them? I can keep out of it.’

‘Catriona won’t mind. I saw her when we came out of the container with some of the school mums and Eilidh was building a sandcastle with some friends.’

‘Well, if you’re sure.’

‘I am.’ Iona headed over to Catriona and got some food. Catriona was chatting to some friends, but Iona knew she had questions – thankfully none she could currently vocalise.

Catriona’s food was always delicious and once Iona had got it back to the blanket, she and Monty made short work of it.

The long summer’s day meant the daylight held on until late, and Iona watched the goings on with Monty.

‘Shall we go back?’ she said eventually, noticing several people leaving.

‘Where to?’

Iona looked him up and down. ‘The annex? Together?’

Monty almost leapt to his feet, and they put away the blankets, then made their way up the track back to An Grianan.

As soon as they got back to the annex, Monty pulled her close, kissing her like there was no tomorrow. He sunk deeper into the kiss, and his tongue dipped in and out of her mouth. His hips rocked against hers in a rhythmic motion, and her blood boiled, soaring through her veins like rocket fuel – similar to the rush she got kite surfing, only this time the heat pooled between her thighs, and her body coiled with need.

He most definitely didn’t feel like a gentleman now. He was all sin and wickedness.

Desperate to touch him, to run her hands over his chest, she began to lift up his shirt, but his hand gently caught her wrist, staying her.

‘Not yet.’ He took off his glasses, and his hazel eyes bored into hers. ‘Let’s not be hasty.’ His gaze, hot and intense, travelled down her body, then returned to meet hers again.

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