Page 25 of Full Mountie

“Mmm.” She laughs lightly. “Yeah. I like it, though.”

With a sigh, I roll to the side. I need to get rid of the condom. “That was…incredible.”

She makes a contented sound. “It’s been a while, and I don’t want you to get a swollen ego or anything, but that was quite exceptional. I’m not sure it’s ever been that good.”

“No worries on my ego. You get all the credit for making that special.” I stretch out and she does the same, but on her stomach. I look at her sideways and reach out to lazily touch her hair. “And it’s been a while for me, too.”

She doesn’t say anything, and I stroke my fingertips over the elegant line of her neck and around the delicate muscles in her shoulders. When I stop at the top of her spine, she twists her head to look at me. “What?”

“I want to tell you about what I did with Gavin and Ellie.”

She smiles ruefully. “Right now?”

“Yeah.” It might not make sense, except in my head, and I want to get this out. “It wasn’t about sex. That’s what I want you to know.” She doesn’t move. I trace my fingers down her spine. “Not like this. This is intimate and special and nothing like what I did with them. What I did for them. That was kink. That was service.”

She nods, a small little movement. “Okay.”

“It’s just—”

She turns and presses her fingers to my mouth. “I said okay.”

“I won’t do it again. They wouldn’t ask me to, but I’d say no if they did.”

Another bob of her head, but this one comes with a bite of her lip. “I don’t think I want more explanation there. I’ll get past it.”

My turn to slowly nod. I don’t want to turn this into some kind of confessional beyond making sure we’re on the same page. “We’re going to find our own way here.”

She leans in and brushes her lips against mine. “I’m figuring that out,” she says, her breath sweet and hot as she gives me a loose, sleepy smile. “None of this has been like what I expected. I’m sure whatever comes next will be strange and wonderful, too.”

10

Hugh

Beth: Can we have lunch?

Beth: Today?

Beth: I could introduce you to the poutine at ESD if you haven’t tried it yet…

When I wakeup to three texts from Beth, back-to-back-to-back at five in the morning, there’s only one response.

Hugh: Would you rather grab breakfast? I don’t have to be on duty until seven.

Beth: Okay.

Twenty minutes later, I meet her at Elgin Street Diner, which I’ve heard of but have not yet experienced. She’s already halfway through a cup of coffee when I arrive.

She gives me a nervous smile, and I lean down and brush a kiss against her cheek. “Good morning, beautiful.”

“Morning.”

“Couldn’t sleep?” I slide in across the booth from her and grab the menu. Apparently I can get poutine as a breakfast side. Perfect.

“Not really.”

I put the menu down and give her my undivided attention. “Want to tell me about it?”

She opens her mouth, then closes it and shakes her head.

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