Page 49 of The Allotment on Willow Tree Lane

Damon’s eyes smouldered and Ceri inhaled sharply as she heard his low growl of acquiescence. Her pulse throbbing in her throat, he took her by the hand and led her outside to the car, but before they got in, he turned to face her.

‘I’ve wanted to do this all evening,’ he murmured.

Then he kissed her, a light brush of his lips against hers, which was over far too soon but held a promise of wonderful things to come.

Damon pulled over and the car came to a halt directly outside Ceri’s cottage. She got out and he quickly followed her inside, his heart thudding as desire caught him in its grasp.

Her eyes never leaving his face, Ceri reached around him to push the door shut, and he could feel the warmth of her skin through his shirt and the scent of her invaded his nostrils.

He wanted her so badly it hurt.

She seemed to be waiting for him to make the first move, so he did.

Tracing a finger down her neck and along her collarbone, he eased the strap of her summer dress to one side, baring her shoulder. Her skin was soft, golden, and incredibly inviting.

She stiffened and gasped when he kissed the very same spot his finger had touched, and he groaned in response, fighting the desperate urge to make love to her there and then, hungry and fast. Although it might satisfy his immediate desire, and possibly even hers, she deserved better – she deserved to be worshipped, to have every part of her adored.

Ceri remained immobile as his tongue licked a path from her shoulder to her neck, but her breathing had quickened, and when he glanced at her face, her lips were parted and her eyes were closed. Tilting her head to the side, she invited him to carry on kissing her neck, and when his mouth reached the delicate skin beneath her ear, she gasped again and squirmed in delight.

‘Upstairs,’ she breathed. ‘Please…’

Damon didn’t need telling twice. Without waiting for her to lead the way, he scooped her into his arms, settling her against his chest, and headed for the stairs, stumbling halfway up as she nibbled and kissed his neck, her soft murmured laughter telling him that she was getting her own back.

He reached the tiny landing, glanced to the right, then the left, saw a double bed with a pair of slippers poking out from under the metal frame and aimed for it.

Lowering her down gently, he paused for a moment, drinking her in.

She was so beautiful, lying there dishevelled and wanton, her eyes dark with desire, a hint of rose spreading across her cheeks. He wanted to remember it, to savour this moment before she became his and he became hers. They were on the cusp of something wonderful, and he didn’t want to rush it.

Slowly, slowly, he peeled off her clothes, then his own, his eyes never leaving hers, then he kissed her and knew his life would never be the same again.

‘Helloooo? Ceri? Are you there?’ Huw’s voice floated up the stairs, and Ceri’s eyes snapped open.

Oh, God, it was her brother, and from the sound of it, he was downstairs.

Slowly, she looked into the face of the man whose arms she was wrapped in. He was wide awake and gazing solemnly back at her.

‘It’s my brother. I’ll get rid of him,’ she whispered. ‘Stay here.’ She slipped out of bed and grabbed her dressing gown. ‘Coming!’

As she trotted downstairs, she could hear Huw in the kitchen and she found him standing near the back door.

‘There you are,’ he said. ‘I thought you might have been in the garden. Have you only just got up?’

‘Yes. Huw, you could have knocked.’

‘I did, but when I didn’t get any answer, I assumed you were outside.’

‘If you do that again, I’m going to ask for my key back,’ she grumbled. ‘You can’t just let yourself in whenever you feel like it. This ismyhouse now.’

‘Ooh, get her,’ he drawled. ‘Who’s got out of the wrong side of the bed this morning? Anyway, I didn’t let myself in; the door wasn’t locked.’

Ruddy hell, she had forgotten to lock it last night, although she supposed she could be forgiven, as she’d had something else on her mind at the time.

Ceri went on the defensive. ‘So that means you tried the handle,’ she argued.

Huw looked smug. ‘I didn’t have to. I can tell when the door is unlocked because the handle isn’t all the way up.’

‘Smart arse. What do you want anyway?’

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