Page 34 of Butterflies and Hazel Eyes
The tingles of excitement. The joy of anticipation. The pounding of my heart. The settling of my heart. There was so much happening in a simple hug that I didn’t know if I should weep or laugh.
“I want to feel your arms around my neck,” he whispered from over my head. “Will I hurt you if I pick you up?”
I shook my head, and he lifted me so I could slide my arms around his neck. His arms were wrapped around my waist tightly, and he swung me gently side to side while he trailed kisses from my collarbone all the way to my ear. He bit down gently on the lobe, and a shudder ran through me.
“I love being able to hold you like this, Charity,” he whispered into my ear. “Your doll-sized arms around my neck and your sweet, warm body against my chest settles my insecurities about who I am as a man every time.”
I buried my nose in his neck to inhale the essence of him, and a shiver ran through me again.
He tightened his arms around me. “Is this scaring you? You’re shivering.”
“No,” I whispered back. I teased his ear lobe with my tongue. “I never want you to put me down, Gulliver. Being in your arms just...” I paused, searching for the right words.
“Settles everything?” he asked. His warm lips kissed my neck tenderly, and goose bumps broke out across my skin. “That’s what your arms do for me.”
I nodded, my lips finding his in a shared understanding of what we were both feeling. His tongue had no patience and pushed its way in to tangle with mine, both of us humming with unchecked desire. Mojo barked and our lips fell apart with laughter on them.
“I guess he’s had enough of his girl being in another man’s arms,” Gulliver said, lowering me to the ground.
I pointed at the dog, who wasn’t even looking at us. “He probably saw a chipmunk. He’s never met one yet that he likes,” I teased, putting my arms around Gulliver’s waist again. I gazed up at him and smiled, loving the relaxed look on his face after our kiss. “I was going to text you a bit later. I finished the website a few minutes ago. I thought we could share breakfast tomorrow morning and go over it. I know you want it live as soon as possible.”
His gaze held mine, and he lowered himself to the picnic table bench after he dropped his crutches. “I’m all in for breakfast tomorrow morning,” he promised while his hand slipped up my face to hold my cheek. “You might as well know I’m going to kiss you again,” he said before his lips came down on mine. His tongue meandered across the roof of my mouth while his hands stroked my shoulders and slipped into my hair, tugging me even closer to him. I grasped his trim waist, partly to steady myself, but mostly to have my hands on him. Whenever we were together, I wanted his lips on mine, his hands in my hair, and my hands all over him. It was heady and exciting, but it was also a physical need I yearned for when we were apart.
Gulliver slowed the kiss and stroked my tongue languidly one more time before the kiss ended and we both inhaled deeply. Our hands stayed wrapped up in each other, but his eyelid came down in a wink that left me more hot than bothered. “I have other plans for today,” he said, his voice breathy. “Plans that don’t involve kissing you all day, though I could without complaint.”
“What kind of plans?” I asked, my heart still pounding from the kiss. Why did he have to be so good with that tongue of his? The thought of what that tongue could do to other parts of me racked my body with a shiver of anticipation.
“It’s a surprise.”
“I don’t like surprises, Gulliver,” I said, one brow lowered toward my nose in a scolding librarian pose.
“You’ll like this one. It involves the Lady of the Lake.”
“Tempting, very tempting. I would consider it as long as it doesn’t involve bears or boat motors exploding.”
He let out a laugh loud enough to scare Mojo; then he grabbed me around the waist and dragged me into him. His gaze was filled with lusty desire that left my knees weak and my heart pounding. “You make me happier than I’ve ever been, Charity. It’s like I get up in the morning now with a purpose instead of as a requirement. I work with a deadline for the day in mind instead of assuming I’ll work until I drop. You’ve filled my days with excitement again, and the laughter and kisses are a bonus in my life. I don’t want to think about what my life will be like when you leave.”
His lips found my still plump, dewy ones again, but this kiss was different. It was filled with promise. He poured himself into me with his tongue. When he moaned, I trapped it inside my soul to harbor forever. He gave to me what no one else ever had before. Desire. Need. Anticipation. Contentment. As though finding that other person who fit into all your empty spaces just perfectly was enough to get you to the next breath. The next hour. The next day.
When the kiss ended, I smoothed my palm over his cheek to feel the warmth of his skin through his downy beard. “You make me just as happy, Gulliver, but I’m afraid our work together is drawing to a close. I didn’t want to finish the website today because I knew once I did, our time together at Butterfly Junction ends.”
He hugged me to him and rocked me back and forth. “Let’s not think about it today,” he said, holding me out by my shoulders. “Grab a bag with a towel and your water shoes.” He paused. “I should have asked if you had plans for today first.”
I shook my head and planted my hands on my hips. “Nothing other than sharing a pack of hot dogs over a campfire with Mojo tonight. I wanted to call you, but I figured you’d be working.”
He chuckled and bent over, planting a kiss on the tip of my nose. “Normally I would be working, but you’ve changed that about me in the last three weeks. I love spending time with you, and I’m all for a campfire and hot dogs when we get back. Do you think Mojo will share?”
I grinned at the dog sitting at attention by my side. “I’m sure he will. Oh, wait. What am I going to do with Mojo? Can he come with us?”
He put his arm at the small of my back and propelled me toward Myrtle’s door. “Laverne is going to keep him. I already talked to her.”
“I sure am,” Laverne said, walking toward us through the grass. “I hear my buddy needs some time alone with his Aunt Laverne.”
I couldn’t hold in my laughter when Mojo stood up, his back end wagging so hard I thought it might wiggle right off. He lowered his front paws to the ground and whined until Laverne lavished him with much love and attention about what a good boy he was.
“I guess he does,” I said, shaking my head. “He’s such a ship jumper. One minute he won’t leave my side, and the next he’s pretending I don’t exist.”
Laverne was laughing right along with me when Mojo rolled over to present his belly for a rub. “Nah, he’s secure knowing you’re safe with Gulliver, so he can take a break,” she said, standing and clapping her thigh. “Come on, Mojo. There’s sun on the dock that’s lonely.”
