Page 21 of Note to Self
I spend a little more time playing with Willow, then say my goodbye and go home, Merrick’s words of encouragement fresh in my head. All I have to do is be myself.
Even though I knew it was coming, the knock on the door startles me. I quickly look around to make sure everything is all neat and tidy. I know it is, but nervousness still flows through me. As I pull the door open, Merlin greets me with an easy-going smile on his tanned face. My heart beats faster.
“Good evening, sweetheart.” His soft drawl warms my skin the same way the sun kisses my face early morning, gentle and soft. “I’m sorry if I’m a little late. The traffic was bad getting back into the town.” He steps through the doorway and bends his head to brush a kiss on my mouth.
He has two packed grocery bags, one in each hand. It looks like he’s brought enough to feed us both for a week. The idea of us locking ourselves away for a few days and learning all about each other and lots and lots of other things—naughty, naked, roll-around-in-bed-getting-sticky-and-sweaty sort of things—pops into my head. When I move around him to close the door, he stops me with a nudge of his elbow.
“Where have you just disappeared to? You’re blushing, and while I’m a great fan of that, I’m wondering if I need an explanation.” The sexy half smile that lifts the corner of his mouth lets a dimple pop on his cheek. Damn him. I’m going to be a gooey panting mess before we’ve even eaten.
“Um, nothing. I-I was just thinking if you’d left any food in the supermarket for anyone else,” I stutter. “Do you want to put it all in the kitchen?”
He nods, but the shrewd look in his eyes tells me he has seen right through me. “How ready to eat are you? I made themistake of grocery shopping when hungry. Which is why I’ve bought so much.”
My stomach growls as I take one of the bags from him. “Guilty as charged.” I chuckle. “I’ve got the table outside set up if you want to eat there.”
I open a bottle, pour the deep red wine into two glasses, and hand him one. He takes a sip and nods appreciatively. Between us, we load platters with cheese, olives, and cold meats, and carry them out into the warm summer evening. After we set the wine and the bread on the packed table, I sit opposite Merlin. We both pile our plates with food and tuck in. The conversation slows down as we crunch on crispy bread slathered in butter and cheese.
He’s watching me over the rim of his glass.
“What? Why are you looking at me like that?”
I expect him to give me a brushed-off reply, but he places his glass on the table and takes my hand. “I was thinking about the way we fit together and the way we move. We should be awkward, jostling each other. But we’re not. We’re synchronised like we’ve been doing it forever. That’s what I’m looking for—forever. Finding this place was a dream come true, even more so with the land for the nursery. I could be pushing all this on you, but I want it even more with you.”
Can I be open with him, tell him my dreams and what I hope for my future? That if I can get my head in the game and start to seriously work on my art and get it up on Etsy, on my own website, I might not have to go back to teaching. Selling some of my artwork would be nice. I know there’s a market for this kind of erotic paintings and drawings. The homoerotic pictures I draw match any of the already high-profile artists. But I’m not sure I can.
I need to take a breath and be brave, make the most of tonight. Here. Now. With him.
As the sun sinks lower, the air becomes cooler. Trent stands and gathers the empty plates. “We should go inside. The wind coming up over the dunes can get chilly.”
I follow him with the rest of the plates and glasses. He takes them from me and sets them down on the countertops, then grabs my hand. The softness has lessened after working on the land, but the fit is still perfect.
We sit next to each other on the small sofa, our legs touching. “I want you too, but this is new to me. I’m not good at this.” He points between the two of us. “You know my last relationship wasn’t healthy. Just showing or making a move makes me nervous in case I get the wrong idea.”
“Trust me, Trent, I’m going to love anything you want to offer or tell me about. But I can show you if you like.”
I snag his belt loops and pull him in, forcing him to straddle my thighs. “Hmm, where do I start?” I tug his T-shirt free of his jeans, skimming my fingertips over the taut skin of his stomach. The hard work at the nursery is building more muscle.
He shivers under my touch. I flick the button on his jeans and yank down the zip, the rasp filling the silent room. As I look up to him, his lips are slightly parted, his eyes dark. Scorching heat fires from them to me. “I think showing is better than telling.” I part the denim and get a glimpse of the black tightbrief covering the thick length of his rigid cock. “Unless it’s still only friendship you want.”
“Not here. The curtains are open. Anyone can see in,” Trent whispers.
I trace his dick, and he grunts, instinctively flexing his hips, pushing into my hand.
Saliva floods my mouth at the thought of taking him deep, and I swallow. “Take me to your bedroom.”
I let go of him. He holds out my hand to help me stand up. With a swift tug, I’m up on my feet with his lips on mine. As he kisses me, his hand in my hair, I cup his cock, giving it a squeeze. He moans into my mouth. I greedily swallow it down, matching it with my own.
Seconds, minutes, hours could have passed as I lose myself in his kiss. I’ve kissed him like this before, all-consuming, intense, and passionate. And if it’s this hot now, what’s it going to feel like when we’re naked?
Slowly, we break the kiss. His eyes are even darker now, his pupils dilated so much that only a thin circle of blue is left. With his lips puffy and wet from our kiss, he’s gorgeous. I don’t think I’ve ever seen someone as beautiful as him. He wants me, but he’s nervous, but this is not the time to be thinking about that. It’s time to get him naked and his dick in my throat.
As soon as we’re in his room, I push him onto the bed.
“Oomph.” He laughs and stretches his hands up over his head. The hem of his T-shirt rides up, revealing a dark stripe of hair travelling under his waistband to the yet unseen goods.
“Keep your hands up there,” I say, my dominance springing to life. By the look of hazy lust in his half-closed eyes, he’s loving it too. With ease, I slide my hands up under the soft fabric and push it high up his chest, exposing his brown nipples, like milk chocolate buttons. He’s taut and slim. Rather than having defined muscles, he’s fit. Didn’t he say he runs?
He’s so damn sexy with his arms over his head. I pull his shirt off and stare. I need to taste him. My mouth covers his left nipple, my fingers the right one. Desire rushes through me at the first taste of his sun-warmed skin.
