Page 83 of Love Is: Two Bodies One Soul

ChapterTwenty-Eight

Sawan– Sunday 24th October

Lexie opened her eyes and gazed at the tent roof, as she remembered the previous night. The first sex in Paradise. It hadn’t been quite what she had been expecting. Back in England, she’d grown used to Owen, the gentle lover. Slow caresses, exploring fingers, the groans and moans, murmuring and whispering – a kiss here, a nibble there. Occasional words, some laughter – intimacy and most of all an overwhelming feeling of togetherness. Last night had been desperate. Lonely, silent, apart from some grunting, and short.

She rolled on to her side and came face to face with the still sleeping Owen – mouth relaxed, forty-eight-hour shadow darkening his jaw. His eyelashes, perfect dark arcs, flickered, and he opened his eyes. They sparkled.

‘Lex,’ he breathed her name and reached out a hand to touch her face. Then as if he’d remembered something, he pulled back, a frown forming between his brows.

‘Morning,’ she said brightly, deciding to move on from the previous night. It was just one night – an aberration – she had pushed Owen too close to the emotional brink with her questions.

‘Are you angry with me?’ he asked. Lexie thought she saw doubt in his eyes.

‘No. But it … it was different last night. Not what I expected.’

‘Did I hurt you?’

‘No. Did you want to?’

‘No.’ He recoiled.

‘You’re usually so gentle and tender. It felt like you were angry with me.’

‘I wasn’t.’

‘What then?’

‘Desperate. I wanted the questions to stop. I was angry, but not with you.’

‘Who, then?’ She stroked his face, her fingers resting on the ridge of a small scar lurking in his stubble.

‘Me, my parents – my life. Everything has been wrong from the beginning and I hate admitting it. I’ve always known it was wrong, but I didn’t know why until Henry fessed up.’

Lexie leaned closer, focusing on his lips, she said, ‘It’s not wrong now. Not for you and me.’

‘Isn’t it?’

He sounded so uncertain, Lexie pressed her lips to his, gently, so she could still speak. ‘Owen, it couldn’t be more right.’ Their breath mingled. ‘Now you’ve released what has been holding you back, you can move on. We can move on.’ She widened her eyes at him and slipped her hand between their chests, fingers sliding down his warm flesh until they met a rock-hard penis. ‘Oh my, Mr Kingsley.’ She smiled. ‘It seems like you’re pleased to see me.’ She curled her palm around the silky flesh and pressed her open lips to his, as he murmured, ‘Morning sex – my favourite.’

* * *

The heatinside the tent was extreme. They lay side by side, exhausted and sated.

‘Is it my imagination?’ Owen began. ‘But does it get better each time?’

Lexie giggled. ‘Not imagination.’ She rolled onto her side and made big eyes at him.

‘Have I made up for last night?’ he asked, shifting onto his side, and lifting a curl that was hanging over her eye.

‘More than made up.’ She smiled.

‘So that’s why you are grinning from ear to ear,’ he said, one eyebrow lifting sardonically.

‘It certainly is. Much more of that and I’m never going to want to leave this island.’

Owen chuckled and shook his head. ‘Hmm. It would be nice to be modern day Adam and Eve, but I fear it’s time we got on with some work. First though, how about we cool off with a swim?’

* * *

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