Page 72 of Love You Like That (Excess All Areas 4)

“God, yes,” she said. He hoped the second orgasm snapped through her like an elastic band. Sharp and unexpected compared to the first. She arched her back as Alex squeezed her hips tightly. Her breasts pointed toward the ceiling; her eyes closed.

His movement became more exaggerated, more urgent, until he slammed into her, his face contorting in the agony of his release.

“Ah,” he shouted, dropping the vibrator. Words followed. All muttered and garbled. She wouldn’t understand, he’d fix that later.

He spread her legs on either side of his thighs and looked down at where the two of them were joined as he slowed and shallowed his strokes until they were both thoroughly spent.

Gently, he eased out of her, dealt with the condom, and lay down next to her, tugging her into his arms. He moved them until they were on their sides, facing each other, silent, as they gained their breath.

Their bodies were hot and tangled.

Alex cupped her cheek. “You okay?”

Zoe ran her fingers over his tattoos. “Better than okay.”

He kissed her sweetly. “Good. Because I’m looking forward to doing that with you a lot more often.”

Zoe smiled. “I’d like that.”

“The vibrator and lube? Yeah, or no?”

Her cheeks flamed as she nodded.

“Good. Because I look forward to using them both with you a lot more often too. Are you okay with us swapping houses?”

When the tour bus had dropped them off, all he could think of was hanging out with Zoe. Sometimes naked. He wasn’t prepared for the sting of Zoe sleeping down the street with Cerys, while he walked into his house with Jase. It had felt as though something was wrong with the mechanics of the universe. Like the constellations had moved out of alignment. He didn’t want to move in with Zoe. They were still new. But he couldn’t argue with the logic that given they only had four days at home, he should be with Zoe, and Cerys should be with Jase.

Because after the intense time they had spent together, every minute weaved in and out of each other’s lives, it felt like a separation. A cleaving of time into then and now.

And he hadn’t liked it.

So, they’d agreed. Jase would spend the time with Cerys. And Zoe would stay with him.

“I am. What does a girl have to do to get a cup of tea around here?”

Alex grinned and climbed off the bed, pulling on his joggers. “Your wish, my command.”

Once downstairs, he filled the kettle and set it to boil.

“I took out my hearing aids. They were bothering me.” Back in her pyjamas, Zoe wandered into the kitchen and placed her arms around him, sneaking beneath his shoulder as he reached for mugs. Clumsily, he placed his arm around her and continued to place the tea bags in the mugs and grab a spoon.

Once done, he turned so they faced each other. “Yeah. You don’t need to wear them for me.”

“It helps us communicate though.”

“Rocky. We communicate fine.”

“I thought we didn’t say fine.”

Alex rolled his eyes. “Whatever. All I’m saying is don’t feel like you need to wear them for my benefit. Just your own.”

Zoe placed her forehead to his chest. “I have a book. One I started writing in when I realised I had to accept the prognosis that I was never going to hear again. It was sounds I’d miss. I’d carry it with me. When I was in Blackpool, it was the sound of seagulls, the rush of waves, the thunder of a rollercoaster and the screams of children at the Pleasure Beach. I remember the Christmas I heard the choir at university sing ‘Oh, Holy Night’ and it was so pure and clear and soaring it brought tears to my eyes. Bizarrely, the Countdown theme tune. And then I stopped writing in it. Because it felt unhelpful to keep mourning the loss, and I knew I needed to just crack on with it. I haven’t written in it in a couple of years. But if I did, I think I’d add that I wish I could hear your voice clearly. I wish I could hear you play properly. I mean, I get to experience what you play. But I wish I could hear it like I could have before. And when you talk dirty to me, I wish I could stay fully in the moment instead of trying to understand you. And it makes me mad that I can’t.”

Alex rubbed circles on her back and kissed the top of her head.

The kettle beeped shaking him from their bubble.

He made the tea and handed her a cup before leading her back to their bedroom.

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