Page 75 of Hot Set

Forearms to rival the god Atlas destined to hold the earth on his shoulders capture me until there is no space between our naked bodies. “Stop squirming, woman, or I’ll have to take you before I’m fully awake to do a proper job of it.”

I run a hand down his ribs, taking a sharp turn inward at his hip bone. He’s as substantial as a limb of the hawthorn tree above our nest. I stroke him and throw a leg over his hip so I’m fully open to him. “Your friend down here and I are going to get started. You’re very welcome to catch up anytime.”

Finding me as ready as he is, Jack slips inside me with a lusty growl. We move together slowly in time with the light spreading over the fields. With an impressive roll and lift, Jack sets me on top of him. My skin shines as golden as his hair in the morning glow that reaches us on the hilltop.

I throw my head back, spreading my knees to take him deeper. His hands travel over my body, bringing me closer and closer to that moment of blissful insanity. Fingers lock on my hips as he arches and releases just as a burst of dawn light splashes across the hawthorn tree. Moments later, my lovely man has me on my back and carries me with him into liquid sunlight.

We’re both out of breath as I nuzzle into the hollow of his shoulder.

He nips my earlobe and then recites Donal Cam’s lines. “Under stars and on a fresh day dawning will I have thee.”

“How much personal experience do you think Deidre draws on for her books?”

Jack grunts and tightens his arms around me. “I think she’s close to killing Doolin, so I’d say quite a bit.”

We both laugh and watch a little brownish bird with dashes of red above its eye and down its breast. It hops from branch to branch, pecking at the offerings tied to the hawthorn while keeping a close eye on us.

I whisper in Jack’s ear so as not to disturb our dawn visitor. “Do you know what kind of bird that is?”

He squints up at the tree. “A linnet, I’m thinking.”

“It’s cute.”

“You’re cute,” he says, flicking his tongue in my ear.

“If you keep that up, we’re going to be here all day.”

He lets out a deep sigh and flops onto his back. “If only we could.”

I lean on an elbow. “What are we going to do, Jack?”

He copies my position so we’re face to face. “We’re going to be in love.” When I try to protest, he lays a finger on my lips. “Out loud.”

With those two words, all my fears over the repercussions of people finding out about us pale in comparison to loving this glorious man. To borrow Meg’s line, I paint a scenario in my head of endless breakfast conversations with Jack, chatting about the intersection of art and life. “I don’t care if they fire me. I’ll be happy working at a shop and writing in my free time, but I do care if they fire you.”

His eyes narrow. “Fire me?”

“Yeah. They mightDoctor Whoyou and find some other hot guy to dangle in front of women.”

“Doctor Whome?”

“You know. Regenerate Donal Cam like The Doctor. Replace you.”

He looks even more baffled.

“Please tell me you watchDoctor Whoor this”—I fan a finger between us—“ends right now.”

“I have a canny piece of paper that says they can’t regenerate this face for at least five years. And an option for the length of the series.” He reaches around, cupping my ass to pull me closer. “I’m not ready to joke about us being done with.”

I run fingers through his hair. “I’m sorry.”

“Gilly, I’m still battling with understanding why you left me without even trying to weather the storm.”

I drop the top of my head against his chest to gather my thoughts and then I look into those crystal blue eyes. “Because I thought the wrong things were most important.”

He traps the tear rolling down my cheek on his pinkie and blows it away like the puff of a dandelion.

I twine my fingers through his. “Nothing in my life is more important than you.”

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