Page 97 of The English Professor

‘What promise was that?’ she asks breathlessly.

‘That just once would be enough for me. I could never let you go after just once.’

She moans. ‘I knew you couldn’t. You were the only one in denial, Jack. I knew that we would be together again. And again. And again. We belong together.’ She crushes herself onto me and my head falls back against the soft cushion of the chaise, my hands still tight around her hips. ‘Look how well you fit inside me,’ she whispers into my ear, her soft breasts brushing up against my chest.

‘You’re so tight,’ I wail. With faces together we move slowly, tenderly, sometimes kissing, sometimes breathing the same breath—completely connected. I can feel her warm walls clenching, squeezing me farther and farther. She rubs her body against me with every wiggle and squirm. ‘Oh my god, Leyna, I don’t know much longer I can take this.’

She barely hears me. Her eyes are closed and she’s rubbing herself against me, clamping down on me hard now, over and over. ‘You’re close, Flower, aren’t you?’ I ask softly.

She nods, her eyes still closed, her breaths becoming short and clipped. I run my hands through her hair. ‘That’s it, Leyna. You ride it as long as you need to. You’re the one in control here. I want to make you happy.’ I barely recognise my own voice which is throaty and thick with lust.

Suddenly her rhythm changes, her movements become longer, more drawn out and slowly I watch as her body climbs that crescendo and when she reaches the peak, she holds her breath for what feels like ages, making not a peep, and then suddenly she cries out, her whole body bursting as I feel her soft, sleek walls seizing around me. ‘Leyna!’ I bellow, my own climax taking over now, unable to stop it even if I’d wanted to.

We cling to one another, bodies still locked together, Leyna’s head resting in the crook of my neck as I lean back and gaze with glassy eyes outside at the brilliant late afternoon winter sunshine, the sky ablaze with a fiery intensity. I’d never felt this sort of intimacy with anyone before and, my god, it feels absolutely incredible.

‘Where do we go from here?’ she asks quietly against my skin.

‘We don’t go anywhere, not yet. There’s no reason why we can’t stay here for a while. I need to sort things out with the restaurants. You need time to think and relax. Let’s take some time for us.’

‘But it’s nearly Christmas...’

I hadn’t even considered that. ‘Is it, really?’ And suddenly, I am excited. ‘Leyna, we could stay here together, just you and I. No obligations. No one to distract us. Tell me, will you spend Christmas with me at the cottage?’

Her eyes look big and shiny as they begin to well up with tears. ‘I would love to spend Christmas with you, Jack.’

It had taken me so long, but I’d finally realised that the only thing that mattered to me was having Leyna in my life. ‘All I care is that I wake up in your arms every single morning. When we go back to Castle Eden, will you come home with me? Can we make a home together?’

Her arms tightened around me. ‘Yes, Jack. I’d like that.’

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THAT WEEK AT THE COTTAGEturned out to be one of the best Christmases of my life. Neither one of us had any presents to open but none of that seemed to matter. Just being with each other was a gift in and of itself.

We went on long walks, took long baths together, we went shopping and bought decadent things from the Christmas markets that we ate together. I made puddings and truffles and watched lovingly as Leyna taste-tested and ate everything I made for her.

On an evening, we’d pull out a couple of rugs and lay wrapped together in front of the wood fire in the living room. We would explore each other’s bodies, talking about art and literature, and we slept peacefully, knowing the other would be there every morning thereafter.

After Christmas, sometime in between Boxing Day and New Year’s, Leyna turns to me and says, ‘Jack, you know I’ve loved this time here with you, I’ve cherished it. But there’s something I need to do and I’m hoping you’ll help.’

‘I would do anything for you.’

‘And that’s why I love you. We need to go back to Castle Eden. We have a lot of work to do.’

‘Preparing for your art gallery?’

‘No. Something else entirely.’

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