Page 65 of Sky Full of Stars

“Tell me it isn’t true,” I look into his eyes.

“It isn’t true,” he says, unblinking.

“Okay then,” I drink more wine and look back through the window. “Why don’t you give me a tour of this ridiculously, too huge for one-person house?”

He laughs and takes the wine glass from me, putting it down on a glass side table. He pulls me into him. “First things first.” His head drops and his lips press against mine. He doesn’t wait for an invitation, he pushes through my open mouth and strokes his tongue against mine. My heart is about to crash through my chest as one of his hands drops and squeezes my ass, I laugh into his mouth and push him back.

He glares at me. “I’ve wanted you in my house for months,” he puts a hand behind my neck and with his other still on my ass, pulls me to him again. “The tour can wait a few more minutes.” He kisses me again, he kisses me so hard I can’t breathe. He knows when my knees go weak and then he pulls back with a sexy smile. He takes my hand and leads me out of the living room to show me around his house.

The whole place is beautiful, a huge kitchen, stylish dining room with a table that seats eight, downstairs bathroom, office and music room that is soundproofed. Upstairs there are three guest rooms, two bathrooms, a gym and then the master bedroom and bath. I linger by a guest room, looking in.

“What are you thinking?” he stands behind me.

“This is a nice room.”

“Hmm?” he grabs my waist, he likes doing that, and I like it when he does it.

“For me,” I glance at him.

“You want to sleep in here?” he frowns. “Fuck, the rule still applies?”

“For now.” I stare into his eyes and see the inner struggle but then he nods.

“I told you a door isn’t necessarily going to work.”

“Good job there are two doors then,” I nod my head towards his room. He puts his head in his hands but laughs. I’m not gonna make him hold out too much longer. Mostly because I can’t either, but it’s fun to tease him and the anticipation will only make it that much better. “I’m doing this for your own good.”

“If you want me to pass out from blood loss to the brain then I don’t see how it’s for my own good, Slugger.”

I laugh, it sounds good to hear my nickname again. After the tour he puts my case in the guest room, looking hopefully at me, clutching both hands over his heart and moves them in and out like a heart beating. He makes us something to eat then we go for a walk on the beach. I ask about why it’s so quiet.

“It’s a private beach,” he says. “Only residents are allowed to use it. So you can sunbathe naked if you want to.”

I don’t answer him but walk down to the water. He comes up behind me and puts his arms around me, his chin resting lightly on top of my shoulder.

“I’ll go as slow as you need to,” he says. “But I can’t promise I’ll stop teasing you or having to get some privacy every now and then.”

The sun has started to set and I lean against him. He holds me close and I feel protected and happy and scared all at the same time. He lives on the other side of the country to me, I don’t know how we would ever make this work, but he makes me want to.

“Come on,” he says, taking my hand. “It’ll be dark soon, let’s go home.”

I smile as I look down at our footprints on the sand. Home. Why does that leave a warm place in my chest?

Not sure I could call last night one of my best night’s sleep, knowing he is literally just down the hallway. I tossed and turned for a long time, but it is definitely one of the comfiest beds I’ve ever slept in. The sun is shining in through the windows and I lay still, just looking out at the blue sky, nothing else in sight. I stretch, get dressed into a pair of pale blue shorts and a slouchy thin white jumper over a tank top, then go out into the hall. Adam’s bedroom door is open, I tiptoe over and peer in but his bed is empty. The sheets are all over the place and I wonder if he had a bad night’s sleep too.

I find him in the kitchen, cooking us breakfast. He smiles when he sees me, his hair is a mess but he looks edible. I want to bite his shoulders. Instead I slip on to a stool at the island where he is plating up bacon and eggs. He slides that and a coffee over, then joins me on a stool.

“Sleep okay? Cos I slept like shit,” he growls.

“Like a baby,” I lie making him laugh.

“What do you want to do today?” he asks.

“I don’t know, I thought we would have to stay at home, to stay out of sight,” I tell him.

“It’s easier to blend in out here, there are some places we could go where we won’t be bothered. I’d really love to show you around but I guess I do need to be more careful given what is going on right now.”

I touch his arm, he’s gone melancholy again. He looks at me and any sadness that was there a second ago sparks into something else.

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