All that registered in my mind was Brad. Ever since we met, all he ever did was try to get close to me. When I told him about my curse, he still didn’t let go. He really did accept all of me. He came to my rescue. He took care of my dog. He brought me a family.
I have to go and see him.
I let Ruby through the side gate and took the back stairs to the deck, two at a time. Ruby tore around the yard, yipping as she weaved through the plants, chasing an invisible cat. She leaped over the pond and froze on the spot, panting heavily with her tongue lolling out the side of her mouth. She’d missed this place, too.
When I reached the deck, a turbulent, grey-blue gaze hit me with the force of lightning. He was waiting near the table. His eyes took in every inch of me, and my body quivered under the weight of his longing. I could hardly contain the force of my love for this man.
He twisted to drop a pencil near the sketchpad on the table. I didn’t notice it before. I stepped closer to have a look. A gasp broke free. He’d drawn me and Ruby as we were when he brought her to Felicity’s house. I turned around to look at him, letting all my emotions play across my face.
Thank you. I missed you. I’m sorry. I love you.
Lovable Brad.
“Are you staying?” His hands flexed by his side.
Leaning up on my toes, I cupped his face in my palms, feeling the soft beard he’d grown in the last week, and kissed my answer onto his lips.
He embraced me in a tight hug, lifting me off my feet, and nibbled on my mouth.
“You’re staying.”
“Yes.” As my answer squeezed past my strangled throat, I allowed the tears to fall. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry.”
“Me, too.” He brushed his thumbs across my cheeks, soothing me with his touch.
“I love you,” I breathed the words looking deep into his eyes, catching every fleck of blue in the storm of grey. They crinkled at the corners, his white teeth flashing as my words registered.
“Yeah, I know.”
Ronnie—Six Months Later
Sucking in my cheeks, I dragged my tongue along the underside of Brad’s cock as the shower sprayed a river of water down his chest. He aimed his moans at the ceiling, tilting his head back and holding on to my hair with one hand. Firm butt cheeks filled my hands as I gripped them tightly.
We were supposed to be getting ready to go into the city for a stroll around the night markets. He wanted to conserve water. All we were managing to do was waste hundreds of litres of the stuff.
“Ah, stop.” Pulling his hips back, he reached for my arms, lifting to pin me against the cold, tile wall. “My turn.” He grinned and sank to his knees, hooking one of my legs over his shoulder.
I think we might be late.
His hot tongue made contact with my centre. The echo of my mewls encouraged him to lick with more enthusiasm. Diving his tongue in deep, he drew it out to circle against my clit before repeating the action. My head spun as he took me to places I only dreamed of. I couldn’t think. I’m not sure I was thinking at all. I was one mass of need.
Waves of bliss shot me higher, making me aware of every part of my body … especially where he touched me. My leg slipped off his broad shoulder, as he stood and spun me. Guiding my hands to the wall, he let go to trap my hips in his grasp. The rip of a wrapper sounded and seconds later he was slamming into me, thrusting his hips and yanking mine back to meet his. The drag of his erection along my slick walls made my muscles clench, anticipating my release.
“You feel amazing. I can’t stop thinking about how you feel, how you smell.” He leaned his mouth against my ear. “How you taste.”
I reached back to grip his thigh, pulling him harder against me as he took me over the edge and followed me over.
Lots of people. Why did I agree to this? Oh, right. The shower.
I clung tightly to Brad’s arm as he guided me through, trying to distract me by pointing out trinkets and art works.
“Ronnie?” Looking back, I spotted Beverly and John, adorable in matching jeans and T-shirts.
“Beverly!” She returned my smile and my embrace. I felt a warmth spread over me, and immediately sensed that she was okay. Fabulous, in fact.
She stepped back, and John wrapped a protective arm around her back. “It’s so good to see you out and about, sweetheart.”
“He persuaded me to come.” I swung a hand at Brad’s chest and he caught it in his grip, pulling it down to his side, and threading his fingers with mine.
“John and I are out on a date, too. It’s becoming a regular Friday night thing. I feel like we’ve just met.” She kissed her husband on the cheek, and he responded by grabbing her face and planting one on her lips.
Turning back to me with a pink blush rising on her beaming face, she cleared her throat. “Well, we’ll leave you to it. Have a nice night.”
“Thank you, we will. You too.”
Brad led me out of the crowd and towards the river, finding a bench for us to sit on.
“Beverly looks well, doesn’t she?”
I’d taken Brad to meet her once she was
