Total pages in book: 235
Estimated words: 227851 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1139(@200wpm)___ 911(@250wpm)___ 760(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 227851 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1139(@200wpm)___ 911(@250wpm)___ 760(@300wpm)
“Are you happy?” I ask. This is what any man should live for. This look on his wife, this feeling of serenity and calm.
“Delirious.’”
“Then my work here is done.” But it’ll never be done. I have a quick nibble of her hot neck before I put her down, excited to show her the inside and the showstopper view of the Med.
I fetch the bags, Ava fetches her handbag, and I let us inside, dumping the cases down. “Wait here,” I say, leaving her in the dusky darkness as I go back outside and work my way around the veranda, opening all of the shutters. By the time I get back inside, she’s nowhere to be seen. Exploring. I take a quick gaze around, familiarizing myself with the inside, as I haven’t seen it since the renovations were completed. They did a great job. But what a fucking waste that it’s been sitting here empty for so long. I can fix that. I wander around searching for Ava, opening and closing doors, going to the kitchen. I go to the glass doors, spotting her on the grass by the pool, looking out to the sea. The view. Fucking incredible, today especially so. And the sunset here is one of the best I’ve ever seen, the sun literally sinking into the sea. I smile, retrieve the key from the hook by the door, and wander out, breathing in the fresh air. No pollution. No sound of traffic. Just the gentle rush of waves. I glance up and down the deserted beach, a mile each way of absolutely nothing. And there never will be, because I own the land.
I follow Ava past the pool to the gate that leads to the beach, reaching past her and slipping the key into the lock, pushing it open for her.
She tiptoes across the wooden steps and arrives on the sand, and I watch her taking it all in. Feeling the peace and happiness radiating off her. I move in behind her and circle my arms around her upper body, pulling her back into my chest. “Still on Central Jesse Cloud Nine?” I ask quietly, her hair whipping my face in the breeze.
“I am,” she sighs, content. “Where are you?”
“Me?” Moving my hands to her stomach, stroking, and kissing her cheek, I breathe out. “Baby,” I whisper, wondering how I ever dared think to sell this place. “I’m in paradise.” And it’s never been as blissful as it is now. How I would have loved to have brought Rosie here. Taught her to swim in the sea, build sandcastles, let her run free for miles. It never happened. Couldn’t. She never had a passport, and if she did, I would never have been granted that privilege.
As soon as the twins are old enough to fly, we’ll be bringing them here. I’ll get past the demons that keep me from Paradise by then, I have to, because my kids can’t ever miss out on this place. And now Ava’s seen it, briefly experienced it? She’ll want to come back too, guaranteed. Which means I may have to swallow my fear of judgment and shame and share that last piece of crucial information from my past. “Come,” I say, linking our hands on her belly, nuzzling her neck. “We have food being delivered and I need to give you a tour.” I turn her but remain behind her, walking us back to the villa.
“It’s wonderful,” she says wistfully. But she has so much more on her mind, I know that.
“Agree.” We make it back inside, and I show her around, taking in the renovations myself too. She’s impressed. I’m impressed. How could we not be? It’s something else. I show her to the master bedroom, laugh when she flops back on the giant bed, and grin when she eyes the huge walk-in shower, her smile coy and suggestive. “Nice shower,” she muses, dragging her fingers across the glass screen as she wanders around.
“It is.”
She stops at the sink and looks into the mirror, reaching for her hair and tucking a stray strand behind her ear. “Nice mirror,” she says softly.
“Oh, it is.” I move in and take her hips, crowding her from behind, getting my face close to hers. “Nice reflection.” It will be better when she’s naked and bent over, and I’m taking her from behind. Softly.
“Oh, it is,” she breathes, giving me a teasing push of her arse into my groin.
I fail to suppress my groan, feeling activity behind my fly. “God, woman, you kill me.”
“Shame,” she says, turning quickly and tackling my mouth. “It’s been far too long since you’ve been inside me, husband.”
Boom.
My insides explode, and my tongue duels with hers, my hands reaching for her top to rip off. Gently.
But I’m stopped when the doorbell chimes. “Oh my God,” Ava gasps, her flushed face pointing toward the door. “Who’s that?”