Total pages in book: 167
Estimated words: 157175 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 786(@200wpm)___ 629(@250wpm)___ 524(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 157175 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 786(@200wpm)___ 629(@250wpm)___ 524(@300wpm)
Peeking at me, she nods discreetly before lowering her lips to my cheek and kissing me softly. ‘Very.’ I close my eyes and savour her affection, not knowing where it’s come from, but unwilling to question it too deeply. Then she resumes her position, chin on my shoulder. ‘I could get very used to this.’
‘You already are, baby.’ I breathe in, then exhale slowly. ‘You already are.’ I continue down the path, feeling positive and actually quite excited about the rest of our day. That was easy affection, and I want more of it.
When we come to the exact spot I had planned, I gently lower her to her feet and point to the grass. ‘Lie down.’
She laughs, caught between wariness and humour. ‘Why?’
‘Because I told you to.’
‘And I always do what you tell me, do I?’
‘I fucking wish,’ I mutter, lowering to the grass and putting myself on my back. I spread my arms and legs, imitating Ava’s beat form the first time I took her for a run and she collapsed with exhaustion. ‘Familiar?’ I ask.
‘Should it be?’
I pout, disappointed. ‘Maybe I should drag you on a ten-mile run.’
She splutters above me. ‘Are you serious? I’d be dead.’
‘You practically were the first time, but you soon got used to it. Now you’re like Forrest Gump.’
She glances down her body, taking in the good shape she’s in. ‘Running clearly does nothing for my boobs.’
I’m up on my elbows like lightning. ‘Oh no, lady.’ I laugh, though it’s with dread rather than humour. ‘Don’t even think about it.’ I shake my head furiously, daring her to defy me.
‘They’re not how I remember them,’ she muses, chin on her chest as she takes them in. Of all the things that aren’t how she remembers, she’s worried about her boobs?
‘Your boobs are perfect.’
‘What’s crawled up your arse?’
‘You,’ I snap, reaching for her hand and tugging her down to the grass. A quick, expert manoeuvre has her beneath me in a flash. Trapped. And panting. My grin must be epic as I nestle my body between her thighs and claim her wrists, thrusting them up over her head. ‘You look good under me.’
‘You look good over me.’ Now she’s grinning, too, and if I wasn’t already on the ground, the impact of her voluntary affection would have knocked me on my arse. Something has shifted between us. Since that kiss last night, I feel like we’re making progress, even if there are no monumental breakthroughs in her memory. She’s receptive. I see she’s curious about so much, not just the last sixteen years, but me. This man. This man who is her husband. This man who loves her with a fierceness that’s debilitating for both of us.
She smiles, scanning my face, reading my thoughts. ‘Was that your chat-up line when we met?’
Her question brings on a crazy bout of laughter, my muscles forced to engage in order to hold me up and not squish her under me. ‘Not quite.’
‘What was it, then?’ The true, almost excited curiosity in her eyes is another sucker-punch to my heart. She still thinks it’ll be all romantic. Sweet and light. Make her swoon and go all giddy. I made her giddy all right. I remember it well. Her shock. Her disgust. But more the look in her eyes that told me she was wondering how loud she really would scream.
I cough my throat clear. ‘I’m not sure you’re ready for that part.’
‘After everything you off-loaded already?’ She snorts, and I growl. ‘Give me a break.’
‘I’ll give you something,’ I whisper, flexing my groin into hers without thought.
‘We’re in the park,’ she breathes lustfully, with zero concern that we’re actually in the park. She’s saying what she thinks she should say.
‘Wherever, whenever, baby. You know that.’ I don’t wait for her to kiss me. I can see she wants me to, and the moment is too perfect to waste. So I gently drop my lips to hers and coax her mouth open softly, swallowing down the low, appreciative noises she makes.
‘I’m learning fast.’ Her lips pass over mine at the same steady pace, and I smile against them. This is perfect.
‘You like gentle Jesse?’
‘I love gentle Jesse.’ She speaks between our kiss, totally indulging in my mouth. ‘Now tell me.’
‘Tell you what?’ My mind has blanked on me, and I growl, annoyed, when she pulls away.
‘Your chat-up line when we met.’ She sighs in exasperation.
‘I asked you how loud you’d scream when I fucked you.’
She starts laughing so hard, her whole body shakes, and while I’m a little stunned, I’m also delighted. And seeing her so amused is overwhelmingly rewarding.
‘So how loud did I scream?’ she asks, chuckling between each word.
‘You nearly took off the roof of Lusso.’
She’s gone again, laughing like some demented person, eyes bursting with water, body losing all control. I could stay here all day and just admire it. Listen to her. ‘I’m glad you find it funny, lady.’ I wait, quite content watching her as she finds it in herself to calm down. I’ve really tickled her.