Total pages in book: 82
Estimated words: 79425 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 397(@200wpm)___ 318(@250wpm)___ 265(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 79425 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 397(@200wpm)___ 318(@250wpm)___ 265(@300wpm)
“Try,” I murmured, sucking her earlobe between my teeth and nibbling. “Hmm,” I groaned. “Never mind the pie. You’re so sweet, I’ll just eat you.”
She turned in my embrace and threw her arms around my neck. Our mouths crashed together, our tongues sliding and twisting in a dance we both knew well. I scooped her up to my chest and headed down the hall.
“The pies,” she mumbled, pressing hot kisses to my throat. “I only have about twenty minutes.”
I tossed her on the unmade bed. She was flushed, breathing hard, her eyes wide with desire.
“Not a problem, lovely. I only need ten.”
Then I was on her.
Kassie for breakfast and pie for dessert.
It was a banner morning.
We were in the reverse of last night’s positions. I was on my back, Kassie stretched across my torso, her head resting under my chin. I played with her hair, watching as the long strands slipped between my fingers. Her hair was soft and silky on my skin. I sighed in contentment. My body was beyond sated, my mind at rest, and I was totally relaxed. All three things were a rarity for me.
She lifted her head, her green gaze affectionate and happy. “Are you okay?”
I wrapped my hand around her neck, pulling her face to mine and kissing her. Our mouths moved together gently. Nothing rushed or frenzied. Simply being close, loving.
“I am, thanks to you.”
She smiled, resting her head back on my chest. I started stroking her head again. “Your hair fascinates me,” I stated.
“It’s hair,” she replied dryly.
“It looks caramel or gold in some lights. Red in others. Wheat-colored other times.”
“It’s always been an odd shade of strawberry blond.”
“Not odd,” I insisted. “Beautiful. I loved it back then. I love it now.”
She tensed a little, and I paused. “Sorry. I guess I shouldn’t bring up our past.”
She lifted her head off my chest. “No, it’s fine. We had a lot of great years. Filled with so many good memories.”
“Until I fucked it up.”
“Until our lives changed. I don’t blame you anymore, Olly. I know the truth. It still hurts, and I will always mourn us. But that’s life. And this is pretty damn good.”
I tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “But not forever.”
A shadow crossed over her eyes, but she nodded. “This time, we both know the expiry date. But we can enjoy the time we have.”
I was so tempted to ask her if we had to have an expiry date. But that was unfair. Her life was here, and she was happy. My life was in LA. She would never move there—she would hate it. We had agreed to our time here, and I refused to ask her for something she wouldn’t want to give.
“Are you filming late tonight?” she asked, bringing me out of my musings.
“No, today is an easy day for me. I have more horse-riding scenes.” I grimaced. “My old ass is gonna be aching tonight.”
She smiled. “The hot tub is available to soak in later.”
“Great. I think I’ll need it.”
I glanced at the clock. “I have to shower and get to the set.” I met her eyes. “How is it, time flies by when we’re together like this?”
She smiled sadly and sat up, tucking the sheet around her and moving to the edge of the bed. I hated it. It felt as if she was closing off, removing herself from me.
“That’s what vacations are like, Olly. Everything is great, but it’s not real life.”
“You’re calling what we’re doing a vacation?”
“After a fashion, I suppose,” she said. “Everything is new, fun, with none of the usual day-to-day routine to bore us. It would never work long-term.”
I frowned. “Why not?” I asked before I could stop myself.
“We’re two different people now. We live two very different lifestyles. Yours is lights and people—exciting. Mine is pies and numbers—simple. This—” she waggled her finger between us “—is a break from the norm. Not sustainable.”
I found myself wanting to argue with her, but I held my tongue.
She smiled and closed the subject. “You shower and get going. I have a lot of things I need to get done.”
“Can we do dinner tonight?” I asked.
“What would you like?”
“Wong Man?”
“That would be great.”
“Okay.”
Somehow, I couldn’t let her go quite yet. I stood and held out my hand. “Shower with me.”
“Olly—”
I shook my head. “Please.”
With a sigh, she let me lead her into the shower. Our soapy hands wandered and teased, and she ended up pressed against the wall, with me buried deep inside her, moaning my release into her mouth.
Afterward, it took all I had not to tell her that was the new norm I wanted. With her, simple sounded good.
I had a feeling she wouldn’t want to hear it. And she probably wouldn’t believe it.
Later that afternoon, I pulled on my gloves as I walked into the stable. Davis and the crew waited as I swung myself up on Rusty, the horse I had been riding the entire time. His rich red coat and white mane were stunning. He was high-spirited but we rode well together, and Davis liked how he looked on the screen. Rusty seemed jittery and tense, which was unusual for him, prancing and pawing the ground. I patted his neck. “You need to run, boy?”