The Lie(77)

I squeeze her hand, grinning. “That story only endeared them to you. And you further to me. I’m a bit jealous of that airport, to be honest.”

“You can see my ass at any time,” she points out. “In fact, my ass belongs to you and you alone.”

“Oh really?” I raise my brow. “Can we get that down in writing at some point?”

“So they really liked me?”

“Yes,” I tell her. “Just as I knew they would. How could anyone not be as charmed by you as I am?”

“Well, my mother for one,” she says, looking away.

“Your mother doesn’t count. Your own family is always complicated. But I bet even your mother thinks you’re marvelous deep down. Just as everyone else does.”

“Do you think Lachlan liked me?”

“I know he did.” I peer at her inquisitively. “Did you recognize him in any way?”

“What do you mean?”

“You’ve met him before.”

“I have?” She shakes her head. “I would have remembered. When?”

“You were in a pub, so I don’t think you would have remembered. I’m surprised he does, but that’s how much of an impression you leave on people.”

“Oh my god. I met him at a pub. What did he say, did he talk to you about it just tonight?”

I nod. “He says you were drunk and upset. About four years ago, here in Edinburgh. You confessed you were in love with a married man to him and the bartender, Rennie, who used to be on his rugby team. I believe Lachlan gave you some advice, saying you needed to be—”

“A catalyst for change,” she whispers. “I remember now, though I can’t really see his face. I just remember talking and getting that liquid courage. Then I remember writing the email and you came over, and…then I kissed you.” She looks down at the duvet.

“Hey,” I say softly, hunching over to see her better. “I hope you don’t regret that. I certainly don’t.”

“I was out of line. I should have never said those things, and I should have never kissed you.”

“Well, in that way of thinking, I should have never gone over to your flat. But I wanted to see you. I needed to see if you felt the same way that I felt about you. I don’t regret a thing. Not me going over there, not you kissing me. It is what it is, and guess what, you were a catalyst and things did change.”

She swallows hard. “Not all change is good,” she says in a low voice.

“Natasha,” I warn her. “I told you that we’re done with feeling guilty. I can’t move on, move past this, without you moving with me. We’re a team, you know that. I want us to discuss what was without feeling any guilt or shame. It’s the only way.”

She nods, and I hope it’s sunken in. I know it isn’t easy, but it’s really the only chance we have.

“Kayla’s really nice,” she says after a moment, her voice perking up. “A total firecracker. At first it was hard to see that she and your brother are together—they both seem so different. But it’s obvious how in love with each other they are.”

Is it obvious how much I’m in love with you? I think. I reach out and brush her hair away from her face, but the words, those words, are stuck in my throat, just where they have been for weeks. I’ve said them in the past and meant it, and yet now, now in this new phase of us, my feelings are even deeper. They surpass everything at the moment and render those three words nearly obsolete.

She stares at me with big doe eyes, her lower lip pouting, wet and soft. I want to show her how I feel—I just wish we were somewhere else except my parents’ house. Not that it’s ever stopped me before.

I get up off the bed and lock the door, slowly turning around to face her.

Her brows are raised and she’s eyeing me like, are we really going to do this here?

I smirk at her, slowly peeling off my shirt as I walk toward her, then I undo my pants.

She doesn’t look too thrilled. Not the reaction I was hoping for.

I slip my erection out of my boxer briefs, holding the hard stiff length of it in my hands.

She licks her lips, the pink tip of her tongue showing briefly.

Okay, that was more like the reaction I was hoping for.

“Are you sure?” she asks quietly as I step toward her, still stroking my cock, getting off on the way she keeps her eyes glued there. I watch the hunger slowly build which only makes me harder.

I nod. “If you can be quiet,” I whisper to her. “Can you be quiet? Not make a sound?”

She seems to take this as a worthy challenge. Her expression becomes more wanton and she nods. She slips off her pajamas until she’s on her knees on the bed, completely naked.

I come over to the edge and she’s already running her tongue up my cock, from root to tip.

She pauses. “So, Lachlan knows the truth about us? And he’s okay with it?”

I groan. “Please don’t mention my brother’s name when you have your hand around my cock.” I smile down at her. “But yes, he’s okay. He’s not telling anyone else, and in due time, when we do tell the truth, at least we know what to expect.”

She seems satisfied with that and finally throws herself into it, swirling her tongue over my hard shaft before licking up the precum at my tip. It’s funny how sometimes her mind holds her back from enjoying sex, like it can’t stop wandering enough to root down and live in the moment, even when the moment is in her damn mouth.