Page 57 of Cocky Bastard

“Next time you do that, we’ll be married,” he said, leaning forward to kiss me. “There’s no rush, though. It’s taken us eleven years to get here. What’s another year or two?”

“True. Although… maybe not that long. I feel like I’ve waited long enough.”

“Don’t worry, kitten. I’m not going anywhere.”

He put his arm around me and kissed me again, and I felt myself relax into him. Wherever I went and whatever I did, being with Austin would always feel like home. He wasmy shelter and my safe place, but he was also the one that challenged me, teased me, and pushed me to fulfil my dreams. And he loved me in a way that nobody else ever could.

Without him, my life would be empty.

And really fucking boring.

“Do you want to take a picture?” Austin asked quietly as I leant against him. “We can get one of the rings, maybe a selfie? In case you want to send them to people later.”

“Yeah, that sounds good.” I pulled my phone out of my pocket so we could take some. “I’m almost surprised you didn’t hire someone.”

Austin shrugged. “I thought about it but what if you’d said no? Also I didn’t want anyone else to intrude. I wanted it to be just us. We have enough cameras shoved in our faces as it is.”

“I’m glad you didn’t. I like it as just us,” I said, grinning at him slyly as we put our hands back together so I could take a few quick pictures of the rings. “Now nobody will know if I get on my knees and blow you, right here, right now.”

“Fuck, kitten,” Austin said with a growl, pulling me into a fierce kiss. “You say the sweetest things.”

“I know.” I nipped his lip, smiling against his mouth. “But… as much as I want to blow you, I alsoreallywant to eat dinner. I’m starving!”

He laughed and the sound made my stomach twist. “Dinner first, then we can fuck.”

“It’s not like we haven’t had plenty of sex the past few weeks.”

“True, but I don’t think I can ever get enough of you,” he said as we walked hand in hand to the table. Austin pulled me in for a kiss and murmured, “You’re too fucking irresistible.”

“So are you.” I kissed him softly before we parted and Austin pulled out my chair so I could sit down. The food smelled incredible and the view was picture perfect. The sun was setting below the horizon, sending a fiery glow across the water, makingit look almost like molten gold. The waves lapped along the shore, the tide far enough out that I knew it wouldn’t bother us for a while. Further out there were a few boats heading in for the evening and seabirds drifted lazily along on the air.

It felt like there was nobody except us for miles, and after the hustle and bustle of our lives, the tranquillity was a welcome escape.

The first season ofLlewelynhad been a runaway success and we’d already been signed on for at least another two seasons, with filming set to begin at the end of the year. And off the back of it I’d also secured a part in another rom com, which I was going to go straight into pre-production for as soon as we got back from Corsica. Miles had also reached out before I’d left about some big-budget queer Christmas movie for the following year, and I’d already told him I’d be interested if we could make it work withLlewelyn.

I adored Christmas and a queer Christmas romance sounded right up my street.

Austin’s work continued to keep him busy but the flexibility meant he could sometimes come to the US with me and film collaborations while I worked. I’d spent more time with his friends, who apparently adored me, and I’d introduced him to mine. We had mutual friends too, because Henry had fallen for Theo’s friend Alex, who ran the most gorgeous coffee shop in Heather Bay, where we filmedLlewelyn.

Before we’d left for Corsica, they’d been in the process of renovating a house they’d bought together.

They’d moved fast, but Henry had said he’d known from the first moment Alex had rejected him that Alex was the one for him. Something about him being one of the only people who’d ever told Henry “no” and stuck with it.

At least for a few weeks.

Austin and I had thrown around moving out of London too because as much as I loved the house in Chelsea, I wanted to move out of the city and find somewhere quieter.

“So,” Austin said as he sat down beside me and picked up a bottle of cold champagne that he’d had neatly tucked away. “Do we start planning the wedding now or are we celebrating first?”

I laughed as he poured me a glass. “Maybe we should celebrate first. But… when we do get married, I want Luke to make the cake. And I want a small wedding too.”

“Sounds good. Close friends and family only. Any time of year you prefer?”

“Depends when we’re free. And everyone else too.”

“Shit, yeah. We’d have to give everyone time.”

“Or… we could aim for a time we know most people have off,” I said, smiling as I turned an idea over in my head.

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