Page 96 of Away We Go

“I love it here,” she says now, lying on her front and resting her head on her crossed arms, her eyes closed against the mid-morning sun. “I get how it is hard to leave this place for so many weeks in the year.”

It’s true, it’s hard moving around all the time. But until she moved in and spent time here, this place hadn’t ever felt like home. She’s brought life and laughter into the previously cold and lonely space. Now I wake up to the sounds of her laughing in the kitchen with Hannah (who has declared she wants to adopt her). I get to spend afternoons with her watching movies on the couch or playing board games on the deck. I get to actually spend time like this, using a swimming pool I designed but never have time to enjoy. These past few days with this woman have brought my house and my soul back to life.

“You should stay here,” I blurt out, getting several thousand steps ahead of myself. “I mean, in between races…if you want.”

Slowly, she turns over onto her back to look at me properly and my eyes fly over all the skin she has on display.

“Do you mean it? You want me to move in?”

Yes! Now. Or yesterday!

I lift a shoulder, feigning a casualness I’m not feeling. “I mean, that’s what your brother did.”

Her eyes cloud over with disappointment. “Um, sure. I’ll think about it.”

We sink into a heavy silence and I kick myself for not just saying how I feel. That I want her here with me. For always.

“So, do you get your bikinis from the same place you get your pyjamas?” I joke, attempting to lighten the mood. I will tell Cherry how I feel; how much I want to be with her. When I think we’re both ready for her to hear it.

She blinks at me. “I don’t even know how to answer that.”

“Your bikini.” I wave my hand up and down her body, clenching it into a fist to stop from reaching for her. “It’s also lacking material.”

Her laughter is like a tinkling fairy sound I want to bottle up.

“If you think this is skimpy,” she arches one perfect eyebrow at me, “you should see what they wear onLove Island.”

My eyes burn a pathway all over her body and I shove my sunglasses over them to hide what I’m thinking. “What’sLove Island?”

She bolts upright and gasps. “Um, it’s the like best reality show on TV. How have you never seen it?”

I shrug. “I don’t really watch TV. Don’t really have the time.”

“But, but…you have all these massive TVs scattered around your house! It’s set up perfectly for binge-watching all the shows.” Her lovely face is animated and I lean over, running a finger over her flushed cheek.

“Hmm, okay. What should I watch first?”

Her forehead wrinkles in concentration, like I’ve given her a very important task, and she stares off into the distance, tapping her lip before turning back to me with a happy grin.

“I’ve got it!The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.”

“Sounds…good?”Sounds terrible.

Her smile grows. “You’re going to love it. You may even catch a glimpse of your private plane on there.” She’s still convinced I’m sharing a plane with someone named Kyle Richards and her rich husband.

I huff out a laugh as inspiration hits me. “Let’s watch it now.”

Shifting back in my lounger, I pat the spot between my legs, my eyes glued for her reaction. Myriad emotions flicker over her face—shock, hesitation, joy—before she scrambles off her chair and bounces over to mine, detouring only to pick up her tablet.

“Really?” she squeaks.

“Sure.” I’m going for ‘no big deal’, but my wavering voice gives me away. I want her to sit here with me. So that I have an excuse to wrap my arms around her.

She hesitates for a micro-moment before gingerly sitting between my legs, holding her body still and stiff as a board.

“Relax,” I whisper into her ear, drawing her warm body back to lean against me, feeling a shudder run through her to match my own.

“Are you sure I won’t hurt you?”

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