Page 212 of Better When Shared
“Holy shit, Hamish,” he said, his breathing still ragged. “That was fucking incredible.”
I couldn’t form words, couldn’t even open my eyes. My entire body hummed with lingering pleasure, my mind blissfully blank for perhaps the first time in my adult life. I felt the bed shift as Imogen stretched out on my other side, her hand resting lightly on my chest.
“I think you broke my husband,” she said to Makai.
“Just gave him what he needed. He’ll recover. Eventually.”
Chapter 17
Imogen
I woke sandwiched between two warm bodies, Hamish’s arm draped over my waist and Makai’s back pressed against mine.
Memories of last night flooded back—watching my husband come all over his stomach with Makai thrusting deep inside him, the raw intimacy they’d shared. Something had shifted between us all, boundaries dissolving like sandcastles at high tide. Now, with the weight of Marco and Juniper’s job offer pressing on my mind, I needed to have a conversation with Hamish that could change everything.
I carefully extracted myself from between them, trying not to wake either man. My cramps had subsided overnight, or perhaps I’d been right and the orgasm had helped.. Hamish stirred, his eyes fluttering open to find mine.
“Morning,” he murmured, voice rough with sleep. His hair stuck up at odd angles, and a light stubble shadowed his jaw. I’d never seen him look so beautifully disheveled.
“Morning.” I pressed a kiss to his forehead, then glanced at Makai, still sleeping soundly, one arm now flung across the space I’d vacated.
Hamish followed my gaze, a soft smile playing at his lips. “He looks peaceful.”
“He does.” I tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. “Tea? Makai bought you your Yorkshire Gold.”
“Mm, brilliant,” he whispered.
I kissed my husband’s forehead and let them snuggle.
In Makai’s kitchen, I filled the kettle and set it to boil, moving around the space with a newfound familiarity. I’d spent enough mornings here now to know where he kept the mugs, the tea bags, the honey that Hamish preferred in place of sugar. Domestic rituals in a home that wasn’t ours.
The kettle had just clicked off when Makai wandered in, wearing only a pair of low-slung sweatpants. He yawned widely, scratching his chest.
“You’re up early.” He sidled behind me to grab a mug from the cabinet, his body heat radiating against my back. “Thought you might sleep in after last night.”
I felt my cheeks warm at the memory. “Some habits die hard. Hamish never sleeps past seven, even on holiday.”
Makai froze for a second, and I realized what I’d said.
He turned away from me, spooning coffee into his French press and adding the water from the kettle. “You’re still thinking of this as just a vacation?”
Before I could respond, Makai glanced at his watch and cursed under his breath. “Shit, I’m running late. Got a kayak tour with that Silicon Valley group.” He poured his coffee into a travel mug, then pressed a quick kiss to my cheek, who looked pleasantly surprised. “Don’t wait up. I have an afternoon lesson, too. It might be a late one.”
And just like that, he was gone; the door slamming behind him with a bang that seemed to echo in the sudden quiet of the kitchen.
“He’s quite the whirlwind,” Hamish said as he wandered into the kitchen.
I nodded, staring at the door Makai had just exited through. “I think I upset him when I said we were on holiday.”
“Hm,” he said, staring at the door. I turned to face him, studying the man I’d married. Something about him had changed over these past weeks—a lightness to his posture, a softness around his eyes that had been missing before. And suddenly, I wanted to tell him everything. To figure it all out with him.
“Fancy a walk on the beach?” I asked impulsively. “It’s a beautiful morning.”
“I’d love that. Just let me dress and grab my keys.”
***
Thirty minutes later, we strolled along the shore of Cannery Beach State Park, shoes in hand, toes sinking into cool, damp sand. The tide was retreating, leaving behind tide pools filled with tiny, scuttling creatures and gleaming shells. In the distance, the Cannery Hotel rose against the cliffs, its weathered facade blending harmoniously with the natural landscape.
