Page 40 of Note to Self
The air in my lungs whooshes out of me as Merlin rolls me onto my back and hovers over me, his forearms taking the weight of his much bigger body. “Do you have any idea how happy you make me? Christ, Trent, I love you so much.”
The weight of his erection growth against my hip, and mine joins in the game. “Maybe you should show me,” I whisper as he holds his lips inches from mine.
“It will be my pleasure.” He kisses me.
“Is that the last one?” Drew asks as Merlin carries a box from the cottage and puts it in the back of his truck.
“Yep, all his canvases went in my Landie this morning,” Merlin says, not giving the reason we moved them before our friends turned up. I’m more than happy to show and share my nudes, but not the ones of Merlin. His dick, whether painted, drawn, or in the large and beautiful flesh, is for my eyes only.
I open my car door. “I’ll see you back at the house.” I get in the seat and start the engine. My phone is vibrating in my pocket, but it will have to wait until I get back to the house. It can only be someone from here. I’ve severed all connections with my parents and Marc. The town is quiet now as the holidaymakers have all packed up for the winter. There are still some surfers coming down, braving the elements for the waves. Ivan tries to get out as much as Milo and Brodie will let him.
I stopped thinking about having any children after it became the focal point of my parents’ conversations with me. The way they treated Willow and Merrick after Josh died is despicable. They don’t deserve to have them. But witnessing my niece and then little Milo, I can see my life with a child in it. I don’t know Merlin’s view on kids, but he always pays attention to Willow. I’ve seen him cuddle little Milo a couple of times. But perhaps I should not have this conversation on my first official night living with Merlin. I pull up at the house and turn off the engine, then wait for the others to arrive. It doesn't seem right to use the key Merlin gave me, not when he’s not here, so I stay in the car with one of my audiobooks playing quietly.
It's not long until his Landrover drives through the gate. He gives me a strange look as he comes to a stop next to me. When he gets out of the car, he’s still frowning. “Why are you waiting out here? Have you forgotten your key?”
“I wanted to wait for you. It feels weird using it when I know you’re only minutes behind me. I know it’s silly, but it hasn’t sunk in yet.”
He pulls me close and kisses the top of my head, a gesture so natural and sweet it makes my heart beat faster. “Come on, silly man. Get your key out. You can do the honours of getting us inside and out of the cold.”
I nudge him in the ribs with my elbow. “No teasing the boyfriend.” I put my key in the lock, and the wide door swings open easily. Before I can take a step, Merlin picks me up in his arms, bridal-style, and carries me over the threshold. “Put me down!” I shriek, wriggling to try and get down, but his grip is too tight. He’s too bloody strong, the brute.
Of course Drew turns up to see the whole debacle and just stands by his truck bed, hooting with laughter. “I see how it is in your house. Do I need to leave you alone for half an hour?”
Merlin, without any embarrassment, lets me slide down the length of his rigid body, then captures my mouth with a scorching, unhurried kiss. “Welcome home, baby.”
“Okay, you’re forgiven.” I fan my face in an attempt to cool down my overheated cheeks.
We quickly get back to business and start unloading the truck. How could I’ve accumulated so much in only four months? Merlin deals with all my art supplies, but I don’t see where he takes them. After I stayed the night, he’d given me the tour, but I don’t remember missing out on any of the rooms. Admittedly, I was on an orgasm high, as Merlin had fucked me well and truly into the mattress.
“That’s it, baby. Everything is in.” Merlin wraps his arms around my waist, pulling my back to his front. With his chin on my shoulder, he plants a kiss on my neck. “Do you want to unpack your clothes? We can clear the bedroom away then.”
We soon have my shirts and trousers on hangers in the wardrobe and my T-shirts in a drawer, mixing in with his. It feels good, and by the grin on Merlin’s face, he likes it too.
He pushes away from the wall and stands next to me. “Are you done? I want to show you something.”
“Yep, all done. What have you kept from me?”
He doesn’t answer. All he does is take my hand and lead me out of the bedroom and to a closed door. One I hadn’t paid any attention to before. “Close your eyes.”
I let out a nervous laugh. “If it’s a sex dungeon, I think you’ve picked the wrong man.” I’m not averse to playing, and the spanking was incredible, but I’m not into kink that much.
Merlin’s laugh is loud. “I promise you it’s not that sort of a dungeon. It is something I hope will bring you a lot of pleasure.”
Intrigued, I walk blindly into the room. My face warms, so it must be a bright room.
“Open your eyes, baby.” Merlin keeps me close to his body.
Slowly, with only a little trepidation, I open my eyes. “A studio?”
“Yep, just for you. If you need anything else, let me know. It should have everything you need.” Merlin has a faint blush on his cheeks. “I wanted you here from the start.”
“I don’t believe it.” I spin around to face him. “You are getting so lucky tonight.”
“What’s going on? Who is everyone talking about?” Trent asks me. It’s obviously some kind of scandal or story.
“No clue, I’m a newbie here too.” It’s Friday night, the night we try to get together with our friends for a few drinks.
Merrick leans in. “Jethro, the new vet, is a guy who just disappeared about fifteen years ago. No one ever heard from him again. He was eighteen when he left. He grew up in Brodie and Ivan’s farmhouse.”
