Page 74 of Night and Day
He was right. Finland and New Zealand were as far apart as two countries could be. With nearly thirty hours of flying one way, popping in to see someone was like popping into an Australian cafe for takeaway drinks.
Mia closed her eyes, the inevitable thought fighting its way out of her mouth. “Then one of us would have to move. Or we’d have to choose a third country in-between and live there?”
She noticed the hesitation behind his quick smile. He wouldn’t leave New Zealand. Why had she even mentioned that? He’d only recently left his basement, and here she was, suggesting for him to move on the other side of the planet. Delusional. “No. I’ll come back,” she corrected. “I want to see Deke and Casanova again. And your family.”
“What about your family? What would your parents think?”
They’d be devastated, Mia thought, but offered a reassuring smile. “Can we think about it later? The important thing is that I’ll come back. It might take a while, but I will. I wouldn’t ask you to wait for me. I’ll take my chances. If I find you with someone else, I’ll just... I don’t know.”
He cast her a rueful look. “I just went five years without dating. You don’t think I can wait a few weeks?”
Their vague plan had a lot of holes in it, but the words strengthened her faith. This wasn’t the end. It couldn’t be. And if it wasn’t the end, it had to be the beginning. Mia reached for Izzy’s jaw, shivering as her fingers traced the thick beard. He was so gorgeous it was unfair, like those teeny tiny appetisers that tasted incredible but were always gone too soon. A taster of something she desperately wanted but couldn’t have.
“Would you leave me pictures?” He asked, his voice unmistakably throaty.
Straddling Izzy, both of them perched on the edge of the dock, Mia tasted his mouth, savouring the saltiness of his tongue. “I think I want you inside me while I think about it.”
“That can be arranged.” Izzy deepened the kiss, his fingers behind her neck, tightening their grip as his tongue swept in. Pleasure fired through her, concentrating on the bundle of nerves between her thighs, her insides aching for him. He negotiated his hand between them, unzipped his shorts and produced a condom from his pocket. Were they really doing this?
Mia rolled her hips and wiggled out of her underwear, teetering on the edge of the dock. She straddled him, allowing him to fill every inch of her. All coherent thoughts escaped as she rocked against his body, her knees digging into the picnic blanket. The skirt of her dress flared around them, hiding the action that showed on their faces. It was the naughtiest thing she’d ever done, and waves of excitement cascaded through her, pumping more blood down to her core. Oh, God.
“Slow down,” he growled, squeezing the soft flesh of her bottom, pulsing inside her. “We have time.”
She couldn’t slow down. Her arms tightened around his neck, and she whimpered into his ear, chasing the peak of pleasure. “I can’t stop. Please.”
He responded to every sound with his low growl, rocking his hips to meet hers, leaning back to let her lay on top.
“Mia.” His voice, rougher than gravel, thicker than syrup, vibrated through her, sending shivers down her spine. Every signal landed where she needed it, intensifying the sensation until she could no longer stand it. This was it. The highlight of her trip. The thought floated through her brain as the charge built in her core, finally exploding into waves of ecstasy. She saw the stars in the sky above, closed her eyes and still saw them bursting inside her eyelids. How was it possible to feel this much?
He pulsated inside her. Seeing him lose control, glassy-eyed and mouth open, satisfied her soul. In that moment, he wasn’t holding back or protecting himself. He followed her lead, giving her everything she asked for, matching every confession, every vulnerability with even more. Right here, with him, she could be herself. She had nothing left to hide.
“I want to play you a new song.” The words spilled as she scooted off his lap and reached for the guitar. “It’s not finished, but thought of some lyrics on the way here—”
In her excitement, she missed the edge of the dock. For a second that stretched the fabric of time, she plummeted, her stomach hollowing out as panic seized her. Then she felt his hand, an opposing force that grasped her dress and yanked her back onto the dock. “It’s okay. I’ve got you.” He tightened his arms around her and hauled her back to safety.
Mia shuddered. There was that rag doll feeling again, with a rush of adrenaline. Izzy held her for a moment, waiting for her racing heart to settle. In the dark, she’d forgotten how close to the edge they’d been. The stars shone brightly, reflecting on the water, the air still soft and warm like a foggy hug.
“You caught me,” she whispered.
“I did.”
She heard the elation in his voice and thought about the dark river. The same river.
Mia dropped her head against his chest. She felt his heart beat in sync with her own. “If I’d fallen—”
“I would have gone after you.” He hugged her tighter. “The current’s not that strong around here. I would have caught you.”
“I know.” She believed him, but she could only hope he believed his own words. If only he could see himself through her eyes.
Mia picked up the guitar and felt for the right chords, trying to remember the words that her mind her been rearranging on the way there. It was about him. She couldn’t even pretend this song was about anything else. He’d filled her heart and as her fingers found the right strings, the words poured out.
Run, run, run
Run like the river, run
Turn your head towards the places
You would never go
