Total pages in book: 69
Estimated words: 64966 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 325(@200wpm)___ 260(@250wpm)___ 217(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 64966 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 325(@200wpm)___ 260(@250wpm)___ 217(@300wpm)
“I didn’t mean to upset you,” I said softly, as I put my arms around him. “I was just trying to say I’m bad at maintaining relationships. I wasn’t looking for sympathy.”
“This isn’t sympathy,” he growled, as he pressed his face into the curve between my neck and shoulder. “I’m really mad at you for thinking you could just disappear without leaving a giant fucking crater in the world.”
I grinned and nuzzled his hair. There was something endearing about the way he hid his emotions behind that shield of fierceness. I dotted kisses on the side of his head, then his cheek. When he sat up a bit, I took his face between my palms and looked into his eyes before kissing his soft, inviting lips.
He rested his forehead against mine, and I traced his jawline as I said, “Why don’t you go and get comfortable in the bedroom? I’ll join you after I clean up the kitchen.”
“It’ll go faster if we both do it,” he said, as he climbed off my lap.
There wasn’t a lot to do. He’d cleaned up after himself when he was done cooking, so there were just a few dishes and a pot to wash. We finished up in a matter of minutes, and then we both took a turn in the bathroom before reconvening on the bed. I tossed my shirt aside and pulled his sweatshirt over his head before kissing my way down his body.
Being with Daniel was always an incredible sensory experience, from the softness of his hair and skin and lips, to the wonderful little sounds of pleasure he made, to his natural, clean scent. I drank him in with all my senses, touching him, tasting him, reveling in all of him as I massaged his hard-on through the silken material of those sexy little panties.
By the time I pulled them down and exposed his pretty, pink cock, he was breathing heavily and leaking precum. I made him come with my hands and mouth, and afterwards, as his lids grew heavy and he caught his breath, I sat back and openly admired him. “You’re so beautiful, Daniel,” I whispered. “My god. Look at you.”
He gave me a drowsy smile before sleep finally won and dragged him under. His little red undies were still hooked under his balls, so I pulled them up again before tucking us both in with the fluffy, dark blue duvet.
Since I’d slept earlier, I was wide awake now. As I idly stroked Daniel’s blond hair, a snippet of music drifted through my mind. There were lyrics there, too—just fragments for now, something about jade green eyes that made me forget my vow of never again…
I rearranged my pillows to prop myself up and found a pen and pad of paper in the nightstand. Then, as my sweet, beautiful lover slept beside me, I began to write.
13
Malcolm
The next morning, I knew something was wrong the moment I woke up. I was nauseous, and the light streaming through the huge windows seemed way too bright. But Daniel was excited about the day ahead, so I tried to ignore the way I felt. Maybe I was slightly dehydrated, or something else that was easily fixed.
The rain had stopped, so we got dressed and followed through on our plan of walking to the lodge for brunch. I sipped a bottle of water and didn’t say much along the way, while Daniel excitedly pointed out everything that caught his eye, from birds to wildflowers to a particularly large pine cone.
When the lodge appeared over the crest of a hill, I expected him to shriek with excitement, or maybe to take off running. Instead, he caught my hand and stopped walking, and when I turned to him he asked, “Are you alright, Mal? You’ve barely said a word this morning.”
“I’m fine,” I lied, as I adjusted my sunglasses. “Just a little tired, I guess.”
He cupped my cheek and studied me closely. “Are you saying you’re fine because you don’t want me to make a fuss over you?”
“There’s no need to make a fuss. I’ll probably feel better after I eat.”
He kept holding my hand and seemed a lot more sedate as we continued to the lodge. It really was beautiful—a rugged yet modern design with a dark wood and glass exterior, interesting angles, and artistic details. The lobby was even more stunning. It featured three-story ceilings, floor tiles that looked like handmade pottery in shades to match the forest, and huge wooden sculptures that belonged in a museum.
I pointed out a massive wooden sculpture of an orca, which was twice as tall as me and leaping from a base carved to look like waves. Daniel glanced at it and nodded, before turning back to me and brushing my hair off my forehead. “You look pale, Mal. I’m worried.”