Chapter Twenty-Nine
Theo
“That was a very nice thing you did for Alex earlier,” Laurie said as we walked home hand in hand.
Night had fallen, blanketing Heather Bay in darkness while a canopy of stars shone brightly overhead.
The earlier rain clouds had scattered, leaving a crisp, cool night behind them and puddles across the pavement.
“Inviting him over for dinner while Henry’s away. ”
“I can’t imagine how much it’ll suck for Alex being without Henry for weeks at a time,” I said, squeezing Laurie’s hand tightly as I hopped over the edge of a puddle.
“I know Alex likes to pretend he doesn’t give a shit, but it’s so obvious he adores Henry to bits.
Plus, with them doing up the house and him plotting worldwide Novel Tea domination, he’s got a lot on his plate and I know he says he likes being busy, but I think he’s just trying to distract himself so he doesn’t have to think about Henry not being around. ”
“I think you’re right,” Laurie said, guiding me across the road and lifting our hands so I could jump over another puddle sitting by the kerb.
“We’ll have to talk to Noah, Spencer, and Lane and make sure he doesn’t spend too much time working or by himself.
Otherwise, I think he’s liable to burn out because he won’t know when to stop. ”
I nodded. “He’ll just keep going until he falls over! Which is why we need to kidnap him—so we can make sure he eats and takes a break with us.”
A slim crescent moon appeared above the hills, resting above the steeple of St. Michael’s.
I hadn’t seen the moon for a while, and I stopped to admire its beautiful silvery glow.
Laurie stood beside me looking up at the moon, our hands still clutched together.
We’d walked home hand in hand countless times, but tonight it felt different.
I couldn’t put my finger on why—it just was.
“It’s so pretty,” I said, leaning slightly against Laurie. “Almost prettier than the sun.”
“I always thought so,” he said quietly. “Especially because I can look at the moon and spend time outside in the moonlight without getting burnt.”
“You do burn very easily.”
“You like the sunshine, though, and you look cute with a tan.”
“That’s true, I do.” I looked up at him and smiled, my heart leaping up and down. “I’m so lucky to have you. I don’t think I say it enough, but I’m the luckiest person ever to have someone like you. And you love me, that’s just… I still can’t believe it.”
“Why not?” Laurie asked, his voice like a soft caress.
It made my whole body shiver with delight.
“You are incredible, Theo. And I can’t believe how many people have missed out on seeing that.
You are more beautiful than the moon and sweeter than the stars.
There is no poetry, written or yet to come, that could possibly convey my feelings for you or capture your form or your joy.
” He turned and held me in his arms, his fingers ghosting over my jaw as his gaze swallowed me up.
“When I tell you that you are everything to me, I want you to believe it, because I will never lie to you. But if you are struggling, if there are days or nights where the ghosts of your past whisper insidiously in your ear, just know that I will be there. I will always be there. You are my darling and my beloved, and I never, ever want to see you suffer.”
He kissed me softly, love pouring from every molecule of his touch. “My beautiful Theo. Beloved, beautiful Theo.” He stroked my face, kissing me again.
“‘Nothing in the world is single;
All things by a law divine
In one spirit meet and mingle.
Why not I with thine?—’”
“That’s beautiful,” I said, leaning into his hands. “Who wrote it?”
“Shelley. Percy Shelley, not Mary. It’s from ‘Love’s Philosophy.’ Would you like to hear how it ends?” Laurie asked. I nodded.
“‘And the sunlight clasps the earth
And the moonbeams kiss the sea;
What is all this sweet work worth
If thou kiss not me?’”
His kiss was fire and passion, adoration and desire.
It made me feel like I was the only being left in the entire universe and I would have staggered if Laurie hadn’t been holding me up.
“Like I said, you are my everything, Theo. Sun, moon, stars, sea—I can compare my love for you to every one of them and it would still never be enough. I adore you for everything you are and everything you will be. All I’d ask in return is your love, and I will give you my life. ”
“It’s yours,” I said. “My love, my heart. My soul too. They’re all yours.
They always have been.” I brushed my lips against his, trying to put my thoughts in order.
“It’s always been you, ever since we first met.
I was so happy the first time you messaged me back, and when we kept talking…
every time I got a notification from you, I thought I was going to die from happiness.
And then I met you and it was like everything fell into place.
You’re my person, Laurie, and I love you so much.
I think we could spend a thousand lifetimes together and I’d never be able to tell you I love you enough times. Just know that I do.”
“I love you too,” Laurie said, his breath mingling with mine.
We stood there for a while, nose to nose in the moonlight, our heartbeats keeping time with each other.
“Shall we go home?” Laurie asked.
“Yeah.” I nudged his nose gently and kissed him again before we started walking, our hands wrapped tightly around each other. “Can I ask you something?”
“Of course.”
I chewed my lip. “I know you said it doesn’t bother you but… are you sure you’re still okay with me doing MyFans?”
“I’m coming to York with you next weekend, aren’t I?”
“Yeah, but, I don’t know, that feels different.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know, it just does. You’re just meeting my friends from work.”
“Yes, friends who an hour or two beforehand will have all been deep inside you and fucking you senseless,” Laurie said with a dry chuckle. “I think if I had a problem with any of this, I wouldn’t be coming to have dinner with you, would I?”
“I guess not.” Laurie’s words made sense, so I didn’t know why I still felt uncertain. “Are you sure it doesn’t bother you, though?”
“It doesn’t, and if it did I would tell you.
I’m not going to play mind games or gaslight you, I promise.
I’ll always be honest about my feelings, and I promise you it doesn’t bother me.
” He squeezed my hand. “It’s your job, it’s something you enjoy, and you are always clear and open about everything you do.
I have no reason to have an issue with it.
I’m not jealous of the men you film with, and I’m not worried you’ll suddenly replace me with them or that our level of intimacy will decrease. ”
“Good,” I said. “Because that’s never going to happen. You’re so much hotter than any of them.”
“Thank you.”
“Sex with them is super fun, but it’s still work,” I said. “And while I love getting railed by them, you give me something they can’t.”
“Love?”
I laughed. “Actually I was going to say you tie me, and it makes me feel wanted and safe, but I guess love too.” I skipped around a puddle, then added, “Will you tie me next weekend? Like another wrist or ankle cuff? So everyone knows that I’m yours.”
“Of course, my darling,” he said. “I’m always happy to do that.”
We rounded the corner and I saw the gleaming lamps outside Winchester & Sons throwing golden light onto the pavement.
Laurie reached inside his pocket for his keys as we skirted the edge of the building to the flat, unlocking the door and stepping inside.
I unlaced my boots and stacked them neatly on the rack before sliding my jacket off and hanging it next to Laurie’s.
“Do you want a drink?” Laurie asked as he bolted the front door, shutting out the world for the night.
“No.” I shook my head and stepped towards him, backing him up against the door. “I want us to go to bed. Right now.”
“Oh?” Laurie smirked teasingly. “And why is that? Are you tired?”
“Nope, not tired at all.” I stood on tiptoe and kissed him hungrily, nipping his lip. “I want to have sex.”
Laurie laughed. “When you put it like that, how can I deny you?”
“You can’t even tease me,” I said smugly, grabbing his hand. “If I’d said I want you inside me, you could just finger me and say I’d technically gotten what I wanted.”
“Would I ever do that?” Laurie asked as we stumbled up the stairs into the flat.
“You might. If you were feeling mean.”
“True, but I could also point out that sex doesn’t have to just mean anal. We both know it covers a range of activities.”
“Ugh, stop being so… so…”
“Facetious?”
“Yes, that,” I said, pushing him up against a spare stretch of wall near our bedroom. “Please, Laurie, don’t tease me. I just want you to fuck me.”
“Don’t worry, my darling. I won’t tease.” He pulled me into a fierce kiss that stole all the breath from my body and I melted into his arms.
Laurie drew me into our room, kicking the door shut behind us before laying me out on the bed.
He flicked one of our bedside lamps on, giving the room a cosy glow.
I watched as he stripped off his clothes, methodically folding some and putting the rest to one side as heat bubbled in my stomach.
He was so fucking gorgeous and I adored every bit of him.
Laurie climbed onto the bed, kissing me softly as he began to undress me. His lips followed his fingers across my body, making need dance across my skin, and I groaned as he sucked little marks onto my chest. His mouth moved lower, drawing more gasps and needy moans from my throat.
My hands slid into his hair, anchoring myself as Laurie’s tongue trailed over my hips, leaving more marks in the dips there that I knew would sit right above the waistband of my panties. I spread my legs, silently pleading for him to go lower, moaning out my delight as he did.
I lost myself to pleasure, treasuring every touch, every kiss, every lick as Laurie took me apart.
He played my body with as much love and skill as he did his violin, and in return I wrote him symphonies that nobody but us would ever hear.
And when he finally pressed his cock inside me, I felt like I was coming apart at the seams.
Laurie made love to me so perfectly I knew I was utterly ruined for anyone else.
Nobody could love me like him.
And in his arms, under his touch, I shattered into a thousand pieces.
“I love you, Lor,” I whispered, holding him against me as he rolled his hips, drawing my orgasm out like a quavering note.
“I love you too,” Laurie said with a kiss as he came, his cock pulsing inside me as he filled me with his release.
I sighed with happiness as he kissed me again, knowing that whatever came next, wherever life took us, I’d always have my Laurie, and he’d always have me.
And together, we’d be perfect and unstoppable.