Chapter Nine
Bastian
Waking up next to Anders was one of those moments I’d only dreamt about, so it took me several minutes to realise it was real while my brain desperately tried to drag the dream out for a few more seconds.
My body was a little sore, especially my ass, but considering we’d fucked at least three times, I thought that was fair.
After the first time, we’d dragged ourselves out of bed to order room service, which was expensive but won out on sheer practicality because we didn’t have to leave the room.
After we’d eaten, we’d exchanged lazy blow jobs and lain in bed talking about everything and nothing until we’d drifted off.
At some point during the night, I’d woken up with Anders’s arms wrapped around me and his cock pressed against my ass, and that was all I’d needed to become instantly horny.
But now it was morning, and the bubble Anders and I had been existing in was about to burst because I had to leave.
I hadn’t even been in Heather Bay a day, but the idea of going back to London or Derbyshire was like a knife to my heart.
All I wanted to do was bury myself under the covers and forget it was happening.
I needed the world to wait another day or two, or even three, because I wasn’t ready for reality.
Spending time with Anders had been everything I’d hoped for, and I was terrified that if I left, everything would go back to the way it had been before.
I knew it was ridiculous to feel that way after such a short time, but then again, Anders and I had been talking for months.
He wasn’t exactly a stranger. I’d known back in January when he’d first issued the invitation to visit that I was starting to have feelings, and they’d only strengthened over the past six weeks while I’d waited for this trip to roll around.
“Are you awake?” asked Anders, his voice rough with sleep and making him sound like a bear emerging from hibernation.
“No,” I said, snuggling deeper into his arms and resting my head on his chest. The hair there was soft and almost grey.
We’d only talked about the fact there were thirteen years between us once, and I was glad the age difference didn’t seem to bother him.
It didn’t bother me at all. Age was just a number.
Anders chuckled and pressed a kiss to the top of my head. “That sounds like a yes.”
“It’s not.”
“Okay then.”
“Good.” I wrapped my arms around him and held on, hoping I could keep him there, but I knew it wasn’t possible because the world didn’t work like that.
“What time do you have to leave?” Anders asked eventually.
“Check out is eleven, I think. And it will only take me a few hours to get back to Derbyshire,” I said.
“I promised Lizzie I’d be back for dinner, but that’s it.
” It was a promise I regretted making, but it was one I could easily break if I needed to.
Except I had a fucking wedding to shoot tomorrow, and I needed to make sure my suit was ironed, that I had the shot list printed, check in with the second photographer I was using, and ensure everything was charged and ready for my early start.
That meant getting home at midnight wasn’t an option.
I wasn’t going to punish my clients by doing a less than perfect job on their special day because I would rather be with Anders.
That would just be awful of me, especially considering how long this couple had been booked in my diary and how much I charged.
“I have to get ready for the wedding I’m shooting tomorrow. ”
“Okay.” There was a moment of silence. “Can you stay for the morning? Or lunch? You could come and meet Barney and Fish.”
“Yes! Absolutely yes,” I said, almost shooting out of bed at the idea. “I’d love that.”
“I can’t promise Fish will come and say hello. The only person she likes is Soren.”
“Maybe I’ll get lucky.”
We spent a while longer in bed, exchanging soft kisses before we finally dragged ourselves out. I went for a shower because it was too nice a shower to pass up while Anders redressed in last night’s clothes.
I hadn’t paid for breakfast at the hotel because, while it sounded delicious, it was also wildly expensive.
Instead, I checked out and settled up the bill for the room service despite Anders’s grumbled protests about wanting to contribute.
I dumped my overnight bag into the car—which could stay where I’d left it until this afternoon because I’d paid for twenty-four hour parking—then slipped my hand into Anders’s and let him lead me towards his house with my camera bag slung over my shoulder.
Heather Bay looked different in the bright light of day, and it made me want to go and explore all the nooks and crannies I could find.
The tide was coming in, and the sea stretched out like a dark jewel as the sun glittered off the waves and gulls cawed overhead.
My desire to stay grew stronger with every step because I felt like I hadn’t seen nearly enough of this beautiful place.
Anders led me along the front, past the vast array of shops, restaurants and food outlets I desperately wanted to explore, then along some steep narrow streets, which wound their way up.
I hadn’t realised how much of the bay was on a hill until we started to climb, and it made my legs and butt ache.
Anders took pity on me, though, and let me stop for breaks, which was good because everything hurt. I needed to get more exercise.
Eventually, we came to a wide cobbled street lined with terraced, Victorian town houses, each painted white with red roofs and polished front doors.
Anders stopped by one at the end that had a black door with a brass number forty in the middle under an old-fashioned door knocker.
I realised when I turned the upper floors would have a perfect view out over the bay.
“This is me,” Anders said, unlocking the door and pushing it open.
I followed him in, toeing off my shoes and looking around at the room I’d stepped into.
It was a snug living room with dark wooden floors and a comfortable-looking grey sofa scattered with yellow cushions.
There was a log burner on the far side of the room with a navy rug stretched out in front of it, a television in one corner, and the entire back wall was lined with floor-to-ceiling bookshelves.
Each shelf looked ready to burst at the seams, and I wanted to explore every one to see what delights they held.
A soft meow distracted me as a fat, fluffy tabby cat with a slightly squashed nose—who had to be Barney—popped his head up from the sofa. When he spotted Anders, he jumped off the back of the sofa with a thud and began to wind his way around Anders’s feet.
“Hey,” Anders said softly, reaching down to rub Barney’s ears.
“Did you miss me?” Barney looked up at him plaintively and meowed.
“I didn’t think so. You just want feeding.
Did you eat everything I left you already?
Of course you did, you greedy monster. Come on.
” Anders headed through the sitting room door towards the back of the house, and I followed out of curiosity.
The door opened into a little kitchen-dining room with another door on the left that was slightly ajar I assumed must lead to some stairs.
Anders walked into the kitchen and scooped some bowls off the floor, talking quietly to Barney, who’d clambered up onto the kitchen counters with more grace than I’d imagined he’d possess.
“Where’s your sister?” Anders asked when he put the bowls back down. “Fish!”
“Is she upstairs?” I asked, pointing at the other door.
“Probably,” Anders said. “Most likely asleep on my bed or office chair.” He smiled softly and shook his head. “Fish, come on.”
There was a soft pattering of paws, then a black and white cat whizzed across the wooden floor towards the newly filled bowls of food, totally ignoring Anders. “There you are,” he said. Fish continued to ignore him. “As you can see, I’m basically just the butler.”
I laughed. “You’re a cute butler.”
“Thanks,” he said dryly. “Do you want to go out and get breakfast? If not, I’ve probably got some bread for toast. Sorry. I didn’t plan on this.”
“Either is fine with me.” I walked over to him, feeling like I’d been out of his arms for too long. I wrapped my arms around his waist and pressed a soft kiss against his lips. “I’m not fussed as long as you feed me.”
“Are you basically another cat?”
I grinned. “Possibly. It’s hard to tell.”
“How about I stick on some clean clothes and we go out? There are a couple of places I think you’ll like. And it won’t be too hard for you to get back to your car then.” He said it quietly, but the words pulled at something deep inside me that ached more than it had any right to.
I wanted to stay.
I had nowhere to stay, but I wanted to stay.
I just needed Anders to give me a reason.
“Yeah…” I said finally. “That sounds nice.”
Anders nodded, kissing me like it was the last kiss we’d ever have, and the ache inside me grew until I felt like I might be swallowed up by the pain. I knew I had to leave, at least just for this wedding, but driving away from him was going to break my heart.
The rest of the morning passed far too quickly for my liking, and even though I silently begged for more time, the seconds inevitably ticked forward until I knew I couldn’t put it off any longer. It felt like there was an axe hanging over my head just waiting to fall.
Anders walked me back to my car, his fingers interlaced with mine, and gave me one last kiss.
“Can I… can I see you again?” I asked in a last desperate attempt to make sure this wasn’t going to end as soon as the car door closed.
“Yes,” he said. “Of course.”
I should have felt relief, but any reprieve was temporary.
As I drove out of Heather Bay, tears dripped silently down my face.