7. Clover
Ihad not expected to see Grumpy Grayson in Sur Lago, and I certainly hadn’t expected to see him with the stunning blonde woman who was obviously hugely into him.
This was my fifth date with Owain and each one had been nice.
Nice wasn’t a good word when it came to describing dates, or so I’d been informed by Amelie. Dates should be magical, chemical, heart poundingly explosive.
A date with a man I’d known as a boy and who was absolutely lovely was none of those things. I liked Owain. He was cute. I knew he’d lost his virginity to Jessica O’Malley when he was sixteen and staying with his gran for the summer. I knew he liked animals but was massively allergic to cats and I knew he was only staying in Puffin Bay until the end of December when he was moving to Dublin for a two-year contract on some industrial development.
That sounded perfect. A few dates. Some wine. Get rid of the blasted V-card. Owain wasn’t a gossip. I knew he liked me and I also knew he probably suspected I’d never had a proper boyfriend. I didn’t need to be embarrassed with him and I didn’t need to pin the idea of him being the one.
I was also pretty sure Grayson didn’t approve of me dating.
Mel had passed on each day during her lunch hour that Grayson had been pumping her for information about my love life and she was having a whale of a time embellishing what I was up to. While it could’ve just him being protective of me, as a good employer might be, that didn’t tally with the looks I kept receiving off him.
Or that kiss.
I couldn’t lie, that was the best kiss I’d had in my life, although there had been very, very few. It was better than any I’d imagined and I suspected had ruined me for all other kisses.
I hadn’t kissed Owain yet. There hadn’t even been a moment where I thought it might happen, probably because I didn’t really want it to. The chemistry wasn’t there and I didn’t have the desire to challenge my fears and make that leap.
And I knew it would be nowhere near the standard that Grayson’s kiss had set.
I saw Grayson in Sur Lago as soon as I walked down the steps to the restaurant. He was wearing the casual brown shirt I’d seen him ironing this evening, his hair semi-styled which was about as much effort as he needed to put into how he looked because he was sitting there, looking like a movie star rather than an island doctor who had set my entire body on flames with one kiss and left it smouldering, before making it clear that nothing else was going to happen.
Always the bridesmaid, never the bride.
Always the one to help with the morning after pills, the surprise pregnancies and the runaway bride’s belongings that were left at the hotel rather than be the one with the post-orgasmic glow.
I’d spent the meal managing to talk to Owain about his new job, my current editing work, the island and the current lack of interior décor shops, while sneaking glances at Grayson whenever I could. He was laughing and looked like he was having a good time with a woman who was maybe the same age as him. She was stunning too, all high cheekbones and thick blonde hair, her body the sort that was earned from running or climbing mountains, neither of which I had any inclination to do, even if it meant I could eat more cake.
I ate the cake anyway.
Was he on a date? Was this part of the reason he’d moved to the island? Was the kiss with me him cheating because this didn’t look like a first date. They were less awkward than Owain and me and this was our fifth date.
Panic and pain and the oh my god I couldn’t take my eyes off him destroyed my taste buds, meaning I would have to go back to Sur Lago when Grayson wasn’t there and re-eat my meal.
I dropped Owain off at his grandmother’s, cutting our meal short because I wanted to get back home to see if Grayson was there or whether he’d extended the night at his date’s house, or in her hotel maybe.
“How about going to the restaurant at Conwy on Saturday that’s recently been awarded the Michelin star?” Owain said before getting out of my tiny car. “We could stay over.”
I knew what that meant. If I had any sense, I should say yes and get this over and done with. Owain wasn’t hanging around and this wasn’t going to become a relationship with a happy ending.
But yet again, I’d crushed on a man who was out of my league.
“I think I have Luca this weekend. Let me check and I’ll get back to you.”
He leaned over and gave me a peck on the lips that felt like I’d been kissed by a cousin, and that wasn’t a kink I was interested in pursuing. That could be left with the forbidden romance readers.
“Good night, Clover. I had a good time. Enjoy the rest of your book.”
Which just about summed my life up.
Enjoy the rest of your book.
I walked into Grayson’s house determined to write my own ending.
Relief slammed into me when I had seen Grayson’s car on the drive. He was sat on the sofa, still wearing the shirt he’d had on for his date when I walked in, reading the same something he had been every time I’d come home after keeping Fleur company while Thane was away on a job. There was no sign of Caleb or Grayson’s date, just a brooding, grumpy man who took up most of two seats on a three-seater sofa.
“I didn’t know you were out on a date.” The words fell out like they usually did. Unfiltered. Not considered.
“I wasn’t. Maria’s a friend of mine from university and I’m sure her wife would be interested to know she was out on a date with me.” He stood up, dropping the book onto the sofa without marking which page he was up to.
“Oh.” I felt a fool, my but heartrate calmed some. “Oh. I’m sorry, I assumed -”
“You assumed. Are you going to sleep with Owain Bettany?” His eyes were something fierce.
He’d suddenly turned into a hunter and I was definitely his prey.
The wrong word here could turn this into a much longer meal than I was ready for.
“No. No, I’m not.”
“Good. That’s the right answer.” He strode over to me, his big hands undoing my coat, then pushing it off my shoulders and onto the floor. “Because if you want a man to take your virginity, it’s going to be me.”
Oh. Ohhhh.
My insides combusted. My heart pumped out of its chest.
Somewhere a chorus of angels began to sing.
The heavy blanket of fear I expected to land over me, smothering this heat didn’t arrive.
I had, however, frozen.
“I don’t know – I don’t know what I’m supposed – I have no idea. Grayson - ”
He wrapped his arms around me and pulled me close to him, his mouth immediately plundering mine without any gentleness or tenderness. Whatever he thought about sleeping with virgins, he didn’t think they could break.
I melted into the kiss, letting him have at it, tentatively trying it myself and finding his hands tightened on my waist when I responded. My body had been woken up. My breasts felt heavy, my nipples had tightened, the heat between my legs had developed into a burn that was making me paw at Grayson’s shirt with one hand and feel his ass with the other.
I had no problem with him stripping me naked and deflowering me on the rug, as long as we de-lego-ed it first.
He broke the kiss suddenly. “Go upstairs and take off your clothes, leave your bra and underwear on. I’ll lock up.”
I didn’t move.
He moved a strand of hair from my face, pushing it behind my ear. His lips pressed against the scrap of skin just below that ear, a tender touch that made me shiver and have to take a lungful of air.
“I’m not going to fuck you tonight. You need to think about that some more.”
I really didn’t, but the power of words wasn’t in my current toolkit.
“But I’m going to make that sweet little pussy come so hard you can’t look at me without blushing tomorrow over breakfast.”
That wasn’t going to be a problem even without that promise.
“Go, Clover. Go and get on your bed.”
This time I managed to move, my heart almost pumping out of my chest, the wetness in between my legs already more than I’d experienced before.
“Okay.” I managed to make my legs work, my head spinning in twenty different ways and my body still burning.
My room was dark and I kind of wanted it to stay that way. No one had seen me naked before and I had no idea what they’d think.
What Grayson would think.
He’s seen me in scrappy pyjamas before, when I’d had no bra on and I’d noticed how his eyes had focused on my boobs. I think he’d liked what he’d seen then. Nerves mingled with fire, an intoxicating cocktail that I wasn’t sure I’d be able to drink in one go and maybe not survive.
I peeled off my skirt, finding my knickers sodden already. I left them on, as requested, glad I’d chosen a lacy pair with a matching bra. The sweater came off next, put away in my almost clean cupboard, leaving me in just my bra through which my nipples were visible.
I liked pretty underwear. My breasts were on the bigger side, full and firm, my nipples large and dark pink. I knew they looked good. Despite being inexperienced I had watched stuff on the internet and I’d heard Amelie and Fleur and Ruby talk. Fleur had told me once that I had the boobs that she dreamed of and I’d laughed and blushed, not entirely sure what you said to a comment like that.
It didn’t matter anyway. My heart fluttered at the thought of Grayson seeing them and I switched on another lamp, feeling brave. Yes, I ate too much cake, and the only exercise I did was walk, so my stomach wasn’t flat, but I wasn’t embarrassed about any part of it. I liked my body. I just wasn’t sure what a man’s take on it would be.
I was about to find out. I lay down on my back on the bed, the covers pushed to the bottom of the mattress, my hair unpinned and spread out on my pillow.
There was a knock at my door before it was pushed slowly open. Grayson walked in wearing just a pair of thin sweats. I could tell even in the dim light that his cock was hard, at least I figured that was what it was.
I licked my lips.
“I can go. Say the words and I’ll go back to my room.”
I shook my head. “Stay.” It was a whisper. I didn’t want to risk waking up Luca or disturbing Moonshine who was asleep in his basket – a large dog sized one.
“I am so fucking glad you said that.” He closed the door behind him. “Do you have any idea of how fucking gorgeous you look like that?”
His eyes were drinking me in, lingering on my bra, then between my legs.
I shook my head, words bubbling, every one wanting to be spoken but my brain unable to process at its usual speed. “No one’s seen me like this. Seriously. I have no idea what I’m doing or what I’m meant to do - ”
He climbed onto the bottom of the bed and ended up over me, caging me in. “I’m not going to fuck you tonight. My goal is to make you desperate for me to fuck you, so you can’t even think about anything else. Then you won’t be worrying about anything, except whether your orgasms will break you.”
That sounded scarily decadent.
He sat back on his haunches. “Take off your bra. I want to see those tits bare.”
It was a front fastener, which meant there was less chance of me trying to hide behind my own hands. I sat up, feeling heat from Grayson warm me even further, the fire between my legs already making me want to detonate in the sweetest way.
I unclasped my bra, opening it like a coat and exposing myself to my boss’ eyes. My nipples tightened harder, my breasts feeling heavier still under his gaze.
And he looked. He so very much looked without trying to hide his stare in any way. It was impossible to miss the twitch of his cock and I ached to see it, to look at what my body was shouting to have inside it.
“Fuck, Clover. I can’t tell you how fucking gorgeous you are.”
I felt gorgeous right there, feeling high, knowing the power I held right now, having brought my grumpy doctor to his knees in front of me.
He moved closer, causing me to lean back against the pillows. I expected him to touch my breasts straight away, maybe to take a nipple in his mouth and I itched for him to do so, but instead he crashed his mouth onto mine, his hands cupping my jaw and holding it more gently than I was expecting.
The first kiss was hard and fast, as if he couldn’t help himself. I pushed my hips up to his, seeking friction, happy with the idea of him losing those sweatpants and my underwear and feeling him push inside me. Now would be fine. Now would be good.
Otherwise I was going to lose my mind.
But his next kiss was slow, soft and long, nipping at my bottom lip and then kissing it better. My hands started to explore his back, his arms into his thick hair, tugging on it to see what he’d do.
“Has anyone ever played with these tits?”
He cupped one of my breasts with his hand.
“No. Only ever me.”
His inhale of breath was sharp. “I want to watch that one day. Has anyone ever sucked on those nipples?”
“No, and that’s not something I can - ” I stopped talking.
His mouth captured the nipple of the breast he was holding, sucking on it hard, then licking it into a tighter peak. It was almost painful, synapses sending shrill shocks up my body, my toes curling, more wetness creaming between my legs.
His other hand slipped down to caress my other breast, pinching at the nipple, toying with it. My pussy tightened, clenched hard. I knew what it was like to come – I was perfectly capable of giving myself a decent orgasm, but I’d never relinquished control like this.
His mouth switched to the other, presenting it with the same sort of torment. I watched through hooded eyes as my body was taken over, its territory now belonging to my boss.
When Grayson sat back up, I moaned, not ready for this to be over.
“You’ve played with your own tits,” he said, viewing my body like a lion would watch its dinner. “Have you played with your clit?”
I nodded. “Yes.”
“Something else to show me.” His hands moved to my hips, taking hold of the sides of my underwear. “Have you ever fingered yourself?”
“A little. I prefer playing with my clit.”
His smile was predatory. “Let’s see what you prefer after this.” He yanked my underwear down and off my legs, leaving me bare for him now. His hands went to the inside of my thighs, pushing them apart.
I wondered if I was meant to feel self-conscious, so on view, because I didn’t. I was revelling in his eyes lapping me up, his cock stood up and high, the size of it making my body burrow into the mattress.
He trailed a finger from my chin down, passing in the valley of my breasts, over my navel and down the centre, pressing on my clit and sliding the digit into the wetness between my legs.
“You’re soaked,” he said, toying at my entrance. “Are you thinking about me as I do this, or your date?”
“You. Just you.” I was wondering how I was here and what exactly was happening right now and hoping that I wasn’t dreaming.
Was this a dream? Had I come home and gone straight up to bed and this was some crazy dream? If so, I really needed to not wake up until I’d come.
Either Grayson or dream Grayson pushed the tip of his finger inside me. I tensed a little, not sure how this would feel. I didn’t use tampons and while I’d had the odd internal, it wasn’t like this.
“You’re so fucking tight and your cunt’s trying to eat my finger. It’s going to feel fucking fantastic when my cock’s in here.” He pulled his hand away and dropped his mouth to my breast again, sucking one nipple and then the other, then tracing the path his finger had made with his tongue.
I’d wondered how this would feel. I’d wondered if I’d be embarrassed that someone’s face was that close to my private parts, but now, with it actually happening, I only felt good.
Amazing.
A thing for which there was no word.
Grayson lapped at my clit, sucking on it, applying the same sort of sharp fast sensation as he had with my breasts. He dipped his tongue inside of me, varying his movements, his hands gripping my hips that were moving of their own volition.
My orgasm landed quickly. Rather than the slow pulse that was usual at my own hand, this was hard and fast, my body jerking, my moans too loud, my hand clutching his hair too tightly.
He carried on licking me as it subsided, the sensation too much to bear. Then I felt thick fingers pushing inside me, stretching me, my wetness mingled with Grayson’s saliva stopping any painful friction. I gasped, back on this planet, liking the feeling, sensing where this could go. He kept it shallow, regular and then stopped.
I moaned again as his fingers left me empty.
I lifted my legs and pushed at his sweats with my foot. They caught on his cock. I laughed; so did he.
His hands went to his waistband. “Have you seen a cock before? In real life?”
I felt like such a prude, shifting with embarrassment, not wanting to look at him.
“Clover, I really want you to tell me you haven’t. I want mine to be the first you’ve seen. It’s such a fucking turn on.” He made a noise that sounded like a lion growling.
“I haven’t seen a cock in this situation.” I looked at where it was still concealed by his sweats. “Not like this.”
I forgot to feel embarrassed as he pulled off his sweats, leaving him as naked as me.
There were muscles, light brown hair dusting his chest and thickening in the centre, leading a path to his cock that stood erect and heavy, the bead of what I figured was pre-cum at the head.
My legs spread further, an involuntary movement. I wanted it between my legs, wanted to feel it inside me, at the same time there was the fear of discomfort and pain.
“I’m not fucking you tonight,” he repeated. “But I want an orgasm too.”
I nodded. I wanted him to have one, wanted to see. I half sat up, pulling a pillow to prop me there. Then I reached out a hand to touch him.
He caught it before I could. “Touch yourself, Clover. Wet your hand.” He guided my hand between my legs, pushing my fingers where I was wetness, his touching me again there. “Are you on birth control?”
“Yes. Just in case. This is the in case. Maybe the in case.”
“Good.” He brought his hands and mine to his cock.
I took hold of it, not quite able to fit my hand all the way around it. Worrying about how it’d fit inside me was a tomorrow problem.
He guided my hand up and down the length of his cock, sometimes stopping and wetting our hands again, then carrying on.
I watched his cock and his hips, thrusting into our hands, and I watched his face as he rose higher on his knees.
“Since kissing you, all I’ve been able to think about is fucking you. It’s been fucking torture thinking about you spread out like this for any other man and for him to be able to touch you for the first time instead of me. I keep thinking about how tight your cunt’s going to feel wrapped around my dick and how your tits will look when you bounce on top of me, because you will, Clover.” His movements became fiercer. “I’m not fucking you tonight, but I’m going to mark those pretty tits.”
His look told me he was asking for permission.
I nodded, taking more initiative and directing his cock. He kept his hand on mine, his eyes fixed on me, my breasts bouncing with our movements. I needed to come again, my pussy tight and hungry.
With a low groan, Grayson came over my breasts, cords of white coating them, his face bespelled with the mess he was making of me. His breathing was heavy, fierce, fighting for oxygen.
I moved my hand from his cock and dipped my fingers in what he’d left on my skin, pushing some of it down my body to between my legs and onto my clit. I knew I wasn’t going to get pregnant. I knew he wouldn’t have anything nasty. I knew he’d never put me at risk.
“Touch yourself, Clover. I want to watch you push yourself over the edge.”
Four small circles around my clit had me coming, the intensity higher than when I did this on my own. When it ended, Grayson’s mouth found mine, the kiss deep and slow, desperation still lingering there, but maybe that was my own desperation I could taste. I could taste myself on him too.
It felt dirty, hot, and intimate. What we’d just done I’d never thought would happen. I hadn’t imagined this.
Now it was all I was going to be able to think about.
Or it would’ve been. Because the kiss was interrupted.
There’s nothing quite like a cat claw in your calf muscle.
Grayson lay on the bed with me, both of us showered, which had been another first because he’d showered with me (even though the cubicle was really too small) washing me off and keeping my curls away so I didn’t have to contend with the hairdryer. His cock had hardened again, which he’d been kind of embarrassed about, and I’d seriously thought about seeing how it felt in my mouth, but I didn’t have the confidence yet to mention it.
Maybe it would come. Maybe tomorrow we’d both be so embarrassed at what we’d done we’d never speak of this again.
That thought hurt.
What had hurt more was Moonshine’s claw.
“How’s your leg?” I was finding I liked being snuggled like this.
“Stinging. I told you that cat hates me.” He nuzzled my hair.
Moonshine was back in his basket. He’d gotten there pretty quickly after Grayson had thrashed his leg and managed not to yell loudly.
“You need to find him somewhere else to sleep next time.” He sounded sleepy.
I couldn’t let him fall asleep. It was late and I had suggested that he should get in his own bed as soon as we were dry from the shower, but he hadn’t liked that idea, saying he’d stay until I’d fallen asleep.
“I’ll tell him to stay in his bed. And remember, he’s never witnessed anything like this before. He probably thought you were attacking me.” Which was entirely possible.
Grayson muttered something I couldn’t work out.
I kicked him gently with my heel. “You should go to your own bed. In case Luca wakes up.”
He mumbled something else.
I sat up, pulling the covers away from us. Grayson’s eyes flicked open and looked straight at my breasts.
The smile that graced his face was ridiculously dirty. “Best tits ever.” He looked up at me, a boyishness there I hadn’t seen before.
I giggled. The boyishness was pulling out the girlishness. I didn’t feel as girlish anymore.
I might still have my V-plates, but after that I didn’t feel as green.
“You can see them again. I promise.”
He nodded, brushing one with his hand. “And no one else is going to? Promise?”
“Promise.”
“Good.” He got out of my bed and pulled on his sweats. “I’ll make you a cup of tea in the morning. Get some sleep.”
I did. It was surprising how well I slept after two orgasms.