Chapter 39
Theo
I wake early on Sunday morning with the rain tapping lightly on the window.
I take notice of Elizabeth’s gentle breathing.
I turn myself to face her and, like the obsessed man I am, watch her sleep.
The white linen curtains settle a beautiful softness over Elizabeth’s face, making the grey day seem distant.
I gently place a hand on her stomach, waiting for a sign that Nellie is there.
Every movement tugs at my heart, knowing that growing inside of the love of my life is my next obsession.
I can’t wait to meet her. The time seems to have gone quickly since Elizabeth moved in, weeks have passed and I feel like I’m trying to clasp the time I seem to be losing.
Elizabeth begins to open her beautiful blue eyes, tired and sleepy.
“Good morning, Sunshine.” Her soft smile brings a glow to her face.
“Good morning, Mr Masters.” She glances at my hand still resting on her stomach and rests hers on top of mine. “Were you two conspiring against me while I was sleeping?” she asks softly. I kiss her on the forehead and stroke a soft line up and down her belly.
“Get used to it, baby.” She chuckles, the sweetest sound filling the bedroom. “Shall we go down for breakfast?” There’s a flash of a look on her face that I don’t recognise. It tears a hole through my morning bliss.
“I think I’m going to stay in bed for a little longer, but you go.” Something in me tells me not to push her to get up. She looks a little worn out this morning. There’s a softness in her eyes that unsettles something small and instinctive inside of me. Maybe a lie in is just what she needs.
I make my way downstairs and stop at the piano.
I’m feeling inspired this morning, but lying next to Elizabeth seems to do that to me.
Music flows around the house, echoing from the high ceilings.
I lose track of time, the melodies coming fast and easy.
I am pulled from my flow as Elizabeth sits on the stool next to me.
“New song?” she asks softly, still visibly tired.
“Just an idea.”
“You seem to have a lot of ideas lately,” she says as her fingers link with mine on top of the ivories.
“The inspiration just seems to flow now. It’s easy to write when you’re next to me.” I pull her onto my lap and move the stray hair that’s hiding her face. She rests her forehead on mine, and I cup her chin, pulling her lips closer. I kiss her with a softness that I can sense that she needs today.
“Play for me?” Her voice is small and shy, like she’s asking for something she thinks isn’t allowed. The question takes me back. She attempts to stand, and I pull her back down onto my lap.
“I can play with you right where you are.” I begin to play the original piano version of Sunshine Rising.
The one that I couldn’t get out of my head when we first met.
The one written from the love I feel for Elizabeth.
The version of the song that only Elizabeth will ever hear.
She rests her head on my shoulder, and I feel the T-shirt below her cheek begin to dampen.
“Hey beautiful… why are you crying?” The space beneath her head goes cold as she lifts it and turns away from me, wiping the tears from her cheek with the sleeve of her jumper.
“It’s just…” her words get lodged in the sob that releases. “I never thought this moment would ever exist for us. I dreamt about it so many times and…” I stand and pull her into me.
“Hey, listen to me. I promise that there is nothing that will ever stop us from being together. You are my sunshine, baby. My world doesn’t exist without you. It can’t.” Her tears flow harder. I wipe them away as we stand together, connected in a way that doesn’t need words.
“I love you.” The words release from her lips, but before I can reply, her lips are on mine.
Fierce and tender.
Her hands find their place in my hair as mine grip her bum cheeks and lift them onto the piano.
The keys sing out with jumbled notes as her body rocks the keys.
I pull the stool towards her feet and lift her legs in one quick motion.
Her gasp makes my muscles tense with uncontrollable wanting as my fingers trace the lace of her knickers.
“You make me crazy, Sunshine.” I open her legs and she doesn’t resist. She writhes around, begging me for more. I tug the lace to the side and slowly slide my fingers in. She moans and throws her head back. “You’re so wet for me.”
A sound comes from her lips which I’m sure was her agreeing. She grinds back and forth on my fingers. I can feel her getting closer to the edge, so pull my fingers out and am met with a furious look. I grin and gently chuckle.
“Theo…” I laugh at the frustration on her face. Oh, how her mood changes so quickly, I think to myself. From crying to crying out in a second. God, I love this woman.
I undo my zip, and Elizabeth bites her lip in that way that drives me wild; the smile that comes with it tells me she knows too.
I tear away her knickers and drive my erection into her.
Her arms come around my neck, clinging to me as I move inside of her, her breath on my neck making my hairs stand on end.
We build together, and I feel her crumble beneath me.
We fold into each other as we cum, the piano keys still playing underneath the shifting of her weight mixed with her moans of pleasure.
We hold onto each other as we both come down from our orgasms, our breathing heavy and my heart racing.
“Now I’m ready for breakfast,” she teases.
I lift her from the piano and lead her to the orangery.
The smell of coffee fills the kitchen as I pour us both a cup.
Elizabeth takes it from me and wraps her hand around the mug, the same way she used to in the coffee shop.
A moment of reflection smacks me in the chest so hard that I lose my breath.
She is glowing. The love I feel for her is like no other. I will do anything to protect her. For the rest of my life, I will apologise for the stress I have put her under this past year. I should have been supporting her.
“I don’t want you to leave,” she whispers. I hear the tremor back in her voice and something sharp twists under my ribs because I agree with her. I don’t want to leave either. The thought of getting on that helicopter this afternoon terrifies me.
“I’ll be gone for just a couple of days, and you know I can be back here within an hour if you need me.” She nods her head and takes a bite of the toast I made her.
The sun shines through the glass ceiling as the clouds become absent.
“Let’s forget about that and go for a walk.
What d’you say?” We put our coats and wellies on and take Bear for a walk around the acreage.
When we return, we spend the rest of the morning wrapped in each other on the sofa, Elizabeth reading and I quietly prepare for the meeting I have tomorrow in London to set a plan for my next album.
I text James and Fiona, asking them to come visit Elizabeth today and tomorrow.
This trip to London seems to have made her feel more vulnerable than the others ever have.
James visits every week. He drives up to see us when he isn’t saving lives at the hospital.
I am painfully aware that I owe James much more than I could ever give him.
I hear the chopper coming into land out the back, so I prepare my case and call Elizabeth to come and say goodbye.
She doesn’t respond, so I look around the house for her.
I find her napping in the bedroom. I sit on the side of the bed and stroke her cheek as I watch the soft rise and fall of her chest.
“Sunshine, I’m leaving.” Her eyes open and the sadness is already there, staring me in the face, begging me not to go.
“Don’t forget, I’m only an hour away at most. You need me here?
Just call, ok?” I kiss her on the forehead as she nods.
My legs feel heavy as I force myself to stand.
Every instinct in me wants to stay, to crawl into the bed and hold her next to me.
But the sound of the chopper drags me away, and for the first time in a long time, leaving her feels wrong.