“This is me. And I love that you love me.” Cait leaned in, taking Harper’s bottom lip between her teeth. “Thank you for noticing me. For giving me a chance. Just…for everything.”
“I don’t ever want to be anywhere else, okay?”
“I don’t want you to be anywhere else.”
Harper caressed Cait’s cheek. “I’m so ready for this with you.”
“I’ve been waiting for you my whole life.”
Epilogue
“Right, I’m leaving,” Cait grabbed her holdall, turning back and throwing a wave over her shoulder. Jude was finalising the new breakfast menu in the office, the sun beaming through the window. “Are you sure you don’t need me to do anything before I go?”
“Just go before I change my mind and take back the offer of a week away from here.”
“I’ll only be down the road if you need me anyway.”
“Exactly. So, let your baby go, and have some fun.”
Her baby. Cait’s Rest.
It had been exactly that over the years, the love she’d put into this place did make it feel like her child, but lately, she couldn’t wait to get away for the evening. She couldn’t recall the last time she slept in her own bed or ate alone, but that was exactly what she’d hoped for going into this with Harper. She wanted someone who didn’t want to see her leave in the morning. She wanted someone who was excited to see her walking through the door at night. What she wanted, she had. And then some.
“You’ll look after it, won’t you?”
“Do I look stupid enough to let this place go down the pan? And have to face you because of it?”
“Don’t ask questions that you won’t like the answer to.” Cait gave Jude a knowing look, smirking as his eyes widened. “Relax, brother. I’m joking.”
“Sometimes I wonder. That girlfriend of yours has led you astray.”
Cait smiled, her heart fluttering at the mere thought of Harper. “I’m headed off, okay?”
“Have a lovely week off, Cait. Say hi to Harper for me, won’t you?”
“I will. Call me if you need me.”
Without another word, Cait was trudging down the stairs with her holdall, almost skipping out of the door. Harper was waiting, so she should really move herself.
Cait glanced back at the B&B momentarily, exhaling a slow breath as all tension fell from her shoulders. She wouldn’t think about the place this week; she had much more pressing stuff on her mind.
Harper. Harper was the only thing on her mind.
As Cait approached the house, the sound of heavy music thumped through the doors and windows. She caught a glimpse of Harper in the kitchen, but Cait preferred to be inside. She took the key Harper had given her over a month ago and slid it into the lock. The familiar sound of Meatloaf’s I’d do anything for love (but I won’t do that) played out, and as Cait closed the door and moved into the living room, Harper appeared in the kitchen, headbanging and playing air guitar with a spatula. Cait knew she should let Harper know that she’d arrived, but she couldn’t. She had to watch on, delighted by just how happy Harper looked this afternoon. Truly, Cait was mesmerised.
Harper spun as the music slowed, and the incredible vocals of Lorraine Crosby started to fill the air. Phew, the sound of that woman would always send a shiver down Cait’s spine. Harper caught Cait’s eyes, holding out a hand and beckoning Cait closer.
Cait dropped her bag to the floor, her eyes never leaving Harper’s. As they met in the middle of the room, hand in hand, Cait offered Harper a full smile. “Missed you today.”
Harper leaned in, kissing Cait. “I’ve missed you, too.”
“And I was quite enjoying you playing air guitar.”
“You know you shouldn’t sneak in and watch people, don’t you?”
As a particular lyric played out, Cait laughed. “Maybe you should do as she says…”
“What’s that?” Harper narrowed her eyes, a sexy squint presenting itself. “Hose you down with holy water?”
“Uh-huh.”
“It’s not blessed, but the shower could do the trick.”
Cait tugged Harper’s hand, guiding her back towards the stairs. “The shower works for me.”
Within moments, Cait found herself at the top of Harper’s staircase, her skin cool as she stood in nothing but her underwear. Their clothes lay scattered up the stairs and across the landing, Harper’s chest heaving as she watched Cait with a hunger in her eyes. “You know, I could get used to this.”
“Mm. Me too,” Cait said, grabbing Harper by her bra straps, their bodies colliding. “But I’m not sure I’ll ever get used to this body. God.”
“Oh, keep talking.” Harper backed Cait up against the wall beside the bathroom door, pressing against her as her thigh slid between Cait’s legs.
“It’s your skin,” Cait whispered against Harper’s lips. “Soft. Smooth. Delicious.”
“I did tell you my skin tasted pretty good…”
Cait gripped the back of Harper’s neck, pulling her into a searing kiss. Her lips burned, her entire body tingled, and in all honesty, she wasn’t entirely sure they would make it to the shower. The plush carpet beneath her feet seemed much more appealing right now. Cait pressed her forehead to Harper’s. “I need you now, Harper. Right now.”
Harper grinned. “Take whatever you want, babe.”
Cait sunk to her knees, dragging Harper down with her. She swiftly unhooked Harper’s bra, throwing it to the floor, Cait’s own following immediately after. As she forced Harper down onto her back, straddling a strong thigh as she did, Cait dragged her nails up the inside of Harper’s thigh. “I need to touch you.” Cait dipped her head. “All over.” Sucking Harper’s nipple into her mouth, Cait smiled when Harper gasped. “Every inch of you.”
“I’m all yours…” Harper arched her back, encouraging Cait to take her to the heights of ecstasy as she clung to the back of her head. “Fuck. Always.”
“Mm. What I love to hear.” Cait gathered Harper’s wetness on her fingertips, rolling them over her clit before teasing her entrance. “God, you’re so wet.”
Cait trailed her tongue up Harper’s chest, kissing her jaw. She was truly in awe of Harper and how free she felt with her body. Nobody had ever been so adventurous or spontaneous before. But Harper…she was a revelation. “I-inside,” Harper moaned. “Please, I need you inside me.”
Cait obliged, sinking deep into Harper with two fingers. Nothing about this moment was slow. No, it was pure want. That urge to make Harper scream. Because when she did, it was music to Cait’s ears. Their bodies moulded, and Cait sank deeper, curling her fingers. “Mm. I could spend all night like this with you.”
“F-fuck.” Harper grasped at the carpet, failed, and instead held Cait against her. “Yes.”
Sensing that Harper was ready to come, Cait suddenly slipped out of her, spreading her legs and sitting low on her hips. Harper’s wetness was enough to send Cait over the edge, sex on sex almost too much to take. Harper’s hands trailed down Cait’s sides, resting on her hips as she guided Cait back and forth. “Oh, Jesus.” Cait instinctively grabbed at her own breasts, squeezing as she threw her head back. Heaven. That’s what this was. When they were like this, Cait didn’t know any other world.
“Cait,” Harper spoke breathlessly.
Harper lifted her hips, pulling Cait down and meeting one another, thrust after thrust. Cait rocked harder, every nerve ending firing up. “Baby, I-I…”
“Fuck, yes.” Harper gripped Cait’s hips harder, her trimmed fingernails causing Cait to hiss. But it only added to the incredible pleasure she felt coursing through her. “Babe, I’m so close…”
With those words, Cait’s orgasm ripped through her, the intensity overwhelming. There were moments in her life that she’d enjoyed, some she’d loved, but Harper was doing everything in her power to overwrite all Cait had ever known.
Harper shuddered, her hips rolling as her chest heaved. Instead of finding the words to descri
be just how she felt, Cait lay against Harper, turning her face into the crook of her neck. Her fingertips stroked at Harper’s skin, Cait’s pulse thrumming in her ears. “Let’s stay here forever.”
Harper held Cait close, nothing but love surging through them. “Let’s do exactly that.”
It made sense to be here, down at the lake, hand-in-hand. Harper would never forget that evening when she joined Cait, sharing a Belgian waffle and hot chocolate as they spoke about their dream relationships. Harper would admit that she’d had a soft spot for Cait from the moment she’d arrived, perhaps in her subconscious it had always been there, but she couldn’t have possibly dreamed that this would be her future, standing at the lake and watching the world go by. She’d never demanded much from life, Harper was pretty easy going in that sense, but she wanted so much with Cait. As they lay with one another every morning, Harper couldn’t imagine being anywhere else. Cait…made sense.
She looked down over the railing at the rocky shoreline, colourful gravel visible through the clear water. It was a busy day on the lake today, the height of summer bringing in flocks of crowds. Every accent from all over the country could be heard, and Harper loved it. She loved the diversity that The Lakes lured in. The beauty of it meant that it was the ideal place if you wanted to get away. Cait was brave taking a week off from the B&B considering they were fully booked for the next three months, but Tom had taken a more hands on approach, becoming Jude’s wingman when Cait wanted a day off.
Everything around them just worked. Harper knew Cait had repeatedly kicked herself for refusing to live her life over the last several years, but it had all been worth it. They both knew that. Regrets were a waste of time; Cait couldn’t change them.
The roar of a boat motor caught Harper’s attention, a smile settling on her mouth as another lake cruise docked in front of them. She hadn’t quite built up the courage to try another boat yet, but today was the day. It had to be. Harper had promised herself she would try while she had Cait to herself for an entire week, so here they were, about to pay for and enjoy a lake cruise.
Cait’s hand settled on Harper’s lower back. “Everything okay with you?”
“Mm. You wore me out back at mine this morning.”
“I’m sorry. I couldn’t keep my hands off you.”
Harper turned her head, capturing Cait’s lips slowly. “Don’t ever be sorry. You’re amazing.”
“So, did you want to maybe find a place to stop and have something to eat?” Cait asked, her eyes bright and inviting. “I’m not sure what plans we have.”
“Actually, I was hoping you’d join me on a lake cruise and then we’ll head back to mine and get ready for this evening.”
“Y-you want to go on a lake cruise?”
Harper wrapped her arms around Cait’s waist. “Will you promise to hold my hand?”
“I’ll always be here holding your hand.”
“Then I’d really like to spend part of our day date shitting my pants while I spend some time with you.”
“Harper…”
“No.” Harper silenced Cait with a kiss. God, she could spend forever kissing this woman. “I want to do this, okay?”
“Okay.”
“And then this evening, I’m taking you to that Mediterranean I was supposed to take you to many months ago.”
Cait grinned, a look of true appreciation on her face. “Yeah?”
“Mmhmm. Anything for my one and only.” Harper squeezed Cait one final time before reluctantly letting her go. If she could just hold onto this body until the end of eternity, life would be incredible.
“I love you.”
Harper brushed a curl from Cait’s face, her skin as soft as it ever was. “I love you, too.”
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About the Author
Oh, hi! It's nice to see you!
I'm Melissa Tereze, author of The Arrangement, and other bestsellers. Born, raised, and living in Liverpool, UK, I spend my time writing angsty romance about complex, real-life, women who love women. My heart lies within the age-gap trope, but you'll also find a wide range of different characters and stories to sink your teeth into.
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You can contact me through my social media or my website. I’m mostly active on Twitter.
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Also by Melissa Tereze
Another Love Series
The Arrangement (Book One)
The Call (Book Two)
The Ashforth Series
Playing For Her Heart (Book One)
Other Novels
In Her Arms
Before You Go
Forever Yours
The Heat of Summer
Forget Me Not
More Than A Feeling
Where We Belong: Love Returns
Naked
Titles under L.M Croft (Erotica)
Pieces of Me
Breaking Routine Page 24