Fly with Me

by Angela Verdenius

  It took him a long time to come back, a hell of a long time. When he finally roused it was to find himself on his knees with her, clutching her close, his face buried in the sweet curve of her shoulder and neck as he gasped and panted, her heady scent filling him with every deep, shuddering inhalation.

  Her arms were around him, fingers stroking through his hair soothingly, cradling him, those soft breasts pressed to his chest as she supported him.

  Hell, it was lucky he didn’t crush her, but obviously some part of his lust-scrambled brains kept him on his knees, kept him upright even though she was bearing part of his weight.

  Slowly, shakily, he pulled his face from her soft, silky skin, lifting back enough that he could look her in the eyes.

  “Jesus,” was all he could manage.

  Those apple cheeks blushed, her eyes half shy, half laughing. “Okay?”

  “You mean me, or you?”

  “Maybe a bit of both.”

  “I’m freakin’ fantastic.” He sucked in a deep breath. “You’re freakin’ amazing.”

  Smiling, she smoothed a thick hank of his hair back off his forehead. “You’re welcome.”

  He could have stayed like that forever if it weren’t for the chill he became aware of around his ankles. Plus he had that familiar desire to cuddle. Bed was the ideal place.

  Pushing to his feet, he drew her up with him, leaning past her to yank the covers down. “In, sweetheart. You’re cold.”

  She didn’t need to be told twice, slipping in quickly and shifting over enough to give him room to get in beside her. Before he could lie back she slipped behind him, one hand urging him down so that he reclined back against her, the inside of her thighs cradling him securely on each side.

  He should have protested, he was too heavy, but damn, when his head leaned back against her shoulder, that soft, warm body cushioned him so sweetly, her fingers slipping through his hair to gently knead his scalp, he could feel his eyes almost roll back in their sockets.

  He did manage to mumble, “My weight will tip you backwards.”

  “No, you won’t.” She kissed his cheek. “I’ve got the pillows and bed head behind me.”

  “Okay.” It was all he could muster, his mind slipping away as she continued to knead his scalp.

  The soft pressure, the soothing caresses, the comfortable silence, the sexual release of tension, all combined to have him drifting on a sea of satiated contentment. His mind was pleasantly blank, his troubles vanished, his emotions at peace.

  He actually dozed, for how long he didn’t know, but when he finally came to Elissa was lightly but firmly soothing circles on his temples.

  “Oh boy.” His sigh was pure bliss. “I could lie here forever.”

  “Arthur will be even more put out than he is now.” Amusement filled Elissa’s voice.

  Tipping his head back, Simon looked up at her. She was looking towards the end of the bed with a smile. Following her gaze, he saw Arthur sitting up on the end of the bed, front paws firmly together, an annoyed look on his face, his one eye narrowed as he contemplated Simon.

  “Oops.” Simon studied him. “He hasn’t had dinner.”

  “Maybe you should feed him?” Soft, rounded arms slid around the front of his shoulders as Elissa leaned over him, her cheek brushing his as she watched the tattered old tom.

  The last thing Simon wanted to do was get up from this warm embrace. It was so cosy, so intimate, so damned right. He leaned his cheek against hers. “You think?”

  “I do.”

  “I’m so comfortable.”

  “Then you stay here and I’ll feed him.”

  Simon stuck his hand out from under the warm Doona and winced. “Chilly.” With a sigh, he looked at Arthur. “Really?”

  Arthur’s whiskers twitched, his tattered ears flicked forward, his one eye remained fastened on Simon.

  “You snuggle down.” Elissa started to slide back from him. “I’ll feed him.”

  “No.” Pulling himself upright, Simon slid from the bed, turning to bend down and catch her chin, pressing a kiss to her mouth. “I’ll make this quick.”

  Damn, but running around bare-arsed was chilly business. He hurried into the kitchen, grabbed a tin of some fancy-arsed cat food out of the pantry, ripped the lid off and plopped some kind of fish in sauce into Arthur’s bowl. Didn’t smell half bad, either.

  Arthur looked with disdain from the bowl to Simon and back again.

  “Sorry, was that a bit too cavalier for you?” Grinning, Simon ran his hand down Arthur’s back, grinning even wider when Arthur arched his back in pleasure before apparently remembering himself and giving Simon a haughty look before lowering his standards enough to eat the slop that was in his bowl.

  Tin in bin, hands washed and Simon was diving back into bed within minutes.

  Reclining against the pillows with the Doona tucked under her arms, Elissa watched him.

  Leaning back against the pillows close beside her, her shoulder against his upper arm, Simon looked down at her. Yep, her cheeks were pink, her eyes a little shy as they met his, but she didn’t make excuses, didn’t try to initiate conversation, just waited.

  God, she was special.

  So warm and content he could have melted, Simon slid an arm around her shoulders, drawing her around and against him so that she was half on top of him, her head tucked under his chin, those generous globes nestled against his chest - oh shit yes, he could feel those hard little nipples needling his skin so deliciously.

  With a sigh of satisfaction she slid her arm over his chest, her palm sliding up along his shoulder to rest against his neck, fingers toying with his hair.

  Idly, he circled his fingers in the small of her back, tiny circles on silky skin. He was rewarded by her stretching deliciously before she settled back again, resuming her toying with his hair.

  Relaxed, he said quietly, “Thank you for being here.”

  “It’s okay.” She hesitated. “I wasn’t sure at first that I was doing the right thing.”

  “Oh, you did.” He spread his hand out over the small of her back, fingertips grazing the lush rise of her bottom. “I’m used to coming home to an empty house, so finding you waiting was a surprise. But a welcome surprise.”

  “I’m glad.”

  Feeling her sink into him, he realised that she’d been uncertain still and sought to reassure her. “You’re always welcome here, no matter my mood.”

  “That’s sweet of you. Is it because of the blow job?”

  The reply was so unexpected that he gaped down at the shiny fair hair below his chin. “What?”

  He might not be able to see her face, but he could feel her cheek shift with a smile, hear the laughter in her voice. “Is it because of the blow job?”

  “Oh geez. Oh sweetheart, you can blow me anywhere, anytime.”

  Her laugh was low, a warm puff of air on his skin.

  Grinning, he smacked her lightly.

  “Hey!” But she didn’t shift.

  Spreading his hand out over the generous globe of her bottom, he rubbed soothingly. “Better?”

  “Mmm.”

  He trailed his fingers back up to play in the small of her back, knowing he’d never tire of all that warm, satiny skin.

  Comfortable silence filled the room, broken only by Arthur jumping onto the bed minutes later with fish breath which he breathed over Simon before plonking himself on the other side of the bed with his back turned firmly towards them both.

  “Really?” Simon grumbled. “You had to give me fish breath first?”

  “Better than a claw,” Elissa murmured.

  Hearing the sleepiness in her voice, Simon looked down at her, trailing his hand up her back to twine a long lock of silky hair around his finger. “Lis?”

  “Mmm?”

  “Thank you. I mean it.”

  “You give so much of yourself to everyone else, Simon, it’s about time someone gave back to you.”

  “I’m used to doing this on
my own.”

  That had her tilting her head back so she could look soberly into his eyes. “You don’t have to do it on your own, Simon. I’m here for you anywhere, anytime.”

  They looked at each other for several seconds before he said quietly, “A kid died today.”

  “I heard.” Compassion filled her eyes.

  “It was hard.”

  She didn’t try to give words of comfort, didn’t ask questions, just waited.

  “Your being here made it easier.”

  She gave a little nod.

  “I don’t talk much about these things.”

  “Okay.”

  “I know what happened. I’m not the kind of man who can just talk about it.”

  She nodded again.

  “I’m okay.”

  “I don’t doubt it.”

  “It’s probably all I’ll ever say about it.”

  “Okay.”

  She didn’t press further, just looked at him with calm acceptance.

  Truthfully, he wasn’t the kind of man to talk about it, he’d think about the kid, the circumstances, go for a ride on the motorbike tomorrow, blow out some mental cobwebs, come back all good. It was his way. He was just so damned grateful that she wasn’t offended. “But never doubt I need you. I needed you tonight. I’ll need you again when something like this happens, when something goes bad. I just might not verbalise it all the time.”

  “Simon.”

  “Yeah?”

  “I’m here anyhow you need me. If that’s silent support, I’m here. If you want to talk, I’m here. If you want to forget everything for awhile, I’ll make it happen.” Stretching upward, she brushed his lips with hers, looked deeply into his eyes. “Anyhow, anytime, anywhere.” Then she simply lay back down, snuggled her head beneath his chin, wrapped her arm around him and settled down.

  So damned happy he could have purred as loudly as Arthur on the other side of the bed, Simon closed his eyes, held onto his angel and went to sleep.

  During the night he woke with her wrapped in his arms, their legs entangled. Her scent filled him, her warmth penetrated deep, and his ever-present desire for her surged. He woke her with soft kisses, tender words, rolled her onto her back in the big bed, slid between her welcoming thighs as she linked her arms around his neck, her lush lips opening for him, the moistness within as sweet as the cream that coated her entrance for him, allowing him to slide into her as easily as he took her mouth.

  He made love to her slowly, tenderly, telling her without words how much she meant to him, how much he worshipped her body, riding her with a persistent, deep pumping that pushed them both up the slope, thrusting them over a pinnacle that while just as erotic, was so sweet, so heartfelt that they knew each other, were aware of each other, clinging to each other as the world shattered around them in a soft cascade.

  ~*~

  Everyone agreed that the bride was beautiful, the groom was handsome, the best man was on his best behaviour, and the matron of honour was gorgeous.

  Simon privately thought the matron of honour was stunning. He couldn’t wait to get her out of that lilac dress that hugged all those mouth-watering curves. So sue him, he was a man after all. A man in lust.

  In love actually, but he wasn’t going to freak Elissa out by telling her that too soon.

  Watching her being swung around the floor by a laughing Scott who, it had to be admitted, did dance well, Simon drained the last of the champagne from the glass and deposited it on a nearby table. Yep, he loved Elissa Baylon. Only known her a couple of weeks but he was so deep in love it was a wonder he wasn’t shouting it from the rooftops. But no, she was finding her feet, enjoying freedom, loving life, so he’d bide his time.

  Didn’t matter. She belonged to him. She was going to be his wife one day. Every man in town knew it.

  Every man except the huge behemoth dancing with Ash, holding her with care in his massive arms. The man was a mountain. Simon looked at him. Holy shit, he thought he, Ryder, Scott and Kirk were big, but Elissa’s brother was built like a brick shithouse.

  “Jesus,” Ryder said from beside him. “Elissa’s brother looks like an experiment gone wrong.”

  Simon grinned.

  Kirk drew up on Simon’s other side. “He is big.”

  “Big?” Ryder snorted. “He looks like a giant ape on steroids.”

  “I dare you to tell him to cut that ponytail off.”

  “I’m not that insane. I’ll wait until he’s pulled Simon’s arsehole over his head before I try that, let him work out some rage issues first.”

  “Huh?” Simon looked at him.

  Ryder jerked his thumb in Moz’s direction. “Once he finds out you’re shagging his sister, he’s going to pull your arms and legs off like you were a fly and beat the shit out of you with them.”

  Kirk took a sip of apple juice.

  “I’ve met him, said hello. He seems okay. He said he wanted to chat to me later.” Simon shrugged. “No worries.”

  “If he reams you a new one it’ll be massive. Look at those hands, we’ll be able to park a truck up your arse and still have room for the ambulance.”

  “Stop trying to comfort me.”

  “Hey, man, I’m just sayin’.”

  “Lucky he arrived with only an hour to spare before the wedding or you might not have made it alive,” Kirk drawled.

  Simon raised his eyebrows. “You too?”

  “What can I say? Steroids do weird things to people.” Kirk nodded in Moz’s direction. “Experiments gone wrong are also unpredictable.”

  “He knows Lis and I are seeing each other.”

  “He’s at a wedding,” Ryder pointed out. “He’s not going to kill you here.”

  The music died away and Simon’s attention was diverted by Scott walking Elissa over to him, doing a fancy twirl with her that deposited her right into Simon’s arms.

  Scott was a bloody good bloke.

  “Mmm.” Simon kissed her laughing mouth. “Sweet.”

  “Come on.” Bright-eyed, she clung to his shoulders. “Dance with me.”

  “Sweetheart, I’ll do anything to you.” He grinned at her blush. “I mean with you.”

  A huge figure loomed up behind her and the blokes all looked up at Moz, who was watching Simon with a bland expression.

  Jesus, he had to stand nearly seven foot tall. Shoulders on him like an over-beefed bodybuilder. What the hell?

  “Nice knowing you, Simon” Ryder said.

  Bastard.

  Kirk studied Moz.

  Moz nodded at them all. “Hey.”

  That gravely voice just came from deep down. Probably the depths of hell.

  Simon couldn’t help but notice the admiring looks Moz was getting from the women. He guessed the bloke was all right in the looks department. Hair in a ponytail was a bit much, but then it was teamed with arms and a chest that threatened to burst clean out of the pristine white shirt. One flex of those muscles and he’d rip a seam. Probably make the women swoon.

  Some of the men would just shit themselves.

  Grinning at the thought, he nodded at Moz. “Enjoying yourself?”

  Moz’s gaze was steady. “Yep.”

  “He’s a great dancer.” Elissa had one arm hugging Simon’s, the other hugging her brother’s.

  “Really?” Ryder’s voice was sceptical.

  Moz just looked at him.

  His dumb arse friend was going to get himself killed.

  Kirk just smiled a little, took another mouthful of juice.

  Ernie walked up to Elissa, eyed Moz curiously before asking her, “Ready?”

  She smiled. “Yep.” Turning to Simon, she hugged him, gave him a quick kiss and hurried off behind Ernie.

  Watching the sway of those delicious hips beneath the pretty dress, Simon grinned. Scott had no idea what his new wife had planned. Ash was a romantic. And Simon couldn’t wait to see their faces. Everyone’s face, actually, because he was the only one who knew what was coming.

&
nbsp; His gaze switched to find Moz looking right at him.

  “You, me, later,” Moz growled, and walked off.

  “We can put that on your headstone,” Ryder offered.

  “He’s not going to kill me.” Simon took a seat at the table, his friends following his example.

  “Yet. Wait until he finds out you’re boffing his sister.”

  Simon rolled his eyes.

  “I suggest you put your glasses on,” Ryder said.

  “So he can see the fist coming?” Kirk drawled.

  “No. Isn’t there something about not hitting someone wearing glasses?”

  “I’m not sure. Anyway, Simon, give it a try. We can test Ryder’s theory.”

  Incredulously, Simon eyed Kirk. “How much have you had to drink tonight?”

  “This is my fourth juice.”

  “Maybe you better switch to orange juice.”

  Ryder nudged Simon. “Hey, what’s going on there with your girlfriend and Ernie?”

  Across the room Elissa was up on the small stage with Ernie and a couple of his friends from the town band. They usually got together to play for fun, a couple of times at the pub, a few times at weddings and parties. Tonight was special.

  Ernie picked up the guitar and the microphone, while Justin took a seat behind the drums, Kelly picked up her violin and Cheryl sat at the piano.

  “Attention, everyone,” Ernie called.

  His voice cut through the chatter and everyone turned to look at him, curiosity and surprise on their faces. Ash was smiling widely, her eyes dancing as she glanced up at Scott who was looking at Ernie with as much curiosity as the wedding guests.

  “I’m not one for speeches,” Ernie said. “But Scott and Ash, congratulations on your marriage. I know it’s going to be long and happy.”

  Everyone cheered and raised their glasses.

  As soon as they’d lowered them, Ernie said simply, “Now the maid of honour has something to say.” Ernie winked at Elissa as he handed her the microphone. “All yours.”

  Taking it from him, she said softly, “Thanks.”

  God, she looked so beautiful. Hands in his pockets, Simon waited, drinking in the vision of her, unable to help but wonder what colour bra and panties she wore under that demure dress. He knew for sure she favoured lacy underwear.