by L. S. Pullen
“Is this okay?” he asks tentatively.
I answer with a nod.
I feel him draw out before he pushes back into me.
“Fuck,” I say, the feeling so new to me.
His hands are holding my hips, his pace picking up, in sync with our breathing. He pulls almost all the way out but then slams into me again. I feel a sting from a slap across my butt cheek. It takes me by surprise, sending a spasm right through to my core.
I come so hard I feel tears escape as he loses all inhibitions, slapping into me hard and fast. My orgasm keeps going. His release follows. My elbows give out, and I sink my cheek against the mattress
“That was something else,” I say.
“You can say that again. We should go clean up?”
I’m spent; don’t think I could muster the strength. Instead, I manage to pull myself up enough so I’m resting on his chest. “Yeah, just need a minute,” I mumble. My eyes grow heavy, and I drift off.
I wake to fingers as they tickle a trail along my arm. I smile and open my eyes.
“You crashed out,” he says, pouting his lips.
I kiss his nose. “Sorry, how long was I out for?”
“Long enough to miss our reservation, but no apology necessary. I love to watch you sleep, so peaceful and content.”
I get lost in his eyes and smile.
If there was such a thing as a person being created for another, I have no doubt in my mind he would have been created for me. I snuggle into him.
“Can we take a rain check on our dinner date?” I ask.
He tickles my side. “I think that’s a given, are you hungry?”
“Only for you,” I say with a giggle.
“I love you, Flick,” he says, placing my palm over his chest. “You feel that right there?”
I nod.
“It beats only for you.”
I lean in and kiss him. Taking his hand in mine, I pull his palm to my chest. “And mine belongs to you.”
If I could save one memory and frame it, this would be the one.
Epilogue
Eleven Months Later
I don’t think I’ve ever felt this nervous and as sick to my stomach as I do right now. It’s like travel sickness, but without the traveling. Charlie has been riding my arse all morning and hasn’t eased off, not once.
“Stop it… This is no laughing matter.” I cut my eyes in his direction.
“Oh, come on, mate, it is kind of funny.”
“Yeah, well, when the roles are reversed, we’ll see who’s laughing then.”
His smile drops. “Why would you say something like that?”
I shake my head. He has feelings for Sophie, and why the hell he’s ignorant to the fact is beyond me.
“Good luck, man.” He pulls me into a hug. “You have nothing to be nervous about. You got the letter?”
“Yep, it’s already in the tree house. Thanks again for helping me out.”
He salutes me. “I’ve always got your back, you know that.”
I nod as he makes his way over to his car.
I swear my palms have never felt so sweaty. I wipe them down my thighs, checking my watch every couple of minutes.
It feels like an eternity before Sophie finally pulls up on the drive with my beautiful girlfriend in tow.
I open her door, and she smiles as she gives me the once-over, and a chaste kiss on the lips. She looks stunning—wearing a little summer dress, her wedges bringing her a little closer to my height.
“I just need to grab my bag.” She walks round to the boot.
I peer through the open passenger window. “All good?” I ask Sophie.
She nods with a huge smile on her face.
“Yep, and good luck,” she says.
I roll my eyes. “Why the fuck does everyone keep saying good luck?”
She laughs. “Maybe because you need it, if she’s stupid en—flamingos.”
Flick returns to my side. “What was that, Soph?”
She gives a half shrug. “I was telling Nate about the flamingo tattoo I want.”
Hand on her hip, the corner of her mouth turns up. “I didn’t know you like flamingos.”
“Yeah, love them. Why be a seagull when you can be a flamingo, right?”
Flick chuckles. “I don’t think that’s the phrase, but whatever floats your boat.”
“Ciao,” she says, wiggling her fingers.
“Text me when you’re home. And thanks again, I had a lovely time.”
She blows her a kiss. “Always a pleasure, never a chore,” she calls and pulls away.
Her hand in mine, I grab her bag and take it to the kitchen.
“Do you fancy taking a walk with me?” I ask, trying to keep my nervous energy at bay.
“Oh, Nate, you old romantic, you. Let me just pop to the toilet real quick.”
I nod as she makes her way out of the kitchen, and pull out my phone.
I bounce on my toes. “Fuck, man, I can’t do it… I think I might actually have a heart attack.”
Charlie’s rumble of laughter echoes down the line. “Shut up, already. You’ve got this. Pull yourself together and go.”
“I’m going to as soon as she’s ready, dick wad.” I sit down and then stand.
“I’ll speak to you later,” he says, and I can hear the smile in his voice.
I let out a snort. “I fucking hope not. If I do this right, I’ll be too busy.”
I hear Charlie guffaw to himself as I end the call.
Flick walks toward me. She looks more radiant than ever, the spa getaway with Sophie most definitely agreed with her. Maybe I should have gone with them. Or at least had a shot or two to calm my nerves.
“Come on,” I say, taking her hand in mine. “I want to show you something.”
I pull her along. The weather has been perfect for what I’ve been working on all day.
I feel her gasp on my neck when we get closer. Her eyes float over the tree house, she looks at me, and then back again.
It’s covered in fairy lights.
I have to admit, it looks magical. Ever since we were children, she has always had this thing for fairy lights. For a long time, she believed fairies lived in them. I never had the heart to tell her otherwise.
“Nate, did you do all of this?”
I pull her into my arms, sliding my hands over her arse and squeezing. “Yep, and if you think untangling Christmas lights is difficult, you don’t even want to know how hard it was with this many.”
Her soft, warm lips caress my cheek before she lets out an excited squeal and claps her hands. “It’s beautiful! Are they inside too?”
“Yes, come on, up you go.” I release her and extend my arm.
I don’t need to tell her twice as she grabs hold of the ladder and climbs.
Taking in a deep breath, I follow.
She scans all around her, spinning in a slow circle. Her eyes reflect the glistening of the lights. I lead her to the balcony where I have a blanket laid out, a few nibbles, and a bottle of champagne waiting in an ice bucket.
She smiles from ear to ear, her cheekbones prominent like rosy apples. “Oh, Nate, this is lovely.”
I take her hand as she sits, rubbing my thumb over her wrist. I let go to reach for the bottle and get to work popping the cork.
Clearing my throat, I slide my hand on the neck of the bottle. I twist the metal, and after an excruciating battle of wills, I pop the cork and pour.
I pass her a glass and clink it with mine. “To new beginnings.”
“New beginnings,” she repeats and takes a satisfied sip.
I lower my face toward hers and plant a tender kiss on those luscious lips.
She lets out a contented hum. “Nate, you didn’t have to do this.”
“Yes, I did. I wanted you to know how much I appreciate you and love you.”
She gives me one of her shy smiles—the ones reserved only for me. “I love you too.”
I lean behind me, and
with a trembling hand, grab the envelope. I turn it over in my hands, my nerves beginning to skyrocket, my chest thumping under my shirt.
I cough. “I’ve wanted to share this with you, but there just was never a good time…not until now. It’s the letter from my Gramps.” I hold it out to her.
“Nate, you don’t have to. It was private from him to you.”
I smile. “It was written to me, yes, but there’s something about you in here, too. I want you to read it, please…”
She places her glass down, and takes the envelope from me, slipping the letter free.
I watch her face while she reads, a mixture of emotions playing out across her face: raised eyebrows, her eyes going slightly wide, and then glossy. She covers her mouth with her hand as a few tears fall. She doesn’t even attempt to wipe them away.
“Nate, that was beautiful. Thank you for sharing it with me.”
I nod. “I wanted you there with me when I first read it. You are a part of me, Flick, and I cannot imagine my life without you in it.”
She inhales as the sweat drips down the back of my neck. I consider the possibility of me actually having a heart attack.
“Look inside,” I say, nodding towards the envelope in her hand.
She stretches it open with her thumb and forefinger and peeks inside. Her eyes spring back to mine before peering inside again.
“Wow, is that…”
I take it from her and tip the contents onto the palm of my hand. Then I look back to her beautiful face.
I watch as she stares at the ring—the diamonds sparkling, casting a fairy-like dust of rainbow dews across her silhouette.
I move, so I am facing her completely, and take her hand in mine.
“Felicity, will you be my life partner? Today and every day thereafter? Will you say yes to the most important question I’ll ever ask? Will you marry me?”
It’s always been her. Even when there were other girls, she was the one rooted in my heart. She’s the Sharpie that’s tattooed her ink into my soul. She’s my kryptonite. If I only had one more day, one more hour, one more minute. I’d want to spend it with her.
I reach for her hand. “Flick, I have loved you since the day you said you wanted to marry me for real, right here, in our tree house. And if I’ve learnt anything this past year, it’s that life is too short to hold back. It should be embraced with abandonment.”
Her lips part before she bites on her lower lip. Her pulse quickens in her throat, and I see the rise and fall of her chest. All I want to do at this moment is kiss her.
“I know I’m far from perfect, but being with you makes me feel like the best possible version of myself, and I want to be that person and grow old with you.” I hold her wedding finger, the ring poised. “I want to see you pregnant. I want to raise our babies here.”
She blinks, her eyes wet.
I swallow—it feels like an absolution, waiting for her to answer.
She smiles so big I think my heart will split. “What, for real?” She tilts her head. Her words warm the very depths of my soul.
“Yes, for real, I want to marry you right here under our tree. I want to see you dressed in a white wedding dress when we say our vows, and I want chocolate cake, not that yucky fruitcake.”
Her dimple is prominent as she nods her head excessively. “Yes, Nate, of course, I’ll marry you. I want all of that and so much more.”
I let out a contented sigh, slide the ring onto her finger, and pull her into my lap.
“Thank fuck for that,” I say, and kiss her.
Breathless, she pulls back and holds her hand out. “Wow, Nate, it really is beautiful.”
“It was always meant for you.”
She grabs my face in her hands. “Sometimes I don’t think you realise just how perfect you are for me.” Leaning in, she kisses me long and hard.
I used to watch my Gramps with my Nan, and I remember thinking how I wanted that someday—to be just like them. They were never afraid to kiss or dance in public, even if there was no music. He lived to make her smile. He could make her eyes sparkle even when she was pissed off with him. He told me once never to go to bed on an argument, said he would pull her close and tell her he loved her. She’d say, “well as much as I don’t particularly like you right now, I love you too.”
I smile. He said a lifelong partnership meant never giving up, that things worth having never come easy and those are the things worth fighting for. He was right. This girl sitting in my lap is way more than I deserve, and I’ll spend the rest of my life proving to her that I’m worthy of her love.
I’ve never seen her face glow as radiantly as it is in this moment.
“I have one more request,” I say, moving the hair from her shoulder and blowing on her neck. “Make love to me.”
She looks up. Her eyes are filled with wonder. “I thought you’d never ask.”
She reaches up and kisses me.
And we get lost in oblivion.
The End
Do you want to read about Charlie and Sophie in the next book in the Hearts standalone series, Dysfunctional Hearts
Letter to reader
Dear Reader,
Thank you, for reading my debut novel Where the Heart Is.
If you enjoyed this book, or you know someone who would, please recommend and consider leaving a short review.
It’s been such a long road. I never thought I would actually make it. After almost six years writing on and off, it has only been the past two years that things came together. And why? I met my tribe. The fact you are reading this means I did it, I made my dreams into a reality. Don’t ever let someone tell you it can’t be done. If you want it, you can and will do it.
This story really did take on a life of its own. The characters were extras in my first WIP, and then they spoke to me. They had their own story to tell. Honestly, if it wasn’t for the other two books in the pipeline, this might have turned out completely different. But I believe in the end, this was how their story was meant to be.
I hope my characters resonated with you as much as they did with me. And you are left feeling a little lighter and a lot more hopeful.
Thank you again for taking the time to read this, it truly means the world to me.
Acknowledgments
Mum, I am fortunate and blessed to first call you my mum, but forever my friend. Your strength and determination, but mostly your unconditional love, is what I admire most about you. You are my sunshine. Thank you for being the best housemate anyone could ever ask for. You’re all right, you are!
Dad, thank you for being you, and for loving me. Hannah, thank you for blessing us with my little brother and sister, and for all the ink. You get me!
To my siblings I couldn’t have asked for a better brother and sister to grow up with, only you understand our kind of crazy.
Carlie, I’m blessed to have a skin ‘n’ blister as amazing as you. Love you little boo. I’m proud to be an Aunty Lou Lou to your children.
To my pimp, Victoria, I love you bunny. Thank you for always being there for me. Here’s to many more years of friendship and shenanigans.
Sam, I’ve known you since before I can remember. From Boyzone to Motherhood, you are passionate in everything you do. Thank you for introducing me to Mel. Books really do bring people together. Mel, write all the words. You can do anything you put your mind to.
Laura and Andy, thank you for showing me what true love looks like. Laura, I’ve had some of my most spectacular adventures with you by my side. From New York to Katy Perry’s Firework (AD), McFlurry’s and B52’s… oh, and then there was the one time we all jumped out of a perfectly good aeroplane. Thank you for always making me laugh to the point of hurting. You are doing a wonderful job with the Evie and Zach. Sam and Libby couldn’t be better siblings to the twins. I can’t wait for our next adventure!!
To my fam-a-lam, Jon, Tam, Dave, Grace, Alex and Niki, amongst others I don’t see you half as much as I should but when I do it�
��s like nothing has changed. You are my people.
To the A-Team, Alison, Andrea and Donna I couldn’t be more fortunate to work with a wonderful team of strong, beautiful women. Colleagues I’m now pleased to call friends, you know who you are. Beverlina, you really are a top banana and Michelle love and miss you chick.
My flamingos, Cassie, you are my Yoda, the word whisperer. You’ve taught me so much, and my words will never be enough to say thank you. Dusti, thank you for always encouraging me, your heart knows no bounds, and your sweet words are forever embedded in my soul. Crystal, you always put a smile on my face and a joy to have in my life. Thank you for being one of my proof readers. Julie, thank you for being so perfectly you. For beta-reading WTHI and giving me the confidence boost when I needed it the most. Steph, I love how you would cross an ocean to fight for me, and the ones you love. One day, girl, we will have afternoon tea together.
Sometimes we meet people and just click, comfortable in our own skin. Like we’ve known each other a lifetime, we don’t have to pretend to be anyone or anything but ourselves. You are my soul sisters, my red threads. The world is complete with you in it. I love you all #TiCs #flamingos
To Kirsten Moore (the Beta Bitch)—you are the bomb, and the book world needs you. Thank you for all your wonderful critique and advice. It was invaluable, even when I know what you read was long, every comment made me smile.
Traci Finlay, girl you know how to blog it like it’s hot, and I hope like hell some of it clicked in my writing, please keep it coming!
To the PLN’s and the PLN Authors, I wish I could name you all, but I am sure you’re all getting bored by now. So, thank you for your unwavering support. Amber, you were one of the first people to accept me when I joined the PLN author group. I can’t bloody wait for Gatlinburg.
To Tarryn Fisher, thank you!! Without you, there wouldn’t be a we. You have a tribe of women who stand together because you inspired us to fight, to stand tall, and to say yes we can. #PLN4life #riseofthewomen
To my most loyal companion, Harley, if ever there was a soul mate in the form of a dog, it’s you for me. #girlsbestfriend