The days blurred while I remained in Ella’s town. I didn’t spend all my time with her, despite my best efforts. I ordered parts for the yacht and did general maintenance. I checked out the town, impressed by the number of tourists I saw floating about while remaining confused by the lack of local attractions available to take their money.
The Cove seemed to be a strange mix of local creative stores selling their small goods, and hardened fishermen salty as the sea. Sandwiched between two bigger cities, the town sat smack dab in the middle of some of the prettiest coast I’d ever seen. Considering the proximity to the cities, and the increasing tourist dollars, Ella’s idea of expanding her offerings wasn’t a bad one.
‘Hey,’ Ella called, waving from the dock. She held up a paper bag. ‘I brought dinner.’
I wiped my hands on a rag, drinking her in. ‘Get that gorgeous ass over here.’
She laughed, sashaying down to my mooring. ‘Permission to come aboard, Captain?’
‘Only if you pay the charge.’
She giggled, springing across the small gap to the stern and rising on tip-toe as I pulled her close, greeting her with a long, slow kiss.
‘Hi,’ she whispered, pulling back.
‘Hey, baby.’ I pressed my forehead to hers, palming her full ass.
Fuck, I loved her curves. Full, lush and perfectly decadent, her body reminded me of a dessert buffet. From the taste of her cherry lips to the cream of her cunt, anytime she was around, I wanted to lick her from top to bottom, making her squeal and sigh in equal measure.
‘Good day?’
‘Better now.’ Her grin slipped, a small frown marring her forehead. She pulled away, busying herself with our dinner.
I knew Ella well enough by now to understand she wanted to ask something but feared the answer. And I knew exactly what question she was avoiding asking—it was the same one I’d avoided answering for the last week.
As if hearing my thoughts, my mobile rang, my brother’s ringtone—the Funeral March—carrying over the breeze. In the distance, a storm rumbled across the ocean, promising a deluge later that night.
Ella laughed. ‘You better answer that.’
I gave a long-suffering huff, pulling the phone free and sliding my finger across the screen to answer. ‘Brother.’
‘When are you coming home?’ Erik sounded annoyed.
First you ask me to take a holiday. Now you want me back?
‘Soon,” I replied, my answer as vague as it had been every other time he’d asked.
‘Gunnar, I need a date. I know I told you to take a break, but this is getting ridiculous. We’ve got clients waiting to place orders and guys pulling overtime to cover your work. Not to mention we need that yacht back here at some point. You were meant to be back two weeks ago.’
‘I got held up. That part—’
‘Arrived last week. I know because I just paid the fucking invoice. What the hell is going on? Are you dying? Shit, do I need to call Ma?’
I watched Ella from across the deck. She’d settled on one of the chairs I’d set up for evenings like this. Tipping her face to the waning sun, her eyes closed, a small smile playing at the corner of her mouth.
“Ella,’ I finally admitted. ‘It’s Ella.’
‘The girl you met?’
‘Mmm.’ I turned away, keeping my voice low. ‘I need a favor.’
‘Does this include extending your vacay cause the answer is no?’
‘I’ll come back,’ I promised. ‘If you do this, I’ll be back next week.’
‘Why do I feel like I might regret this?’
I glanced over my shoulder, offering Ella a smile. ‘I’m going to ask Ella to move to Cape Hardgrave. Can you check out that warehouse next to The Literary Academy? It’d be perfect for—’
‘Are you shitting me right now?’ My brother interrupted. ‘You’ve known this girl all of—what? Two weeks? And you’re talking about moving her to the Cape, and getting her to do what exactly?’
‘If we buy the warehouse next to Nan’s bookstore, Ella could set up another arm of her restaurant.’
‘And you’ve spoken to her about this?’
I cleared my throat. ‘Not just yet.’
‘Gunnar….’ I could practically feel the waves of frustrated displeasure rolling down the phone lines.
‘Trust me, Erik. She’s gonna say yes.’
He sighed. ‘You love this girl?’
I grunted. I hadn’t told her yet, was planning some perfect moment when I revealed all—my plans for her restaurant, my love for her, the fact I’d already started searching for a house for us back in the Cape.
‘I’d like it noted I think this is a terrible idea but I’ll do what you ask.’
‘And,’ I said, knowing I was about to push my luck. ‘I might need you to come down and help me move her stuff.’
After a silent beat, I pulled the phone away from my ear, checking the connection.
‘Erik? You still there?’
‘I’m driving down tomorrow.’
‘What?’
‘I said, I’m driving down tomorrow. We’ll spend the weekend in God only knows where and work out if you’re being blinded by good pussy, have suffered a head injury, or if this is one of those kismet things Ma’s always trying to convince us of.’
I ignored the pussy comment. ‘It’s not a head injury.’
Erik chuckled. ‘Brother, I’ll be the judge of that.’
‘Shit.’ I ran a hand through my hair. ‘You sure you need to come?’
‘Gunnar, I’ve never known you to go gaga over a woman. This girl must be pretty fucking special for you to not only extend your vacation but be contemplating moving her in with you.’ He sighed.
‘I may be your business partner, but I’m also your brother. Family comes first. You want this girl, you want to make it work. I’ll go balls to the wall to help you however I can. You know that.’
I did. My family was the best part of my life, and I knew they’d adore Ella.
‘Let me check with Ella. Normally I’d say book your own hotel, but I have a feeling she’ll want to put you up.’
I didn’t mention that the one motel in town looked like it had seen a murder or two.
‘As long as I don’t hear you doing the nasty, I’ll stay where I’m put.’
I thought back to last night’s activities. I’d tied Ella up, binding her hands and wrapping rope around her body in intricate knots, drawing out her orgasm, teasing her until she screamed through her release.
The Japanese called it Shibari; I called it spank bank material.
‘Bring earplugs,’ I told him, not even caring when he groaned complaints down the line.
‘Fine. I’ll see your ugly mug tomorrow.’ With that, he hung up.
I tucked the phone into my back pocket, turning slowly back to Ella. She’d pulled a big floppy hat from her bag, shading her delicate skin from the sun.
‘All good?’ she asked.
‘Yeah, babe.’ I parked my ass in the chair across from her, enjoying the view. ‘My brother, Erik, he’ll be coming to town tomorrow to stay the weekend. You cool with that?’
Her body tensed, but she kept her voice casual. ‘Is he coming to help you with the boat?’
I hesitated.
Erik hadn’t been wrong. The part had come in last week, and it had taken me less than a day to fix it. I just hadn’t expected to meet Ella.
Now or never.
‘The yacht’s fixed,’ I finally admitted, watching carefully for her reaction.
‘Oh.’ She played with the skirt of her dress. ‘Does that mean you’re heading home?’
Not without you.
‘Not yet.’ I reached across, linking our fingers together. It was time I laid it all out there. ‘We’ve got a great thing going here. I want to keep this going.’
Her cheeks colored. ‘I know—I do too.’
I grinned. ‘Good. My brother’s gonna come down and stay for the weekend to meet you.’
‘Meet me?’
‘Yep.’ I leaned in, pinning her with a look. ‘Ella, you gotta know. This isn’t temporary for me. This keeps going the way we’ve started; it’ll get to a point pretty quick where I want to marry you.’
She sucked in a breath, looking overwhelmed. ‘But—’ she trailed off, blinking frantically. ‘What about your business?’
I grinned. ‘I’ve got it all sorted. How do you feel about—’
‘Wait, I need to say something.’ She smoothed down her skirt. ‘Gunnar, I just want you to know—you don’t owe me anything. If you get home and this turns out to be—to be—’ She swallowed. If this turns out to be nothing more than a summer fling, then that’s okay. I’ll be okay. You don’t owe me anything.’
Oh, no. No fucking way was I letting her think this wasn’t anything more than a casual fuck. I thought our talk at the beach had made clear my intentions. I guess I was wrong.
‘Obviously, I need to step up my game.’ I surged to my feet, pulling her up with me. Tugging her behind me, I led her to the cabin and assisted her down the stairs. She followed like an innocent lamb to the slaughter.
‘This is….’ Ella said, trying and failing to suppress a smile. ‘Pretty awful.’
Dated and in need of a major overhaul both in terms of décor and machinery, the owner of the yacht had picked it up for a song and was willing to pay for the work.
It had a full kitchen, bathroom, seating area, and a bedroom tacked onto the back. That’s where I took her, pulling Ella through the small cabin and into the tiny room. With its psychedelic panelling and black roof, the small cabin reminded me of a horror house at the carnival.
Good thing my cock didn’t give a shit about décor.
I crowded Ella onto the bed, tossing her skirts up and diving for her underwear.
‘Gunnar!” she gasped, trying to squirm away. ‘Wait.’
‘No,’ I grunted, hooking two fingers into her underwear and tearing them down her legs. ‘I need to taste you, baby. Need to show you, you’re mine.’
She gave in, letting me pull her clothes off, then spread her thighs. I kissed my way up the soft skin of her legs, placing delicate kisses on the inside of each knee.
‘You’re mine, Ella.’ I hovered over her core, watching the blush of desire tint her skin pink.
‘You’re my home. I want you to be where I am. I can no longer imagine living a life that doesn’t involve waking up with you, breathing your scent, kissing your lips, laughing with you. And when I leave this earth, I’ll find you, Valkyrie. I’ll search all of Valhalla for you.’
I glanced at her, echoing my words from the first night we’d spoken.
‘Too corny?’
Her gorgeous gaze met mine, her eyes twinkling. ‘Absolutely.’
I dropped my head, relishing in the taste of her cream. She blossomed under me, her body shuddering as her enthusiastic gasps and moans encouraged my efforts.
‘Say you’re mine, Ella.” I hooked one finger into her, pressing against her g-spot. ‘You’re mine.’
Her body bowed up, lifting off the bed as she cried out in pleasure. ‘Gunnar!’
‘Say it,’ I demanded roughly, my finger pressing in.
‘I’m y-yours,” she gasped out, begging for more, begging for release.
‘Again,’ I barked, barely able to contain my need.
‘I’m yours, Gunnar. I’m yours. You own me.’
I pulled my finger free and surged forward, pulling her against my cock, impaling her with my hot length. We both gasped, our rhythm uneven, hurried, each straining for dominance.
It was hot, heavy, and unpracticed. It was some of the dirtiest, filthiest sex I’d ever had. I drove into her, growling praises as she panted my name over and over, my cock turning her into a mass of squirming, heaving need. Her breasts bounced with reckless abandon, and I reached a hand up, brutally cupping one while my mouth descended to suck on the other. She exploded around me, her hips thrusting against me, her pussy a tight vice of clenching pleasure milking my cock.
‘Fuck,’ I roared, hips pistoning. Once, twice, I exploded, cum filling her insides, coating her with my scent.
I collapsed on top of her, rolling until I was on my back, Ella draped across my front. She cuddled into my chest, our breaths equally rapid as we tried to find calm in the aftermath.
‘That was—’ She made a small purring sound.
I grinned, pressing a kiss to her forehead. ‘Fuck yeah, it was.’
We snuggled together, the boat bopped gently under our bodies, lulling us into a meditative state.
‘Are you sure?” she whispered into the quiet.
‘Positive,” I told her, not even needing to clarify.
She drew in a shuddering breath. ‘I want to take this plunge with you.’
My arms flexed, holding her tight.
‘I’m scared. No one has wanted me like you do.’
‘Their loss.’ I tilted her chin up, waiting for her to look me in the eye. I needed Ella to see how deadly serious I was. ‘You’re beautiful, Ella. Every part of you. Your body, your soul. You treat everyone with sass and good humor. You strut your sexy ass around your home, and I go weak. I want nothing more than to see that smile on your face and kiss your lips. I don’t have any doubts, baby. I haven’t since the moment you guessed my beer. You’re it for me.’
Tears shimmered on her lashes. ‘I love you, Gunnar.’
‘I love you too, baby.’ I pressed a soft kiss to her lips. ‘Now, when do you want to leave? How much notice do you need to give Anika?’
She froze. ‘What?’
‘I assume you’ll need to find a replacement for yourself. It’ll suck being without you for a period but I’ll come down on weekends and—’
She sat up, her hair falling over her chest. ‘What are you talking about?’
Something in her tone sounded off.
‘Moving to Cape Hardgrave. What do you think I’m talking about?’
She stared at me, her mouth forming a small o.
I reached for her, not liking the space between us. ‘Baby, what—?’
She pressed a hand into the middle of my chest, halting my movement. ‘Gunnar. Wait. Are you saying you want me to move with you to Cape Hardgrave?’
I nodded slowly, not liking her expression. ‘I’ve asked Erik to check over a few places for you. We could set up another restaurant in the Cape. The tourist traffic is good all year round and—’
‘What makes you think I would ever leave Capricorn Cove?’
The hairs on the back of my neck rose, a prickle of unease settling in my chest. ‘I’m in the Cape.’
‘Yes, but my business is here.’
‘And mine is there.’
She pressed her lips together, her cheeks flushed. ‘So you expect me to move but you’re not willing to discuss this with me?’
‘What is there to discuss? Capricorn Cove has nothing to offer. My business is established. You can move—’
‘Stop.’ Icy rage filled her quiet order. ‘Stop now before I start to think less of you.’
‘Ella, please. This is—’
She rolled off the bed, reaching for her dress. ‘Stop, Gunnar. You’re digging a hole you might not be able to come back from.’
‘I don’t understand. What—’
Dress covering her nakedness, she whirled, stabbing a finger into my chest. ‘You’re making decisions about my future. You’re acting like an ass. My business, my house, my family, my friends, my life is here. Did it occur to you that every time I said I would never leave I meant it? Did it occur to you that I have responsibilities? Commitments? Dreams that revolve around this town?’
She shook her head, tears glinting on her lashes. ‘No. You just decided what was best for me without considering what was best for us. Have you looked around, Gunnar? Have you seen the rundown buildings and abandoned lots? Five years ago, our restaurant was that. Five years ago, Anika and I were hustling to make a go of it. Since we started our business money has come into this town. People opened stores. Artists began selling wares. Tourists stopped in and started spending money.’ She threw her arms out. ‘I did that. Anika and I did that. We’re making a difference here. We’re helping. And as much as I love what we’re starting, you’re expecting things of me I can’t give.’
Guilt and fear knotted in my stomach, a cold sweat breaking out across my skin.
‘Ella, I’m sorry. Baby, please—’ I reached for her, intending to pull her into my arms but her hand shot out, halting my move once again.
‘Valkyrie, let me—’
‘Shh.’ She frowned, tilting her head. ‘Can you hear—’
A siren wailed in the distance, growing stronger as more joined the call.
‘Shit.’ Her face paled. ‘That’s the emergency signal. We have to get to the rally point.’
The sirens were as familiar to me as they would be to anyone who lived by the coast in Astipia.
‘Where’s the rally point?’ I asked, reaching for my clothes.
She dropped down beside me, pulling on her own shoes as she answered. ‘At the community hall.’
I nodded, tugging on my boots. ‘Ella?’
She glanced at me, one eyebrow raised.
‘I’m sorry.’
She nodded. ‘We’ll discuss it later.’ She stood. ‘Now come on, we have to hurry.’
