Taunting Callum (Big Sky Royal 3)
“But if you have other things to tend to on your last day off, I understand.”
“If you stop rubbing my foot, I might scream. If you wanted me to leave, you should have said so before you started doing that.”
“I don’t want you to leave. I was trying to be thoughtful.”
Her plump lips tip up into a grin. “I’m doing exactly what I want to be doing on my day off.”
“Good, because I was going to hold you hostage anyway. Please don’t make me watch another sappy romantic comedy this afternoon, love.”
“What would you rather watch? Besides soccer.”
“It’s football.”
“It’s soccer.”
“We could watch a Bond film,” I suggest.
“That’ll make me nap for sure,” she replies. “What about a documentary on serial killers?”
I stop rubbing and frown at her. “Seriously?”
“Yeah. I like them.”
“I knew I liked you.” I reach for the remote and flip on Netflix, paging through the options until I find what we’re after. “Before I start this, should we get dinner?”
“I don’t want to go anywhere.”
“We can get takeaway,” I suggest. “I can ask someone to fetch us pretty much anything your heart desires.”
“How can you be hungry after eating that whole bag of chips?”
“David and I ran for fifteen miles this morning.”
Her eyebrows climb in surprise, and I raise her big toe to my lips and press a kiss to the pad of the digit.
“You’ll be burning calories for days,” she replies. “I think I want a burger from Ed’s. With onion rings and a shake.”
“That’s Ellie’s favorite, as well,” I reply. “And that sounds delicious to me. Let’s get takeaway, eat too many calories, and watch this macabre documentary all evening. Shall we?”
“Oh, we shall. We shall indeed.” Her nose is in the air as she tries to mimic my accent.
She’s so bloody adorable.
In less than an hour, we’re seated on the floor with our meal spread out before us on the coffee table, and the show queued up on the tele.
“I think you already know this about me, but before I dig into all of this deliciousness, you should know that I’m not one of those girls who picks at her food. I eat.”
“Good. Eat.”
She shoves her burger into her mouth and takes a massive bite before sighing in delight. When our stomachs are full, we move to the sofa, and I pull Aspen into my arms. We’re dressed in sweats and socks, our legs tangled. I kiss the top of her head and breathe her in.
“This is lovely,” I whisper.
“The fact that two women have been raped and beheaded so far in this episode?” she asks.
I chuckle. “No. Being here. With you, like this. Holding you. It’s quite nice.”
“I agree.” She kisses my cheek and then points at the screen. “Don’t do it! Don’t marry him. You’re asking for trouble.”
“I hope that’s not your typical advice to women who wish to wed.”
“Nah, I keep those opinions to myself.”
“You were married once.”
“Once,” she agrees. “And I most likely won’t be again.”
My heart stills. “No children either?”
“I don’t think so,” she replies. “I’ve done those things, and it didn’t work out for me. I’m not in a hurry to try it again. Although, one thing I’ve learned is to never say never.”
I want those things with her. Desperately. And I plan to have them. But for tonight, I’m content to have Aspen in my arms, here like this, where the rest of the world isn’t watching, and we can simply be together. The idea of not being with this woman for the rest of my life is out of the question.
“Stay tonight,” I whisper in her ear. “Just let me hold you. Nothing more.”
“I have to be at Drips early in the morning,” she replies.
“I’ll get up with you,” I promise. “I’d like to have you with me tonight. I told you, it won’t go further until you’re ready, and we’re getting there. But this is too lovely for me to say goodbye this evening.”
“I’d like to stay,” she says.
“Thank you.”* * *“Hello, Mum.” I press the mobile to my ear and watch the lake reflect the moonlight. It’s getting dark earlier each day as we move toward winter.
“How are you, darling?” she asks. I can hear the smile in her voice. My mum is simply the best there is. One minute, she can be the consummate queen, foreboding and regal. And the next, she’s laughing and playing with her children or grandchildren.
We all adore her.
“I’m doing well. And you?”
“Just lovely, thank you. How are things in Montana? Your father and I must get over there to see this place that has captured our children’s attention so. The photos are beautiful.”
“They don’t do it justice.” I take a sip of the whiskey I poured when I walked into the flat after having dinner with my family. I haven’t seen Aspen since she left for work this morning, and I needed the distraction. “You’d enjoy it very much. I hope you’ll come to visit soon.”