Page 90 of One Last Thing
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Legs entwined, my head resting on his chest, we drift off to sleep and when we wake up together at some point in the night, dozy and deliriously happy, we have sex again because I can’t get enough of him and I don’t want to waste any more time. The sunrays through the curtains wake me a bit later and I study his long, full eyelashes and the sharp line of his jaw as he sleeps, wondering why I’ve been so stupid as towait all this time to get him into my bed and what I need to do to keep him there.
Forcing myself to leave his side, I creep to the bathroom and take the time to do some damage control by way of sorting out my hair and cleaning my face and teeth, returning to the bed to find him stirring. Grabbing his shirt from last night and pulling it on, I slide into the sheets next to him as his eyes flutter open and he breaks into that devastating smile, dimples on show, creases around his eyes, the one that causes flutters to erupt in my stomach and every sensible thought in my head to fly out the window.
‘Good morning,’ he says, rolling onto his side so we’re facing each other and reaching out to brush a lock of hair away from my face, tucking it behind my ear.
‘Morning,’ I say, weirdly nervous because this part is always a little awkward for everyone, even if he does look so relaxed. ‘How are you?’
He grins at me, a mischievous glint in his eye. ‘Very,verygood.’
I giggle as his hand reaches for my waist, pulling me towards him. His lips brush against mine and then I prop myself up alongside him so I can trail kisses along his jaw.
‘What time is it?’ he asks, nuzzling into my hair and neck.
‘Early,’ I answer, before dropping back to the pillow next to his.
He rakes a hand over his face and groans. ‘I have to be up early.’
‘I thought you might. You should be so proud of yourself for last night, Nico.’
He gives me an impish grin, reaching to pull me back to him again. ‘So should you.’
‘I was talking about the ball!’ I laugh.
‘Oh. I was talking about other things.’
‘Yes, I got that, thanks.’ I kiss him for being so adorable. ‘So can you tell me what I’m doing today, then?’
‘Hmm.’ He grabs my hips and pulls me on top of him, and I shriek with giggles, straddling him as he looks up at me smugly. ‘I have many ideas.’
‘I meant what activity is waiting in store for me,’ I explain, running my fingers through his hair. ‘Stop getting distracted.’
‘Can you blame me? You’re wearing nothing but my shirt.’ He gazes up at me and sighs, lines appearing between his eyebrows as he knits them together. ‘All that’s left is the fireworks tonight. You have to enjoy the fireworks of Collioure. That’s it.’ His throat bobs before he adds, ‘The final task and then . . . you’re done.’
I nod slowly. ‘Right. Dad loved that firework display. Makes sense it would be the final farewell.’
Nico shifts beneath me, propping up his pillow behind him before he pulls himself up into a sitting position but not letting me move off him. Leaning back, his hands rest on the side of my legs.
‘Are you okay?’ he asks, concerned.
‘Yeah.’ I smile at him. ‘I’m more than okay. I just . . . I don’t know how it goes from here.’
He tilts his head. ‘How what goes from here?’
‘All of it,’ I answer honestly.
‘I think that’s up to you.’ He pauses. ‘Do you want to hear my thoughts?’
‘Yes, I do,’ I say brightening.
‘I think you should change your flight and stay here longer so we have more time together,’ he says, his bluntness taking me by surprise.
‘Do you.’ I fight a smile, my heart hammering against my chest. ‘I’m not sure that’s a good idea.’ He gives me a quizzical look so I add, ‘Won’t it make things harder?’
‘No.’ He shrugs. ‘You leaving here was always the worst time of the year for me. I’ve suffered it so many times, I don’t see how it could get harder. Maybe now we’ve slept together it could be worse, but we’ll see.’
My smile breaks and I emit a laugh.
