Part 17 (1/2)

'You don't need to ache anymore,' he said gently, kissing the curve of her neck as he moved her underwear down her hips. Genie raised her body to help him and then opened her legs.

'Tell me what you need,' he said, resting his hand over the heat of her. 'This,' as he moved his fingers between her lips and found her wet for him, and the urge to take the decision from her almost overwhelmed him. 'Or this...' Abel flicked his tongue over Genie's mouth, knowing how G.o.dd.a.m.n good she'd taste if he slid down between her legs. 'Or this, Genie?' he said, and rocked his hips into hers, nestling his c.o.c.k between her thighs until they both moaned.

There wasn't really any question to answer.

Genie reached between them and unb.u.t.toned his jeans, and Abel kicked them off and settled back between her thighs, flaring her knee out with his flattened palm.

Stroking her hair from her face, his fingers knotted with hers beside her head on the pillows. Beautiful, beautiful girl. Damp auburn tendrils clung to her flushed cheeks, and the tiniest of breathless, agonised smiles touched her lips.

'Ready?' he said, knowing full well that she was from the way her body undulated against his. She nodded, her eyes half closed and her mouth kiss-swollen as he slid his c.o.c.k slowly against her c.l.i.toris, building her higher. He wanted to remember her forever like this, open and wanting him so badly that she trembled beneath him. So deeply, erotically s.e.xy that he couldn't wait any more. Positioning himself against her, he pushed, sinking all the way inside her body, making her gasp.

Genie tangled herself around him, no s.p.a.ces, no air, and even if he lived to be a hundred Abel knew he'd never feel such a rush of perfect, intense completeness. For a few seconds it was all he could to hold still and keep breathing.

And then he started to move, a slow, deep grind, loving the way her body held him inside.

'Look at me,' he said against her ear, and when he lifted his head, the look in her eyes set him on fire. She was so close to coming, breathless and boneless with it, drenched and hot in his hands and around his c.o.c.k. He thrust harder for her, and then for himself, because when she hit the top she unexpectedly took his control right along with her own.

Burying his face in her neck, Abel let go, spilling himself inside her as she shook and clung to him, and him to her.

'It isn't just f.u.c.king,' he whispered.

What had happened between them in that bed was a long way beyond s.e.x, beyond f.u.c.king, beyond making love, even. It was a union of bodies and hearts and lives and love, the kind of big, once in a lifetime love that leaves you with no choice but to surrender to it and be together.

Wrapped around each other later, Genie listened to Abel's steady heartbeat beneath her ear as he kissed the top of her head.

'I bought your theatre for you,' he said, low key.

She pushed herself up on her elbows and stared at him. He smoothed her hair out of her eyes gently, waiting for her to gather herself together and say something.

'For me?'

'Yes. For you. Not for a gym. To make it a real theatre again. It's yours by right.'

'I don't know what to say,' she said after a long, disbelieving pause, blown away. 'Thank you doesn't seem enough.'

Abel hadn't just bought her her home back. He'd given her her life back, if she wanted it, and in doing so he'd said 'I love you for everything you are,' which was all she'd ever wanted to hear him say.

'There's just one problem,' he said, twisting strands of her hair around his fingers. 'I want you to come and live in Australia with me.'

Genie had been so envious of Lizzie when Abel had made her the same offer earlier that day. Knowing that his plans included her too made her feel extraordinary, cherished, truly loved.

'Or I'll come here to you,' he said, uncertain in the face of her wondering silence.

Genie treasured him all the more for making the offer because she knew how much it would cost him to leave his beloved adopted country. She'd spent so long desperately trying to hang onto the theatre and all she thought she held dear. For now, just knowing that her old life was there for her if she wanted it turned out to be enough. Maybe there was more than one way to be happy.

'I've never been to Australia,' she said, feeling quiet excitement well up inside her. 'Maybe you could show me.'

He pulled her against him. 'You'll love it. I promise you.'

Genie lay in the circle of his arms, tracing patterns on his chest with her fingertips.

'You kind of blew it with your prospective mother in law this afternoon,' he said, and she could hear the quiet laughter behind his words. She loved him for his light-heartedness, and even more for the proposal that lay casually hidden in his words.

'I love you very much,' she said, holding him close in her arms and her heart.

Abel kissed her forehead. 'You too, Beauty. You too.'

Genie listened to his breathing even out as they fell towards sleep, her head full of half formed thoughts about how theirs would be the best kind of family, dictated by choice and love rather than by blood and obligation.

Abel Kingdom. The smallest of smiles touched Genie's lips. If someone had told her a few months ago that he was to be her forever man, she'd have argued herself blind. She'd expected to find very little to like beneath his beautiful, masculine exterior, but she'd never been more wrong.

He was strong, and he was loyal. He was bold, and he was kind. The man was one hundred percent solid gold, and he was one hundred percent hers.

Epilogue ~ Ten years later, Sydney, Australia.

'London! You're so lucky, Lizzie,' Erin said. 'I'm so coming over to see you while you're there.'

'I'm counting on it,' Lizzie laughed, handing her best friend one of her own secret blend c.o.c.ktails. 'Come and help me take these out by the pool?'

Erin tasted the clear red c.o.c.ktail in the fine-stemmed martini gla.s.s and rolled her eyes. 'I'm going to miss you loads, Liz, but I'll miss your c.o.c.ktails more. You have to tell me what's in this one as a parting gift!'

Lizzie winked. 'It's my latest.' She sipped it and then grinned. 'It's b.l.o.o.d.y good, isn't it? I call it The Divine Spirit.'

She'd been developing a range of signature c.o.c.ktails for months and was looking forward to trying them out on the customers at the Divine Bar in London. Flutters of excitement filled her heart at the thought of her travel plans for the next six months. First stop London for a two month residency as guest bar manager at Theatre Divine, then onward to New York and finally Tokyo before coming home again to Australia in time for Christmas.

Circulating in the opposite direction to Erin with a tray of c.o.c.ktails, she paused beside Genie and offered her a drink.

'Wow!' Genie said, her trademark mile-wide smile brighter than ever. 'These look stunning. Deanna's going to have to watch out in London, you'll have all the customers propping up the bar instead of watching the show!'

'That's kind of my plan.' Lizzie grinned back, her dark ponytail swinging as she moved away to hand out the drinks to the many friends who'd gathered to come and see her off on her big adventure.

Genie watched her walk out into the suns.h.i.+ne, her heart squeezing tight at the idea of Lizzie flying the nest. She was so proud of the confident, beautiful young woman Abel's sister had blossomed into over the last ten years. Australia really had been the making of her. Genie loved her as a sister, a daughter and a friend, and she was going to miss her enormously.

'Hey you.'

She closed her eyes and enjoyed the little thrill that always rippled down her spine at the touch of Abel's warm fingers on the back of her neck. Dropping a kiss onto the shoulder exposed by her wide necked tee s.h.i.+rt, he settled behind her against the kitchen work surface, his hand casually on her waist.

'Okay?' he asked, against her hair.

'Yeah,' she sighed, looking around the airy, open plan kitchen that led out onto the pool. 'I know it's the best thing for Lizzie, but I'm just going to miss her.'

Abel laughed softly. 'You've got enough chicks left here to cluck over, Beauty,' he said.

'I know, I know. But London...'

Abel turned her around to face him, a beer in one hand, his other playing idly with the ties at the neck of her bikini. Lizzie had insisted on a casual pool party for her send off, which suited them well as a bohemian family of beach b.u.ms. Abel still rocked faded jeans and a tee s.h.i.+rt better than any other man Genie knew; he seemed to just get better and better with age. Leaning into him, she breathed his familiar clean, beachy smell in deep.

'London won't know what's. .h.i.t it when Lizzie gets there,' he said quietly, taking her fears seriously. 'And you know how much Davey's dying to see her.'