Cherries

Chapter 32

Adam

The drive to her address doesn't take long, after a few hours of getting everything organised, I was appreciative of the solitude in the car and the excitement of getting ever closer to her.

Everyone's reaction to the news of her early release was varied. Mum cried, Dad was quiet but happy, holding Mum as she sobbed and Nikki squealed like a god damn school girl, and Toby solidified himself as my fucking rock. Made himself available to take over the running of the gym, so I could have a couple of weeks off, whether that is with her or not, we'll have to just wait and see what happens. Fucking fate or something like that.

I find the house easily, park in the driveway and with the key in hand I steadily approach the front door.

"She's out walking," a kind voice says from the porch next door. An elderly woman is gazing at me with a wide smile on her face.

"But she'll be mighty glad to see you're finally here," she says and without another word, she stands and shuffles her way back inside her home.

I don't get a chance to respond because my brain is flipping at the words "glad to see me", and I'm just hoping the old lady is right. I push on inside and look around the house. Everything looks new and it feels welcoming and comfortable. I dump the couple of bags of groceries on the kitchen counter, hoping that circumstances land my way and we'll be sharing a meal together soon. The screen door leading out back suddenly bangs with the wind picking up, and I leave the food behind and walk out onto the deck. The view of the ocean is stunning and I breath deeply, filling my lungs with the fresh sea air. I lean against the deck and focus on the distant figure of someone walking my way along the beach. My heart thumps loudly in my chest as I fight against the urge to just fucking run to her.

Summer.

She is oblivious to my presence up until she is nearly home. The wind whips around her long hair, blowing it into her face and as she pushes it back behind her ear, I finally get my first breathtaking look at those gorgeous fucking browns that I have missed so much. She stops walking and just stares at me, shocked that I'm really here. Both of us are locked inside our own thoughts as we continue to gaze at each other, the seconds ticking by, neither of us moving. There's a good few metres between us and although I feel unsure about what the right thing to do is, I simply can't have that sort of distance between us, not when the only thing separating us is ourselves.

I step down from the deck, into the soft sand and slowly make my way towards her. My heart thunders away and I can see from her rapidly rising and falling chest, that hers is beating just as intensely. She stays completely still, waiting for me to get to her. I try and keep my face neutral, although I want to cry and scream and laugh hysterically all at the same time.

I stop within a short distance, close enough to touch her if I stretched my arm out. I look her over, not ashamed to study her from head to toe. She's wearing a cute yellow sun dress, her legs are toned, her feet are bare. Her skin has a stunning sun kissed tan, her arms hang loosely by her side and her breathing remains rapid as we absorb each other. I look at her face and try and get a sense of what she's feeling. A flurry of emotions flicker through her eyes and I guess she sees the same thing on my face as well.

I decide to be brave. I haven't come this fucking far to deny myself the very thing that I have wanted for so long.

I take a deep shuddering breath and smile at her.

She blinks a few times and a single tear escapes and trickles down her cheek, but she ignores it. She smiles back and it's as mesmerising as I remember.

I reach my arm out and twirl my forefinger in a little circle, asking her without words to turn for me. So I can see all of her. So I can confirm she's alright. She let's out a tiny little chuckle, moves her arms away from her body and slowly turns in the most seductive circle I could have ever imagined. Her eyes meet mine again and she gives me a little eyebrow rise as if to ask me what's next? I hold my hand out tentatively and without looking anywhere but at me she slips her small hand into mine.

I close my eyes as the feeling of her touching me overwhelms me.

Her skin feels soft and warm.

Without opening my eyes, I tug her closer to me and my arms snake around her body as she snuggles up against my chest. I burrow my face into her hair and breath her in.

Home.