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Chapter Twenty Four

Absolute exhaustion and the huge amount of relief that we both felt by being together again, had us needing an early night.

We ate, we talked about all of the exciting things that we planned on doing together over the next two weeks. Last night wasn't about us being physical, it was about us reacquainting with each other. It was about us confirming that our being together is the right thing. That what we are doing is being done for all of the right reasons. I guess it was just about being sure about being together—about being us.

The whole time that we were apart, we got so wrapped up in the difficultly of our separation, we hadn't really thought about how it might feel when we saw each other again. That was what last night was absolutely about. It was assuring us both that what we feel for each other is enough to be doing this. That our feelings are enough for us to actually want to spend the next two weeks together.

All of the sexual tension that we had back at the airport had been sweetly replaced with the need to just enjoy being alone together, without things getting overly intimate or physical. I am grateful for that time. We needed it. I needed it. I needed to be able to be with Rhys like that before we inevitably take our relationship to the next level. Having sex is easy. But just being with someone, sat in silence with only each other for company, that is so much harder to do.

But we did it. We blissfully did it.

Now it's the morning. It's a brand new day with brand new hopes and brand new expectations. Waking up in the warm and protective arms of Rhys, I lie in bed just smiling to myself. He had promised me that he was going to hold me for a very long time, and he has kept that promise. I am in my happiest of places when I'm in his arms. When I am there, I feel like we can do anything together. That anything is possible. I like that feeling. I like it a lot.

With the morning sun shining brightly into the log bedroom, I blink away what little tiredness I have left and stare across at a still sleeping Rhys. He looks so peaceful. So content. To know that some of that peacefulness and contentment could be down to little ole me, makes my smile simply bloom some more. Carefully reaching over to stroke his tousled bed hair, I just need to touch him in some small and tender way while he adorably still sleeps. As my fingers start playing with his short hair, he actually smiles to the sensation of my touch. Then his strong arm wraps itself around my back and pulls me right in against him. "Stop staring and just kiss me." He groggily says with a twisted and tired grin.

Who am I to argue with him on this beautiful and sunny morning in Echo Lake?

I want to kiss him.

God, I really want to kiss him!

Nestled tight against his bare chest, my mouth doesn't hesitate to unite with his in a soft and most sedate of ways. Our morning kiss is lazily lovely, cushioned and cute, warm and wonderful. This is how every girl should start her mornings.

"Good mornin'!" Rhys whispers against my thoroughly satisfied mouth.

"Good morning." I whisper back, smiling stupidly from ear to ear.

Returning my stupid smile with his own, he then sleepily says. "What's on our agenda today, Clara Thorn?"

With yet another goofy grin, I eagerly reply. "Me and my onesie are very happy with what we are doing now, so no rush to do anything else just yet." I sound serious but my silly expression says it all really.

Rhys lightly laughs, cuddling me as he does. "I'm so glad you brought your polka dot onesie, it kinda brightens the place right up."

Laughing too, I look at him with my teal eyes now alert and bright. "I thought you'd appreciate me bringing it with me." My spheres sparkle with mischievous.

"Oh I do!" Rhys starts stroking my fleecy-covered back as he smirks back at me with the same sparkle shining brightly in his sage and sexy eyes. I love this about us. I love how we can have the deepest of moments one minute, then the stupidest of moments the next.

Turning a little more serious, I try to lessen my smile at him. "But after me and my onesie have had our cuddle fix with you, can we go out on your really cute boat?" I ask ever so sweetly.

Kissing me gently on my nose, Rhys gives me a gracious answer. "We sure can go out on my really cute boat." He then confirms that we will with a deep and slow kiss. I truly think our mouths belong together. They just seem to kiss so very well together. No man has ever been able to make my lips so lippily happy. They are at their happiest when they are conjoined with Rhys's full and very sensual lips. As lips gorgeously go, his are so knee-tremblingly sexy.

When his kiss comes to an unbelievable end, I actually sigh. Not an unassuming silent sigh, a proper swooning and very audible sigh. Looking at me with warm intent, Rhys chuckles softly as he strokes the side of my face with his light fingertips. "I love how I can make you sigh like that."

I serenely smile back. "I love how you can make me sigh like that, too." Not caring whether or not I sound overly mushy or not. I am happy. My lips are happy. I want him to know how happy we are.

Rhys looks thoughtful for a second but his frown soon disappears as a heartwarming smile starts stretching across his handsome face. "We are going to try and catch a Kokanee Salmon for dinner tonight." He suddenly informs me with a boyish smirk.

"I should warn you, I'm pretty pants at fishing."

"No Kokanee Salmon...no dinner." Rhys teases.

"No pressure, then." I joke, frowning a little.

Rolling me underneath him, Rhys smiles down at me. "I'm gonna make breakfast, you go and have a bath."

Grinning up at him, I playfully ask. "Why, do I smell?"

He grins back, his brows naughtily rising high on his forehead. "I didn't want to say but all this wood, underfloor heating and that polka dot onesie, not to mention all the energy you put into your snoring...yeah, you need a bath."

Halfheartedly hitting him on his upper arm, I giggle beneath him. "Is this some calculated ploy to get me out of my onesie?"

Smirking, he lowers his mouth close to mine. "I like your onesie, it's very polka dotty." His lips press exquisitely down on mine, a brief kiss to keep me subdued for just a little while. "But I'd really like to know what is hiding beneath all those fleecy dots." His lips subdue me some more, giving me time to think about what he's sensually just said.

I like what I hear, it undoubtedly excites me. He dirties my mind and sullies my soul. Holding his lovely rugged face between my gentle hands, I smile closely against those beautiful lips of his. "Me and my onesie totally agree."

Closing his eyes and sharply breathing in, Rhys seems to need that sharp intake of breath just to control himself. "I'll see you downstairs, okay?" He kisses me hard, then leaves me all alone with the sensation of it lingering upon my very happy lips. He needed to leave quickly before anything else happened. I know that. He knows that. I just love how he's trying to keep his desires at bay. I could actually have some fun with that today. Stretching out with the biggest smile on my joyous face, I now want to have that bath. I'll wash myself clean as I am left with the pleasurable reminder of his deep kiss and the the deeply sexy and smouldering look that he reluctantly just left me with. Yeah, that heated kiss, that heated look; they provocatively still linger. After a decent night's sleep, I am fully recovered from all that travelling. After my bath and breakfast, I intend on having a little flirty fun with Rhys. After all, I really do love to flirt with him.