In the Language of the Flowers

| 47 |

✾ Ivy ✾

I awoke to soft blue moonlight. As my consciousness emerged, I realized that I felt cold. I sat upright immediately, looking around the room. My unsteady heart stilled when I saw Beau standing facing the open windows, a blanket draped around his hips and his hair silhouetted in the light reflecting from the lake. He watched the glittering water as though he'd never seen anything quite like it before.

I sighed, my muscles relaxing just at the sight of him. I stared at his spine, tracing it with my eyes until it dipped below the fabric he loosely held around his waist. His back looked strong; his presence was so much bolder than it had been when we'd met. He sighed and stretched, his spine arching slightly and his shoulder blades pressing together.

I left the bed slowly, approaching him without a word. I couldn't believe I'd fallen asleep so quickly. Beau had really done a number on me.

He didn't flinch as I wrapped my arms around him from behind. He leaned heavily against me, tilting his head back so that his hair tickled my shoulder.

"Thinking about Loch Lomond?" I asked him quietly.

"You finally woke up," he said. Crickets chirped loudly outside the cabin. A cool breeze swept through the room, giving me goosebumps.

Beau slowly turned in my embrace, wrapping his arms and the blanket around me. I eagerly leaned into his warmth.

"Is your body alright?" I asked quietly, fiddling absently with his hair.

A little amused puff of air escaped his nose. He lifted his chin and kissed me. Beau had transformed. He had this deep, far-off look in his eyes. And he held his body well, wore his sexiness like a weapon. I smiled, remembering how clumsy our first kiss had been. And look at him now, dripping a strange new confidence I couldn't tear my eyes from.

I knew I'd lost all sense. But never could I have anticipated his wild desire, the way his eyes glowed as his body pulled me in. I knew I'd drown in him if I weren't careful. Beau had an unexpected sinful streak in him that might easily drive me insane.

"You look pensive," Beau said, touching a finger to my chin.

I shook my head, kissing the bridge of his nose. "Just thinking about you."

"Me," Beau asked, his eyes narrowed, "or my body?"

Good lord. I leaned over him, kissing the confidence from his eyes. I caught him as his weakened knees folded, holding his body tight against my chest. He dropped the blanket, wrapping his arms around my neck and letting little sounds of satisfaction rumble in his chest.

"Again," he pleaded, lifting his leg until it was wrapped around me.

"Already?" I asked. "Aren't you soar? I don't-"

"I told you it's fine," Beau said, his eyelashes fluttering. He looked up at me with unfairly effective puppy dog eyes. His lithe body pressed against mine and I could feel his heat drawing me in. "I want to be close to you."

"I adore you," I breathed, falling victim to his charms. Beau made love with an intoxicating mixture of boyish innocence and absolutely erotic, desperate lust. He monopolized me in seconds.

Whenever he was overcome, his eyes would squeeze shut and his lips would part. Every time I fell away shocked by how good it felt, and every time Beau would look at me with narrowed, sultry eyes, asking me for more.

We were lost in each other's bodies until the sun peeked over the horizon, soft morning light reflecting off of the lake. We made love throughout the house, stumbling after each other in playful pursuit, tumbling together over and over into addictive gratification.