Parker finished securing the boat to the dock, and then handed me our bags and the cooler before climbing off the boat.
"You're sure your parents are okay with us using their place this weekend?" I asked.
"Yep, they aren't able to be here this weekend, so they said it was all ours." He picked up the cooler while I grabbed our bags.
There were only four cottages on this island which would make for a quiet getaway. We walked up the dock, and in the distance, I could see a little wooden cottage nestled amongst the trees. The sun had already set, and it was getting dark and a little cool.
"Come on, we better get on inside. It’s supposed to be a cooler night tonight. I want to make sure I get a good fire going," Parker said, nodding toward the cottage.
I followed along, taking in my surroundings. I noticed a cottage off to the far left of us, lights shining in the windows, and I could smell a fire burning.
Parker unlocked the door and turned the lights on. We were in a huge great room with a great big, stone fireplace. A TV hung over the mantel. A full-size kitchen was off to the right, and a staircase in the back led up to the bedrooms.
"This place is beautiful," I said, taking in the surroundings.
I followed Parker as he took the cooler over to the kitchen and set it on the floor by the fridge.
"I'm just going to grab wood from outside. Did you want to unpack the cooler?"
I nodded, taking in the look in his eyes, desire radiating between us. He gave me a soft kiss before heading outside. I busied myself emptying the cooler and the few bags of food we had brought from the store. Parker brought in four armfuls of wood, and then locked the door.
"What room are we staying in? I will take our bags up."
"First one at the top of the stairs."
"Okay." Picking up the bags, I carried them up to the top of the stairs, opened the bedroom door and turned the lights on. The room was spacious yet cozy and warm, decorated in dark greens with a great big king-size bed. I set the bags down at the end of the bed and walked over to look out the window. It was beautiful here.
Unzipping my bag, I pulled out a pair of yoga pants and a T-shirt and got changed. Exhausted from being up for the past few days, I was craving relaxation. Once I changed, I headed back downstairs. The lights had been dimmed, and soft music floated through the air. Parker was in the living room sitting on the floor with two glasses of white wine sitting on the table. He had pulled out a blanket and laid it out on the thick rug in front of the fireplace. Piles of pillows and cushions from the couch were spread out on the floor.
He patted the spot beside him. "Come make yourself comfortable."
He looked so handsome with the firelight bouncing off his tanned skin.
I sat down beside him, leaning back into the cloud of pillows. He reached over and handed me a glass of wine.
"Thank you." I took the glass from him and took a sip. Setting the glass down, I relaxed back into the pillows, closed my eyes, and soaked in the warmth of the fire. I was exhausted.
After a few minutes, I could feel his gaze upon me. I opened my eyes and felt a flush of warmth spread through me from the way he was looking at me.
"What is it?" I asked.
"You're just so beautiful," he replied.
I grew quiet. In the year we had dated, Dean had never uttered those words to me, and it made me uneasy to hear them. I sat staring into the fire, holding my wine glass in my hands and taking the occasional sip.
Parker’s hand went to my shoulder. “Tatum?”
"Please don't say that." I sniffled, unable to look at him. Even though the bruises from the first attack had healed, the invisible ones were still there; along with all the horrible words that Dean had shoved at me every chance he got.
Parker brought his hand to my face and brushed the strands of hair away that had fallen into my eyes. "Tell me why?"
"Look at me." Tears spilled from my eyes and streamed down my face. I didn't feel beautiful, but I guess that’s what happened. I had started to believe everything he said—how useless I was and how no one would want me. He never once complimented me on anything.
"Yes, look at you. My beautiful girl." He brought his hand to my cheek and turned my face up. "Don't cry." Looking into my eyes, his thumbs wiped the tears away, and he brought his lips to mine. He lay beside me, pulled me into his arms, and held me.
When I woke up, the fire had died down to a pile of glowing embers. We had fallen asleep on the floor. Unwrapping Tatum from my body, I got up and quietly put more wood on the fire then turned and watched her sleep. She was finally resting peacefully.
I went into the washroom to wash my hands after handling the wood before returning to her. Shutting the door, I flipped the light on and looked at myself in the mirror.
Tell her the truth. Man up and tell her you love her. I took a deep breath. I had been fighting with myself since the first night I stayed at her place. I guess no matter how much time passed, when your heart knows it knows.
When I returned, Tatum was still on her stomach under the blankets, her eyes closed. I crawled in beside her and adjusted the pillows behind me. I placed my hands under my head and closed my eyes. Tatum placed her hand across my abs and curled up against me. "Did I wake you?" I asked, wrapping my arm around her.
She placed a light kiss on my shoulder and ran her hand down my abs. She reached down and gripped my cock through my boxers. Fire lit through me at her gentle touch. I sat up and rolled her onto her back, kissing her hard. Lifting her back up off the floor, I pulled her T-shirt off and laid her back onto the pillows. Kissing down her neck and over her breasts, I ran my hands down her body and removed her pants, going back up to run my tongue over her nipples again.
Her head tilted back into the pillows. She was biting on her bottom lip, trying hard to stifle the moan that I heard slip between her lips. Kissing down her stomach, I placed myself between her legs and pushed them open, letting them fall to the side, and sat back to look at her spread before me.
The firelight glistened off her sex. I could feel saliva pool in my mouth. I couldn't wait to taste her again. Holding her legs open, I leaned down and ran my tongue through her folds and heard a guttural moan from her lips. My hunger for her growing, I sucked her clit into my mouth. I inserted a finger into her tight pussy and hooked my finger, rubbing her in the right place.
"Come for me." I sucked her clit back into my mouth and alternated between sucking and running my tongue over it. I felt her clench around my finger, and her juices flooded my mouth. Breathing hard, she relaxed back into the pillows.
I watched her as I crawled up between her legs and placed my cock at her entrance, running it through her juices. She looked up at me with those beautiful hazel eyes as I kissed her. Lining myself up with her entrance, I slid into her. She moaned into my mouth and wrapped her legs around my back as I pumped into her. I could feel her tighten around my cock almost instantly, nearly sending me over the edge, but I held back.
She laid her legs over my thighs, and I sat back on my knees, keeping myself deeply planted in her. With my thumb, I started rubbing her swollen clit. Deeply pumping into her, I could feel myself about to let go as she tightened again around my cock. I gave two final, hard pumps and filled her. Collapsing on her, I kissed her softly. Once I caught my breath, I pulled out. I got up and went to the washroom and cleaned myself up then brought a wet cloth to her and cleaned her off.
Lying beside her, I pulled her into my arms. We lay in total silence for a while, listening to the sounds of our breathing and our heartbeats.
"Tatum?"
"Yes," she whispered.
"I wanted to tell you that..." I swallowed hard, that knot in my stomach returning, and suddenly I went quiet.
"Parker?" I loved the sound of my name come from her lips. "What is it?"
"I love you." The knot disappeared almost instantly. I had finally said it, and I prayed that she said it back to me, but she was almost too quiet. I waited a few seconds, the delay almost killing me. Looking over at her, I could see her eyes glistening. "I love you," I repeated.
I heard her sniffle. "I love you too."