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“Kjartan, hi!” Clara, their head of service, greeted me, then beamed at Beryl, her eyes flickering down to where his hand was in mine.

“Bee, meet Clara. She runs this place.”

“Good to meet you.” We shook hands.

“Kjartan is overexaggerating. I manage the restaurant together with Allair, our chef.” Clara blushed a little and shepherded us to a cosy nook in the back with a view of the terrace and grounds.

We had barely settled down when my hunk took my hand off the table to hold it in his.

“What do you fancy?”

I glanced at him from under my lashes.

“And don’t say ‘me’.”

“The Indian curry sounds delicious. I might have that.”

We ordered two curries, one alcohol free beer for me, and an IPA for Beryl.

It was delicious. Rich and hot with fresh vegetables; it was the perfect meal for this cooler, gloomier day.

“I can pay, Kjartan,” my sweet Sylph said when I handed Clara my card. She hung back for a moment to give us space.

“Just because I’m a barista doesn’t mean I don’t have any money.”

“I know, Beryl.” I covered his agitated hand with mine. “Let me treat you while you are here with me. You can treat me when I am staying at your place.”

This shut him up.

“Are you okay?” Clara asked, holding my card up, and he nodded at her with glassy eyes. “Be right back.” She hurried away.

“You want to come and stay in Kirkmuir with me?” he asked me quietly, eyes boring into mine.

“I do. Is that okay for you?”

“Yes.” The word came out even quieter, but Bee smiled at me.

We went on a little walk in the woods behind the restaurant afterwards, along a stream and past a stone bridge until we arrived at a drop in the land. Rain clouds crowded around the hills before us like a herd of sheep huddled together. Scotland was often gloomy and dark, but living here made me… I slipped an arm around Beryl’s shoulder. A couple of weeks ago, I would have said it didn’t make me happy, but with him here that would be a lie.

It was a cautious kind of happiness bubbling in the pit of my stomach. The kind you didn’t trust at first because it mightevaporate all too soon. Where before I had only existed in this land, I now had something to live for.

“It’s beautiful here, Kjartan.” Bee’s arm slid under my jacket and around my waist. When I felt him shiver, I pulled him closer into my warmth. “Thank you for taking me.”

“I’m glad you like this place. Let’s come here again, yes?”

He snuggled deeper into my body. “Great idea.”

Chapter 17

Beryl

My ass had never been as sore as it was when I returned to work on Monday.

I loved it, though. Loved what Kjartan’s massive cock had done to me. Whenever I remembered the stretch of my body around his length and his warm brown eyes hooded with lust, my dick got hard with no hope for release.

We’d found out that we were both fans of me being on top, a position that made him come in under ten minutes.

Me, too.