Page 96 of CowSex

“Fuck off,” we both shout at Lee.

“Yep. That’s exactly what I’m gonna do.”

We watch him leave. Koa steps away from me.

“What’s happening here, Essex? What is it you want from this, from us?”

He leans back against the worktop and drags his fingers through his hair. He’s wearing his usual jeans, long-sleeved T-shirt, and boots. My knowing what is going on underneath those clothes makes me wanna weep.

“You’re the one who set boundaries, Cowboy.”

“I did. But that was before last night.”

“So you’ve changed your mind?”

“I think I have.”

“And what? What does that mean?”

“I’m cacking myself, Essex.” His eyes shine as life as I know it ceases to exist when he grins his most boyish grin yet. OverThinking me faints. WhoreyWanty me purrs. Me? I fall in love with a cowboy and accept that my heart will never be the same again.

THE NEXT TWO DAYS AREmanic. Kai and Malia’s rooms are stripped bare, repainted, and rewired. The timber flooring Koa purchased is fixed to create the feature walls where their beds will go up against, and by early Friday, Kai’s room at least is ready for furniture and fixtures.

I’m not really involved in any of this, apart from going with Koa Thursday afternoon and picking paint and then lights. We also bought a kettle, but as of yet, no butler has arrived to serve me tea. I can live with this, though, as I had Koa in my bed again last night and the services he provides far out do anything a crusty old English butler could, I’m sure.

We had fast and frantic sex as soon as the last of the builders left at about seven o’clock last night. We had multi-positional sex when we finally made it into bed at around nine, and then we had slow and lazy sex when I woke with Koa buried inside me from behind this morning.

He then, I might add, brought me tea in a china cup and saucer. He’d served it naked. A tradition I hope he observes indefinitely.

I spent this afternoon washing and ironing the new bedding for each room. There are shutters on the outside of the windows, but we fit new roller blinds to the insides.

The furniture turned up earlier, luckily both rooms have built-in wardrobes—or closets as Koa calls them—and now Lee, Dean, and Koa are in Kai’s room putting his bed, bedside tables, and a massive chest of drawers in place.

They have also fixed a flat screen television to the wall, as well as some shelves surrounding a purpose-built desk that Koa spent most of yesterday afternoon and this morning working on.

Shannon is also here, and we’re both standing in the kitchen sipping wine. What was going to be our girls’ night has turned into couples’ night, plus Lee. Once the boys are done putting the furniture together, we’re all off to Mo’s to listen to some band play.

“When does Kai’s flight get in?”

“Not till the Wednesday afternoon before Thanksgiving.”

She eyes me over her wine glass.

“I’m assuming that watching the two of you together, things have changed?”

“Yeah, things have changed.”

“I knew it!” She slaps her palm down on her thigh and laughs. “Damn girl, the way he looks at you. That shit is seriously intense. This whole thing, the way you met, is gonna be one hell of a story you’re gonna have to tell the grandbabies.”

I go to the fridge and pull out another bottle of wine. I feel slightly cold and shivery. I should be drinking red, not white. Though I think it’s the conversation that’s making me feel this way, so it probably doesn’t matter what I drink.

“Not sure if grandbabies are on the agenda just yet, not sure if Koa even wants more kids. To be honest, our whole relationship is a little undefined.”

I probably sound insecure, and I suppose, that is what I am. But I’m also happy, ecstatic in fact. I just need a moment to draw breath, to get my head around everything and what it all might mean for my future—our future.

“Undefined? What I saw when you two were dancing on Sunday, the way he held you and looked at you? Whew, girl.” She fans her face. “That was damn hot. I was worried I was gonna end up pregnant just from watching the pair of you. Shit, I was worried thatDeanmight end up pregnant. So, if it’s a label you’re looking, try ‘damn fucking hot’ as a starter.”

This makes me smile but doesn’t help me think any clearer as I recall Koa and the way he moved while we danced.