Page 82

Willow

I nibbled on the glacier cherries from the top of my cocktail as Jack tried – and failed – to hold back his laughter.

“I’m sorry, sweetheart. I just didn’t expect your hair to get quite so frizzy in the heat.”

I scowled and huffed. “Well, now you know. Can we move on?”

He pulled me from my wicker bar stool until I stood between his thighs.

“You’re beautiful, frizz or no frizz,” he mused, brushing my hair from my face, eyes taking every inch of me in.

Holiday Jack was a sight to behold. Shirts undone to show a flicker of chest hair, bare legs and a lightness I hadn’t seen outside of our romantic bubble at home.

We’d arrived in Bali a day ago, and we’d managed to adapt to the new time zone well, staying out all day, taking in the sights and sounds of the local area.

I was as thrilled to find Jack in swimming trunks as he was by my strapless black bikini, to the extent we nearly didn’t make it out of our beach-front room.

For our first holiday, we’d come to an agreement. Jack would pay for the flights - though he’d secretly upgraded us to first class without my knowledge - where I’d pay for the accommodation and meals. It was unfair, if you asked me. But Jack was insistent.

Either way, we were relieved to escape reality for a few weeks.

We were celebrating Christmas and New Years bouncing around Bali.

Jack felt guilty, leaving Fran without family for the festive season, but Mike invited her round for Christmas Day, while Elle and Silas were taking her out for New Years.

“I love you, frizzle.” He kissed me softly.

“We’re not adding that to the list of nicknames, lamb,” I replied sternly.

“Why not? I love it.” He tried to run his fingers through my explosion of hair, only for it to tangle and yank. I winced and tugged my thicker-than-usual strands behind my shoulders, glaring at him.

Jack chuckled as he finished his beer. “Let’s go, baby. The sun will be setting by the time we’re back. ”

I squealed. I’d fallen asleep by sunset the previous night, and a beachy sunset was exactly how I needed tonight to go.

He tugged me into his side, his fingers meeting the gap between my blue denim shorts and handkerchief top, while my hand slid into the back pocket of his shorts. We strolled down the board walk, thick forestry on our right and beach to our left, the sky painted oranges and reds.

From nowhere, loud rumbles and cracks rippled through the air and in unison, our focus shifted to the sky above.

Thick droplets of rain fell, quickly turning into a downpour.

Those on the beach rushed for cover but instead we stood relishing the cool down.

Glancing at Jack, his grey hair darkened, cream linen shirt transparent.

He reached out, cupping my cheek with one hand, tangling my once-frizzy hair in the other and crashed his lips to mine.

Our damp lips slipped together, tongues tangling.

When a flash lit up the sky, we snapped apart with a gasp.

In the horizon, lightning flashed. With a tug, Jack called out my name.

“Willow, baby. Come on.”

“It’s so beautiful,” I shouted with glee, my voice barely reaching him. We ran hand-in-hand along the wooden board, finally reaching our room.

Jack tugged me into his arms, crashing his lips to mine.

Unbothered by the public placement, I shed his shirt, and he pulled the strings to my top, the material falling to the floor.

Hands were everywhere, touching everything until Jack tugged down my shorts, pushing me against the wooden fencing of our balcony.

Thunder rumbled.

Jack fisted my hair, swallowing my moans as my scalp stung. He spun me around, pushing my shoulders down until my arms pressed against the fence.

His fingers caressed my slit, and I arched into him. “Fuck, so wet. So perfect.”

I pushed back into the only pleasure he would offer.

“Please, lamb,” I begged, and he moaned.

“Christ. I don’t think I’ll last long.”

“So don’t. Fuck me hard and fast.”

With a harsh slap to my arse, he tugged my thong to one side and pushed his dick inside, hitting me with thrusts that made me see stars.

“So fucking perfect,” he mumbled through his pleasure.

The rain slowed around us and our skin glowed as his hand tugged my wild curls around his fist until I had no option but to look upwards.

“Look up, Willow. Watch the sun set as I fuck you. Let me claim the most gorgeous girl, in the most gorgeous place in the world.”

Tears pooled in my eyes as I took in the moment, of what tonight meant.

My well-deserved joy and adoration for this man, combined with his intense thrusts sent me over the edge, combusting at the seams. I shuddered around him with a loud groan, pushing back to take everything he could give me.

Like he didn’t see it coming, Jack moaned in surprise as his orgasm rushed over him.

His body pressed into mine and he kissed my shoulder, mumbling his love for me. Pulling out, he pulled my underwear back up, catching our release. I pulled my shorts up, relieved that in the heat of the moment, he hadn’t realised the secret sitting in my back pocket.

“This is perfect,” I mused, looking at the darkness before us as Jack prodded the fire. We were seated on the beach, just beyond our hut. He returned to his seat behind me, slotting me between his legs and his arms pulling my back to his chest.

“It is. Thank you, sweetheart.” He kissed my head.

“What for?”

“Everything. Taking a chance on us. Healing my old-man heart. Letting me love you the way you deserve.”

“If you’d have asked me a year ago, I’d never ever have thought I’d be here,” I hummed happily.

“I hate how much you’ve been through, sometimes it keeps me up at night. But I’m glad it brought you to me, to our life. To Bali in bikinis.”

I giggled, brushing my finger down his leg and back up again, his soft, whispy hairs tickling my finger tips.

“Where do you think we’ll be this time next year?” I asked. I had my suspicions, considering the little secret I was holding, but my favourite thing was listening to Jack’s dreams. Before he could answer, I shivered unexpectedly.

“Cold?”

“We’re not all insulated like you, lamb.”

He laughed and stood. “I’ll grab some blankets.”

My insides churned as his warmth left. I watched him enter the room, rummaging around for as many blankets as he could find.

I scrambled up, facing the bedroom and waiting for his return. The second he stepped out of the door, I dropped to my knees in the sand. The moment he found me, he froze. Tears pooled at the importance of this moment, a watery laugh escaped me.

“Willow? What are you doing?”

Fuck. There was a reason women only did this once every four years .

“Jack,” I started, allowing a couple of shaky breaths.

“I love you. The life you’ve offered me, you wanting me is the greatest gift.

I’m not proud or thrilled as to how our lives collided, but I’m beyond proud and thrilled of what we’re creating, of the love we’ve found ourselves in.

" I sniffed, willing my tears away. "I know this is unconventional, but I don’t think we’ve exactly followed convention.

I want you. I want to show you how special you are every single day.

I want to show up for us and prove the fight we’ve fought so far will always be worth it.

” I pulled the gold ring from my back pocket, holding it out. “Lamb. Will you marry me?”

A strangled sob escaped him, and he dropped the blankets, rushing to me and falling to his knees too. His cheeks were stained with tears he refused to hold back.

“Sweetheart… I love you. I love you so much,” he muttered through kisses to my cheeks, forehead and lips.

“Is that a yes?”

“It’s a fuck yes.”

I giggled, finally allowing the tears to fall and pressing myself into his embrace until he stood and darted into the room again. I watched, confused.

When he returned, he fell to one knee and when he popped a red box open, I gasped. A marquise diamond with a gold twisted diamond encrusted band glowed from the cushion.

“I know you didn’t want to be surprised, and I was never going to force this on you. But I’ve been carrying it with me for months, just in case. I didn’t expect this in the slightest, but I’d be honoured to marry you, if you’ll marry me too?”

Speechless, I nodded. He slipped the diamond onto my finger, over the willow tattoo, and I got lost in the sparkle. It twinkled just like his eyes when he laughed.

Jack cleared his throat above me and when I looked up, I couldn't help but giggle. With his left hand out, fingers splayed and wiggling, he smirked.

"I'd like my ring now too, please."

"So bossy, Mr Lambert," I joked, easing the ring onto his finger, delighting in the broad grin that reached his soft eyes. At my words, those eyes narrowed.

"Venturing into dangerous territory there, sweetheart. You know what that name from those lips does to me, and I'd rather celebrate with you."

Entangling our fingers, he tugged me into his embrace until we formed as one. Just as I reached his lips, I looked up into his warm, hazel eyes with a smirk.

"Yes… Mr Lambert."

The End.