Page 19 of Surprise Me Tonight (Claimed on Sight #1)

Callum

T he rain hasn’t let up all day.

It slides down the windows in quiet sheets, painting the world in grey. The house is silent except for the soft hum of the telly — something about whales, maybe dolphins. We haven’t changed the channel in hours.

We’re lying on my bed, half under the duvet.

She’s curled into me, warm and still, dressed in grey joggers and a navy hoodie that slips slightly off one shoulder when she shifts.

It’s a little faded, soft from a hundred washes — and I don’t think she realises how good she looks like this. Relaxed. Real. Mine.

I’m in shorts and a T-shirt. Nothing special. But somehow this — the quiet, the closeness, the easy weight of her draped over me — feels like everything.

She yawns into my chest, voice low and drowsy. “Would you rather live in a lighthouse or a cabin in the woods?”

“How remote’s the cabin?”

“No road access.”

“Lighthouse. ”

She lifts her head just enough to look at me. “Because you could still get Deliveroo?”

“No,” I murmur, brushing her hair back behind her ear. “Because I like the sea. And I like knowing what’s coming.”

She nods, but doesn’t push it.

We lie there in the soft hum of rain and blankets and the warmth of doing nothing.

“I think I’ve worked it out.” The words are out before I can consider if I should say them.

She shifts slightly. “What?”

“Why I haven’t slept properly since I left the RAF.”

Her fingers pause on my stomach. “Tell me.”

I stare up at the ceiling. “Back then, I always thought it was adrenaline. Adjustment. Noise. I told myself it would pass when I got settled. But then I built the business, made the money, bought the houses… and I still couldn’t sleep.”

She says nothing. Just waits.

“I think it’s because I didn’t know what I was here for,” I say. “Everything I did — I could do it. But it didn’t mean anything. It didn’t… settle me.”

I glance down at her.

Her eyes are on mine.

“I sleep now,” I say softly. “When you’re here, I sleep.”

There is a quiet gasp from her. I hear it.

“Because I’ve worked it out, Stardust. My purpose isn’t the company. Or the next big invention. My purpose is you. Being what you need. However you need me.”

She blinks, slow and stunned.

And I see it — the moment her heart opens just that little bit more. I feel it happen under my hand, in the way her body curls into mine without hesitation .

“I love you,” I say.

Her mouth opens slightly. She doesn’t speak straight away.

Then she reaches for me — hand on my jaw, thumb brushing my cheekbone.

“You absolute idiot,” she whispers, smiling through the wobble in her voice. “I’ve been waiting for you to say that.”

“Say it back.”

She grins — that slow, stubborn grin she gets when she’s enjoying keeping me waiting. Her fingers trail lightly across my chest, her eyes sparkling like she knows exactly what she’s doing.

“I’m thinking about it,” she says.

I raise an eyebrow. “Thinking about it?”

“Can’t rush these things.”

“Oh, is that right?”

She bites her lip, clearly trying not to laugh. “I mean, you’ve only just confessed to being completely emotionally dependent on me. Might need a minute to consider my options.”

I narrow my eyes. “You are playing with fire, woman.”

She shrugs — cocky, dangerous. “Someone’s got to keep you humble.”

I shift beneath her, slide my hand under the hem of her hoodie, and let my fingers skate across the soft skin of her waist. She jolts instantly, squealing.

“Callum—don’t—!”

“You had your chance,” I say, deadpan, and then I pounce.

It’s not graceful. It’s not strategic. It’s an all-out tickle ambush .

She thrashes, laughing, trying to wriggle away, but I’ve got her pinned with my knees and both hands. “Say it,” I demand, grinning now. “Say it or I swear I’ll find every ticklish spot—”

“You’re a child!”

“Say it.”

“Never!”

I dig my fingers into her side and she shrieks, half-laughing, half-protesting. “You sadistic—fine! Fine, I love you!”

I pause. “Say it properly.”

She gasps, trying to catch her breath, face flushed, hair in chaos. “Callum Wright, I am stupidly, ridiculously, hopelessly in love with you.”

I let go.

Her chest is heaving and she’s smiling at me like she's just won the world’s rarest prize.

“Good,” I say, voice low.

Before she can respond, I close the distance between us, pressing my lips to hers in a kiss that’s both hungry and tender.

Her hands find my T-Shirt, clutching at the fabric as if anchoring herself to me.

I taste the sweetness of her laughter, the warmth of her surrender, and something deeper—the unspoken promise of forever.

We pull apart reluctantly, both of us breathless, our hearts pounding in sync. Stella’s eyes are bright, her smile soft and knowing. I can’t help but grin back, my chest tight with a happiness I’ve never known before.

“Take this off,” she says, tugging at my top. Her voice is playful, but there’s an edge of urgency to it, a silent plea for more .

I oblige, pulling the T-Shirt over my head and tossing it aside. She does the same, her movements deliberate, her eyes never leaving mine.

She doesn’t hesitate. Her hands move lower, untying the drawstring of my shorts with a slow, deliberate motion. I scramble off the bed and kick them off, standing before her in nothing but my boxers, my heart pounding in anticipation.

Stella smiles, a wicked glint in her eyes, before reaching for the waistband of my boxers. With a slow, deliberate pull, she slides them down, her fingers brushing against my skin as she exposes me fully.

I hiss at the contact, my hands tangling in her hair as she leans forward, her lips brushing against the tip of my cock. “Fuck,” I mutter, my head falling back as she takes me between her lips.

Stella’s mouth is warm and wet, her tongue swirling around me in a rhythm that’s both torturous and exquisite.

She hums softly, the vibration sending jolts of pleasure through me.

I tighten my grip on her hair, my hips twitching involuntarily as she deepthroats me, her lips sliding down to the base.

“Stella,” I warn, my voice strained. “If you keep doing that, I’m not going to last.”

She pulls back slightly, her eyes meeting mine, a mischievous smile playing on her lips. “Is that a challenge?”

“Don’t push me,” I growl, but it’s too late. She takes me into her mouth again, her hands gripping my thighs as she sets a relentless pace.

I’m teetering on the edge, my breath coming in short gasps. “Stella, stop—”

But she doesn’t. Her mouth is relentless, her tongue teasing, her lips tight around me. I can feel the tension building, a coil tightening in my stomach, and I know I’m moments away from losing control.

“Fuck, Stella—” I pull her off me abruptly, my hands cupping her face as I press my lips to hers in a desperate kiss. I need her, need to taste her, to feel her closeness.

She moans into the kiss, her hands sliding up my chest, her body pressing against mine. I break the kiss, my hands roaming over her curves. “Lie down,” I command, my voice thick with desire.

She does as I ask, her eyes never leaving mine as she stretches out on the bed. I follow, kneeling between her legs, my hands sliding up her thighs before pushing her tracksuit bottoms down until she kicks them off.

Stella’s skin is soft, her body a map of curves and warmth. I lean down, pressing kisses along her stomach, my hands cupping her hips as I make my way lower. She moans as my lips brush against her core, her hands tangling in my hair.

“Callum,” she whispers, her voice trembling.

I smile against her, my tongue dipping inside her, tasting her sweetness. She’s wet and warm, her muscles clenching around me as I explore her with slow, deliberate strokes. I hum softly, the vibration sending her over the edge.

“Callum—oh, fuck—” Her back arches, her body trembling as she cries out, her release spilling over my tongue. I drink her in, savouring her flavour, my hands holding her hips steady as she rides out her orgasm.

When she finally stills, I kiss my way back up her body, my lips brushing against her skin, my hands gentle as I trace her curves. She pulls me up, her lips seeking mine in a deep, passionate kiss.

“I love you,” she murmurs against my lips, her hands framing my face.

“I love you too,” I reply, my voice hoarse with emotion.

She smiles, her eyes shining with unshed tears. “Prove it.”

I don’t need to be told twice. I shift between her legs, my cock pressing against her entrance, her hands guiding me as I slide inside her. Her body welcomes me with a tightness that makes me groan.

“Fuck, Stella,” I mutter, my forehead resting against hers as I begin to move.

Our breaths mingle, our hearts pounding in sync as I thrust into her, our bodies moving together in a rhythm that’s both urgent and tender. Her hands grip my shoulders, her nails digging into my skin as she meets my thrusts, her hips rising to meet mine.

“Look at me,” I command, our eyes locking as I move inside her.

Our kisses are deep and desperate, our bodies moving in perfect harmony. I can feel the tension building again, the coil tightening in my stomach, but I don’t want it to end. Not yet.

“Together,” I murmur, my thrusts slowing as I press kisses to her neck, her shoulders, her lips.

She nods, her hands tangling in my hair as she pulls me down for another kiss. Our bodies move in sync, our breaths coming in short gasps as we climb higher, our releases building until we’re both teetering on the edge .

“Callum—”

“Stella—”

Our cries mingle as we fall over the edge together, our bodies trembling as we find release. I collapse on top of her, my weight careful, my heart pounding against hers.

She wraps her arms around me, her legs tangling with mine as we catch our breath. “I love you,” she whispers again, her voice soft and content.

“I love, love, love you,” I reply, pressing a kiss to her forehead.

We lie there for a moment, our bodies still joined, our hearts slowing as the world around us fades away. Eventually, I pull out, covering her with the duvet as I curl up beside her, my arm draped around her waist.

Stella snuggles into my side, her head resting on my chest. “This is perfect,” she murmurs, her voice sleepy.

“Yeah,” I agree, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. “It is.”

Stella’s hand finds mine, her fingers lacing through mine as she smiles up at me.

And in that moment, with her in my arms and the warmth of the duvet around us, I know there’s nowhere else I’d rather be.