Page 86 of The Stranger

I need to stop overthinking this and let the cards fall where they may.

Leaning in, I bury my face in her hair, inhaling deeply. That damn scent of her shampoo is my weakness.

I need to get up, but I don’t want to. I have a workout to do before showering and heading into the office. I haven’t missed a Saturday since I took over. But if Delilah didn’t have that job to go to—the one that I hate her doing with a fiery passion—I’d stay home and whisk her off to my estate for the weekend.

I’d love nothing more.

That thought only grows stronger as I lie here holding her. I’m not quite ready to leave this bubble we created last night and step back into the real world. There are too many uncertainties that lay ahead. While she’s still in my arms at least, she’s mine.

I lift my head off the pillow and place my lips against her shoulder.

“Sweetheart,” I whisper, giving her a gentle shake.

“Ugh,” she groans, scrunching up her cute little nose.Adorable.Her eyes remain closed as she turns her face towards the pillow and buries in further.

She’s obviously not a morning person. I’m grinning to myself as I bury my face in the crook of her neck, peppering kisses against her silky, soft skin. “Sweetheart, wake up … I have a proposition for you.”

I can only hope she’ll agree to my offer, otherwise my weekend is going to suck.

“Holy shit,” she utters from the passenger seat of my Bugatti when I pull up outside the black, wrought-iron gates of my expansive estate. “This is your weekend house?”

After an orgasm compliments of my mouth, I convinced her to take the day off.

“Yes, what were you expecting?” I ask as I push the fob on my keys to open the gates.

“A quaint cottage, maybe … not a damn castle.”

“It’s hardly a castle,” I retort.

“Maybe not to you.”

I love the serenity of this place. I bought this eighty-hectare property, boasting eight large bedrooms and nine bathrooms, a few years ago. It’s in the Southern Highlands, about an hour’s drive from Sydney. I had some extensive renovations done to it before I moved in, and one day I hope to retire here for good.

It was the view that drew me in. Rolling green hills as far as the eye can see.

I’d spent my life in the hustle and bustle of the city, which I never had a problem with until I came to view this property.

It was quiet, possibly too quiet compared to what I was used to, but I remember standing at the rear of the property—gazing out over the countryside as I inhaled fresh, clean air into my lungs—and I knew this was where I needed to be.

“Wait until you see the view from the back of the house. There is even a freshwater stream that runs through the property.”

“Oh.” She leans forward in her seat and observes the house through large eyes as I drive around the circledgarden that sits in the centre of the driveway, I adore how unspoilt she is. “Can we go for a walk once we’ve unpacked?” she asks as I put the car into park beside the front stairs.

I reach across the centre console and wrap my hand around hers. “We can do whatever you want, but I’d like to take you into town sometime today. I think you’d enjoy it. We could have lunch while we’re in there. It’s such a sweet little town … a lot like you,” I say.

My words have her pretty eyes sparkling. “Aww,” she coos. “You say the sweetest things sometimes.”

“Sometimes,” I retort, arching a brow.

“Yes, when you’re not being growly.”

I chuckle as I lean over to brush her lips with mine. Being free to touch and kiss her whenever I want is going to take some getting used to.

Once I unpacked our things from the car and gave her a tour of the interior, I caged her up against the closest wall and we made out like two teenagers.

I could tell she wanted me to take things further than our scorching kiss when she kept reaching for the button of my jeans, but I didn’t bring her here for sex, although I do plan on christening my bed with her tonight—I’d fuck her on every surface of this place if I could.

For now, I want to keep things PG. I have so much to show her, and if I give in to my carnal desires, we’ll never leave the house. She’s the first person I’ve ever brought up here, and I’m looking forward to sharing all the things I love about this place, and the area, with her.