Quiet Longing (Quiet Love #2)

37.

Charli

I felt like I was floating as we went back out. Rhys lifted my hand, pressed his lips to my knuckles, a carnal promise in his gaze before he went to check in with Shay and the others. I spotted Nuala at a table with Jonathan and the couple we’d been chatting to in the church, Alan and Jim. Before joining them, I hot footed it to the bar for a drink.

I needed a glass of Prosecco. Or several. I was still in a state of disbelief that I’d confessed my true feelings to Rhys. I felt like my soul was drifting halfway out of my body the entire time I sat there, spilling my guts. Some illogical part of me had expected him to recoil, tell me he was fond of me, but love … no , he just didn’t share those feelings. But that wasn’t what had happened. Rhys loved me back. He’d perhaps loved me for even longer than I’d loved him, and this feeling of pure contentment and bliss couldn’t ever be matched. If today was the pinnacle of my emotional existence, then so be it. I could be happy with that.

The guy behind the bar handed me a glass of bubbly Prosecco, and I took a healthy gulp before going to Nuala and quietly lowering into the seat next to her.

“Well,” she whispered to me while the others were busy talking. “Did you do it?”

I nodded, unable to help the giddy, nervous laugh that escaped me.

Nuala lifted an eyebrow. “Okay, that laugh was a little manic, so now, I’m worried. How did it go?”

My eyes began to shine as emotion rose forth. I looked across the room to where Rhys sat with Maggie and Shay. His shoulders were broad, his features handsome as he spoke and gestured with his hands. I loved him more than all the stars in the sky. He didn’t notice me looking yet, but my heart filled just to know he was mine. And I was his.

“Oh,” Nuala breathed, seeming to read something in my expression from the way I was looking at Rhys. “That well, huh?” She gave a sniff. “Great, now, I might cry again.”

I squeezed her hand. “Don’t cry. This is a good day. No, a great day.” A swirl of butterflies flitted through me when Rhys, finally sensing my attention, glanced my way, and a loving, heated expression claimed his gorgeous face.

“Oh, Charli,” Nuala said before pulling me into a hug. When she let me go, she sat back and shot me a cheeky grin. “You’re right. It is a great day.” She paused, lowering her voice to whisper, “Also, don’t tell anyone, but I think I might proposition Jonathan tonight. I’ve been talking to him, and he’s quite dishy. I might be discovering a kink for older men.”

I chuckled in delight. “I think you should go for it.”

“Me, too. I don’t like to leave a wedding empty handed.”

With that, she turned her attention back to Jonathan and began flirting her absolute butt off. By the end of the night, though, they didn’t end up leaving together, and Rhys was ushering the two of us back to his car to drive us home. My entire body buzzed during the drive because Nuala’s place was nearest, and when Rhys dropped me at my apartment, I was going to invite him up. I wanted him in my bed. Preferably for the next two days. I was pretty sure I had enough food to see us through.

“So, it didn’t work out with Jonathan?” I asked as I peered at Nuala through the overhead mirror.

Rhys frowned. “What didn’t work out with Jonathan?”

Nuala huffed a sigh, sitting sideways with a sullen, drunk expression. “Don’t remind me. I’m so embarrassed,” she moaned and put her hands over her eyes.

“What happened?” I asked.

“I basically laid myself out on a plate, and he had the bloody nerve to say, ‘Sorry, love, but you’re not my type.’ Oh, man. I’m murderous right now.”

“You propositioned that arsehole?” Rhys said in disbelief as he shook his head. “You’ve only got yourself to blame. Everyone knows he can be an abrasive fucker.”

“Yes, well,” Nuala harumphed, folding her arms. “I’ve learned my lesson.”

“It’s his loss,” I said. “Besides, how are you not his type? You’re perfect. You’re everyone’s type.”

“Aww, Charli. You always know what to say to make me feel better,” she said with a pleased sigh.

Rhys cast me a warm look before focusing back on the road. By the time we dropped Nuala off at her place, I was practically overflowing with nervous anticipation. A part of me felt like calling Anna-Marie and asking if she thought it was too impulsive to sleep with Rhys right away, but obviously, I couldn’t wake her up for something so trivial. Besides, it felt right. As far as I was concerned, being with Rhys could never be a mistake.

“Here we are. Get some rest, okay?” Rhys said as he parked outside my building. “It’s been a long day.” Leaning across the centre console, he caught my lips in a sweet goodnight kiss and I hitched a breath.

“What if I don’t want to rest yet?” I asked, and his gaze became hooded, needful.

Without even answering the question, Rhys’ lips were on mine again with more force as he practically devoured me. Our hands grabbed for one another desperately before he broke the kiss and pressed his forehead to mine just as he did earlier in the night.

“Are you sure about this?”

“More sure than anything in my life,” I answered resolutely.

A second later, he was hauling me out of the car, and I was fumbling for my keys as I led him inside the building and up to my apartment on the second floor. Thrilling, nervous energy filled me when we reached my door, and Rhys’ heat met my back, his breath fanning across my neck as I struggled to slot the key in.

“You’re taking too long,” he growled, softly biting the back of my neck, and I fell forward with a moan, my bones melting at the possessive nip. Luckily, it was almost three in the morning, and my neighbours were more than likely fast asleep in their beds.

At last, I got the door open, and we tumbled inside, a flurry of kisses and groping hands. Rhys’ shirt was open, and the back of my dress was partway undone. I stepped out of my heels, and Rhys’ shoulder knocked into the wall. He made a grunting sound, complaining, “This apartment is far too small,” before his mouth was back on me.

Bobby let out a complaintive “Meow” that said he didn’t appreciate being woken up. Rhys pulled back, noticing my cat for the first time as he said, “Bloody hell, he’s massive.”

“He’s a Maine coon, and his name is Bobby. He likes ear scratches and belly rubs.”

Rhys’ smile was indulgent. “Good to know.”

Somehow, we made it to the bedroom, and Rhys decided to slow things down, taking his time kissing and stripping me until I was a mess of wanton need lying naked on the cool linen sheets.

“Come here,” I begged, my gaze sultry as I watched him stand by the foot of the bed, sexily unbuckling his belt as his eyes feasted on my bare flesh.

“Come where?” he murmured, shoving down his pants then climbing between my legs. He cupped me, and I bit my lip at the feel of his large, rough hand against my throbbing sex. Rhys tilted his head, “Here?”

“Yes,” I breathed. “I need you now.”

His smile was pure sin as he produced a condom—I wasn’t sure where from—and slid it down his thick shaft. Moments later, he pushed inside, and I cried out, gripping his shoulders as he thrust with abandon. Somehow, he fucked me and made love to me all at the same time, alternating between fast and hard, slow and tender, his lips nibbling at my breasts, nose sliding up my throat and along my jaw. I felt consumed, and there was no one else I would rather be obliviated by.

My hand travelled from the top of his spine all the way down to his rock hard ass, enjoying the feel of his muscles pulsing as he pounded me. I squeezed, and he let out a puff of breath. “Fuck, Charli. I’m—”

Before he could finish the sentence he came, finishing inside me then dropping his weight down on top of me because he knew how much I liked that after sex. There was just something about being surrounded, having him pressing down on me and almost stealing my breath, that was incredibly pleasurable.

A few moments later, he lowered down my body, his mouth between my legs as he gave me my second orgasm of the night with his tongue.

A little later, I sighed with pleasure, snuggling into his side and letting his comforting, loving presence seep into me. I pressed my ear to his chest and listened to his strong heartbeat before promptly falling asleep.

When I woke, the clock on my bedside dresser told me it was past midday. Rhys was still next to me, his large body warm and solid at my back as he cradled me in his arms.

I pressed my lips to his bicep then nuzzled my nose along his jaw, and his eyes fluttered open. “Charli,” he breathed, several realisations flitting across his face like he was remembering where he was and all that had happened yesterday.

With something akin to a growl, he pulled me under him and started kissing my neck, only pausing when I said, “So, quick question, did you happen to buy a house recently?”

His kisses paused as he drew himself up, those handsome blue eyes looking a little shifty suddenly. Finally, he replied, “Who told you?”

“Maggie might’ve said something while we were on vacation.” Rhys exhaled then flipped over onto his back to stare at the ceiling. I huddled closer and draped my arm across his stomach. “Why did you buy it? Maggie said you were planning to rent it out, but that you haven’t taken on any tenants yet.”

“I’m not renting it out,” he replied, the statement tense.

“Why not?” I asked, heart pounding.

Rhys turned his head, his gaze so tender and loving that I practically melted under his intense focus. He caught my chin in his hand, swiping his thumb along the underside of my jaw when he answered, “Because it’s yours.”

My breath caught. “Rhys, please do not tell me you bought me a house.”

He looked chagrined. “Charli, I bought you a house.”

Nervous flutters filled my belly. How was I both outraged and touched beyond belief all at the same time? “Well, I won’t take it, so you’ll just have to do as Maggie said and rent it or sell it. No way are you giving me a house.”

“No, I know that,” he said, his frown creating a deep indent between his eyebrows, and I thought he was finally seeing sense, but then he said, “I can’t just give it to you. You’d have to pay a ridiculous amount of tax for a start, and that’s not happening. I’m still figuring out the logistics, but—”

“Rhys, there are no logistics. I’m not taking it, plain and simple.”

“But it’s yours. It’s been yours since you sat at my kitchen table scrolling through pictures with a look of pure happiness on your face like you’d found something that felt perfect and right. I couldn’t stand anyone taking that happiness from you. That’s why I bought it.”

“ Rhys .”

“Admittedly, it was an impulsive decision, one I clearly didn’t think through very well, but I was in love with you, and you weren’t ready, and it felt like the one thing I could do to make me feel a little less heartsick.”

I shook my head, still full of disbelief. “Can you even afford it?”

“Oh, yeah, easily. My place is almost paid off, so those mortgage payments will be finished soon and …” His words fell away when he saw my expression of pure bewilderment. How could he talk so casually about buying me a goddamn house?

He started to smile. “Do you want to see it?”

I was still shaking my head, trying to come to terms with how much I loved him and how much a part of me still felt like I didn’t deserve someone so loving, pure-hearted, and kind.

“Yes,” I blurted without even realising. “Of course, I want to see it.”

An hour later, I stood next to Rhys as he slid the key in the lock and opened the pastel blue door. He stepped inside first, and my heart fluttered as I traced a finger over the silver butterfly knocker, finally realising why it had been the thing to draw me there in the first place. The creature of change and evolution was engraved into my very soul. It had been a difficult, painful path, and maybe I wasn’t yet a butterfly, but I was getting there. Step by step.

Rhys walked me around the empty house, and though, in my mind, I was still determined not to accept such an extravagant gift, my heart couldn’t help being excited. There had always been something that felt right about the place, some sense of destiny, and I couldn’t shift the feeling.

Then, as my eyes ran along the wall that adjoined Rhys’, an idea formulated. I placed my hand on the wall then turned to face him. “Okay, so I just had a thought.”

His expression was affectionate. “Go on.”

“I want to be with you, Rhys. Like, not just for now but forever. You realise that, right?”

He released one of his trademark gruff breaths and came to stand before me, his arms wrapping possessively around my waist. “Yes, and I hope you realise I feel the same.”

Oh, man, don’t cry. His love made me feel like I was going to burst. “Well, obviously I don’t want to rush anything. I’m happy with my little apartment, and I want to take this at a steady pace, but someday, I would love to move in with you.”

His features softened at my statement as he drew me closer and pressed his mouth to the hollow of my neck. “What was your thought, baby?”

My eyes drifted closed at the pleasure of his lips on my skin, but I forced myself to keep on track. “Well, my thought was we could look into tearing down this wall and basically making the two houses into one larger house. So, someday soon, when I’m ready to move in with you, it can simply become ours.”

“Ah, you’re a genius,” he smiled, his mouth returning to my neck and sending tingles down my body that had me clenching my thighs.

“You think it’s a good idea?”

“Yes, it’s an incredible idea. When the time comes I’ll have your name added to the deeds, so you’ll have that security.”

“Okay, but only if you let me pay for all the renovations since you paid for the house. Well, both houses.”

“No,” he muttered roughly, still kissing my neck as his hand found its way between my legs. “You’re not paying.”

“Rhys, you have to meet me partway.”

“We’ll see,” he finally allowed.

“Oh, don’t think you can put me off with a ‘we’ll see.’ I’m paying, and I won’t accept anything else.”

“Fine,” he growled. “Now, are you going to let me make you come, or are you going to keep arguing?”

I released a giddy chuckle, happy to have won the argument. “Okay, then. If you must.”

A second later, I squealed as he lifted me, carried me into the kitchen, and set me down on the counter before doing exactly as he promised.

Yesterday had been a great day, but today was even better. And I had a feeling that with Rhys Doyle there were even more amazing days yet to come.