Sending Love (NOVELLA FROM STRAIN OF LOVE)

CHAPTER FIVE

I grab a seat by the door, trying and failing at not eavesdropping on her conversation with her boss. I think it's safe to say, she's impressed by me doing this for her. They chatter excitedly and then Chiara appears through the door, pulling her handbag up her arm.

I jump up. "You ready?"

She nods, taking my hand. "As ever. I can smell the food from here."

I swing the bag. "Good, huh?"

Her smile is silly. "Umm, definitely. Do you fancy leaving your car parked here and taking the short walk to the meadows?"

My lips touch her knuckles when I lift her hand to kiss it. "Good plan."

Whitly House is a stately home hotel set on seventy acres of rural land, with the gardens split out into several parts. Chiara's favourite is the meadows and she's always gushing over the wild grasses and flowers as they are a haven for the butterflies and bees.

They boxed the meadow off with fences to prevent the guests from climbing over and disturbing the wildlife, but the owners Julie and Carson always let her inside here.

I jump over first, taking the basket and blanket with me before giving her a hand over the fence. The long grass stems brush my legs, probably marking my jeans, but I can't find it in me to care.

"You pick the spot," I says, squeezing her hand.

She leads us a few feet ahead to the hilliest part. It looks out into the woods with miles of rolling land ahead. It's real nice.

"If you time it right, this spot makes for a perfect sunrise, she says.

I shake out the rug. "I bet that's gorgeous, babe. You sit and I'll serve. This is all still hot."

She cross her legs and waits in anticipation. "You brought warm food?"

"Yes, all from my brother's restaurant," I say handing her a plate and some cutlery.

I see something that resembles the mushroom fettuccine in one foil tray and Chiara makes an excited noise. "Your brother has a restaurant?"

I'm proved right when I catch sight of the writing on the lid. I dump some on a plate for her. "Yes, the youngest, Casey. It's the Italian bistro near the shopping avenue."

"Italian? I guess it is only right I pay him a visit sometime," she says.

I know you can't ignore the way I stiffen up. It's as if I just got thrown out to the wolves. Why, I have no fucking idea. It's not like she said something wrong.

To clear the stuffy air, she helps pull off the other lids and I feel like a shit head. Spaghetti and meatballs, Chicken Marsala and a dip of some sort.

"This all looks delicious," she says, not able to resist digging my fork into the chicken marsala.

"I'm glad you approve," I say, showing her the dip. "Casey said this is blended ricotta cheese with roasted garlic and fresh toasted oregano. Served with mini olive oil breads. It's next level good."

Her hands are at the ready. "I need to try. Feed me."

Chuckling, I get her a napkin for the bread, putting a huge dollop of dip on the plate to scoop it with the bread I give over.

She opens her mouth as soon as the dip goes on her mouth, covering her lips, when she chews. "Mamma Mia!"

I smile, reaching over to wipe the corners of her mouth, sucking on my finger afterwards. "Good, huh?"

"So good."

A little more?" I ask, enjoying feeding her.

She strokes my face, probably feeling the score of my stubble. My eyes shut for a moment. "Yes, please. Shall I plate you some up?"

I smile after giving her a few more bites. "Yes, please."

My fingers trace patterns on her knee while she swirls spaghetti strands around the fork. "This looks so yummy."

I open up wide when I take the food from her, chewing slowly while she gets some for herself. When she looks up, she notices me watching her and smiles when I brush some of the sauce from her lips.

She tilts her head to rest on my wrist, going in for more food. "I can see why your brother's restaurant is so popular."

"It's crazy. For such a young kid, he has a lot of business sense. It's only been open for eighteen months and is already earning awards," I say, dipping some bread.

"Wow, seriously cool. And very inspiring. Good for him," she says.

I cover my mouth. "I'm so proud of him." I shake my head. "He's got more balls than me. Taking such a big risk like that."

She frowns, but don't comment further. It makes me wonder what she was about to say. "Does he do takeaways?"

"Only for family." I laugh. "I can put your order in."

"Oh, good. I will do that." She laughs, having to cup under her mouth when the sauce from the chicken drips everywhere.

We stay here and finish our food, packing up to take a stroll around the fields. It's beautiful out here, so warm and fresh. I bend down to pick her some daisies and she tells me off because if Sherry the gardener saw she would chase us with her lawn mower.

She also brings them to her nose to smell and looks as if she will treasure them forever.

Once we get back to my house, we shower and while I'm rubbing my soapy hands all over her gorgeous body, she's massaging her fingers through my hair. My lips drop to the sensitive parts of her collarbones and she moans into the steam.

I thrust up and she folds over gently, taking my erection in her hand. My teeth sink into her skin on a sharp gasp and she cries out. It takes a couple thrusts to realise I'm not wearing a condom.

I slip free and she whines as her hand clasps my hair into a fist. "I'm not protected, baby."

She turns and hops up when I turn the water off to carry her towards my bedroom, dropping to the bed without a care for getting the sheets wet.

We kiss dirty and I roll over so I'm on my back, reaching into the bedside cabinet to pull out the condoms, handing one over when she asks for it. My eyes are glued on her as she peels into the foil and rolls it down slowly.

My tongue pushes past her lips when I grab her face, enjoying her sweet taste until she positions me and slides down. I grunt and she moans, gaining a rhythm so sweet it has me forcing my hips up to meet hers.

We're crazy savages as she rides me until I spin her and push her legs up to pound her into a screaming mess and I follow right after her.