Love in Fantasy (Skeleton Key) (31 page)

Walking is overrated.

I don’t know what that was. Earth shattering. Mind blowing. Those don’t even come close to describing what just happened to me. I’m lying prone on the bed, with Oliver collapsed on top of me. I can feel his heartbeat going a mile a minute and he’s sucking in large amounts of air, his body still shuddering with aftershocks.

He finally seems to realize he might be crushing me and rolls to the side, dragging me with him, so we are spooning, with him still inside me. “Is it supposed to be like that?” I ask quietly. He’s always taken me to new heights with his fingers, and then with his mouth today, it was fucking amazing. But, when he’s inside me? This was unreal. I can barely move a muscle, like they are made of pudding.

“It won’t always be quite like that, so frantic and crazy,” he answers as he nuzzles his nose in my hair. “Sometimes, we’ll make love, sometimes we’ll fool around, sometimes we’ll fuck, and whatever else we discover. But, it will always be love, which means, it will always be amazing.”

I sigh, so happy and content, and exhausted as all hell. I can barely keep my eyes open.

“I was really rough,” he says, and I can hear the concern in his tone. “You’re going to be very sore tomorrow.”

“Eh,” I shrug. “Walking is overrated.”

His chest rumbles before a chuckle leaves his lips.

“Oliver?”

“Hmmm?”

“I know this sounds crazy but, did you have something to do with my sisters all finding love over the last two weeks?”

He’s silent for a long time, and I think maybe he isn’t going to answer. “It wasn’t me, so much as Wilhelm.” I start to ask what he means but he reaches down and pulls the covers over us. “Another time. Go to sleep, baby,” he whispers, kissing my temple and I yawn, but try to disguise it. “There is no reason to stay awake; we have our whole lives together.”

“I’m afraid if I fall asleep, I’ll wake up and this will all have been a fantasy,” I admit.

Oliver doesn’t laugh like I expected him to and it warms me all over. Instead, he kisses my head again and snuggles me closer. “Trust me, this isn’t a fantasy, Pippa. This is our reality.”

Who would buy it?

Five years later. . .

I
t’s a beautiful night to sit outside and it’s a rare night to have all three of our kids in bed and asleep. Oliver and I are sitting out in our favorite spot on the veranda, making S’mores.

“Okay,” I say sternly. “You’ve put me off for five freaking years. I’m not going to let you seduce me into waiting any longer.” He grins salaciously knowing he could if he really wanted to, because I am weak. I glare at him until he drops the smile.

He sighs. “It’s going to sound crazy and if you did believe me, I was afraid you would think what we have isn’t real.”

I scoff, but he looks so serious, it sobers me. “Oliver, I think it’s safe to say, after five years and three”—I look down at my four-month baby bump—“and a half kids, I’m pretty confident about how much you love me. And, the dirty diapers keep me firmly grounded in reality.”

He chuckles, seeming a little lighter. “Well, after your little stunt with the law, I found this key. . .”

When Oliver finishes the story, I’m pretty speechless. He watches me silently, likely wondering if I believe him. “Wow. What a little shit that key ended up being.”

Oliver stares at me for a minute, stunned. Then he bursts into laughter and pulls me over onto his lap. “I love you.”

I smile and kiss him tenderly. “I love you, too.”

He cocks his head like he always does when he has an idea. “I wonder if this story would make a good novel for you?”

I think about it for a few minutes, then shake my head. “One book that is nothing but twelve happily ever afters? Who would buy it?”

SKELETON KEY

Thank you so much for taking the time to read my
Skeleton Key
novella!

All reviews are appreciated
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If you would like to read more from the
Skeleton Key
series, please click on the link below:

Skeleton Key Website

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

I’m a lover of all things books and have always had a passion for writing. Since I am a sappy romantic, I fell easily into writing romance. I love a good HEA! I’m a huge baseball fan, a blogger, and obsessive reader.

My husband is my biggest supporter and he’s incredibly patient and understanding about the people is my head who are fighting with him for my attention.

I hope you enjoy reading my books as much as I enjoyed writing them!

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