Ever After Awaits (Layla) novel Chapter 139

Chapter 139: Layla POV

“Are you sore from last night?” Cade asks, his voice so low it vibrates against my skin.

“Just a little,” I admit as I glance back at him over my shoulder.

His grin turns downright wicked as he says, “More orgasms help with that, you know. It’s a scientífic fact.”

“Is that so?” I ask, playing along.

He shifts slightly behind me on the dock, his body warm and solid at my back, his chest lightly brushing against me as he closes the space between us even further. I feel the soft drag of his breath near the curve of my neck before his hands move lower, his fingers skating down my sides in a touch that’s equal parts

reverent and sinful.

The heat of his palms lingers even through the faint layer of sunscreen and the thin layer of my bathing suit, and his thumbs trace deliberate circles over the curve of my hips–slow and teasing–like he’s not just touching me, but savoring every response he’s coaxing out of my skin. My stomach tightens, and my breath

catches as goosebumps rise in the wake of his touch.

“Uh huh, and I happen to be a very scientific man when it comes to that particular field of study,” he adds, and his voice dips even lower, now more rasp than tease. It’s the kind of tone that turns your spine to liquid and makes you forget every coherent thought you ever had.

The warmth of his hands contrasts deliciously with the coolness of the lake water that’s lapping at our lower legs, and his every movement is unhurried and deliberate, like he’s memorizing the shape of me through touch alone. I feel the gentle flex of his abs against my lower back as he shifts to accommodate the new angle, every breath from him syncing with mine like some silent, shared rhythm. There’s a patience to it. A simmering control that makes my pulse flutter wildly.

I twist slightly, just enough to glance over my shoulder, and the glint in his eyes makes something in my chest tighten. Mischief and heat, all wrapped up in that lazy, crooked smile that could disarm an army and get away with it.

I laugh, swatting at his thigh with my one hand. “You’re terrible.”

“You’re not complaining, though,” he murmurs, ducking his head to nuzzle that highly erogenous area just below my ear, and the sensation sends a sharp shiver down my spine.

His nose brushes my skin, then the edge of his lips follows, grazing my earlobe in a feather–like kiss. The touch is soft and almost absent–minded, but it sparks through me like lightning on water, causing my toes to curl below the surface.

He shifts again, his lips now trailing down to the curve of my neck, and I brace my hands on top of his toned thighs to keep myself steady. But just as he leans in further–probably to kiss me again or whisper something else utterly indecent–Xavier’s voice carries to us from the shoreline, “Stop corrupting the

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Chapter 139: Layla POV

floating dock!”

1 freeze for a second, then burst into laughter, burying my face in my hands as the intimate moment shatters like glass under a booted heel. The wooden platform bobs beneath us with my laughter, and Cade groans like someone has just stolen his birthday cake.

“Cockblocked by our resident overachiever. That’s a new low.”

I roll my eyes, equal parts amused and exasperated. Leave it to Xavier to walk the tightrope between timing and tragedy. “You’ll survive,” I say as I again try to get my laughter under control.

“Barely,” he grumbles, and it has me giggling all over again.

After that, the dock rocks gently beneath us as the water laps at our calves in a lazy rhythm. Cade sits up straighter behind me, the loss of his full–body contact making my skin feel suddenly cooler. Then he brushes my hair off my shoulder again, his fingers lingering there like he’s not quite ready to let go. His touch is softer now, more thoughtful–the kind of touch that says, ‘I see you‘. And not just your body, but

all of you.

A bird cries overhead, its call high and shrill before it vanishes into the trees. The air still smells like grilled meat as it drifts over from the shore, thick with smoke and seasoning, underscored by the comforting tang of sunscreen and warm lake water.

A soft breeze curls around us, fluttering loose strands of my hair across my cheek, which Cade gently tucks behind my ear, his knuckles brushing the shell of it before pulling back. I turn my head slightly, and our

eyes meet.

After a long pause, he asks more softly, “You okay? Really okay?”

There’s no teasing in his voice this time–just quiet sincerity. The kind that makes something deep inside my chest ache.

I nod and offer him a small smile. “More than okay.”

With a slight nod, he leans forward again and slides his hands around my waist. They find mine easily, and he laces our fingers together before resting them over my stomach, like a secret shared only between us. The water at our feet is cool, but his touch is warm and grounding, sending a ripple through me that’s calming and electric all at once. Like every part of me is being gently reminded that I’m not alone here.

Not ever.

My thumb gently brushes over his in a slow and easy rhythm. He squeezes my hand once, then leans his chin on my right shoulder, saying, “I’m still calling dibs on the next kiss that gets handed out, though.”

I don’t answer. I just lean back against his chest, my head resting against his left shoulder as he tightens his arms around me, and my eyes close of their own accord. All while the lake sways us gently, like a lullaby written in waves, and his heartbeat echoes softly against my spine, steady and slow.

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Chapter 139: Layla POV

And for now, I let myself float there, held by a man I love, sun–kissed and warm, and smiling with pure happiness.

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