The Big One (Second Chance Romantic Comedy)

by Katherine Hastings

  I let my fingers drift down her stomach, and she trembled beneath my touch. When they found the soft skin between her legs, she whimpered, and I caught her lip between my teeth. My finger slipped inside and she gasped, tightening her grip around me. I covered her hungry mouth with my own, driving my tongue inside while my finger did the same. Her hips rocked and moved, pressing herself against my palm while I moved inside her.

  Her grip on me tightened, and I knew I couldn’t hold in the ecstasy much longer. The quickened breaths into my mouth told me she was close. I wanted to be inside her when she came, to feel her body tighten around mine while we crashed over the edge together.

  A tormented whimper passed through her lips when I slid my finger out. Her eyes snapped open, and I met her gaze, and it told me how bad she needed me, too.

  Lifting her legs, I slid them up and felt them tighter around my waist. I felt her slide across my cock, and I pressed at her opening, knowing I should stop.

  “Please, Liam,” she breathed.

  “Are you sure?” My body trembled, wanting nothing more than to feel myself inside her with nothing between us.

  “Please,” she begged. It was all I needed to hear, and I drove my hips forward, burying myself inside her. The warmth of her body and the tightness of her nearly ended me with one thrust. I fought through while I pushed again, feeling her hips grinding on me while she slid up and down the length of me.

  Her fingers dug into my skin as her breaths quickened. Heated pants moved her quicker, and I heard the ecstasy building in her moans. Her head fell back, and I felt her clamp around me. My own moan ripped out of me while I let the sweet release wash over me in waves.

  She panted while I held her still, feeling the last of the pulses from her trembling body. Hazy eyes lifted to meet mine, and I let out a soft sigh.

  “I could get used to this,” she said, sliding off me and leaning forward into my arms.

  “You’d better, because I want to do that a lot.”

  “So much in common.” She giggled and swam to the edge, pulling herself out of the water. The sight of her wet, naked body lifting from the pool had me ready to go again.

  “Are you leaving me now that you’re satisfied?” I quirked a brow.

  “Champagne!” she said, grabbing the bottle and glasses and sliding back into the warm, churning water. “Will you do the honors?”

  “Of course.” I took the bottle from her and pressed my finger under the cork. She squeezed her eyes tight and it popped, the cork flying out of the pool and rolling into her crumpled dress. I filled the two glasses she held before settling the bottle on the edge and taking one for myself.

  “To us, Ellie. To never having to miss each other ever again.”

  The glowing lights around us dimmed under the warmth of her smile. “Cheers.”

  With the clink of our flutes, we took a sip, her eyes never leaving mine. If there was another man in this world happier than me, I wanted to shake his hand. But I knew no such meeting would take place, because the happiest man in the world was me.

  ****

  After several more rounds in the pool, and our first time doing it in a real bed, she fell asleep in my arms. I awoke first and watched her sleep for a while, still struggling to believe this was real. I left her sleeping even though I couldn’t wait to kiss her again, but not just because she looked so peaceful. A part of me still worried when she woke that she would have changed her mind. I wanted to live in a world where Ellie would be with me just a little bit longer. Just in case.

  Her eyes flitted open and a soft smile lifted her lips.

  “Good morning, beautiful.”

  “Good morning.” She rolled tighter into my arms and pressed a hand to my chest.

  “You didn’t change your mind, right?” I blurted, unable to take the waiting any longer.

  “Change my mind?” She looked up. “About staying?”

  “Yeah, did you?” I held my breath.

  “Of course not. In fact, after what you did to my body last night, there’s no getting rid of me now.”

  I blew out a breath and pulled her in tight, pressing a kiss to her head. “Good. Because there are many, many other things I plan to do to you.”

  “Mmmmm,” she cooed, snuggling in a little deeper and I felt the blood rushing south again.

  A knock on the door interrupted my new intentions, and I cursed myself for scheduling breakfast delivery last night.

  “Be right there!” I called, kissing her once more before climbing out of bed and wrapping a towel around my waist.

  After opening the door, I took the tray filled with pastries, fruit, and two mimosas.

  “I’ll tip you later. No wallet.” I smiled and nodded to my towel.

  “Of course, sir. Enjoy.” He backed out, and I closed the door. When I turned the corner, Ellie was up, and I grumbled she was already wrapped in a towel and I’d missed the show.

  “Breakfast on the terrace?” she asked, heading that way.

  Following her outside, I found her staring out over Positano, the same stunned look from last night freezing her face.

  “Okay, I thought it was cool last night. But this is amazing.”

  The sweeping views showed the cliff city wrapped in the rays of the morning sun, the bright colors trickling all the way down to the rolling ocean waves.

  “It’s something, isn’t it?” I set the platter on the table overlooking the city. “Come, eat. You’ll need to replenish your energy after what we did last night.”

  She matched my coy smile with her own and walked over to where I held out her chair.

  “Thank you, kind sir.” She dipped her head and slid into place. After I pushed her chair in, I sat down across from her.

  “To our first breakfast of many.” I raised my mimosa and clinked it to hers. “Clothing will always be optional, and in fact, heavily discouraged.”

  “Another idea I fully support.” She took a sip. “Any other traditions we’re creating?”

  “Let’s see. The list includes: sail more often, dinner on the beach at least weekly, clothing-free breakfasts... am I missing anything?”

  “I’m sure I’ll think of more.”

  “I’m looking forward to it.”

  After taking a big bite of my croissant, I saw her eyes searching mine while she sucked her cheek. I knew that look.

  “What’s wrong? What’s the matter?”

  “What? Nothing,” she lied.

  I pursed my lips and shook my head. “I know you, baby. What’s bothering you?”

  Her face scrunched up and I could see her struggling to spit it out. “How many is countless?”

  “What?” I said with my mouth full.

  “Last night you said you’d been with ‘countless’ women. How many is countless?” She raised an accusatory eyebrow.

  Trying to swallow my bite, I fumbled for the right answer. “We don’t really need to rehash the past, do we?”

  “Just curious.” She pursed her lips and pushed her fruit around.

  “You’re going to obsess over this aren’t you?” I tried not to laugh.

  “No! Okay, maybe. Like a dozen? Dozens? Oh God, it’s hundreds. Hundreds, isn’t it?”

  “Ellie.” I reached across the table and took her hand. I loved when her brain ran away with her, and her frustration was endearing. “Let’s just say there were some, but none of them were you.”

  “So hundreds. Ugh. Of course, it’s hundreds. Look at you for crying out loud.” She waved a hand at me and I let a deep laugh slip out.

  My laughter built until it threatened to explode. “I don’t know why this bothers you so much. I’m sure you weren’t a nun, either, but I prefer not to think about it. We did what we had to do to try, and fail, getting over each other.”

  “Six. There were six.”

  “That’s it?” My eyebrows shot to my hairline.

  “Oh God! It is hundreds!”

  “I’m sorry.” I laughed. “It’s not hundred
s, but I was a professional soccer player in Europe. Women kind of come with the territory. And after my career ended, I spent a couple years deep in the bottle and doing whatever I could to forget my failed dreams. Please, don’t be upset.”

  “Why did I ask?” she mumbled.

  “I have no idea. And would you prefer that I lied to you rather than tell you the truth?”

  Her eyes finally met mine. “No. Don’t ever lie to me, Liam. Ever. I’ve been lied to enough. I have a zero-lie policy. One and done. Only honesty between us.” She paused and then shook her head. “I’m sorry. I’m just having a hard time picturing you with other women... you know.” She waved her hand down at my towel-wrapped lap.

  No lies. The weight of those words reminded me of the one thing I had yet to tell her. The one omission about my life I hoped wouldn’t send her running. After my meeting today I would have more answers, and tonight I would tell her everything and hope that she would stay with me despite my complication. She had to stay with me, because losing her now was a fate I couldn’t comprehend surviving. But for now I wanted to stay in our impenetrable bubble of happiness and keep out the drama flooding into my life. Just a little longer.

  Snagging her hand, I pulled it back into mine. “Then rest easy knowing there may have been others before you, but there will never be another after you. I promise, Ellie. These will be the last lips I ever kiss.”

  I leaned across the table and her body softened when my lips touched hers. She sighed and kissed me back. And I meant it. There weren’t another pair of lips I wanted to taste more than hers. Knowing they were mine to kiss anytime I wanted set my heart racing once again... and I knew I would never lose this feeling.

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  Ellie

  I snapped another shot from the balcony of our room and sighed at the sights of Positano. Glancing at the screen, I knew my picture could never do it justice, but I wanted to remember this trip and the way I felt in this moment. Liam came around the corner wearing only his shorts, and the sight of his bare chest and ripped abs trapped a breath in my lungs.

  “Should we take a picture?” he asked when he arrived at my side and leaned on the railing.

  “Yes. Definitely.”

  He took my phone and tossed his free arm around my shoulder. As he stretched out the one holding the phone, he turned toward me and leaned in for a kiss. Smiling, I pressed my lips to his and held him there even after I knew the photo had been taken. When we broke apart, I glanced at the screen and smiled.

  “That is a framer,” I said, looking at the sweet photo of our kiss with the breathtaking views behind us.

  “#fuckallen.” A grin played on his lips and he waggled his eyebrows.

  “Allen who?” I rose up on my tiptoes to kiss him one last time. “I wish we didn’t have to go.”

  “Me, too. I’m sorry I have to go back to the city for my meeting. It will only take an hour or two tops, and then I’m all yours again.”

  “I suppose I can spare you for a few hours.” With a fake pout, I started off the balcony and back into the room.

  “Do you want to come meet my mother?”

  His voice stopped me in my tracks, and I turned back around. “Really? You want to introduce me?”

  White teeth flashed behind his charming smile. “Of course. She knows all about you, and when I tell her you’re staying she will be begging to meet you. Maybe tonight you can come over and I can make my ladies dinner?”

  Meeting the parents was a big deal for me, but considering I was moving to a new country to be with him, it did seem logical we were already well into the ‘meet the parents’ territory. Not to mention his mother sounded wonderful from all the stories he’d told me over the past few days. “That sounds amazing, Liam.”

  Suddenly, I realized my own parents had no idea that I was off cavorting around Italy and, on top of that, had no intentions of coming home. Even though they lived in Florida now and I rarely saw them, they would likely be horrified at my change of address... and country. Not to mention surprised. They’d spent countless hours listening to me while I went over every detail for six-months, planning my move two blocks away, and now I’d switched continents in a matter of days.

  “I know this is happening really fast, and your head must be spinning, but you can see our house and think about, you know...”

  “Know what?” I quirked a brow.

  “About moving in.” His voice softened, and nervous eyes met mine. “If that’s what you want. I don’t want to pressure you or anything. And if it’s too soon, of course, I’ll rent you your own apartment in Naples. It’s whatever you want. No pressure.”

  Move in with Liam? The thought sent the butterflies on a mad dash around my stomach, like they were racing in the Indy 500. Admittedly, I hadn’t gotten far enough in my “moving to Naples” plans to sort out where I would live. The fact he even felt ready to move in with me was shocking, but somehow felt almost natural. Nothing about us had been typical, so perhaps moving in after what equated to less than two weeks of dating over the span of ten years shouldn’t be surprising. Still, the thought both terrified and excited me.

  “Let’s see if your mom even likes me, and then we’ll go from there.”

  “She’s going to love you.” Stepping forward, he caught me around the waist, and I settled into his arms. “Because I love you.”

  “I love you, too, Liam. And I’m so excited to finally be together after all these years. I still can’t believe this is happening, but I feel oddly settled about it. It feels right. We just feel right. And if your mom is okay with it, we’ll talk about the details of my move to Italy... and where I’ll be laying my head every night.”

  “I’m voting for my big hard man boobs. You said yourself they’re very comfortable.”

  Squeezing my eyes tight, I blurted out a laugh and pressed my head into his chest. “How about I live with you if you promise never to tease me about your ‘big hard man boobs’ ever again?”

  “No deal. I fully intend to torment you about my big hard man boobs for many years to come. I’ll just have to hope my lasagna tonight will be what convinces you to stay with me. That and this thing with my tongue I plan on doing later.” He whispered the last sentence in my ear and my skin prickled with bumps from the heat that rushed through me.

  “Don’t you dare get me worked up right when we’re leaving,” I whispered back and peered up, grazing him with a scolding look.

  “Then you’ll have all day to get riled up so it will be even better tonight.” The tormenting smile softened my glare, and I chuckled before pulling back.

  “Come on, you tease.” I headed to the door, snagging my purse and our shopping bags from the bed while he pulled on a shirt. One last wistful glance around the room and we headed out and caught a ride back to our car.

  I spent the entire ride back from Positano dividing my time between staring at the scenery and staring at this man I loved. I’d known I loved him all these years but hearing him say it and deciding to stay with him, to make our love real, sent those feelings to heights I’d never imagined. Each time I looked at him my body sparked to life and a warmth washed over me. Knowing he was all mine only intensified those feelings, and I stared at him again when we pulled up to my hotel.

  After putting the car in park, he leaned back on the seat and let his head roll over to look at me. “It’s only a few hours we’ll be apart, but I’m dreading every second.” He reached over, and his fingers softly stroked my shoulder.

  “Just hurry, go to your meeting and get back here to do that thing you promised you’d do with your tongue.” My playful look caused him to grin wide.

  “I look forward to it. And so much more.” He leaned over and slid a hand behind my head, pulling me in for a kiss. I inhaled his breath and savored the sweet taste of his tongue while he pressed it into my mouth. Those familiar sparks crackled between us and I rode the wave of pleasure his touch sent washing over me.

  “I love you,” he wh
ispered, and I could feel the words ghosting across my lips.

  “I love you, too.” I pressed my lips back into his and squeezed my eyes tighter.

  When we broke apart and his hand slipped from my head, physical pain gripped me, begging to return to his touch. “I’ll see you in a few hours,” I said, pushing the feelings down and popping open the car door.

  Closing the door, I stepped onto the curb and turned back to see him staring. Those azure eyes burned into mine and I held them until they slid behind his mirrored sunglasses.

  “I love you, Ellie. I’ll see you soon,” he said, slipping the car into gear.

  The engine revved, and he pulled out onto the street. I watched the little red car disappear around the corner and tried to rationalize my way out of the pangs of agony that clenched in my stomach being away from him. It’s only a few hours, Ellie. Get it together.

  The warm sun beat down on me while I stood on the road, and the smell of fresh baked rolls and coffee drifted down the street and beckoned to me. If I was going to be stuck here missing him, at least a cup of coffee and a sweet roll would help soothe the ache his absence created.

  Checking myself in the window of my hotel, I wondered if I should go back up and change into something other than my dress from last night. The smell of coffee blew in again and I decided to march down the road in my disheveled hair and the remnants of last night’s makeup. The call of the coffee was stronger than my need to impress a bunch of strangers.

  I followed my nose down the road until I discovered the origin of the tantalizing smells. After ordering a coffee and a sweet roll, I carried them out to the table on the street and settled in, watching the city buzzing to life around me. The people milled around, laughing and talking, and I tried to focus in on understanding the beautiful language. I’d always wanted to learn Italian, and now I would be immersed in it and I hoped I could pick it up quickly. I would have to, if I wanted to get a job here.