His eyes closed as he made a sound in his throat that was half sexy growl, half groan of anticipation. He kissed her hard and fast, then took three big steps back, running his hands over his face. “Fine. Would you rather hang here with your roommates or go out?”
Grinning, she thought for a second. “Let’s go out. I’ve missed you too much. I just want to spend time with you.”
He rewarded her with another big smile. “Sounds good.”
Epilogue
Elena raised her eyes to Daniel’s, her fingers drumming nervously on the envelope in her hands. They stood next to the kitchen table in Daniel’s apartment on a Wednesday in March, the late afternoon sun filtering through the windows.
He smirked. “Open it. See what it says.”
She nodded, looking at the envelope again. “I know. I will. But right now, there’s still hope. Like, it could be acceptance or it could be rejection. As long as it’s unopened, it’s both. It’s Schroedinger’s admissions letter.”
Laughing, he shook his head. “You’ve been watching too much Big Bang Theory.”
She shrugged. “Maybe so. It’s still true.”
Coming around behind her, he wrapped his arms around her waist, hugging her to him. “Just open it, Elena. You’re killing me with the anticipation.”
She nodded, biting her lower lip, sliding her finger under the lip of the envelope. Taking out the folded paper, she straightened it out, her eyes going to the first line. Congratulations! It is with great pleasure I offer you admission to …
Elena didn’t even finish reading the first line before she squealed and turned in Daniel’s arms. “I got in!”
His grin pulled wide across his face. “Congratulations!”
She wrapped her arms around his neck, pressing herself up on her toes at the same time she pulled him down, giving him a hard kiss. But Daniel took over almost instantly, one hand on her lower back pressing her into him, one hand gripping the back of her head as he devoured her.
They’d been dating again for almost two months, going out, watching movies with their roommates, careful not to spend too much time alone. But now, Elena was tired of waiting. She wanted to celebrate. And she wanted to do it naked.
She slipped her hand under his shirt, feeling the smooth skin and taut muscles of his back. Her other hand joined it, and she started working his shirt up his torso until Daniel broke the kiss, but he didn’t let her go or move to help take his shirt off.
“Arms up,” she whispered.
His eyes examined hers. He’d stopped her the last time she’d tried to take his shirt off, making the valid point that he would have a much harder time stopping if either of them took off their clothes. But this time he lifted his arms, bending so she could take off his shirt. He shivered when her fingers traced over the muscles of his chest and abs after she discarded his shirt.
Then he was kissing her again, backing her up into the kitchen and lifting her onto the counter, stepping between her legs to kiss her more thoroughly, his hands sliding under her top as well, but not making a move to take it off.
When he started to kiss his way down her neck, she let her head drop to the side, arching into him. “Daniel.” She inhaled sharply as his teeth grazed her earlobe. “Daniel, I want you. It’s been so long. I don’t want to wait anymore.”
He straightened and stared into her eyes, his own dark with desire. “Why, Elena?”
Looking at him, taking in his expectant air, she opened her mouth, but nothing came out. There were so many reasons. Didn’t he know? Didn’t he feel this way too? “I—“ She swallowed, licking her lips. “Because, I miss you. And I hate being apart from you. I hate when we don’t hang out because we’re afraid of rushing things. I want to see you every day, all the time, and not just a few times a week for dates. I love you. And I want to feel your skin on mine again. I’ve missed the way your body loves me. I want it now. To celebrate that everything is going right again.”
His eyes shone with happiness, a smile tugging on his lips. “You love me?”
She pushed at his shoulder. “Yes, dummy. Of course I do. I’ve loved you for months. How do you not know that?”
He lifted one of his beautiful, sculpted shoulders in a tiny shrug. “You’ve never said.”
“You haven’t either.”
Laughter, low and rich, flowed out of him. “You’re right. I haven’t.” His hands slid up to her face, tipping her jaw up ever so slightly, his eyes steady on hers. “Elena Natalia Martinez. I love you. So much. And I can’t wait to make you mine again.”
His mouth descended on hers, his kiss slow and deep and luscious. Each stroke of his tongue making her want him more. She wrapped her legs around his hips, pulling him tight against her, her hands roaming over his body. His hands slid under her ass, then he picked her up and carried her to his bedroom, undressing her slowly.
He took his time, kissing her everywhere, giving her an orgasm with his fingers and mouth before sliding into her, both of them gasping at the sensation. He moved inside her, each stroke loving and deep, rocking them together in pursuit of ecstasy.
Elena wrapped herself around him, her legs around his waist, her arms around his neck, stroking up and down his back, moaning and gasping as he drove her higher, the familiar heat pooling low in her belly, coiling tighter and tighter as he picked up the pace. When the tension released, washing through her body in a wave of heat and bliss, Daniel thrust hard inside her, shuddering as he came with her.
She held onto him as he collapsed onto her, his weight warm and comforting. Nothing felt better, more right, than this, here, now. There were decisions to be made about what came next—would they do the long distance thing for a few months while he finished student teaching? But right now, that didn’t matter. Things were falling back into place. And she once again had hope that life would be good. At last.
The End
I always have a hard time writing acknowledgments, which is why my first few books don’t have them. Not because I don’t want to acknowledge and thank the people who help me, but because a short little thank you seems so inadequate.
Nevertheless, I will try.
Thanks, as always, go to Deb Markanton and Leslie McAdam for your invaluable editing support. You make my stories stronger and cleaner and keep me from repeating myself too many times.
To my beta readers Angelina and Nancy. Your feedback is always helpful. Angelina was also the one who named Daniel. I hope I did him justice for you.
To my parents and in-laws for watching my kids so I have time to write. Without you it would take a lot longer for books to get done, and I’d get a lot less sleep. (And drink a lot more coffee.)
To my husband for your unfailing support and encouragement.
And to the families affected by the long-lasting effects of brain injury. May you find peace and hope. To support brain injury research, consider participating in studies such as the ones conducted by the Boston University CTE Center.
I listen to music while I write, usually on Pandora. Songs come on that seem so fitting for the story I’m currently working on, so I thought I’d compile them in a list for you.
Carry On by fun.
Hold On To What You Believe by Mumford and Sons
Comes and Goes (In Waves) by Greg Laswell
We Are Young by fun.
Alone Together by Fall Out Boy
White Blank Page by Mumford and Sons
Fix You by Coldplay
Things We Lost in the Fire by Bastille
Heathens by Twenty One Pilots
Oh What A Life by American Authors
Home by American Authors
Stubborn Love by The Lumineers
Monster by Mumford and Sons
Below My Feet by Mumford and Sons
After the Storm by Mumford and Sons
Ghosts that We Knew by Mumford and Sons
Just Give Me a Reason by Pink
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Jerica MacMillan is a lifelong reader and lover of romance. Nothing beats escaping into a book and watching people fall in love, overcome obstacles, and find their happily ever after. She was named a semi finalist in Harlequin’s So You Think You Can Write 2015 contest.
Jerica is living her happily ever after in North Idaho with her husband and two children. She spends her days building with blocks, admiring preschooler artwork, and writing while her baby naps in the sling. Sign up to join her Book Club at www.JericaMacMillan.com.
Other Titles
Players of Marycliff University
Summer Fling, Book 1—Now FREE!
One summer is all they have ...
Lance is a notorious player on and off the football field who never sees a girl more than twice. But with graduation now behind him, his days of carefree flirting are numbered. As soon as his summer internship is over, his parents expect him to return to Texas to take his place in the family business. He’s done everything he can to delay the inevitable, and he’s determined to live it up his last summer as his own man.
Abby comes from a world where men don’t stick around. Lance’s interest does nothing but put her on guard, especially when she finds out he’ll be leaving in less than two months. With two years left of college and a mom who relies on her for everything, Abby doesn’t have the patience for relationships that are doomed from the start. But Lance's persistence wears down her defenses. Abby convinces herself they’ll just have a summer fling, and she’ll be able to come through unscathed.
Will Abby be able to maintain her distance? Or will they both be heartbroken when the summer ends?
If you love steamy college romance featuring hot athletes and sassy heroines, check out this first installment in the hot new series everyone is raving about!
Convenient Fall, Book 2
Sleeping with your roommate is a bad idea, right?
Megan Davidson is scrambling to find a new place after Abby, her roommate and best friend, decides to move in with her boyfriend Lance. With just a week until classes start, the open spot left in Lance’s old house looks like her best option. She moves in with Matt and Chris, hot football players who are shameless flirts and notorious players.
Chris Watkins is playing his final season of college football before life as he knows it is over. He’d dreamed of going pro, but the NFL never scouted him and now he’s in self-destruct mode—not bothering to go to classes or even try to graduate. With everything falling apart, he can’t even lose himself in the jersey chasers that are always hanging around. Megan caught his attention over the summer, and with her constantly under his nose, he can’t get her out of his head.
Sparks fly when these two finally give in to their attraction. Will these roommates turned lovers manage to keep things light and easy like they planned? Or will their flame burn hotter than anyone is ready for?
If you love steamy college romance full of hot athletes, fiery heroines, and chemistry that melts the pages, get Convenient Fall now!
Opening Hearts, A Players of Marycliff University Novella
Hannah Glover spends the summer before her senior year of high school with her best friend’s family in Westport, Washington. One fateful day on the beach, she meets Matt Schwartz, a sexy surf instructor who catches her eye and sends electricity zinging through her body.
The prequel to Matt and Hannah’s story in Managed Hearts, this sweet and sexy story of firsts originally appeared in the anthology Because Beards. Now available as a standalone novella, read the full story of Matt and Hannah’s first summer together.
Managed Hearts, Book 3
Do you choose your dream job—or the guy you’ve always wanted?
Three years ago Hannah met a sexy surfer while on vacation in Westport, WA. After a whirlwind summer romance, he ghosts. She’s tried to move on, but no other guy has ever measured up. And now she comes face to face with him on the first day of her new internship. To make matters worse, he’s one of her managers, and he has no idea who she is.
Matt graduated in December after his final football season, and is now working a desk job. Having spent his whole life as an athlete, the day to day grind chafes at him. All his friends are moving on with relationships and pursuing their goals while he’s left as the third wheel. And despite his reputation as a player, he’s the only one who ever wanted a girlfriend.
And then Hannah Glover shows back up in his life—the girl who simultaneously made him want a relationship and ruined him for anyone else without him even realizing it. He wants her now more than ever, but she doesn’t trust him after the way he ended things before. Which should be fine since he’s her manager at his first job out of college, and their company has a strict no fraternization policy. But Matt just can’t seem to help himself where she’s concerned. And she won’t be an intern forever, right?
Will he be able to convince Hannah to give them another shot? Or will their past and their present conspire to keep them apart?
If you love steamy new adult romance featuring hot college athletes with a hidden dominant side, heroines who stand up for themselves, and a hard-won happily ever after, check out the third installment in the Players of Marycliff University series now!
Unsaid Things, Book 4
Christmas. An engagement ring. An unexpected reappearance.
After a romantic six months, Lance and Abby's relationship feels solid, and he's excited to have her spend Christmas with his family in Texas. She doesn't know he has a diamond ring stashed in his suitcase, along with a plan to propose to her on Christmas morning.
He's forced to scrap the proposal, however, when Abby’s dead-beat brother shows up at her mom's house two days before Christmas. Abby, worried about her brother's sudden reappearance after more than a year of silence, insists on going home.
Just when Lance thought he'd broken through Abby's defenses, she puts up another one in his path. Pushing him away, she insists on dealing with her family herself, a bad idea in his mind. Will proposing reassure her that he’s in it for the long haul? Or just make everything exponentially worse?
The fourth installment in the Players of Marycliff University series follows the developing relationship of Lance and Abby from Summer Fling. It’s a story about family, trust, and where you should turn when life gets messy. If you’re looking for a hero you can swoon over and make your next book boyfriend, one-click Unsaid Things now!
Coping Skills, Book 5
Book 6 coming July, 2017!
Rebound Series
Rebound Therapy, Book 1—Now FREE!
Jenna just needs a little rebound therapy …
Jenna Anderson is still stuck in her grief a year after her fiancé died in a tragic accident. She exists, going through the motions of living, her former spark gone. Her best friend drags her out to meet someone, convinced she needs a rebound guy to have some fun and start living again.
Brian MacCallum is the hot owner of the wine bar where Amy takes Jenna. He has a mischievous grin that he wields like a weapon to convince Jenna to give him a chance.
Will his love be enough to pull Jenna out of her grief so she can learn to live and love again?
Rebound Envy, Book 2
Always the bridesmaid …<
br />
Amy's best friend Jenna is engaged ... again. And she's asked Amy to be her maid of honor. Amy can't help but feel jealous that Jenna's ready to walk down the aisle for the second time, especially when her own love life is virtually nonexistent.
Adam has wanted Amy since she first walked into his wine bar. After he finally got the chance to take her out, issues from his past got in the way. Now she's dating someone else, and he's jealous of the lost opportunity.
Coping Skills (Players of Marycliff University Book 5) Page 18