“Could you maybe put the bat down first?”
“No.”
“Okay.” He takes a step backward. His eyes dart to my chest and I can feel my nipples poking out against my thin tank top. Damn it, now my face is probably turning red.
“This was obviously a stupid idea,” he says.
“What idea? What are you talking about?”
“I got you something, and I wanted to surprise you,” he says, talking fast. “So I thought I’d put it here for you to find when you got up. That’s where my plan kind of falls apart, obviously, because basically now I’m just a creeper who broke into your apartment.”
“I’m so confused.”
He takes a deep breath. “Of course I would screw this up. Fuck. I’m really bad at this romantic stuff, Becca. I’m sorry.”
“Romantic? Lucas, I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
He holds up his hand, like he’s afraid I might still hit him, and flips on the light. “I got you some kettle corn, because it’s your favorite.”
“You broke into my apartment to give me kettle corn?”
“No.” He grabs something off the counter and holds it up. It’s a ceramic pitcher, filled with kettle corn, and there’s a little note sticking out the top. “I got you a pitcher.”
“A pitcher? I don’t—”
“Just, read the note,” he says.
I put the bat down and pluck the note from the pile of popcorn. It’s a plain index card, and on one side, in Lucas’s handwriting, are the words, As You Wish.
My mouth drops open. “A pitcher? Is this…? In The Princess Bride, Buttercup asks Westley to fetch her a pitcher.”
Lucas smiles. “Yeah, exactly. I knew you’d get the reference. It was when she realized that Westley wasn’t just saying as you wish.”
“He was saying—”
Lucas reaches out and touches my mouth with a finger. “No, don’t say it yet.”
“What?”
He puts the pitcher on the counter, then steps closer and brushes my hair back from my face. His fingers make my skin ping with electricity.
“I don’t want you to say it yet because I don’t want you to ever doubt what I’m going to say to you,” he says. “I need to tell you first.”
“Tell me what?”
“That I love you.”
I gasp and step backward. “Are you playing some kind of joke on me?”
“No, it’s not a joke,” he says. “I wanted to tell you that I love you. I thought if I gave you something meaningful, it might make you more willing to talk to me. I guess in hindsight, sneaking in here when you’re asleep wasn’t the best idea. I just imagined you finding it in the morning, and you’d come to my back door, all confused and adorable. And then I could tell you.”
I gape at him. Lucas is standing in my kitchen, and he just told me… what, now?
“Are you serious?”
“Yes, I’m totally serious. And also starting to panic a little, because I didn’t think you’d stare at me like this when I said it.”
I swallow hard. My throat feels tight and my heart won’t slow down. “Did you just say you love me?”
“Yes, I did.” He moves closer. “Do you think I could kiss you now? Because at this point, I feel like if I keep talking I’m just going to continue to freak you out.”
I’m too shocked to say anything coherent, but I manage a small nod. He caresses the side of my face with the backs of his fingers and leans in close.
His lips press against mine and my eyes flutter closed. He slips his hand around my waist to my back and pulls me against him. His mouth moves slowly, his kiss soft and gentle.
I’m trembling, dissolving into a million tiny sparks that fly through the air. I’ve wanted Lucas to kiss me like this for so long. His tongue parts my lips and slides against mine while I drape my arms around his shoulders. He tilts his head so he can kiss me deeper, his arms holding me close, the heat of his body filling me.
Eventually, we pull apart. He leans his forehead against mine and puts a hand on the side of my face.
“I’m sorry,” he says quietly.
“For what?”
“For not telling you sooner,” he says. “For keeping this from you. And for letting you believe I was pretending. That night at your parents’ house, it was easy to act like I was in love with you, because I am. I was afraid of it. That’s all.”
“I thought I was the fraidy-cat,” I say with a soft laugh.
“No, you’re so much braver than you think you are. I’ve been the one letting fear get the better of me. But I shouldn’t have been afraid of this.” He pauses, his brow furrowing. “Unless I completely misjudged this and you’re about to tell me to get the hell out and go home.”
“That’s definitely not what I want to say.”
“Then what do you want to say?” he asks.
I swallow hard and meet his eyes. “That I am so in love with you.”
He wraps me in his arms, picking me up off the ground. His breath is warm against my neck. “Oh, thank God. I was worried for a second.”
We stand in my kitchen for a long moment, just holding each other. His arms around me feel so good and tears sting my eyes. I’m almost afraid to believe this is really happening.
His lips press against my neck and desire blossoms inside me. I tilt my head and he kisses me again, harder. His hands move down and he grabs my ass through my thin shorts.
He moves back and I’m ready for him to rip my clothes off right here in the kitchen. But he pauses, his expression intense.
“I’m not going to fuck you right now,” he says, touching my face.
“What?” I ask, almost breathless.
“I’m going to take you upstairs and make love to you.”
He grabs my hand and leads me to my bedroom. I stand next to the bed while he gently takes off my tank top and shorts. His hands whisper across my skin and he gazes at me, his eyes drinking me in like he’s never seen me before.
Like this is our first time.
He takes off his clothes and lays me down. He’s so careful. So tender. He climbs on top of me, kissing my neck, across my jaw, to my lips. His tongue caresses mine and he shifts his weight, his cock almost pushing inside me. His skin against mine is sublime.
“You’re so perfect,” he says between kisses. “I love every inch of you.”
I draw my fingers through his hair and move my hips, anxious to have him inside me.
“Darling, you feel so good, but I need a condom first,” he says.
“If you know you’re safe, you can…”
He raises his eyebrows. “Are you sure?”
“Yes,” I say. “I’m on the pill.”
“I’m safe.” He pushes his cock in, slowly. My eyes roll back as he stretches me open. He’s careful, but there’s so much of him, it always hurts a little at first. I sigh out a long breath and relax, the feel of our bodies together overwhelming my senses.
Lucas starts to move, his cock sliding easily through my wetness.
“No one has ever made me feel the way you do,” he says. “You’re amazing.”
Heat spreads through my core, and the friction of his cock makes my heart race. He pulls up one of my legs so he can thrust deeper. I clutch onto his back, my hands sliding over his flexing muscle. He drives in and out, pushing deep inside me, his rhythm gentle yet electrifying.
If he sped up, I know I could come in an instant. The pressure builds and I feel the edge of my climax, hovering just out of reach. But we ride the line together, drowning in intensity. He touches me, kisses me, caresses me. I’m swept away by his body, his hands, his mouth. I’ve probably slept with Lucas a hundred times, but not like this. Never like this.
He’s right. He’s not fucking me. He’s making love to me, and every bit of me feels the difference.
“Lucas,” I say, his name a sigh from my lips.
“I love you, Becca,” he says, his voice low in my ear. “God, I love you so
much.”
He moves faster, plunging into me harder. I moan with every thrust. No one has ever made me feel this way—so alive. So wanted. So complete.
“You’re so hot and wet, I can’t hold back,” he says.
“Don’t,” I say, almost breathless. “Come inside me, Lucas. Come in me.”
He drives his hips, grinding against me. I start to come and I feel his cock pulse. It’s bliss. His body stiffens and he groans into my neck. I hold him tight while my orgasm washes over me, riding the high with him as he comes inside me.
It takes my breath away.
Lucas lifts up just enough to kiss me. He brushes the hair back from my face and kisses my lips, my cheeks, my forehead.
He rolls off me, but instead of getting up out of bed, he pulls me close. I rest my head on his shoulder and he wraps his arms around me. I squeeze my eyes shut against the sting of tears.
“Lucas?”
“Yeah?”
“Can I really keep you?” I ask.
He laughs and draws me in closer. “You’re stuck with me now, darling.”
“Good.”
I relax against him, my heart so full. This is everything I wanted. Lucas, holding me. Loving me. Our bodies close, and our hearts closer. No more lines in the sand. No more boundaries between us.
It’s perfect.
25
Epilogue: Becca
The waves roll under me, lifting my surfboard. Sunlight glints off the water and Lucas glances back at me. He’s a few feet ahead, paddling out toward the heavier surf.
“You good?” he calls back over his shoulder.
“Yeah, perfect.”
I dip my hands into the cold water and pull myself forward. I glide across the surface and another wave picks me up. The ocean stretches out all around me, and the roar of the waves fills my ears. It’s the first day that’s been warm enough for surfing in a while. I didn’t even hesitate when Lucas suggested we go out.
Am I scared? Yep. I’m terrified. But I’m pretty sure I won’t get smacked in the head by a surfboard again (what are the odds, really?), and I know if anything else goes wrong, Lucas is right there.
He always has my back.
Another wave comes at me and I make sure to keep my board pointed toward it so it doesn’t flip me over.
“I think we’re good here.” He comes up alongside me and we both turn around, pointing our boards at the beach. “Do you remember what to do?”
“Yep, I got it.” I splash some water toward him. “No clobbering me in the head this time.”
He shakes his head and smiles. “Ready?”
I nod and feel the surf start to build. I paddle as hard as I can, trying to keep up with the wave, but it rolls under me. Lucas catches it and pops up to his feet, but swerves around and jumps back into the water.
I let the next wave roll by as he paddles back toward me.
“You could have kept going,” I say when he gets close.
“No way, darling,” he says. “I’m sticking with you.”
We get set for another try and the wave comes. I paddle hard and feel the rush as the wave picks me up and carries me toward the beach. I’m not ready to stand on the surfboard yet, but I get up to my knees. A surge of adrenaline pours through me and I lean my head back, feeling the wind whip past.
Lucas is on his feet, turning his surfboard back and forth, his arms out for balance. He whips around and grins at me, his wet hair hanging in his eyes.
God, he’s so sexy.
I laugh and wave at him when he jumps down off his board. I managed to stay on mine, and I get back to my tummy so I can paddle toward him.
“That’s my girl.” He pulls me in and leans down to plant a salty kiss on my lips. “Ready to go again?”
“Yes!”
The sun climbs high in the sky as we catch wave after wave. I laugh and shriek and forget my fear in the face of the exhilaration I feel. By the end of the day, I’m able to get all the way to my feet, although when I try to stand up completely, I still fall over. But it’s progress. Lucas and I have so much fun, only the exhaustion of a full day of surfing brings us back to the sandy beach.
He helps me peel off my wetsuit. The beach is deserted, so I take off my swimsuit, intending to change into dry clothes. But Lucas gives me that look, and the next thing I know, we’re tangled together in the back seat of his car. Sex in a car? Yet another thing I’d never done before I met Lucas.
I was seriously missing out.
He makes me come once with his tongue (he is so good at that), and again with his cock. At first, I’m the tiniest bit worried someone will drive by and catch us, but that thought melts away with the feel of his body against mine. He finishes fast, but I have no complaints. His urgency propels me forward, tipping me over into climax in a rush of passion.
Afterward, we get dressed and build a fire. I sit back between his legs, resting against him, while he wraps his arms around me. We warm our hands and feet near the flames, drink a cold beer from the cooler we brought, and cook hot dogs over the fire. The sun dips down toward the ocean, staining the sky purple and orange, and the first stars twinkle overhead.
I can’t imagine a more perfect day.
Lucas and I have been dating—for real dating—ever since that morning he broke into my apartment. Although my quest to become end-of-Grease Sandy is more or less over, he does still come up with new things for us to do together all the time. We went snowboarding over the winter, which I’d never done before. And I finally faced my fear of zombies and watched a zombie movie with him. I slept at his place that night because I was too scared to go back home, but hey, I watched it.
My parents have finally stopped asking when I’m moving closer to them. Now they’ve switched to bugging me about coming up to visit more often. But I’ll take what I can get. Lucas won them over almost immediately—especially when he started giving my dad investment advice. And my dad only sends me worried texts about half as often as he used to. Although, as soon as he hears I went surfing again, I’m sure he’ll send me links to half a dozen articles on water safety. He means well, at least. And I feel good about how things are with them. We’ve come a long way.
I’ve come a long way.
It’s been more than a year since I moved to Jetty Beach, and I’ve proved to myself that I can make it on my own. I’m learning more every day about how to be in charge of my own life. Sure, I’ve had Lucas. But he doesn’t treat me like I’m helpless or breakable. Seeing myself through his eyes has helped me realize I’m a lot braver than I thought I was.
Although I do still depend on him to kill spiders. I have to draw the line somewhere.
I put my hands in the pockets of my sweatshirt and snuggle in against him. The fire flickers near my feet, keeping my toes warm. He pulls me in tighter, his arms around my waist, and presses his lips against my neck.
“You were awesome out there today,” he says.
“Thanks. I had a good teacher.”
He laughs a little and kisses my neck again. “Becca?”
“Yeah?”
“Are you happy?”
His question catches me by surprise. Partly because I can’t imagine feeling much happier than I do right this minute. And partly because it’s so out of the blue.
“I’m so happy,” I say. “I don’t know if you mean right now, or just in general, but the answer is the same both ways.”
I feel him nod, but he doesn’t say anything else. My heart beats a little faster and a tingle of nervousness runs through my belly. Maybe I’m imagining things, but he seems tense all of a sudden. This reminds me of all the times he showed up at my back door with something planned for me. I feel like he has something up his sleeve.
“Becca?” he says again, the lilt of his voice making my name a question.
“Yeah?”
“I don’t want this to end.”
I tilt my face up so I can look at him. “I know. It’s been such a perfect day.”
; He brings his lips to mine in a soft kiss. “That’s not what I mean.”
There’s mischief in his eyes and the beginning of a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. He is up to something.
“Stay here for a second, okay?” He gets up and goes to his car.
I wait while he gets in, and when he comes back, he sits cross legged next to me. The fire illuminates his face, flickering against his skin and lighting up his eyes. I shift so I’m facing him, my legs crossed.
He takes a deep breath. “I have something for you. I wasn’t sure when I was going to give it to you, but today feels… it feels right.”
My breath catches and I stare at him, my eyebrows raised, my lips parted. He can’t mean…
He reaches into his sweatshirt pocket and pulls out a small black box. It draws my eyes like a magnet. He looks down at it, turning it with his fingers.
“When we met, I thought I had life all figured out,” he says. “I didn’t think I needed anything else. But that was just what I told myself so I wouldn’t think too hard about what I was missing. Then you showed up, and I know I’m getting so cheesy here, but you were like a ray of sunshine. I was still broken inside, and little by little, you put me back together.”
He pauses and touches my chin, lifting my gaze to meet his.
“I didn’t plan on falling in love with you,” he says. “I didn’t think I was capable of it anymore, to be honest. But Becca, I adore you. I love you so much, and when I say I don’t want this to end, I mean us. I mean I want you forever.”
I want you forever.
Tears spring to my eyes and I bite my lower lip. “You do?”
“Yes, I really do.” He slowly opens the box, revealing a beautiful diamond solitaire. “Becca, will you marry me?”
I stare at Lucas and a tear breaks free from the corner of my eye to trail down my cheek. It takes me a second to find my voice. I did not see this coming.
“Oh, yes.” I brush the tear away. “Yes, I will definitely marry you.”
He pulls the ring from the box and lifts my left hand. His mouth turns up in a playful smirk and he winks as he slides the ring on my finger. I swear, only Lucas could make putting on an engagement ring feel naughty.
Good Girl Next Door: A Steamy Small-Town Romance (Jetty Beach Book 6) Page 18