Текст книги "Love Surfaced"

Автор книги: Michelle Lynn

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Текущая страница: 14 (всего у книги 17 страниц)

nineteen

MY MOM INCHES TO THE edge of her chair, and Lana stands up.

“Oh my God,” my mom says, running to the freezer.

Curtis’s hands leave his face, and blood runs, puddling on the sidewalk. I jump from my seat and run over to him as all the guys circle around him—well, all the guys except for Tanner. He’s steadily walking in circles, his hands clasped behind his head.

By the time I reach Curtis, he’s stepping toward Tanner.

When Tanner looks up, Curtis throws a fist right across his eye. “You son of a bitch. You did that on purpose.”

“The hell I did!” Tanner yells back, wincing and squinting his eyes from the punch.

“You’re not the king everyone thinks you are. Oh, I give my time to this charity, and I really am honored to be considered for the Olympics,” Curtis imitates Tanner’s latest interview that just aired on ESPN the other night.

“At least I earn what I get. I’m not begging for my dad’s scraps!” Tanner hollers back.

Curtis’s arm rises again, and he flies toward Tanner. This time though, Tanner stops it and then slams his fist into Curtis’s stomach.

Curtis bends over, and I’m about to go out there when Dylan grabs my hand. When I look his way, he shakes his head.

“Let them handle this,” he murmurs.

“Work? You don’t know the meaning of it. You swim in a damn pool every day. How hard is that?”

Gasps fumble around and I notice everyone coming out from the backyard, circling around.

“You’re fucking kidding me, right? Do you want to see my schedule? ’Cause let me give you a hint.” Tanner leans in close to Curtis. “It doesn’t include lunch at Tru.”

He cocks his head, and his friends laugh. Tru is one of the top restaurants in the city, and Curtis has taken me there twice for lunch, so the irony must ring home.

“Don’t be too jealous,” Curtis spouts.

Tanner glances to me before setting his sights back on Curtis.

“Jealous? Why the hell would I be jealous of you?” Tanner laughs and shakes his head.

“Because I have the girl.”

“Oh,” emerges from the crowd. I swear you’d think we were in high school the way this is all going down and no one is doing anything—including my parents.

Dylan lets go of my hand. “Shit, this isn’t going to end well,” Dylan says next to me, crossing his arms.

Tanner hesitates, and Curtis shakes his head.

“What’s that I hear? Nothing. I thought so.” Curtis pretends to hold his hand to his ear.

If I were a mean-spirited person, I’d silently give Tanner permission to tell Curtis, but I can’t. That would be embarrassing, and Curtis doesn’t deserve for Tanner to make a fool of him in front of all these people.

“Yeah, I’m not blind. I see how much you want to fuck her, Tanner. So, it must kill you that I was inside of her last night.”

Tanner’s face flies to mine with questions in his eyes. I’m just as surprised by Curtis’s words, so I fail to react right away, which gives Tanner the wrong impression.

He takes one step toward Curtis and swings his fist, and Curtis falls to the ground. Still awestruck from what Curtis said, I stand there like an idiot while the two of them wrestle on the cement.

“Piper, is it true?” Dylan whispers.

I shake my head. “No.” Then, I cock my head toward Dylan, wondering why he would question that. How much does he know?

“Yeah, Tanner told me everything. Brothers.” He shrugs so nonchalantly.

Tanner straddles Curtis, throwing another punch to his face.

“Stop!” I scream, running over to them. When my hand yanks on Tanner’s arm, he stops, and the hurt is flooding his eyes. I silently move my head side to side, and he climbs off of Curtis, my hand still on his arm.

Curtis crawls backward and then rises to his feet.

“Why are you lying?” I ask him.

His hand gently touches his skin from how painful the punches were. His eyes divert to my hands on Tanner and then back to my face. “It was a test, and you both fucking failed. How long have you been screwing him behind my back?” He spits a glob of blood on the ground.

“I haven’t.” It’s understandable that he’s confused by all of this, but to think I would deceive him places me in a whole other category.

“Whatever. Keep lying to yourself.”

Stepping forward, I release Tanner’s arm. “I swear to you, Curtis, I haven’t done anything.”

“Really?”

I see the hope in his eyes, and I bite my lip because I still need to end it with him.

“Why don’t you just tell her the real truth about why you started dating her?” Tanner announces from behind me.

My head flips backwards because it sounds as if Tanner has another secret he’s kept from me.

“Give it a rest, McCain.” Curtis says from behind me.

“Wait.” I hold up my hand. “What am I missing?” I look between both of them.

Tanner crosses his arms and widens his stance. “Rich boy has known who you were the whole time. Haven’t you?”

He nods in Curtis’s direction, and Curtis’s lips purse.

“I don’t understand.” My stomach clenches with the realization that another man in my life has lied to me, that he wasn’t who I thought he was.

“He knew our connection before he asked you out. He was using you to get to me. He and his daddy wanted to sign me.”

My blood boils, and my hands clench at my sides.

“When you asked me for my number, you knew I was friends with Tanner?” I step forward.

Curtis nods. My fingernails dig into my palms.

“I knew you were his next door neighbor and that he and Brad were best friends, but then . . . Piper, my heart fell for you, and I didn’t care whether we signed him or not. I just wanted you.”

He reaches for my hands, but I take a step back, bumping into Tanner’s chest.

Spinning around, I narrow my eyes at him. “How could you not tell me?”

He places his hands on my cheeks, and I allow him to hold me.

“I refused to win by default. I had to make sure I was still in your heart. I didn’t want you to come running to me just because he used you.” His soft eyes and fixated gaze are clear signs he’s telling me the truth.

I release a breath. “You do understand that I love you? I always have,” I admit, placing my hands on top of his.

He inches forward. “I know. I’m sorry. I should have told you.”

I nod, forgiving him because it doesn’t matter anymore. I won’t allow anything to separate us from this point forward.

“Oh, how sweet,” Curtis sneers from behind me.

I spin around. “You can leave now.”

I cross my arms over my chest, and Curtis steps up to me.

“You’re going to pick him over me?” His eyes try to dig into mine, but all they find is the anger that’s rising inside of me.

“It was never a choice. I’m sorry, Curtis. I’ve always been meant to be with Tanner. Maybe you should have done better research before seeking me out.”

He shakes his head. “You both deserve each other.” Then, he turns around, walking down the driveway. “One day, Piper, you’ll regret this decision,” he calls out.

Watching his back walk down my parent’s driveway, I only feel relief that our relationship is over.

“You okay?” Tanner comes alongside me, his hand resting on the small of my back.

When my face lifts to see him, I’m taken back from the blood trickling down his face. “Shit, Tan.”

I place my hand on his swollen eye, but he shakes his head.

“I’m good.” He smiles, wiping the blood off with his T-shirt.

Dylan joins us, smacking Tanner’s back. “You got him. I’d say you won the fight.” He winks my way and then walks to the back of the house.

“Thanks, man.” His hand holds my hip firm, and he positions me in front of him. He cups my face with his palms. “I swear to you, I didn’t want it to go down like that.”

I cock my head to the side, and Tanner laughs. We both know that’s not entirely true.

“Well, it felt good to hit him. I’m not going to deny that.” His hands slide down to my shoulders, and he pulls me into him. “I’m sorry, Piper,” he softly says. He kisses the top of my head.

Allowing the sheltered feeling of Tanner’s arms wrap around me with no guilt because of Curtis is something I’ve craved since he returned. To be honest, I’ve wanted this for longer, probably since the day I left him on that bed two years ago.

I back up from his embrace. “You have nothing to be sorry for.”

His palm runs down his face. “I shouldn’t have allowed the possibility of the fight to happen. I could have brushed off his elbows and shoves. Because look around, Piper. You just broke up with your boyfriend in front of all these people.”

He peers around the driveway, and I follow his vision, noticing all the small groups huddled around, whispering about the incident.

“Oh.” I cringe.

He chuckles, pulling me into him again.

“Who the hell gives a shit about them? I want to kiss you so bad right now.”

With my cheek pressed against his chest, I’m about to say, Do it, when I find my mom staring at me. Her arms are crossed, and Lana is talking in her ear, but her eyes are zeroed in at me.

“I think I need to talk to my mom for a second.” I should have known she wouldn’t be happy about this. There’s always been something with Tanner that she warned me about.

Tanner must notice, and he nods his head, releasing me from his grip. “Hurry back.” His finger brushes under my chin, raising my face to meet his eyes. “And tonight is just us. Got it?”

I bite my lip and nod my head. “All yours.”

He smiles, and then I travel the tension-filled steps to my mom. When I reach her, her eyes never leave mine.

“Can you give us a minute, Lana?” she asks, those brown eyes lasered to me.

“Of course,” Lana says, squeezing my upper arm as she walks away.

Once everyone is a safe distance away, my mom finally looks down at the ground, and my dad comes alongside us, most likely seeing how on edge my mom seems.

“What’s up, girls?” he asks, casual.

I giggle from his way of lightening up the situation. As though we all didn’t witness a fistfight a second ago, my mom’s chest rises and falls as she takes deep breaths.

“We need to talk.” She walks into the garage and straight into the house.

My shoulders slump.

“Go talk to your mom.” He tosses his head to the direction of the door.

I take one last look at Tanner, who’s talking to his parents as well. He winks and smiles over to me while his mom hugs him, ecstatic at the news.

“You know she just feels left out. That was a lot for her to take in when you’ve kept so many secrets.” My dad follows me through the garage door, down the hallway, and then to the office door.

I pause outside, realizing she’s behind that door, most likely sitting at her desk with her fingers tapping on the top of it.

“Believe me, I tell her more than other girls.” My hand is on the knob.

My dad places his hand on my shoulder. “This was quite a surprise to us who have known the two of you all these years.”

When the metal twists in my hand, my heart pounds. After all this, my mother is the one who doesn’t accept it. I found out the truth about Tanner, Brad’s relented, and I broke up with Curtis. All of those things were done, but it will be my mom to halt my movement toward Tanner.

Then, it dawns on me. I’m twenty-four, not fourteen, so she can’t tell me whom to date or not. I love Tanner, and she’ll have to accept my decision. All of my internal pep talk sounds great until I open the door and find my mother’s head in her hands.

“Mom!” I screech, going to her side.

“Susan.” My dad shakes his head.

“What’s the problem? You don’t want me to be with Tanner?” I place my arm around her back and lay my head on her shoulder. “You’re this upset about it?”

Without looking up, she sniffles. “I’m upset because I asked you two days ago, and you didn’t confide in me. You looked me in the eyes and lied.” She picks up her head, and there are pools of tears in her eyes. “I want to be one of those moms who you trust and come to for advice.”

“You are!” I debate.

She shakes her head. “I’m not. What happened out there just now has been brewing this whole week, and you never said anything.”

“Mom,” I sigh.

My dad walks over, looking down at us. “Susan, this is a good thing. Tanner is a great boy,” he pleads my case.

I smile up to him and mouth, Thank you.

“I’m not saying that, but I don’t like that he hurt you before.” She swipes the water from her cheeks.

“He hurt you before?” My dad’s head cocks, and long gone is the casual jokester he usually is.

“See? That’s what I’m saying. I knew two years ago—call it mother’s intuition—that Tanner broke our daughter. She never said anything to me, and now, years later, he isn’t here for a week, and things go crazy.”

My dad laughs. “Susan, you have to let it go.” He pulls her up and hugs her tight in his arms.

“It’s hard, Chris. Brad and her are my life.”

He laughs and kisses the top of her head. “I know, and you’ve done well so far,” he kids.

She slaps his stomach. “I was being serious.”

Soon, the mood shifts, thanks to my dad. It upsets me that I deceived my mom and that she doesn’t feel included in my life. My family is everything to me, and I would never intentionally hurt her.

“I’m sorry, Mom,” I say.

She unhooks herself from my dad, staring over at me. “No.” She wipes more tears. “I’m sorry. You’re grown-up, and you don’t want to tell me every problem you have. It’s just . . . Tanner?” she questions.

I bite my lip, nodding my head. “Yeah.” God, this feels good to have him and not having anything holding me back from shouting it to anyone that will listen.

A small smile begins to cross her lips. “Yeah,” she mimics my word, stepping two strides until she’s right in front of me. “Kind of always assumed.” She shrugs.

“Mother’s instinct?” I ask.

She nods. “Something like that.”

I lean into her open arms, and she tightens them around me. She was the first person who could swallow up my pain and take it away.

“But don’t think I won’t talk to him if he hurts you again.”

“Relax, Mom. He’s not going to.” My confidence surprises me. There were times when I thought Tanner was too good for me or that he’d rather be with someone else.

“You sure?” she whispers.

My dad wraps his arms around us. “I’ll make sure of it.”

We all laugh, and then there’s a knock on the door. We release from our embrace and peer over.

“Come in,” my dad says.

A tentative Tanner peeps his head in. “Do you mind?” he asks.

I smile over at him, happy he came to find us.

“You hurt my angel?” my dad asks.

My mom laughs.

“I did. But I think I’ve made up for it.” Tanner steps into the room, his hands shoved in his pockets.

“We hurt each other,” I say, cuddling next to him, my hand splayed on his stomach.

He stares down at me, his own hand finding my hip. “Never again though,” he promises.

My heart opens for him more.

“Oh, boy. Well, you’re already a part of this family, so there’s no use in welcoming you.”

My mom steps in front of us, and soon, my dad follows suit.

“We love you, Tanner, but remember, we love her more.” My dad clasps his hand on Tanner’s bicep. Then, my dad links hands with my mom, leading them out of the room.

“Me, too, Mr. Ashby. Me, too,” he says to their retreating backs.

The door isn’t even shut when Tanner places his hands along my cheeks, and he’s angling me for his lips. My eyes close, and the heat of his breath tickles my lips. Then, his moist, tender flesh is on mine, and Tanner slows his tongue, sliding through the part of my lips, as it searches for mine. My fingers rub the back of his neck as his hands slide down my face, one flowing to the back of my head and the other settling on the small of my back. As he pulls me into him, my body molds into his while our tongues mingle together.

My body is limp by the time Tanner closes the kiss with a few chaste ones.

“God, it’s been too long since your lips were on mine.” Then, he descends again on me, kissing me a little more urgently.

It’s hard not to beg him to rip my clothes off and throw me on the desk.

“Alone tonight. No isn’t an option.”

“Yes,” I say, catching my breath.

He smiles again, pressing his excitement against my stomach, and I deny the urge to wrap my legs around him.

“We’re going to your apartment.” His mouth flows down my jaw.

“Bea’s staying there,” I remind him.

He nods. “Hotel then. I’ll get us a room because you’ll be screaming my name tonight.”

My core heats up, and I’m practically dripping from his words. “Okay,” I meek out.

He laughs. “I guess it’s time I share you, huh? A lot of questions are being thrown out there.” He tilts his head toward the door.

I agree, “Let’s get this over with.”

He entwines his hand with mine, and after one more brush of our lips, he opens the door. We follow the noise of people in the kitchen. Then, everyone begins clapping when we come into view, and my face heats from embarrassment.

“It’s about damn time!” Dylan shouts. He puts his fingers in his mouth, releasing a whistle.

“Seriously, do you people have nothing better to do?” Tanner calls out.

Everyone laughs.

As I look around the room, at the people happy for us, I’m unsure what my issue was years ago when I wanted to keep us hidden. Tanner knew it was okay to come out. Why didn’t I?

When my eyes find Brad, he smiles.

I mouth, Thank you, to him, but he only shakes his head. Then, I catch Bayli standing next to him, texting something to someone, and her friends are lingered around her, none of them happy like our family.

Our families come around us, giving hugs and handshakes, while all the friends disappear outside.

“Oh, look at that smile now,” Lana says. “I’ve missed it.” She hugs me.

Now knowing she felt this way, I try to put together the puzzle of random thoughts she’s been spouting all week.

“Thank you, Mrs. McCain . . . er . . . Lana.”

She grips me tighter.

Once everyone leaves us alone and we aren’t some spectacle, I meander over to the counter to grab a drink.

“I’ll make you a drink.” Tanner grabs my hips and pushes me up onto the counter.

“No, that’s okay. I want to remember tonight,” I joke.

He chuckles. His hands land on my thighs, and his fingers part my legs, leaving a line of shivers up my back. Stepping between my legs, he kisses my lips, and I stiffen from the uncomfortableness that our families could witness our affection, but Tanner doesn’t relent until I soften.

When we part, he smirks. “It’s nice to do that without worrying.”

I smile, and lightness washes through my body. “It is.”

“Now, what does my girl want to drink?”

He leaves my body, and I watch him move around the counter. It’s similar to the party from two years ago, and I’m elated from how nice this feels—not only his declaration of me being his girl, but also the fact that my family is okay with us.

“Just a water.” My legs sway back and forth along the counter.

“Nothing else?” He turns my way and then walks over to the fridge.

“Nope.”

He opens the bottle and steps back to me.

“My life is pretty complete right now,” I say.

Placing the water on the counter, he situates himself back into the same position from a minute ago, except his hands reach behind me. I yelp when he thrusts me forward, squeezing my ass.

“Mine, too.” His lips press against mine for the tenth time in the last half an hour.

Not that I’m complaining.

twenty

“YOU DON’T UNDERSTAND, PIPER. I need to be with you tonight.” Tanner is standing in front of me.

I smile at the desperation in his voice.

“I told my mom that I’d help her with the flowers. I’m sorry. The rehearsal is tomorrow.” It’s tearing me apart that I can’t be with him.

“Can I help you to get things done faster?”

His eyes widen in hope, and I shake my head.

I cringe. “Do you think we’d really get it done faster?” All I see is his roaming hands on my body every time my mom turns around.

His head bounces. “Probably not. What if I just sit down with you?” He sneaks his hand out to my hip, lifting my shirt to touch my bare skin.

Fully aware of the shivers shooting up my spine from his touch, I attempt to deter him. “I should spend a little time with my mom. You know how she is.”

He nods. “A little clingy . . . in a good way.” A smile quickly encases his lips, not meaning to offend.

How did I make it two years without him? I don’t want to leave him.

“Of course. In a loving way,” I correct.

He chuckles. “You always have the right words. Text me when you’re done, okay?”

I nod, my voice caught in my throat, as his hand meanders across my skin.

“All right. I’ll go spend some time with your brother.” He bends down and kisses me quick.

“Hey, what’s with the short kiss?” I ask, grabbing his arm and swinging him back my way.

“It will only torture me if I kiss you how I want to right now.”

I laugh and place my hand on his cheek.

“Then, let me torture you.” I inch up on my toes, my lips pressing on his.

He shuts them, fighting my tongue as it tries to break into his mouth. My laughter at his antics doesn’t stop me. My hand slowly moves down his chest, sliding further, and I cup his balls with my palm. His mouth opens immediately, and my tongue takes advantage. Once his tongue dances with mine, I moan, unable to refrain from the pleasure he draws out of me. Stepping up, he pushes me against the wall, pinning me with his hips. As the bulge grows in my hand, my willpower to hold of from having him now grows weaker.

Just as I’m about to say, The hell with my mom and her flowers, he steps back, and my confused body attempts to cool down.

“What?” I ask.

He laughs. “Have to leave you wanting more.”

He winks, and I narrow my eyes.

“You could take me all night, and I’ll still wake up, wanting more.” I walk by him. “I’ll text you later,” I say in a song voice while sashing my ass back and forth.

“I’ll be waiting.”

I feel his eyes on me the whole time I begin to retreat to the basement, and it’s nice to know that I could turn around and be in his arms in a second. But wanting to finish the flower arrangements, I painstakingly take each step.

THREE HOURS LATER, I’M CLIMBING the stairs, holding on to the railing. “I have no feeling in my fingers,” I whine.

My mom laughs. “Hey, you’re young. I’m old, so imagine how mine feel,” she jokes behind me as her hand pushes my ass up the staircase.

“Thank you, Piper” From her relaxed shoulders and upturned lips, I know how much my help means to her.

She follows me into the kitchen, and I spot shadows out by the pool.

My eyes squint to figure who is out there. All the porch lights are off, only the pool lights showing any sign of activity.

“I’m beat. I’m going to bed,” my mom says before kissing my cheek.

“Good night, Mom.” I smile and then peek out to the pool again.

Then, my phone vibrates in my back pocket.

Tanner: Come on out.

Me: Is it only you?

Tanner: Yeah.

I don’t hesitate to open the French doors and escape to the moonlit sky. After I weave in between the tables, Tanner’s body emerges from the lounge chair. His chest is bare, and his body is wet with his swim trunks hanging off his hips. I have a sudden urge to shed my clothes.

“Hey,” he greets me.

I watch the glistening drops fall off his body. “Hi.”

“I was out with Brad tonight and thought I’d wait for you for a little while. I saw you in the window.” He holds his hand out to me, and once I place mine in his, he pulls me into him.

“You’re wet,” I whisper.

“And you’re about to be.”

His hands skim down my spine, and I push my chest against his, arching my back.

I tilt my head, my lips cascading kisses up his jaw, while he molds my ass in his hands. He backs up to the nearest lawn chair, and I sit down, eyeing his bulging swim trunks right in front of me. I peer up through my eyelashes at him, and goose bumps engulf all over my skin when he licks his lips.

He bends down on his knees, his hands cupping my face. “I love you, Piper,” he says, filling my heart with his words.

I graze the back of my hand down his stubble cheek, and he closes his eyes.

“I love you,” I softly admit.

Ever so gently, his fingers slide up my legs, past my waist and under the hem of my shirt. He casts a trail of kisses up my stomach while he pushes the shirt off my body, leaving me in only my bra. I take a deep breath as his lips move up my neck, and his fingers round my sides to undo my bra. As the straps drop from my shoulders, a tormenting groan rumbles from his throat, as he pulls one cup down, taking my breast into his mouth. I arch into him more as his tongue teasingly twirls around my nipple.

I hold his head to me and my heavy eyes close, reveling in the waves of passion and love rolling between us. His mouth scorches my skin, as he painstakingly explores the crevice and globe of my breasts. He eases my bra from my arms, and his hands skim down my abdomen before unbuttoning my pants. The sound of the zipper brings a surge of excitement that this is actually going to happen. I’m finally going to have Tanner McCain inside me again.

Switching sides, he wraps his mouth around my other breast while wiggling my shorts, directing me that he wants them off. Taking my hands off his head, I push back on the chaise lounge chair and scoot my butt up. I hear the clothes land on the ground, and the cold air chills my naked body.

Tanner inches up and guides me down, so my back rests along the chair. He climbs my body, lying on top of me, igniting warmth to my core. His two hands gently push the strands of my hair off my face as my heart turned over from his deep loving gaze.

“You’re gorgeous, and I’ve imagined this moment so many times, but I don’t want to take you outside your parents’ house,” he admits, his finger lazily weaving through my hair.

I wrap my hands around his waist and his hard chest crushes my breasts. My desire for him rising too fast to consider waiting. “I just want to feel you. I never want to be away from you again.”

He kisses my neck, swiping his tongue up to my ear. “But—”

I tighten my thighs against his waist and he circles around my center. “No, Tanner. I want you inside me. I want to feel how much you love me as we come.”

He pushes up on his strong arms, hesitation embedded in his sight.

“Don’t think,” I repeat his own words to me from years ago.

A small smirk crosses his face and I see his own matching desire for me overriding his gentlemanly intentions.

“We’re covered?” he asks, quickly closing the subject of waiting and I squirm under his hard body, itching to feel him.

I nod, a clear understanding between us.

My hands move down his body, and I push his swim trunks off his ass until my feet can finish. Once he’s naked, he centers his body to mine, and I feel his tip at my opening. My legs open wider, securing around his waist. His eyes pin to mine, he slowly pushes into me, and my back arches while my fingernails dig into his shoulder blades.

I gasp as he fills me. “You feel so good,”

He begins to circle his hips and thrusts into me. “I love being inside you,” he mumbles in my ear before sucking my earlobe into his mouth.

My chest rises and falls with my rapid breaths from not only the exertion, but also from trying to get our bodies as close as I can. My hands splay across his back, flowing down his tense muscles, as he continues to spread a fire throughout my body.

“Don’t stop, Tan,” I say, clenching harder to subdue my orgasm.

Winding his arms around the back of my shoulders, he urges my body to match his tempo, driving him deeper inside. An eruption of nerves frenzy inside and my thighs clench harder around his taut waist.

“Oh my God,” I whimper, nuzzling my head in his shoulder.

My hands grip his sweaty body, eager to find some kind of hold, while he manipulates and controls our rhythm.

“Don’t ever walk away from me again.” Tanner forcefully speaks at the same time he thrusts into me. “I was lost without you,” he whispers in my ear. He’s always that mixture of sexy and sweet.

I surrender to him and become unable to fight his masterful skills that send me to surrender.

My core tightens. “I’m coming, Tan. Oh God . . . you . . . oh . . .” I explode into a million pieces.

Tanner pushes two more times before he stills inside me murmuring my name.

His body collapses on top of me, and his lips sweetly land on mine. “I love you,” he murmurs.

My arms tighten around his shoulders. He draws out of me, and I already ache for him. Situating himself on the side of me, he reaches for a towel on the other chair, slowly wrapping it around us. My body sinks in the curve of his body, melting into his arms.

“I told you I’d make you wet.” He chuckles.

I shake my head in amusement. “That you did.”

“You want to go for a swim?” he whispers in my ear.

“I don’t have my swimsuit.” I purposely wiggle my ass into him, feeling his excitement for round two.

“I don’t think that’s a problem.” He moves away from me and stands up.

The moonlight casts down on his trim body, the muscle grooves glistening, and my heart soars because this Godly man is mine . . . all mine.

“You’ll keep me warm?” I accept the hand he has out for me, rising to my feet.

He encases me in a hug. “Always, Piper. Always.”