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“You. Are. Adorable.” He says catching his breath.
We sit on our little bench and talk for what seems like forever. We share more of our favorite foods, music, movies and childhood stories. I wish I could find a word to describe how I feel just hanging out and talking with him. I don’t think there is a word out there to describe somebody that feels like an old friend that you just met. That is what Jonathan feels like to me, an old friend but I would like to be so much more.
I have no idea how long we sit there. Hours, days, I have no concept of time when I’m around him, but when I reach up to scratch the back of my neck I know it’s been too long.
“Ouch, I think we have been in the sun a bit too long and I forgot to put sunblock on. Maybe we should get going?” I say as I stand to take the hoodie tied around my waist off so that I can actually wear it and cover my top half.
“Shit! I am so sorry. I wasn’t thinking. I packed SPF and everything,” he says as he reaches in his bag and pull out the tube of sun-block.
“Of course you did.” I laugh. “I feel like I’m on a hike with a boy scout.”
“Sorry to disappoint, but no boy scouts here. Just a United States Marine Corps grunt. Now, turn around and let me put some of this on you. It may be too late but it might make it feel better.”
I turn so my back is facing him and I feel the heat of his breathe just moments before I feel his lips on the back of my neck. His left hand comes around my hip and splays out on my stomach to pull me back to him. All too soon his lips are gone, but I am relieved when I feel them start a trail of kisses that start from that spot just behind my ear all the way down to my shoulder. On instinct I tilt my head to the side to give him more of my neck to work with. The heat of my sunburn is nothing compared to the fire that has started burning inside me from the soft touches of his lips.
Just as I’m about to turn to face him, and take his kisses a little further, his kisses stop. He lets go of me, and he starts to rub the sun block into my shoulders and neck. He hands me the bottle and says, “Here I’ll get the back and you get the front.” There was nothing sexual in his words but to me they sounded as though they were dripping in sex.
I’m not sure how I manage to do anything while his hands are on me but I silently rub the lotion onto my chest and face and hand the bottle back to him. He packs everything back into his camouflage ruck sack, grabs my hand and we finish our hike and head back to the jeep.
The ride back to the suite is a comfortable silence and he only lets go of my hand if there is a real need, like shifting the jeep into gear or other driving essentials. I love the fact that we’re both okay with not talking, and that it doesn’t get awkward in those moments.
When we get to the hotel he jumps out of the driver’s seat and is around the front of the jeep in a flash to open my door. I don’t want to get out because I don’t want this to end, but I know that I must so I grab his hand and hop out. He shuts the door behind me and says, “I had an amazing day, Gracie, and I would love to show you my gratitude by taking you out to dinner tonight. Just you and me. Does that sound okay?”
I answer with just a nod of my head. He has my back pressed against the jeep door while he holds on to the bar above my head. He’s so close to me that if I just lean forward an inch or two my lips would touch his. But I don’t and for now I just take in his warmth while his amazing smell surrounds me. Yes, he still smells amazing after a long, sweaty hike. He smells like the manliest of men, but still like Jonathan.
“Good answer,” he says so low I almost don’t hear him say it as he leans in for a slow, sweet kiss that almost feels as if it is happening in slow motion.
A low growl comes from deep in his chest as he pushes himself off the jeep and away from me. At the same time a pitiful whimper comes from me as I feel the loss of his soft lips on mine. He puts his hands in his pockets as if to force himself to keep his hands off me.
“I’ll pick you up at six o’clock if that works for you?”
“Sure, that works. What should I wear?” I ask.
“You could wear anything and look beautiful but let’s dress it up a little tonight. Let’s continue this weeklong adventure with a bang and do it right. What do ya say?” he asks with a lifting of his handsome brow.
“Let’s do it.” I walk away from him and to the doors of the hotel. “I’ll see you at six o’clock, Georgia. Don’t be late!” I yell over my shoulder to him with a huge smile on my face. The smile I get in return just makes mine grow even larger—if that is even possible!
Waiting for the elevator to arrive I check my reflection in the stainless steel doors in front of me and I must admit I clean up nicely. I took my time on my hair and make-up which is not the norm for me but Jonathan said we were gonna do this right and get dressed up, so I made the effort. My hair comes to the middle of my back when it’s down so to blow it out and add some curls to my natural wave takes some time, but it was worth it. I can’t remember the last time I didn’t just throw my hair up and be done with it.
The elevator finally arrives and I step inside. I’m only going down one floor but I was just too nervous in these heels to start the night off with a flight of stairs, so the elevator it is. At least I’ll have a big strong Marine to hold on to all night if things get shaky. And just as that thought crosses my mind the elevator doors open and there he is waiting for me. Damn, this man is fine. He looks like he jumped off a magazine cover in his white button down shirt with his sleeves rolled up, dark jeans, dress shoes and a beautiful watch. The shirt and watch look amazing against his tan skin, but the smile that he gives me when he sees me is what nearly knocks me off my feet. He is staggering.
He’s holding his left hand behind his back when he brings his right hand up and places it over his heart and says, “You are breathtaking, Miss Emily Grace.”
He takes my hand and spins me around and once my eyes are back to him he says, “I love your hair down like this,” and then leaning into my ear he whispers, “Very sexy.”
Just as I start to feel the heat of my blush rush to my face he pulls a pink birthday cake flavored cake pop out from behind his back and I can’t stop the smile spreading across my face.
“You remembered?”
“When the girl you’re trying to get to know tells you she would rather have a bouquet of cake pops over roses, you listen. I know it’s only one, but I figured you wouldn’t have room for dinner if I brought you the full dozen. We’ll save that for another occasion.” He places a kiss on my cheek and hands me the cake pop.
“Thank you so much, Jonathan, it means a lot. Not because they’re my favorite but because it means you were really listening. I have never known a guy who actually wants to talk and get to know me, so thank you, truly.”
He doesn’t say anything, just gives me a small nod of his head. I lift up to my tip toes to lean in and once I’m right by his ear I whisper, “Wanna bite?”
“Oh I wanna bite, sweetheart, but a bite of a cake pop isn’t what’s going through my mind with you standing in front of me in that dress.” He lifts just one eyebrow in a cocky little show of a side of him I haven’t seen yet. It’s not the Jonathan I’ve come to know, but I like it just the same.
“Fine, you don’t know what you’re missing then. Have you ever even tried one?”
