He couldn’t hide his surprise, a fact I would have to rectify. I’d pushed him away out of fear, and he’d done the same.
No more fear. Just love.
My hand shook as he took it. “It fits, perfectly.”
“Courtesy of your mom. She went with me this morning to pick it out.”
He stood.
“My mom knew? You’re full of surprises today.”
“She did. And your dad too. I got his blessing last night.”
Last night. He’d gone to the bar.
Ohmygod. He’d got my father’s blessing. I was about to be a puddle but Beck pulled me into his arms. I’d been hugged by this man many times before, but never like this. Never as a lover hugs a person he’s just asked to be his wife.
He held on to me as if I could save him from a sinking ship. And maybe I could. Maybe he could save me too. Being wrapped in his arms this way… I’d never felt safer in my life.
Never felt so… sure.
My heart raced as he pulled back to look at me. I understood what he was thinking. Disbelief that had just happened. Joy that the longest, and only, fight we’d ever had was over. Love. And also… knowledge of what would come next.
His gaze dropped to my lips.
Suddenly our text exchange came back to me, and I didn’t want to wait any longer. I raised up on my tiptoes as Beck lowered his lips to mine.
Like the first one, there was no awkwardness. No learning curve. Our mouths melded and tongues clashed as if we had been kissing forever. My hands moved to the forearms I always stared at and wanted to touch. Now, I could. Running my hands along the muscles I’d watched flex as he made drinks, with Beck’s lips on mine… I couldn’t hold back a groan.
That seemed to set him off.
Beck’s slow, lingering kiss became more insistent. And just like that, the slow seduction became an inferno of insistence and tossed clothing. First, he lifted my shirt, our kiss halting as it went over my head.
“Do you know how long I’ve dreamed of this?”
He reached behind my back, and easier than I’d ever managed, Beck’s fingers unclasped my white lace bra. Thank goodness I’d worn a good one. Lifting it over my arms, he looked down, mouth opening, with the most primeval of sounds escaping from him.
“My God, you’re fucking perfect.”
He didn’t waste another second. Both of Beck’s hands covered my breasts as he kissed me again. I couldn’t get his expression from my mind. It was pure… worship.
Do you know how long I’ve dreamed of this?
If I were being honest, I’d imagined it too. Many times. But had quickly put the idea out of my mind, certain we would never work. Certain Beck would only break my heart.
Who could have imagined the opposite were true? That it would be Beck who put it back together?
“I’m going to tear the rest of your clothes off,” he said, pulling away. “Lay you on that bed, and worship every inch of your gorgeous body, Mae.”
Before I could respond, he did just that. Kicking off his own shoes, so I did the same, he unbuttoned and unzipped my jeans and scooted them down. In nothing but a white lace thong, I was as impatient to see him too. Reaching up, I began to unbutton his shirt, Beck watching me.
“Do you have any idea how hard it was to walk away from you that night?”
I was nearly done unbuttoning. “Which one?” I asked, pushing off his shirt.
“Take your pick, but I was thinking specifically of the one at the bar.”
Beck began to unbutton his pants.
