“You came into our world like a breezy afternoon and left like a raging hurricane. You didn’t think there would be damage?”
“I didn’t mean to.”
He frowns. “Sometimes life doesn’t work that way. People connect. Bond. Walking away doesn’t cut the cord.”
“I told Justin that I know you guys have plans. A life outside of Ocean Beach—one where I don’t fit. And I get that, I have plans, too. I was part of your life when it was just the Pact—just fun—nothing more. But it moved somewhere else for me.” I look up at him and connect with his eyes. He’s listening to everyword. “It was supposed to be a summer fling. A rebound from my disastrous relationship with Mason.”
“Was supposed to be?” he asks, repeating my words.
My heart pounds, aches. “Yes.”
“What happened instead?”
I shake my head, not wanting to say it out loud. He may be here but that doesn’t mean he or the others want the same thing I do.
“Well, I’ll tell you what happened to us. You brought a breeze into our hot corner of the world and opened yourself up to us—allowing us to open up in return. None of us had much time for relationships before you showed up. We said were committed to one another and getting the hell out of Ocean Beach—at least for a minute. But the truth is, we were scared. Scared of being locked in and locked down. Scared of caring for someone—building something lasting with someone outside our tiny group. But you showed up and made us realize that being from that little strip of sand isn’t a bad thing.”
“No, it’s not.”
“What we have there is special and when the right girl came along, we had something to offer. That she’d accept each of us for who we are and that we could give that same unconditional acceptance back.”
Hot tears build in the corners of my eyes. “As much as all of that is nice to hear, it’s not sustainable, Nick. Not the type of relationship we have and not with all of us going our separate ways.”
He touches my chin and tilts it upward. “You can’t relax, can you? Just let this develop naturally and see where it goes.”
“Ride it like a wave?” I wipe a tear away.
He smiles. “Exactly like a wave. See? We did rub off on you.”
“I’m going to France. Tomorrow.”
Whatever he feels from that statement he holds back. Instead he makes me an offer. “I won’t stop you if that’s what you want, but do me one thing.”
“What?”
“If you’re leaving, then spend the night with me. Give me that.”
My knees threaten to buckle at his suggestion. His voice is think with sincerity. His eyes full of desire. I have no doubt he’s serious. He drove all the way up here to find me. He took a risk for himself and everyone else.
I nod and he wastes no time crashing his mouth into mine. In a matter of seconds, what were well-controlled emotions crumble, unleashing weeks of pent-up feelings. Unlike the library or the beach house, we don’t have to hold back, and I break away from him long enough to lead him, panting, up to my room.
Nick doesn’t waste time assessing my room, the knickknacks or mementoes. His eyes are on me, never wavering, blazing a trail over my skin. He leads me to the edge of my bed, kissing my neck, my shoulders, my mouth, and I tug him on top of me, desperate to feel his weight.
The empty house is filled with nothing but the sounds of us together; our breath, our hands, the rumpling of fabric.
“People wear less clothing at the beach,” Nick grumbles, pulling off my layers. When he reaches the navy blue of my bra and panties he pauses, running a finger under the delicate lace. A shiver ripples across my body, surging from my breasts down my belly, until it settles hot and wet between my legs. Desperate, I rock against him, seeking whatever friction I can find. He smiles slowly and presses back, his length hard and ready.
I quickly remove his shirt and shorts, leaving only snug boxers. His body is perfection; well-honed and tuned for his athletic pursuits. He uses that strength now to lift me like arag-doll, flipping our positions so that I’m on top of him. I can feel him better this way and he can explore me fully. I hum in response to his large hands palming my breasts, tweaking my nipples until they harden into peaks.
His fingers wander and I rock against his erection, still separated by two layers of cotton. I feel the shock waves rolling across my skin. It’s been months since a man touched me like this and even then, it wasn’t like this at all. Until this moment I didn’t have much to compare it to, nothing but the teasing experiences with Justin and Whit. Both of those stopped short, but now? I didn’t want Nick to stop. I wanted to feel every part of him inside every part of me.
Nick’s jaw tightens as he reaches for me, the ladder of hard-packed abs straining as he sits up. I cry from the loss of friction, wanting more. His hand dips between us, fingers grazing over the hot flame. I push at his shorts and he shimmies out of them, allowing his cock to spring between us.
I bite my lip, thankful in that moment that I’m not a virgin. That I’m on the pill. That this is not my first time, because I reach for his cock and spread the clear goo at the tip down and around his shaft. He groans, falling backwards onto the bed, as if experiencing ecstasy.
He grips my ass and lifts me up, angling his cock between my legs. I sink down, feeling his girth stretch my insides until we’re both settled in and he gazes at me with a lazy, content smile.
“You’re beautiful,” he says, like a man with his dick wrapped up tight. But even though it’s cheesy and even though he’s horny, I believe him when he touches my chin and trails his fingers down my breasts before settling on my hips. Because he’s beautiful, too. I believe him when his hips move, and when I ride him like a wave; rolling over the small, gentle ones as the bigger, rockier ones tremble in the distance.
