We stepped onto the sand. It was wet and compacted enough that it didn’t kick up our heels with every step. Drew flung his arm back around me, his bicep resting on the back of my neck, his hand dangling off my shoulder. I reached up, linking our fingers back together, my arm crossing my chest. Happiness washed over me, I could stay like this forever.
“Have you told him about me?” he asked quietly.
“Told who?”
“Jupiter. Does he know about me?”
I shook my head. “No, I haven’t, not yet. I haven’t spoken to him for a few weeks actually. He’s getting ready for the World Series.”
We carried on walking in contented silence.
“Does anyone know about me?”
“What do you mean?”
“Emerson, stop being obtuse. You know what I mean. Have you told anyone that we’re in a relationship?” he snapped.
I jolted at his tone and stopped us walking. He’d never spoken to me like that before, and I couldn’t read his expression as I studied his face.
“Babe? Where’s this coming from?”
“I was just thinking about the conversation we’d had about your brother and professional athletes, and with what happened at work, I just…” he trailed off.
“Just what?”
He dropped his head. “Are you ashamed of me?”
If I couldn’t hear the vulnerability weighing heavily in his voice I’d have laughed, because at the very least I’d have thought he was joking. But I’d been slowly learning the impact our year apart had on him, and as our feelings deepened, every so often insecurity flared, because there was more at stake now.
I dipped down below the rim of his ball cap so I could look into his eyes. “No, of course I’m not. Why would you even think that?”
He lifted his head back up. I ran my thumb through the soft scruff on his cheek, looking at him while I waited for an answer.
“I want to be someone you deserve and are proud of. I’ve never been in a relationship before, but you have.”
Doubt flashed through his eyes and it made my heart ache.
I took my hand and placed it on his chest. “This is nothing like what I’ve been in before.”
He let out a deep sigh, trying to expel his fears. “I’ve never cared before what people think of me, I’ve always just done what I want. But now I have you, I don’t want my past actions to impact us.”
I ran my arms up around his neck, cupping the back of his head so he was forced to look at me. “I don’t care what people think either. I’ve already experienced enough gossip when Richard and I were together and it turned out he was sleeping with half the nursing staff. Everyone talked behind my back. But I haven’t not told anyone because I’m ashamed of you.”
His eyebrows shot up, hopeful. “Really?”
I nodded. “Yes, really. And people do know. I’ve told Mallory, my best friend in the world, I’ve told my mom, and I’ve toldAshley from work. I haven’t told my brother because he’s busy, and I haven’t told anyone else at work because I just wanted to keep you to myself a bit longer before I became the center of their gossip, but I don’t care that I will. Baby, I think you’re incredible, and Iamproud of you. You’re part of my life now.”
And that was the absolute truth. He’d been seeping so deep into my bones I couldn’t imagine being without him.
There was a nanosecond where I saw his face light up before his mouth slanted onto mine, his lips enveloping me in warmth and happiness. His palms, cool from the sea air, held my cheeks, his long fingers wrapping around the back of my neck. One hand left my face for a second while he spun his cap around to give him more access, then came back, pulling me in closer to a kiss so brimming with emotion I could almost cry.
His tongue swept through my mouth, gentle but needy, and with a soft moan he deepened it further, tangling us together, hot and wanting. I ran my hands up to hold the back of his head, standing on the very tips of my toes for leverage, sinking into him, desperate for more. My entire body was heating up, and the ache that seemed to permanently reside in the pit of my belly grew heavier. I could feel his cock, hard against my groin, and I tried to rub against it, desperate for friction, without a single care for the fact that we were on a public beach.
He slowed down and pulled away, taking my lower lip with him until he let it go with a pop, looking at me.
“You make me happy, Emerson, a level of happiness I didn’t even know existed and I want to give it back to you.” He kissed my nose. “Come on, let’s go home. I’ve had enough of being outside where I can’t get you naked.”
Chapter 14
