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“I like when you chase me, though.” She beams, lust shining on her face. I pin her to my front, growling in her ear and walking together until our toes touch the freezing water.
The moonlight gives the metallic look as it ripples in the waves. We stand watching the waves meet our feet and then disappear just as fast, listening to the soft roars of the water as it greets us and the smell of cold winter air and sea salt surround us.
I check my watch and it is almost midnight. Jess notices the time too as she turns towards me, her chin resting on my chest. “Maybe we should go inside to see in the New Year with everyone.” She pecks my lips softly and I move quickly back for another kiss; one that is more demanding than hers… more needy and one that I hope is a perfect prelude to everything that is about to come next.
My hands tremble as I pull away. I mindlessly run my thumb over her lower lip and catalogue every fine line, every freckle and my favourite… the dimple.
“Jess, I love you. More than anything or anyone…” I pause, trying to remember one of my discarded speeches from earlier, but I suddenly can’t remember anything.Fuck, why didn’t I plan better?
“I love you too. Are you okay? You’re shaking. Let’s go inside.” She tries to angle us towards the house, but I stop her.
“I mean it. I never want to be without you again.” I lean in to needing to feel every inch of her, holding her close.
“Sometimes you need a second chance because you weren’t quite ready for the first,” she whispers, almost to herself. I look down as her head is buried into my chest, her brown hair catching the moonlight and I move my hand underneath her chin to face me. Her eyes are full and ready to burst. She’s right—we weren’t ready for it all back then, but I damn sure know that I’m ready for her now and I want all of her, forever.
I inhale the biggest breath, filling my lungs until they’re bursting.
“I want you to be all of my lasts, Jess. My last kiss, my last dance, my last happy memory, my everything. Are you ready for everything, Scotty?”
My heart thrums against my ribs, waiting for her words that will calm its chaotic rhythm.
Her lips tip up in a little smile. “You’ve always called me Scotty, but you are the only one who ever did. I like that. It’s like a part of me always belonged to you.”
“You’ve always belonged to me… with me.” I cup her face between my hands, loving the softness of her cheeks as I gaze deeply into her baby blues. “I guess I’ll have to start calling you by your first name anyway, if you take my last name.”
Her eyebrows rise, and suddenly cheers and laughter echo behind us in the distance. It’s midnight.
I drop on one knee to the sand, pulling out the three carat diamond and sapphire ring I picked for her, and I look up at my girl; my forever. Her eyes fill with tears and her hand covers her mouth. I extend my hand and she immediately fills it with hers.
“Jessica Scott, be mine forever. Marry me?”
She collapses to the ground with me as she pulls me into a kiss, wrapping her hands around my face.
She pulls back only a little to stare at me. “Is that a yes?” I ask, shakily.
She nods, tears falling freely down her face. “Yes, Liam Taylor,” she cries. “I’ll marry you.”
I go to say something, anything, but the words catch in my throat. Instead, I pull her into my lap and we both fall into the sand and we seal our connection, more deeply somehow than ever before. I feel her everywhere.
She encompasses every inch of my soul, my heart, and my everything. She’s going to be mine forever.
Epilogue
Liam - 7 years later
The most beautiful thing about loving a guarded girl is that she lets you in because she wants you, not because she needs you.
JessicaTaylorisstillas strong as a hurricane and as warm as the sun. But now she ismysun andmyhurricane and I am happy to be swept up in her every day if it means I can be soothed by her every night.
She's standing on the porch in our house in Kent, five months pregnant with our second child, and I’m in awe of her.
Her long brown hair is blowing in the breeze as she rubs her growing stomach. She’s watching our daughter, Poppy, run around in the grass just outside the house. Poppy is three, and the image of Jess. My heart swells in my chest as I watch them both laugh around the dandelions and make wishes in the wind. When Jess told me we were pregnant again, my heart near enough exploded. This life is everything I ever dreamed it would be, and sharing it with my best friend is the icing on the cake.
Jess and I got married the year after we were engaged, neither of us wanted to wait. Then, five years ago, I bought The Clover Hotel and Jess became the manager. Six months later, we fell in love with a run-down B&B here in Kent and we bought it on a whim. It took us another six months to open and by that time we were pregnant with Poppy.
When Poppy turned two, we made the move to Kent to be nearer Cam and Harriett and, believe it or not, also Jess’ mum, who we see a few times a month. Their relationship will never be the way it was before, but Jess has worked hard to heal from it all, and that included having her back in her life when she was ready. Nora now runs the charity full time, and she is the best aunt to Poppy, who adores her.
I still can’t get enough of my wife. She gives me everything I need and more in a friend, a confidant, lover and soulmate.
