He pulled me closer, his arms coming around my waist and holding me against him.
“I have nothing left,” I said. “The sex alone would have done it but then you had to go and make me swim around in the dark for another hour.”
“You made yourself swim around,” he said. “I was trying to go home.”
I laughed again and untangled myself from him. It took all my strength to get to my feet.
He stood and pulled me in for another hug. “I love you.”
“I love you.”
“We’re going to figure this out.”
“I hope so.”
He held my gaze for a long moment. “We will,” he said with conviction.
“Busy tomorrow night?” I asked.
“Yep.”
“Oh.”
“Busy seeing you,” he added. “Can I pick you up at six?”
“I’ll be ready.”
CHAPTER 42
COLT
We walked up from the beach side by side, boards under our arms, sand in everything and everywhere. I could feel it clinging to my back, scalp, and every other inch of me. The back porch light was still on, throwing that warm yellow glow across the steps. I was dragging.
We put our boards against the side of the house. Her hair was a salt-crusted disaster. She had sand on her cheek. She was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen in my entire life.
“Thanks for the surf lesson,” I said.
“You still need work on that pop-up.”
“Brutal.”
“Honest.” She smiled up at me. I stepped in close and tucked a piece of wet hair behind her ear. She let me. “You’re getting better though. I’ll give you that.”
“High praise.”
“Don’t push it.”
I kissed her. It lacked the usual heat and passion but it was filled with love. I pulled her closer, one arm around her waist. She tasted like the ocean. I was never going to be able to smell salt air again without thinking about her.
She pulled back slightly and looked up at me with heavy eyes. She was exhausted. I was exhausted. We’d done considerably more today than just surf.
“You should go inside,” I said.
“Probably.”
Neither of us moved.
I kissed her again. She laughed against my mouth this time, which turned the kiss into something softer and more ridiculous and somehow better. My hand found the curve of her jaw. Her fingers slid up my neck into my hair. I forgot I was tired. I could slip inside her and just lay there all night. It would be enough.