Chapter 29
Blake
I sprint toward the water, stripping off my clothes and letting them fall haphazardly onto the sand until I’m wearing nothing at all. The air is brisk, the last of the hot summer nights behind us, a chill biting into my skin, but I don’t care. I need this. I need to clear my mind, to forget about the oil spill, David, my moms, everything.
Small waves lap gently at the shore, the rhythmic sound soothing and inviting. The bay is framed by rocks and a steep cliff face on either side, thick vegetation blocking the view from the main road.
Glancing up: the moon is full and round in the sky, the sight of it stirring something elemental inside me. I reach up and pull the elastic band from my hair, letting it tumble down my back in loose waves.
I glance over my shoulder and see Ethan. He’s stripped off his shirt, his chiseled torso illuminated by the moonlight, and he’s walking toward me in just his jeans, gaze locked on me, a hungry look in his eyes. There’s something primal and incredibly sexy about the way he moves, confident and unhurried.
Turning from him, running into the water, the cold waves crashing softly against my legs and then my torso as I get deeper. The shock of the cold is invigorating, a jolt to my system that makes me feel alive. I don’t stop until I’m fully submerged, diving under the surface.
That moment when I go completely under, it’s like the whole world is blocked out. All the noise, all the worry, it all fades away. I hold my breath for a few long seconds, reveling in the feel of the dark, cold world around me. Every sense is heightened, every nerve ending alive.
I break the surface with a gasp, pushing my hair out of my face. My feet can just reach the sandy bottom, but I push up, treading water. Ethan is wading in after me, his jeans and boxers a dark pile on the sand. He dives in and swims under the inky water, resurfacing just in front of me.
“Cold enough for you?” he says, a teasing grin on his face. The dark curl of his hair holds the water briefly before releasing it in rivulets that run down his neck, the hard planes of his chest.
“It’s perfect.”
He lies back, arms behind his head, and I do likewise. We just float there, side by side, under the moonlit sky for a few minutes, the water lapping around us.
He glances at his watch. “You know, I should be going to bed in about an hour if I’m going to get a good sleep score on my health app.”
“Oh, yeah?” I straighten, toes on the ground, and he stands beside me, arms going around me, his skin so warm compared to the chill of the inky water.
“But something tells me this is going to be worth the late night.” One hand splays flat on my back, the other scooping under my ass, lifting me up as my legs wrap around him. He holds me in the water, the cold waves lapping against our skin, but all I can feel is his warmth.
The silver moonlight makes the moment feel almost otherworldly, and his gray eyes lock onto mine, his expression growing serious.
“Blake, there’s something I need to tell you,” he says, shifting his hand from my back and taking one of my hands in his, holding it in the space between our chests.
My heart flutters, my other arm going around his neck. “What is it?”
He pauses, his eyes never leaving mine. “I’m in love with you. I love you, Blake. You’re the most perfect woman I’ve ever met, and I’d walk through fire for you.”
His words hit me like a tidal wave, washing over me and leaving me breathless. I’m stunned into silence, my mind racing to process what he’s just said.
“I know this might seem fast,” he continues, his voice suddenly tinged with nervousness. “But I can’t hide my feelings anymore. I love you. I love everything about you—your smile, your laugh, how stubborn you are.”
The intensity of the moment wraps around me. I feel like I’m standing on a precipice, about to dive straight into a dark depth of water with no idea what’s down there. The uncertainty terrifies me, but there’s one truth I can’t deny: I love him, too.
I lean in, our faces inches apart, and press my lips to his. The kiss is soft at first, a tentative exploration of the emotions swirling between us. But as his arms tighten around me and the fire in my core burns brighter, the kiss deepens.
I pour all my feelings into that kiss, hoping my touch can tell him all the things I’m too scared to say out loud. The world around us fades away, leaving just the two of us, entwined in each other’s arms.
The cold water, the moonlit sky, the distant sound of waves crashing against the rocks—it all melts into the background. In this moment, there’s only Ethan and me, the feel of his mouth on mine, our hands wedged between the steady beat of our hearts.
Then things get heated, as they always do with us, the claim of his mouth on mine growing more intense. He lets go of my hand, finding my breast, fingers teasing first one nipple then the other as they pebble, before he groans. He’s already hard, and I release the grip of my legs around his waist, finding the sandy bottom, and we both step into shallower waters, still kissing.
My hand wraps around the girth of him, pumping in time with the waves lapping against me, while his hand reaches down, a roughened finger plunging inside me, then a second, moving in and out, sending spirals of pleasure unfurling in my core, the blunt thrust of his fingers over and over making me moan.
His mouth goes to my nipples, sucking softly, gently nipping, his hand gripping greedily on my ass, my hips. We keep kissing and touching one another under the expanse of black sky, dark water surrounding us, until I feel myself tipping over the edge.
“Stop,” I say, pushing his hand away.
“Stop what?” His fingers move to my clit, circling and swirling, a smile on the soft of his lips.
“It’s my turn to be in charge.” I push his hand away again, more firmly this time, and lead him into the shallow water.
“Lie down. I want to taste you.”
“I like this side of you.” He smirks and lies down on the sand where the run of the waves washes over his legs. I lower myself onto my knees, straddling his thighs, and take him in my mouth. He gasps as the swirl of my tongue teases his glistening tip, savoring the taste of saltwater and desire.
His legs tense, his breathing becoming more ragged as I take him deeper, my lips sliding down his shaft until I can feel him hit the back of my throat.
He groans, his hands reaching out to grip my shoulders as I work him closer and closer to the edge. But just as he’s about to come, I pull back, leaving him trembling with need.
Crawling forward, lowering myself onto him slowly, feeling him slide deep inside me, the overwhelming thickness of him making me pause, before I start to ride him. The water around us surges and swirls as we move together, our bodies rocking in rhythm with the waves, his hungry hands on my breast, my nipples, hips bucking in time with mine.
Closing my eyes, lost in the sensation of him filling me completely. I can feel every inch of him, throbbing and pulsing inside me. I ride him slowly at first, savoring the feel of him, but soon we pick up the pace, me grinding my hips against his, my clit rubbing against his pelvis with delicious friction.
He groans, his hands gripping my hips as he thrusts up into me. Tension builds inside me, my muscles clenching and releasing as I climb higher and higher. And then, with a cry of pleasure, I come, my body shuddering as wave after wave of ecstasy washes over me.
With a guttural groan, he rolls me over so he’s on top, his body pinning mine to the sandy bottom. He slams into me, his hips pounding against mine as he takes me, filling me completely.
The forceful thrusts loosen a moan and I lift my legs, opening myself wider to him. He bottoms out, groans: “Fuck… Blake…”
His rhythm becomes more ragged, and then, with a final cry, he comes, his body shuddering as he empties himself inside me.
Time seems to slow, and he leans down, kissing me so deeply, the broad of his shoulders blocking out the moon above. “I don’t want this night to end. You’re everything.”
We kiss again, slow and unhurried as he explores every inch of my mouth, and then he pulls out, rolling over, the wrap of his arms going around me.
My head rests on his chest, a profound sense of safety washes over me. With Ethan, it’s like I’ve found an anchor in the midst of chaos. He’s so solid and dependable, always there when I need him. I feel cherished and protected, and it’s a feeling I never want to let go of.
Pressing a hand to the skin over his heart: I love you.
He seems to feel it, even though I haven’t said it out loud. And for a long time, we just lie there, staring up at the sky, the chill of the night of little consequence against the heat and salt of our skin, the fire that burns between us.