Chapter 12
CHAPTER TWELVE
Liza
We spent the day playing in the water and lying on the float devices he brought. We thought about bringing the Jet Ski, but now that I’m here, I’m glad we didn’t. Yes, it would have been fun, racing around the lake, but it’s been even better, just being lazy and wasting the day away together, surrounded by nothing but peace, both in nature and how comfortable I am with him.
I’ve grown to love just how quiet he is. He doesn’t fill the air with unnecessary chatter. In any other situation I’ve ever been in with another person, it almost feels odd to sit in silence in each other’s presence, but not with Eli.
His silence is purposeful. He talks and engages when I want to talk, seeming genuinely interested in what I have to say, but then is completely okay with silence when I don’t want to talk. It’s like I have the best of both worlds of having alone time and someone there at the same time.
We’re sharing a floating device when I hear his stomach growl, making me giggle.
“Are you hungry?”
“Aren’t I always?” he jokes.
“What are our plans for dinner?”
“I have some chicken thighs marinating in the ice chest, then brought some potato salad and corn.” He moves his head out to see mine more. “Are you hungry?”
“I could eat.”
He motions to have me sit up. “Say no more. Let’s get dinner going.”
We both hop off the floaty and make our way up to the land where we have our camp set up.
I go into our tent to change out of my wet bathing suit while he digs in the ice chest to get dinner going.
When I’m fully dressed, I head out of the tent and straight to him, standing at the grill he brought. With his back to me, I wrap my arms around his shirtless body and rest my head on his back.
He leans back slightly, placing his hand on my arm in a small hug, then says, “Oh!” like he just remembered something.
Placing down the tongs he was using to flip the chicken, he goes to his bag in the tent and comes out seconds later, holding something.
“I got you something.” He grins from ear to ear as he hands me a hat that reads Small-Town Girl .
I take it from him with a giggle as I place it on my head. “I love it!”
“Now, it’s official. You’re a small-town girl from here on out.” He kisses my head, then goes back to the grill.
All I can think about is how true that statement really is. I could never go back to living in a big town, especially in California. I also could never date anyone else. If this doesn’t work between us, I know I’ll never find someone else that’s better. He’s ruined me for any other guy, as I’d always compare them to him.
He’s it for me.
I’ve fallen so hard that I don’t think I’ll ever get up again.
After an amazing dinner that he prepared for us, he lights a fire, and we lie in each other’s arms, looking at the stars and listening to the sound of nature around us. The night has cooled down, and when he offered one of his sweatshirts for me to wear, I gladly took it.
I’ve always thought there was nothing better than to be wrapped in a baggy sweatshirt on a cool night, but I was wrong. Having said sweatshirt smell like your boyfriend’s cologne takes that entire scenario to the next level.
“Liza, I hope you know this is real … between us … you and me …” he says as he plays with my fingers.
“I’m glad to hear you say that. I feel the same way. I thank God every day that you fell on that trail.”
That makes him laugh. “Yes, best fall I’ve ever had.”
He sits up to look me in my eyes. “I don’t know where my future is heading, but I know I want you in it.”
I place my palm on his cheek. “And I want you in mine.”
When his lips meet mine, it’s with a sense of finality. Sealed with a kiss has nothing on how intense my feelings are right now. We might as well have said our vows to one another and combined our hearts for eternity.
I know without a doubt that I have found my soulmate.
He moves his lips from mine and stands, reaching out his hand to me. Jolts of electricity race through me as I place my hand in his, and he helps me up, only to pick me up and walk me back to the tent we have set up.
Once we’re both in, I waste no time in removing my own sweatshirt to reveal I never put on a bra. I want to make it very clear what my intentions are with him and leave him with zero thoughts that this might not happen.
Right now, I want nothing but him—every part of him.
“Liza,” he breathlessly whispers as he picks me up again and lying me down on my back like I’m completely weightless in his arms.
I’m quick to remove his shirt so I can feel his bare skin against mine.
As his lips trail kisses down my neck, I wrap my legs around him, pulling him closer to me, wanting any kind of friction I can get between my legs.
I’m more than greedy for him right now, and I can’t even begin to hide it. I’ve dreamed of this moment since our first kiss, and if I have to wait one more minute, I might actually explode.
He moves lower, and I whimper at the loss of him between my legs.
He kisses his way down my stomach and to the sweatpants I’m wearing. I gasp when his fingers move underneath them. I’m finally going to know what Eli Jones feels like inside of me.
My heart pounds as he slides them down my legs and tosses them to the side before removing his own. I see his cock for the first time and instantly clench my lady parts in anticipation. The size of him both excites me and—I’m not going to lie—scares me a little.
He reaches for a condom, securing it on himself before leaning back down to me, kissing me with so much passion before moving his hand between my legs, lightly sliding his fingers up and down my folds.
I appreciate him wanting to make sure I’m ready, but with the way I feel right now, I’m a little embarrassed, as I know I’m dripping in his hand.
“Are you sure?” he whispers in my ear.
“I’ve never wanted anything more in my entire life,” I say between pants.
He positions himself at my entrance, and with one very slow, very delicious motion, he pushes inside me for the first time.
We both gasp at the feeling our bodies provide each other.
It takes me a moment to relax and take him all in, and I’ll be forever grateful for him giving me this time to truly experience what I’m in for.
With a groan that escapes his lips, he slides out of me, only to push back in just as gently. Instantly, I wrap my legs around him and hold on tight, letting him know I’m okay.
My head falls back when he moves in and out again while a loud moan comes from so deep within me that I didn’t even know it was possible for it to come from my body. It’s like I’ve been completely taken over by him, by what my body was made to do and what I’ve waited for my entire life.
Sex has never been like this.
Ever.
It’s like I was made only for one man—him—and he fits so perfectly. We might as well die in this moment, knowing there’s never going to be anything better.
He lifts up and places his head on my forehead, continuing his movement, only picking up his pace slightly.
“My God, Liza. What are you doing to me?” he whispers, almost like it was more to himself rather than me, but I love that he said it out loud.
Knowing I’m doing the same to him that he’s doing to me pushes me even higher than I’ve ever imagined. It just proves even more that soulmates do exist, and we’ve found each other for good.
“I don’t know, but I never want this to end.”
“Never.” He kisses my lips. “This is forever. I promise.”
We kiss again as a fire burns within, growing and growing until we lose complete control. Our breathing is so ragged when I squeeze him tight, toppling over and coming all over him.
He pauses, letting me ride my wave and truly feeling the way my insides grip him tightly. Two seconds later, he grunts as he finds his own release, and we live in a land of absolute bliss with one another. Completely spent and totally in love.