The smells? Salt air, his cologne, the faint trace of the ocean lingering between us—I inhale them deeply, like they’re leaving fingerprints on my memory.
The touch? His hand at my waist feels warm and firm, sending sparks across my skin that feel like they might leave a permanent imprint.
The sound? The waves caress our feet with a soft hush, a twinkling sound ringing in my ears, everything else fading into the background.
The taste?
Well… I guess I’m about to find out.
He moves in slowly, almost in careful increments, like he’s giving me time to pull away if I want to. The anticipation builds so intensely that I can barely contain it, my heart pounding louder than the waves.
He kisses just to the left of my mouth first, soft and tentative, and I let out a quiet breath I didn’t even realize I was holding.My fingers tighten slightly in his hair as I wait—achingly—for the moment his lips finally meet mine.
And then they do.
Slowly at first. Gentle. Testing.
But the anticipation has been building into a crescendo for far too long.
And I’mhungry.
When he senses that I want more, he matches it, deepening the kiss just enough to make my heart feel like it’s flipping inside my chest. My hands grip tighter—one fisting lightly in his shirt, the other threading through the hair at the back of his head as if I need something solid to hold onto so I don’t float away entirely.
His arms tighten around me in response, pulling me closer like he also doesn’t want this moment to end.
I lose all sense of time.
A minute? Five? Fifteen? It could be anything.
All I know is that his lips on mine feel like a before-and-after moment. Like something has shifted permanently, quietly, without asking permission.
We finally pull apart, our breaths mingling in the cool night air, foreheads nearly touching.
That… will go down as a kiss I remember forever.
Now… if my brain can get back on track for even two seconds…
Where do we go from here?
16
Nate
I had to kiss her.
I just… couldn’t not.
I can still feel her lips, like the memory of them hasn’t quite decided to leave yet. The pull toward her is strong—strong enough that I actually have to rein myself in.
At dinner we had a moment. And I knew then I didn’t want to end tonight without another chance. In case she leaves… I wanted to make the most of whatever time we have.
I take her hand, and we start walking back toward the car.
“I’ve had a great time with you, today.” I look over at her.
“Me too,” she replies, a blush warming her cheeks, a grin slowly spreading.
I reach for the towel in the back so we can both use it, handing it to Lizzie first. I don’t know what got into me at the beach, but she brings out the playful side of me. I’m not normally playful. I’m usually… measured. Steady.
