Page 102 of Until Then

“Thank you for bringing me here.”

I bring my lips to her neck, just behind her ear. “Even though you had to walk up the stairs?”

Her breathy laughter causes her body to shake against me. “Yeah, even though I had to walk up the stairs. This is incredible. Look at the pier. The town. It’s amazing from up here.”

It really is. You can see Main street from here, as well as the cliffs beyond the beach.

“I was thinking,” she begins, her body suddenly tense and her voice wavering, “I could start looking for my own place since I’ve decided to stay here. I don’t want to overstay my welcome with you.”

Going as rigid as she is, I grit my teeth. The idea of her moving out doesn’t sit well with me.

It takes me a moment to gather myself, and the longer I take, the stiffer she grows in my arms.

“Is that what you want?” I finally say, going for as neutral as I can muster, and give her hair a gentle tug to look back at me.

“I… no… Not long term. But this is new. I was only supposed to stay with you for a few weeks, and now here we are, and I just… I don’t want you to get sick of me.”

“Izzy.” Her name is a soft exhale. “I couldneverget sick of you.” The idea is ludicrous. “You have no idea what you’ve done for me just by being you. By caring for me. Even if this wasn’t happening between us, I wouldn’t want you to go.”

Her eyes fill with tears, and my heart tugs. Dammit. I could kick myself for making her emotional.

“You mean that?”

I swallow past the lump of emotion in my throat. “Wholeheartedly.”

She turns around again, hands on my stomach this time. “It’s crazy, and maybe some would say it’s too soon, but I can’t keep it bottled inside any longer. I love you, Derrick, and you deserve to know that. To hear it.”

I’m so stunned by her declaration that I swear my heart stops. All words leave me, and I gawk at her, silent.

“Oh no,” she blurts, a look of horror overtaking her features as she tries to step away from me. “It’s okay. Pretend I didn’t say anything. I?—”

I kiss her. I’m pretty sure I’ll die if I don’t.

And when I cup her face, my hands practically swallow it whole. Sometimes I forget how small she is compared to me.

I nibble her bottom lip, a gentle request for her to open up. When she does, I sweep my tongue inside. Claiming. Owning. Devouring.

This woman ismine.

When we finally come up for air, our breaths linger in the small space between us. “I love you, too, Izzy.”

She angles back and hits me with a smile that is so bright I’m nearly blinded. Love,mylove, makes her that happy.

“You love me?”

“I do.”

“You have no idea how good that is to hear.” She clutches my shirt, the fabric bunching in her grip, and tugs me toward the door to the lantern room with desperation. “Come here.”

“What?” I ask stupidly as she opens the door and tugs harder. “What’s going on?”

Inside, she rips her top off, revealing a smooth white bra beneath. “I love you, and you love me, and if I don’t get you naked right now, I’m going to combust. There aren’t cameras in here, are there?” She spins in a circle, holding her top against her chest.

“No cameras,” I confirm.

“Thank God.” She lets the shirt fall and reaches for the hem of mine.

Stepping closer, I lift my arms to help. And when she can’t reach, I take over and tug it off completely. She bites her lip, drinking me in. The lust in her eyes is a massive ego boost. Licking her lips, she puts her hands on my chest.

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