Page 121 of Finding Us

He cups the nape of my neck, bringing his lips to mine as his other hand skims down my side, along my hip, then around to my lower back. He hauls me into him, his kisses growing deeper. I grind my hips into him, needing to feel him, and when I do it makes me want him even more.

Finally, he brings me over to the bed. He sheds his clothes, then leans down and leaves barely-there kisses along my stomach, igniting a burst of pleasurable sensations throughout my core. He works his way up to my breast, lingering there before making his way to my mouth. His hand is now situated between my legs but my body aches for more, the tension building, craving the release.

“Garret. Now,” I whisper. “Please.”

He smiles. “I love it when you beg.”

“I wasn’t—”

His mouth covers my lips as he enters me with one forceful thrust. He slowly rocks his hips, causing even more tension to build inside me. I push into him, desperate for him to go faster. I feel him smiling over my lips. He knows what he’s doing to me. He knows what I want. And he still makes me wait. I wrap my legs around him and feel him go deeper. I know that will get to him. And it does. He groans out my name, his head dropping down by my neck. He speeds his pace, his hips driving into me until I’m left totally relaxed, smiling, and wrapped in his arms.

I’ve barely caught my breath when I feel his arm move under me.

“Come on.” He pats my butt. “We gotta go.”

“Right now? Don’t you want to rest a minute?”

“Nope. I’m good.”

I laugh at him as I reluctantly get up. “What’s the rush?”

“We need to get on the road.” He stands up and starts dressing.

“We don’t even know where we’re going.”

“We’ll figure it out.” He comes over and hands me my clothes, pausing to kiss me. “I love you.”

“I love you, too.” I kiss him back.

We throw some clothes in the suitcase and take off. Garret drives up the coast having no plan at all. But I have to admit it’s kind of fun to just drive and not know where you’ll end up.

We stop and get some sandwiches and have a picnic lunch at one of the public beaches, then drive some more and stop again at a state park and go hiking on the trails. We find a place to stay for the night and end up staying there another night after that.

This little vacation is just what I needed. I still miss Harper but it’s good to get away. And since she left, she’s called me like 20 times so it’s almost like she never left.

When Garret and I get home, I’m not as sad seeing the empty driveway next to ours. Harper and I will talk on the phone all the time and I’ve already told her I’d meet her in LA when she’s back visiting her parents. And I can see her when Garret and I go visit his family in Connecticut.

As I get out of the car, my phone rings. It’s Harper again. We just talked an hour ago.

“Hey, Harper.”

“Jade, you should’ve seen how much Sean just ate. We were at this truck stop restaurant and they had a 40-ounce steak and—” She stops, then says, “Sean said he sent you a photo. Anyway . . .”

She continues to tell me the story of Sean eating the huge steak. It’s like she’s right here telling me in person. Like nothing has changed. And I think if we work at it, nothing will.

CHAPTERTHIRTY-TWO

It’s nowour last week here and today is Garret’s birthday. I woke him up with an invitation for sex, but before I woke him up I put on sexy lingerie and fixed my hair. He thought that was his gift so I just let him think that. He told me not to get him anything because he says he doesn’t need anything. And he doesn’t, but I still got him a gift.

I take him to his favorite restaurant for lunch, then we go home and I have him wait in the driveway. His new surfboard was delivered yesterday and I’m hiding it in the garage.

“What are you up to, Jade?” he asks, suspiciously.

“Just wait here.” I go inside and out to the garage. I take the surfboard and lean it against the wall right next to the garage door, then I open the door.

Garret’s still standing in the driveway, waiting. He looks at me, confused. “I don’t get it. You want to do it in the garage?”

“No! Your gift is in here. See?” I point to the surfboard.

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