Page 142 of To Love or to Lose
I open the back door, the early morning wind and the smell of the ocean hitting me all at once. I step out onto the porch, leaning against the railing as I watch the waves hit the shore.For a few minutes, it is the only thing that infiltrates my brain, leaving peace to reside deep within me.
Then, I hear steps behind me before a large, muscular arm wraps around me, resting on my collarbones.
“Good morning,” that English drawl I know so well says. I tilt my head to look up at him, finding his eyes already locked on me.
“Hi.” I smile, looking back out toward the water.
Jameson’s hands run up and down my sides as he watches the waves with me. The silence overtakes us, the only noise being the sound of water crashing.
“You want to go down there?” He asks, nodding toward the beach.
“Eventually.” I muse, not wanting to move from this position as I lean further into his strong hold.
Long moments pass before I turn toward him, my back now pressed against the railing. The back door to the house has been left open—like it usually is during the day—and the inside of the house is being lit by sun, since the backside of the house is made entirely of windows.
“I love it here,” I tell him, as if he couldn’t have guessed.
This is his first time being here, but I know he is still able to feel the rapport we all feel.
These are my people. Logan, Luke, Eloise, Winnie, and now Jameson. I’ve never felt more at home than when I’m surrounded by these five people.
I think about all the ways Jameson and I have evolved throughout the past semester. Four months ago, I would have never imagined us sitting here—our lives completely entwined with one another’s in the absolute best way possible.
As I’m looking at the back of the house, I see the girls standing against the railing of the interior balcony on the second floor, the one that overlooks the living room and the backyard. They are smiling at the sight of Jameson and me.
Ever since my birthday, they have been beyond excited for my newfound relationship, especially considering it involves Jameson.
I see them head for the staircase at the front side of the house and then walk through the hallway and into the kitchen, which connects to the living room. Both are completely visible through the wall of windows.
Luke is sitting on the sectional in the living room, looking back at the girls as they converse.
“I do too,” Jameson finally replies, looking lost in thought.
“Do you like it enough to stay here forever?” I ask, leaning more of my weight against him.
His bare chest is hot—probably from the shower he took, coupled with the blaze of the morning sun—and it feels good against my mostly bare shoulders.
“And miss the kickass speech we’re going to give at graduation?” He asks as his thumb skims under the sideband of my bikini bottom. “No way.”
“It’s not even finished yet,” I remind him, noticing the open notebook sitting on the table next to us.We all sat out here until sunset, Jameson and I working on the speech while the rest of the group threw out ideas.
Jameson smiles. “I didn’t forget in the past eight hours, I promise.”
“We have to finish it soon.” I push against his chest, walking back into the house.
“Graduation isn’t until the end of May,” he says as he follows me inside. “We have time.”
Luke enters behind us, and we enter the kitchen.
Then Logan comes bounding down the stairs. “Hey guys, next time we all stay in a house together and allow Jameson and Gen to share the room right next to mine, remind me to bring earplugs.”
Everyone laughs as I slap him in the chest at his crudeness. “Shut the hell up.”
“Let me tell you, there is no shame in your game.” Logan smirks.
Jameson glares at him as he opens the fridge before grinning as he pulls out a carton of orange juice.
“Whose making breakfast?” Luke asks, jumping up on the counter next to Eloise.
