Page 76 of Strong Side
After a few minutes, which really feels like an hour, I hear a boat getting closer to the shoreline. I can hear Charlie’s voice over the hum of the motor.
“Stop trying to guess, Case. You’re gonna ruin it. Jesus.”
I can’t help but let out a laugh. I’ve missed all of them, and I’m really sad I missed Archie and Emma’s wedding. I can’t wait to see all the pictures.
When I hear the boat hit sand, I walk out and to the shoreline. Beck is driving, and Charlie is standing behind Casey, who is standing at the bow, ready to jump off. He looks so good that it hurts—that beautiful, dark hair and soulful eyes. He’s clad in a white T-shirt that shows off his body, which I’ve become all too familiar with.
He lands in the water with a splash and comes toward me. I hear Charlie speak, but I can’t make out what she’s saying because all I can see is him. I can tell he’s holding himself back, and I hate that.
That trepidation in my belly, the one from my wondering if maybe his feelings changed on me, creeps up.
I lift my hand and smile. “Hello, Casey King.”
He comes to stand directly in front of me. I want him to reach out to me, but I think he’s letting me set the pace.
“Hello, Noelle James.” A smile breaks out across his face. A smile that can make a girl drop her panties and her heart flutter.
“I sure have missed you.” I reach for his hands.
“Not nearly as much as I’ve missed you, pretty girl.”
He pulls me into him slowly, and just like that, the tension in my shoulders falls, and I smile so big that I’m laughing.
Seeing him, touching him—it makes me so happy. I can’t help the tears that drop. I wrap my arms around his neck and lift up on my toes. Ever so softly, I kiss him. I kiss him softly, wanting to feel every minute of this kiss. It’s been too long, and I want to savor it.
His hands cup my face, and he tilts his head to deepen the kiss. The pace is still slow, but more intense. When he pulls back, he kisses my cheeks, wiping my tears away with his lips.
“Thank you for coming. I wanted to call you, but I felt like I needed to show you how much you mean to me and how much it’s meant to me that you gave me this time to work on myself. I know it wasn’t easy for either of us.”
“I will always come for you. Anytime, anywhere.” He brushes his thumbs across my cheeks. “When Charlie and Beck started acting squirrelly about coming to the lake, I suspected something might be happening, but I wasn’t sure what. And honestly, it didn’t matter because I thought I might get to see you.”
I drop my hands from his neck and take his hands in mine, leading him to the blanket. “Well, I wanted to have dinner together in our spot.”
He whistles when he sees the candles lining the short path to the blanket. “This is fancy. I’m not sure it’s ever looked so nice back here.” He pulls me into him before we reach the blanket. “Let me just hold you for a minute. I need to breathe you in. Make sure this is real.”
“It’s real. I’m here with you.” I wrap my arms around his waist and hold onto him like I never want to let go. Because I don’t. And I won’t.
Are we being a touch dramatic? Maybe. But that’s what happens when you don’t see your best friend—your boyfriend—for months. You hold each other. Breathe each other in.
After several minutes of holding me, he pulls back and kisses my forehead. “Did you bring food?”
I can’t help but laugh. “Yes, I brought food. This is a date after all.”
“A date? All right then, show me whatcha got.”
He takes my hand, and we step onto the blanket. I don’t even care that we’re getting sand all over it.
I let go of his hand and kneel on the blanket. Inside the small cooler, I have some sandwiches, cheese and crackers, some fruit, and a few bottles of water for him and some Dr. Pepper for me.
Once I set everything out, I look up to see him watching me. I can’t read the expression on his face, which is a first. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. I just want to look at you. And I want to make sure you’re okay. Are you okay?” He takes my hand.
I scoot closer to him on the blanket, and he pulls me into his lap.
I wrap my arm around him and cup his face in my hand. “I’m okay. I’m better than okay because I’m here with you.”
“But can you tell me, why now? Is this just for a night?” He’s searching my face, trying to read me.
