Page 122 of Say You Remember Me
“I know…” he murmured, a faint smile playing at the corners of his lips. He reached up, his fingers grazing my temple as he tucked a strand of hair behind my ear, the gentle touch sending a shiver of warmth across my skin. “And the fact that we met on that beach all those years ago? It’s incredible, and I love that it’s part of our story. But it’s notwhyI fell for you, Maddie. I fell for you because of who you are now. And I needed you to see that.”
The truth of his words hit me with a force I hadn’t expected, tears slipping free as I tried to blink them away. “I wanted to saysomething so bad when you named your cat Satan,” I admitted, my voice cracking with emotion. “I thought maybe…maybe you remembered that girl from the beach, but you didn’t realize she was me.”
“You have no idea how hard it was to keep a straight face when Grant said you two wanted to name a cat Satan.” Ian chuckled. “I barely survived it.”
“You should’ve just told me.” A laugh bubbled out of me, wet and shaky.
“I could have,” he said, his smile turning tender, “but I kind of loved doing it this way. Seeing it all click for you in person. Getting to see how special it was to you, up close… It made it worth the wait.”
My chest ached with so many emotions I could barely breathe. Gratitude, happiness, love. I tightened my grip on his hand, giving it a squeeze. “You’re worth the wait, too, you know.”
His gaze met mine, the depth of his feelings shining in his dark eyes, and I didn’t need him to say another word. It was all right there, unspoken but so loud I could feel it.
Ian stepped closer, his free hand lifting to cup my cheek, his thumb gently brushing away the tear that had slipped free. “I love you, Maddie Stevens,” he said, his voice low and raw, thick with emotion. “I started falling for you that day. Always wondered what happened to that beautiful girl on the beach. Hoping you were okay…wishing I’d thought to get your name or number so I could check in, to see how things went with your dad.”
He’d thought about me? Worried about me?
Tears spilled over, but I didn’t care. I smiled through them, my heart so full it felt like it might burst. “I love you, too,” I whispered, the words tumbling out so easily because they were true. “Pretty sure part of me fell for you that night on the beach.”
His lips curved into a smile, the kind that reached all the way to his eyes.
And then he bent his head, his lips finding mine in a kiss that was slow and unhurried yet brimming with everything we hadn’t said until now. Every touch of his mouth spoke of love, of longing, of the connection we’d shared from the very beginning.
I gripped the front of his tuxedo jacket, pulling him closer, needing him closer. His arms wrapped around me, anchoring me to him as the kiss deepened.
His hands slid down my back, fingers pressing into the fabric of my dress as if he couldn’t get enough of me. I felt his heart pounding against mine, a frantic rhythm that matched my own.
Ian pulled back just enough to rest his forehead against mine, his breathing uneven. “Maddie,” he murmured, his voice rough with restraint, “we need to leave. Now.”
I nodded, my chest heaving as I tried to catch my breath. “Okay.”
Without another word, Ian took my hand, lacing his fingers through mine as he guided me away from the reception. The sounds of laughter and music faded into the background as we slipped out the side gate. My heart raced as we reached his car, the urgency between us palpable, electrifying.
He opened the passenger door for me, his touch lingering as he helped me inside. The moment he slid into the driver’s seat and started the engine, the world outside blurred into insignificance. My skin buzzed with anticipation, every glance he shot my way sending another wave of heat rushing through me.
Somehow, we made it back to his house, though I barely remembered the drive.
The instant we stepped inside, Ian’s hands were on me, his touch igniting a fire that burned through me, fierce and consuming. His lips found mine again, leading me into a kiss so intense, so utterly unrestrained, that it stole my breath. Hiskisses had always brimmed with desire, but this was different—this wasn’t justwant. It was hunger, need, desperation, like he’d been holding back a dam of emotion that had finally broken free.
He backed me against the door, his body pressing into mine as his hands framed my face, his thumbs brushing along my jaw. The kiss deepened, his lips demanding, coaxing me to give him everything. And I did. My fingers tangled in his hair, tugging him closer as my body arched into his, craving every inch of contact.
Ian's name escaped me in a soft moan, and the sound seemed to ignite something deeper in him. He pulled back just enough to let me catch my breath, his forehead pressing gently against mine. His warm breath mingled with mine, uneven and ragged, matching the pounding rhythm of my heart.
“Maddie,” he murmured, his voice low, rough, and trembling with desire. “I’ve wanted this for so long.”
“Then don’t hold back,” I whispered, my voice shaky yet firm, the anticipation simmering between us too much to contain. My hands slid up his chest, pulling him closer. “Take me.”
A growl rumbled in his throat, raw and primal, sending shivers down my spine. His hands slid down to the small of my back, guiding me to turn until I faced the door.
His fingers found the zipper at the back of my dress, tugging it down with an ease that made me gasp, a mix of surprise and excitement flooding me. I stood still, letting him peel the fabric from my body. The dress pooled at my feet, leaving me in the silky black slip I’d chosen, the fabric clinging to me in a way that left little to the imagination.
Ian stepped back, just slightly so I could face him again. And when I looked at him, his gaze traveled over me like a slow, deliberate caress, the moonlight streaming in through the windows illuminating the hunger and reverence in his dark eyes.
“You’re so sexy, Maddie,” he said, his voice thick. His hands returned to my waist, sliding upward, smoothing up my sides and over my ribs, leaving a path of molten lava in their wake.
He bent down, his lips finding mine again, and this kiss was deeper, hungrier. His tongue danced with mine as his hands roamed, exploring every curve as if memorizing me, worshiping me.
My fingers trembled as I reached for the bow tie at his neck, fumbling slightly in my urgency to rid him of the layers separating us. Ian chuckled, low and rough, and with an impatient tug, he yanked the tie loose himself, the strip of fabric landing carelessly on the floor.
