Page 59 of Sweet Love at Bayside
He missed the throw on that play and made sure to beat Hagen to the right position the next time. Desiree got the ball and squealed, looking adorable as she clung to it, trying to figure out where to run.
Violet yelled, “Throw it here!” just as Rick grabbed Desiree around the waist and ran off with her.
She tossed the ball in Violet’s direction, laughing as he carried her toward the dark dune. “It’stouchfootball!” she insisted as he scaled the dune and headed into the long grass. “Touch!Not tackle.Touch!” she said as he straddled her waist and pinned her hands to the ground.
“I love it when you’re bossy.” With a quick glance over his shoulder to ensure they had no spectators, he ran his hands all over her, kissing her neck as she squirmed and giggled. “I’m all for touching, especially since you’ve been teasing me all night.”
She ran her hand up the leg of his shorts. “Iliketeasing you.”
“Baby, I hope you’ve had enough playtime with your friends, because I want to touch you in a way that has nothing to do with football.”
He lowered his mouth to hers, shifting to the side, and pushed his hand beneath her shorts. His fingers slid over the satiny smooth material.
She trapped her lower lip again, eyes wide, cheeks flaming. “They’re crotchless,” she whispered.
Holy…
He looked down the dune at the beach below, where everyone was busy playing football. How was he supposed tothink, knowing his oh so careful girl had gone full-on dirty with crotchless panties? He barely had the presence of mind to accept he couldn’t make love to her right there on the dunes as he pushed to his feet, bringing Desiree up with him, taking her in a deep, passionate kiss. He swept her into his arms, thoughts of the othersgoneas he carried her through the long grass toward his cottage.
DESIREE WAS SO turned on by the time they reached Rick’s cottage, she wanted to strip naked and attack him, but this was their last night together and she’d been thinking about this moment fordays. He kicked the door closed behind them, planting his hands on either side of her head and trapping her against the door.
She’d planned a whole strip-tease, and even practiced in the mirror. But with Rick’s hard body pressed against her, she was afraid her weak knees wouldn’t carry her across the floor. He brushed his lips over hers, the way he’d been doing for weeks, his warm breath sailing over her skin.
“Do it again. Brush your lips over mine. I love when you do that.”
He did it again, a wicked grin lifting his cheeks. “Crotchless panties, baby?” he whispered, spreading heat like wildfire to her core.
She could barely breathe. This was the first time she’d been in his cottage, and as much as she wanted to explore his place, she couldn’t tear her eyes away from his.
“How am I going to make it through a single day without you?” His husky voice sent a thrum of heat beating inside her. “I’m so in love with you, baby.”
He kissed her softly, a tease of a kiss.
“My girl,” he whispered.
“I love you, Rick,” she said between his tender kisses.
“I love you, too, sweet girl.”
He lifted her into his arms and carried her into the bedroom, where he laid her on the bed. As he came down over her, the love in his eyes made her feel cherished. She wanted to memorize everything about this moment, from the electricity in the air and the feel of him against her, to the passion and adoration in his eyes. How could she have decided to stay so far away from where he would be? She already missed him, and he hadn’t even left yet.
“Now that we’re alone.” His lips tipped up in that devastating smile that had first made her heart skip a beat, and he kissed her so tenderly, she dissolved into him. “I’m going to love you slow and steady, so you feel me inside you tomorrow, and the next day, and the next…”
Chapter Eighteen
THE MORNING MOVED too quickly, and Rick had a feeling that every minute after he left Desiree, time would suddenly crawl by. As he finished packing, he couldn’t shake the heaviness in his heart. He’d fought the idea of returning to the Cape for so long, and now he couldn’t stand the idea of leaving. Desiree moved through his cottage like she belonged there. Not only did she belong, but she’d become as much a part of him as the blood in his veins.
She marveled at Hagen’s drawings, which were stuck to the refrigerator with magnets, and moved around the living room asking a dozen questions about his family photos. She wanted to know what he’d been thinking when he’d held Hagen as a newborn and what they were celebrating when the picture of him and his mother had been taken, the one where she had her head on his shoulder. Did he remember that very moment? She was so inquisitive, wanting to soak in every part of his life he was willing to share. That was just one of the things that made her so special. She sawintohim, wanted to know what made him who he was, and he knew she genuinely cared about the answers.
He zipped up his suitcase, unable to take his eyes off her as she stood at the mantel gazing at another photograph. She wore one of his T-shirts, tied at the hip, and those sexy shorts from last night. Her feet were bare, and her hair was still damp from their shower. He’d loved her in bed, loved her beneath the warm spray of the shower, and he wanted to love her to the ends of the earth. He crossed the room and turned her in his arms.
“You okay, sweet girl?”
“As okay as can be expected. Violet and I will be so busy getting the inn ready now that we have a plan, I’m sure my days will be packed. Nights, though…” Her lips curved up in a sweet smile. “You and I have to burn up the FaceTime hours.”
“Every single night,” he promised. “And as many mornings as you can spare. You know I need to see you before I start my day. And in two weeks you’ll be in my arms again, and we’ll make up for every second we were apart.” He’d already made the flight reservations to return for a long weekend.
“Perfect. Do you realize this is the first time all summer that I’ve been in your cottage?”
