Just A Kiss (Angel Sands 4)

She laughed, releasing her hold on him. “Good point. I’ll stop.”

“It’s the worst point ever,” he said, grimacing as he adjusted himself. “It’s going to be a long day.”

She swallowed, though her mouth was dry. “I’ll come back to your place tonight.”

“You’d come to my house? Seriously? Even though it’s so close to the beach?” He shook his head. “Let’s take it easy. Maybe get a hotel room instead.”

“I’m determined to beat it, you know. I’m sick of being held back by fear. If I’m moving back to California, it’s time to get back to the beach.”

“You don’t have to do it for me,” he told her. “I’ll move from the water. Move out of town. I’ll go anywhere that makes you comfortable.”

“You’d do that?” From the expression on his face, she knew he would.

“Cait, I love you. I want to be with you. If that means moving, or giving up surfing, that’s what I’ll do. Hell, I’ll even celebrate Christmas every day of the year if you want me to.”

“Let’s not go too far,” she said. “One thing at a time. Plus, from what I’ve read, exposing myself to my triggers bit by bit is definitely the best way to overcome things. And in the meantime, I want to spend the night with you.”

He grinned from ear to ear. “I guess that’s settled.” He glanced at his watch. “Can we leave right after dinner?”

“We’ll have to help with the dishes.”

“I can wash really fast.”

“I bet you can.”

He winked. “I’m going to spend the whole meal thinking about what I’m going to do to you tonight. And tomorrow. And for the rest of our lives.”

The song came to an end, segueing into the next one. It was like listening to the soundtrack of her fifteen-year-old life. And here she was, in the arms of the boy she’d fallen in love with all those years ago, her heart hammering in time to his.

“You were my first kiss, did you know that?” she whispered.

“What?” Breck frowned. “You’ve never kissed a guy before me? How did you get to twenty-eight without kissing anybody?”

She couldn’t help but laugh. “I’m not talking about this year. I mean when we were kids. I’d kissed you that Christmas when I was fifteen. I crept into your room while you were asleep and held you as you cried. You never woke up, but I needed to be there with you.”

He stopped dancing and looked at her, shock written all over his face. His throat bobbed as he swallowed hard. “You kissed me?”

“Yes,” she whispered.

He closed his eyes for a moment. “I wish I could remember. Out of all the crap that happened that holiday, there was one beautiful moment. And I’d slept through it.”

“I can remember enough for the two of us,” she told him, tracing her finger along his jaw. “It was short and it was sweet, but it was beautiful. You ruined me forever, Brecken Miller, and you weren’t even awake for it.”

“You’ll need to show me what you did when I get you home tonight. Maybe we can reenact it again and again.”

She smiled softly. “Sounds like a great idea.”

“Your first kiss, and your last kiss,” he whispered, pressing his mouth against hers again. “There’s a certain symmetry to it.”

“Both on Christmas day, too.”

“Your first kiss was, but your last kiss won’t be. I intend on kissing you a lot, Caitie Russell. Every chance I get. Until you can’t breathe, and you can’t talk, and all you can do is drag me to bed.”

“Sounds delicious,” she said.

“Sounds perfect,” he agreed.

“Sounds like we should go and wolf down some dinner before my mom hunts us down.”