Queen of Hawthorne Prep

I’ve missed this and him so much. More than I ever thought possible. Whatever it takes for him to forgive me, I’ll do it.

“I don’t want us to be over,” I murmur.

His lips lift into an arrogant smirk, one that makes my heart flip over painfully in my chest. “Oh, baby girl, we will never be over. All I was doing was biding my time and giving you a bit of space.”

A relieved smile breaks out across my face as all the nervous energy careening through my body melts away.

Not wanting him to have any lingering doubts, I say, “I choose you, Kingsley Rothchild. I choose you because I want to, not because I have to or have been forced into it. In the end, that’s all I wanted. The freedom to choose.”

Gently, his lips stroke over mine. “From the first moment I saw your perky ass in the air on that beach, I chose you.”

A gurgle of laughter erupts from me as my mind tumbles back to that moment. “You are so damn romantic,” I sigh teasingly.

With a grin, he nips at my mouth. “I’ll show you romantic later.”

My heart bursts with all the happiness that fills it and the words slip free. “I love you, Kingsley.”

His body stills as he pulls back enough to search my eyes. I don’t give a damn if he returns the sentiment, it’s important that he knows exactly how I feel.

“I love you, too.”

As soon as his lips slant over mine, I open so his tongue can delve inside and tangle with my own, transporting me to a place only he’s capable of. After a few minutes, he groans, rolling us over until he’s once again on his back and I’m draped over him, head resting against his chest. His arms stay wrapped around me, anchoring me in place.

Anchoring me to him.

And I wouldn’t have it any other way.

This is where I belong.

Where I have always belonged.

With Kingsley.

Epilogue

Kingsley

Five years later…

I stand at the controls and cut the engine before dropping the anchor into the water. We’re about thirty minutes from the marina and there’s not another boat in sight. It’s almost as if we’re alone in the middle of nowhere.

Summer is already spreading out her towel on the bunny pad at the front end of the boat. With one smooth movement, she strips off her coverup and drops it to the side. Her long dark hair has been plaited into two thick braids that slide down the slender line of her back. The microscopic black bikini she’s wearing leaves little to the imagination.

If I had my way, she wouldn’t be wearing a damn stitch of clothing. Give me twenty minutes and that’s exactly how she’ll be. Buck naked, writhing beneath me, moaning out my name as I thrust deep inside her body.

That image is enough to have me standing at attention as I grab my towel and head to the front before dropping beside her. A smile spreads across her gorgeous face when I close the distance between us and smack a kiss against her lips.

“I’m so glad we could spend the week here,” she sighs.

Here just so happens to be the Rothchild family beach house in Door County, Wisconsin. This place holds special meaning for us. It’s where we met five years ago and where she ran to when she thought it was possible to hide from me.

Like that was ever going to happen.

Not fucking likely.

She could go to the ends of the earth, and I would still find her.

“Me, too,” I agree, trailing my fingers over the bare flesh of her belly before tracing a path along the elastic band of her bikini bottoms.

It’s been a big year for us. A couple of weeks ago, we graduated from Northwestern University. Summer is the proud owner of a bachelor’s degree in astronomy, and I have one in business. We applied for graduate programs at the same school. Two months ago, we found out that we were accepted, and we’ll start back in the fall. The plan is to continue living in Chicago for the foreseeable future. During sophomore year, Summer secured a volunteer position at the Adler Planetarium and recently parlayed it into becoming a full-time staff member.

That’s my girl, always going after what she wants.

I’ve been working at a small consulting firm downtown to gain experience. And we have a kick-ass apartment with amazing views of the lake that’s in walking distance. So yeah, I won’t lie, life is pretty damn sweet right now.

And it will only get better.