“Hey,” I greet, stepping onto the wooden planks, “you’re up early.”
Her eyes flicker to mine before widening when she gets a good look at me. A chuckle escapes as her lips quirk. Her gaze skims down my naked body before settling on my cock. That’s all it takes for me to stiffen right up. “Decided to forego clothing, I see.”
I arch a brow. “Is that a complaint?”
I’ll tell you what, there was nothing but satisfied moans coming from Alyssa when I was buried deep inside her last night.
“Nope.” As if to prove her words, she leans forward and presses a kiss against the tip of my erection. “Not at all.”
Damn. The feel of her warm breath feathering across my flesh only stirs my arousal.
“Good.” My voice drops, turning raspy as I scoop her into my arms and settle on the chair she’s been lounging on. “It’s not a secret that I love you naked. Speaking of which,” I grab the hem of her thin tank top and pull it over her head before tossing it onto the deck, “you’re a little overdressed for the occasion.” Then I hook my thumbs into her panties and slide them down her hips and thighs before tossing them over my shoulder.
At ease with our nudity, Alyssa settles against my chest, her head resting at the crook of my neck. We fit perfectly together. A sigh of contentment leaves my lips as we watch the sunrise over the water. It’s magical.
I almost shake my head at such a strange thought.
Five years ago, I never could have imagined feeling this content with another person. The ghosts from my past were still too fresh. They had a grasp on me that I never realized. All right, so maybe I did, but I never understood how much they were holding me back. How much I was missing out on until I made a conscious effort to face them head-on.
That meant—yup, you guessed it—therapy. Spilling my guts to a dude with glasses and a beard who eventually helped me realize that Candace’s decisions had everything to do with her. Not me. Alyssa has been there every step of the way—holding my hand when I needed it, taking a step back, and giving me space when I asked for room.
Without question, she is my person.
And to think I almost lost her.
Thankfully, I pulled my shit together before that could happen.
Every day I make a conscious decision to live in the present and only look back at the past when I think reflection can help. I’m sure that makes me sound all enlightened, but like everyone else, I’m just trying to figure out the baggage I’m stuck with and get through life the best I can. Alyssa likes to joke that I’m now Colton 2.0.
She might be right about that.
A seagull cries overhead as it glides on the early morning breeze, and I brush a kiss against the top of her blond head. “Love you, baby.”
She lifts her face until our gazes can lock. “Love you, too. Did I thank you for planning this amazing vacay?”
My lips hitch. “I thought that’s what you did last night in the shower. You mean there’s more?”
Even as Alyssa rolls her eyes, a twinkling light fills them. That girl can pretend all she wants that she’s exasperated with me, but she enjoys our sex life just as much as I do.
“You, my friend, have a one-track mind.”
When it comes to Alyssa, you’re damn straight, I do.
Always have, always will. That will never change.
We’ve been going strong for three years. I’m in my final year of business school, and Alyssa is working at a local studio. She also choreographs routines for the Wesley Wildcats dance team. We have an apartment in town that is close to campus but far enough away for us not to feel like we’re still living the college lifestyle. If everything goes according to plan, I’ll propose once I have my MBA in hand, and we’ll return home so I can work with my father. I was supposed to move back after graduation but instead delved straight into business school. It was the right decision for both of us.
“You wouldn’t have it any other way,” I growl.
Before she can respond, my mouth crashes onto hers. As soon as my lips make contact, she opens. Alyssa is as needy for me as I am for her. She tilts her chin, angling her head in order to give me better access.
There are days when I feel like I could devour her in one tasty gulp. As if I’ll never get enough of this sweet girl. Sometimes I can’t believe she almost slipped through my fingers. Had that happened, I would have missed out on the amazing life we’re creating together.
Her arms tangle around my neck, dragging me closer. With a groan, I reposition her on my lap so that my cock is pressed against her core.