In Full Bloom (Second Chances 1)

“I’m still amazed you finished a freaking doctorate in that amount of time,” he said, awe evident in his voice. A second later he added, “It’s kind of intimidating.”

She shrugged and said, “My last foster family kicked me out the second the state stopped paying. I didn’t really see any other option than doing what I did.”

He flicked his glance over to her for a second, then returned his eyes to the road. “You had plenty of other options. You just picked the best one and then you managed to succeed. So, take the compliment, Princess. You deserve it,” he said.

She gave a slight laugh and said, “Okay, okay. Thank you.”

“See. That wasn’t so hard, was it?” he asked, a smile pulling at the corners of his mouth.

When they reached the beach, Evan released her hand and pulled off the PCH and on to the side of the road. They both donned their jackets and opened the doors.

The cool breeze immediately whipped through her hair. She wished that she’d thought to put her hair up. She walked around the front of the SUV and met him halfway. They walked hand in hand down the wooden ramp toward the beach.

When they finally stepped into the cool sand, she looked up at him and saw the little bit of tension he held in his shoulders melt away. She saw the smile there and asked, “You seem to love it here. Why did you move away?”

He looked vaguely uncomfortable for a minute and then he said, “A couple of reasons, really. I got a really great job offer and I had just gone through a really nasty break up. The timing felt right.”

She nodded, not really sure how to respond. They continued to walk for a few more minutes before he said, “I’m glad I did it. Seattle is a great town, but no matter what I did, it never felt like home.”

“Trust me,” she said softly, as she stared out at the water. “I know exactly what you mean.”

He was silent for a second and then he said, “I imagine you would.”

He turned to look behind them, and then asked her, “Do you want to keep walking or sit?”

“Let’s sit,” she said.

She tugged gently at his hand and found a clean patch of sand a few yards back from the shoreline. Together, they sat and stared at the shoreline. He sat behind her, and she leaned back against his chest.

Over the next few hours, they sat there, wrapped up together. They discussed a myriad of topics that ranged from the mundane to the much more serious. He talked more about his life in Seattle and his family. She told him more about why she had chosen her career, and her family.

Normally, she didn’t open up about her past. She was just used to bottling it or ignoring it, but Evan was really easy to talk to. He listened without passing judgment. He asked questions as if he was interested in what she had to say. Most of all, he didn’t give her that look of pity when she talked about her past.

Unable to stop herself, Taryn tilted her head back and to the side so she could brush her lips against his cheek. As she moved to turn her head, he shifted slightly and tilted his mouth down toward hers. She sighed against his mouth as he nipped and teased her lower lip, sucking it gently into his mouth. She shifted slightly, her hand reaching out to rest against his cheek.

She heard a low moan in the back of his throat as his tongue swept into her mouth. She couldn’t help but give an answering moan when his hand slid into her hair and he deepened the kiss. It quickly spiraled out of control. By the time they broke apart, gasping, she was straddling his lap. His hands gripped her hips, controlling the motion as she rocked against him.

Evan tightened his grip on her hips and said, “This isn’t the time or place but I want to be inside you so badly right now. You have no idea.”

She bit her lip as another wave of pure lust slammed into her and she said, “I have every idea.”

She leaned forward and nipped at the side of his throat. On another groan he tilted his head and said, “Let’s go home before I do something stupid like fuck you on a beach at three in the morning.”

Taryn released his neck and leaned her forehead against his shoulder. After a moment, she moved out of his lap and immediately felt the ache between her thighs increase. She sighed and said, “I’m incredibly tempted to let you.”

A smile pulled at his lips as he said, “Aside from the obvious issues with sand and public indecency, I also don’t have any protection with me.”

“It’s going to be a long drive home then,” she said on a sigh. She stood up and brushed the dirt off her jeans.

“A really long drive,” he agreed.

She watched as Evan stood and brushed the sand off his jeans. He walked over to where she stood and wrapped his arm around her waist as they slowly walked back toward the boardwalk.

“Thanks for coming to the beach with me. I know it’s kind of an odd request at midnight,” he said.

“It’s obvious how much you like it. Thank you for sharing it with me.”

After they had rinsed their feet off, he walked her around to the passenger side of the vehicle. Instead of unlocking her door, he cupped her face in his hands and ran his thumb across her lower lip. He leaned in and gave her a slow, languorous kiss that left her weak in the knees. When he pulled back, the look on his face was almost indescribable. It was a mixture of desire, tenderness, and vulnerability that left her feeling raw. She dropped her eyes, feeling entirely too much in that moment.