Page 124 of Come to Me

I swallow hard. The last few months have been miserable. It's not like we can carry on ignoring it. It's not like we're both going to forget it.

But I'm not ready to broach the subject.

So I squeeze his hand a little tighter, and I press my feet into the soft sand. It gives just enough. It's just hard enough. Just wet enough.

The waves roll onto the beach with a gentle roar. It's so quiet here. So peaceful.

I turn to Luke. I can just make out his expression in the darkness. There's something on his face. He's not here. He's somewhere else. Probably trying to figure out how to tell me he can't put up with me anymore.

I push the thought down as far as it will go. It's so pretty here. The sky is a glorious shade of purple, and it's filled with stars. The water is so calm, so peaceful, so damn blue.

He stops and brings his eyes to mine. They're still so earnest, so full of life.

"Hey." He pushes a lock of hair behind my ear. His touch is soft, sweet, electric.

"Hey yourself." I lean into him, soaking in the feeling of his body. There's something so safe about it, even if he is...

Even if we're nearing the end.

"You having a nice trip?"

I nod, pressing my palm into his back. There's something in his eyes, something off.

"Are you okay?" I ask.

"Perfect."

"You sure there's nothing you want to talk about?"

He smirks and wraps his arms around me. "You sound like me." His eyes stay on mine even as his expression grows more and more intense. "We can talk later. Right now, I want to be with you under the stars."

"Now, you sound like me."

He nods. "I learned from the best."

I swallow, again, turning my head away from him. I can't bear to hold his gaze, not now, not like this. But I feel his fingers on my chin. His touch is so soft, so sweet, so here. Maybe I was wrong and he's not a million miles away.

He nudges me gently, tilting my chin so our eyes meet. "I mean it. I love being here with you."

Our lips meet. It's soft and sweet, and I can't bear to resist him. I press my palms firmly into his back, arching into him.

He sucks on my lower lip, his hands sliding to my ass. It still feels so good to touch him, to taste him, to just be near him.

Our kiss breaks and he brings his gaze back to me. "We're in a pretty secluded area."

"Is that right?"

He nods, steps back, and pulls his shirt over his head. "It's been a while since we've done any skinny dipping."

He unzips his jeans and slides his boxers to his knees. Jesus. He's not wasting any time waiting for an answer.

I soak in the sight of him. He's sheer perfection.

"Always objectifying me." He smiles, his eyes dark. Tempting. "You coming?"

I nod and slip out of my dress. He looks at me with an intent focus that makes me feel more naked than I am.

"You're still a little over dressed," he rumbles, his voice deeper.