Page 44 of Wildest Forever (Lovelock Bay #3)

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

MORGAN

W e say goodnight to our group of friends, Riggs holding onto Aspen as he leads her into the truck, Dixie and Tripp climbing in behind her.

Aspen pushes down the window and leans out, waving but Tripp pulls her back in.

I giggle as I cozy into Pacey's chest and under his arm as we stand and watch.

Riggs salutes us off his temple just as he begins to pull away and I hear Pacey snort a laugh.

“Thanks for tonight,” I murmur as I look up at him and his eyes glisten putting the stars to shame.

“You don't have to thank me,” he admits, leaning down and gives me a kiss on the top of my head.

My heart sings and my skin prickles with goosebumps.

Titus and Nate follow behind Riggs, then it's just me and him.

Alone. Sort of. In a parking lot.

He spins me out of his arm, his hand clutching mine before he pulls me close to him. Our bodies pressing together.

“Do you think you have a few more hours left in you Mrs Rivera?” he whispers against my lips and my heart races in my chest.

I nod, losing the ability to speak for just a moment.

“Or have you had too much tequila?” he teases, a beautiful smile on his face.

“No, not too much. Three shooters didn't even touch the side,” and I'm not lying.

“Okay, only if you're sure,” he says softly and I smile at him.

“Totally,” and he presses his lips to mine, his arms around my back as his kiss deepens, his tongue sweeping against mine and I melt into him.

His lips press into a smile, and I never want him to stop kissing me.

“Come on, we need to move otherwise I am never going to want to stop,” he murmurs and reluctantly pulls away.

Sighing, he leads me towards his truck, and I wait for him to open the passenger door. Stepping up, I lift my hat from my head and place it down by my feet. Running my hands through the root of my hair, I let it graze through the ends.

I wait patiently for him to get in the car and my heartbeat is steady as he sits next to me, hand slipping over the middle of the truck as he gives my thigh a squeeze. I have no idea why but that lights something deep inside of me, my innocence shining through like a mirror ball.

Nerves swirl in my lower stomach but excitement soon lashes against them like a tidal wave, turning them from a whirlpool to a soft crash against the quiet beach.

His hand moves from my skin and he locks them around the steering wheel, the loud roar of the engine as he turns the key and I smile hazily over at him, eyes a little heavier.

“You tired?” he asks as he pulls down the dirt road and I shake my head.

“Just cozy and content,” I admit, a lazy smile dragging onto my lips.

“We won't be out late,” he says quietly as we begin to move, “I just really want to date you, Sunflower,” and his words warm my skin.

“Why sunflower?” I mutter, trying to keep the excitement that is growing deep inside of me.

“Because you remind me of one,” he says softly and my nose crinkles at the bridge.

“I do?” confusion laces my voice and he can see it in my expression.

His eyes widen for just a moment before they soften, a hint of happiness shines in them.

“Yeah,” he nods as we pull into Lovelock Bay, my body twisted towards him as I curl myself on the passenger seat.

“When I look at you, the first thing I notice is your golden blonde hair and your sapphire green eyes...” he pauses for a moment and lets his tongue trail over his top lip as he turns his blinker on and pulls into Crooked Creek.

“But if you asked me on a deeper level, I would tell you it was because you radiate happiness and good feelings, you remind me of a warm summer day, an ice cold whiskey, the warm glistening creek as it runs through the rocks that sit at the bottom of the creek bed.” He sighs.

“You're loyal babe, so fucking loyal,” he scrubs his hand over his face, “you remind me of everything good in my life Morgan...” he pauses as he slows the car to a halt in front of a wooden paddock gate.

My eyes lift to look at him, my lips parting ever so slightly as I wait with bated breath for the next words to tumble from his lips.

“And then it sinks in,” he reaches his hand across to mine, cupping it and bringing the back of it to his lips. “You are the good in my life Morgan, you're my sunflower.”

A small gasp leaves me as I feel a tear trail down my cheek, but I don't have a chance to catch it, he is there, wiping it away from the pad of his thumb before bringing it to his lips and kissing it away.

“I'm not worth your tears baby,” he hushes, and I roll my lips.“Never will I be worth your tears,” he lets my hand go and then opens the car door before jumping down and opening the paddock gate.

He points to me and asks me through the windshield to pull the truck forward.

I nod, unbuckling myself and climbing over the center.

Pushing the truck into drive, I let it roll forward until I am far enough past the gate for him to be able to shut it.

He is at the door, pulling it open and climbing into the passenger side, a boyish grin on his face.

“Good girl,” he mutters, and my cheeks flame red as I continue to pull forward, the truck bumping down the dirt road.

“Where am I stopping?” I ask, my voice quiet as I see the glistening creek just ahead.

“Just pull up here,” he points over to the right and I do as he says, pulling it to a halt and pushing it into park.

Silence crackles around the cab of the truck and my heart stammers in my chest.

“It's peaceful up here,” I admit, looking out to the creek.

“Isn't it just,” his voice smothers me and I am desperate to crawl onto his lap and snuggle into his chest just so I could listen to the sound of his heartbeat.

Was it steady? Was it racing beneath his skin? Was it skipping beats the way mine was?

“So, what's your plan for our date?” I ask twisting towards him.

“Well, I thought we could lay in the bed of the truck and look at the stars,” he snorts a laugh, and I watch as he blushes, his fingers picking at his nails. “I know that is cheesy and cliché, but…”

I have no idea what comes over me.

Maybe it was the wine.

Or maybe it was the three shooters of tequila, but I am climbing over the middle of the car and nestling myself on his lap.

My chest rises and falls and nerves pinch at the base of my neck.

Swallowing the thickness down, my hands clasp his cheeks and I find myself lowering my lips to his as I cover them.

I find myself intoxicated with him, the way he makes me feel and the way his lips feel on mine.

Everything about him feels like an addiction.

One that I know I will never get enough of.

One that will no doubt, eventually become too much of a craving.

“What are you doing?” he rasps, my legs either side of his lap, my hands still firmly cupping his face.

“I have no idea,” I whisper because it is the truth. I have no idea what I am doing, just know that I want whatever this is with him.

A soft laugh bubbles from him, and it has my insides tingling.

“Baby,” he whispers against my lips, a soft kiss planting itself there before he is curling his fingers around my wrists and dragging them from his face. “Take it slow, we have all night...” his whiskey eyes burn into mine and I swear he shows me his soul.

“Let me just do this one thing, let me take you on a date,” his plea is almost desperate, and I find myself sighing but I know he is right.

As much as I want him, I want him to date me too.

Sure, we're married, but this is all so new to both of us.

Sitting for a moment more, he had a boyish grin on his face, and I wish I could capture this moment.

The way the moonlight dances across his skin, the way his eyes twinkle under the stars.He looks every bit handsome, and I know I am falling harder and faster as the seconds slip past.

His fingers fumble and hook around the door handle as he opens the door, and the warm summer air blows through the cab of the truck.

One of his legs kick out and his arm wraps around my waist as he lifts me off him, my legs locking around him as he does.

A shrill laugh escapes me as he spins me around, closing the door as he does, then he walks me to the truck bed and places me down, my feet touching the dusty ground for just a moment.

Pulling back the cover that is over the back of the truck, deep dimples present themselves in my cheeks when I see the picnic basket and the blankets.

“I wanted to do something cute,” he admits, locking the truck cover and I smile.

“It's really cute,” I admit and before I can even catch my breath, his arms are wrapped around my waist again as he lifts me onto the truck bed, and I panic, thinking he is going to drop me.

But he doesn't.

He carries me effortlessly, then placing me down on the soft blankets. Leaning into me, he presses a kiss to my forehead, lingering for just a moment before he reaches behind me and drags the picnic basket towards us.

I glance a look over my shoulder as he grabs a punnet of strawberries and my stomach rumbles gently.

“I went for a non alcoholic champagne,” he raises a brow and twists the metal clasp before popping the cork, the loud bang echoing around our quiet surroundings.

The cork hits the blanket and my eyes drift to where it lands and I pinch it between my finger and thumb, holding it up.

Pacey looks at me, brows knitted, and I nibble on the inside of my lip.

“I want to keep it,” I whisper and his eyes lock on mine, “keep it as a souvenir,” I admit and I feel the way my heart jolts in my chest.

I have no idea what the look that flashes across Pacey's eyes is but it makes my heart drop for just a moment.

“Is that okay?” and he nods, reaching for two glasses and pouring mine out first, handing it to me just as I slip the cork into my front pocket. My fingers curl around the stem of the delicate glass and bring to my lips.

Pacey mirrors me and he places the punnet of strawberries in the middle of us and I pinch one, pursing it at my lips as I sink my teeth into the juicy fruit and a soft moan escapes, the flavors bursting on my tongue.