but you’re the draw here.”
Wrapping her uninjured arm around his neck, she plastered her body to his and kissed him on the mouth. “I love you.”
He would never tire of hearing her say those words.
“I love you too.” He kissed her back, and things quickly heated with tongues tangling and hands wandering.
Someone called out, “Get a room!” followed by an eruption of laughter.
Todd glanced up to find several teenagers in wetsuits carrying surfboards under their arms, grinning as they walked toward shore, dripping wet.
He grinned at the little fuckers. Someday, they’d understand.
For the rest of the week, Lindsey and Todd made the morning beach walk part of their daily routine, often after a round of lovemaking, sometimes taking coffee in travel mugs and sitting in the dry sand to watch the waves.
They rented beach cruisers and rode to Marina del Rey and back. They hiked on the Palos Verdes Peninsula, taking in fantastic views of the entire LA basin, Santa Monica Bay, and Catalina. They talked about everything but the future, lounged and ate and made love, and generally lived in a dream. It was everything their time in Montana hadn’t been. Relaxed, easy, fun.
They even met her parents for a slightly-awkward-but-mostly-friendly dinner.
One evening, Todd surprised Lindsey by propping himself up naked in her bed wearing reading glasses and holding a book.
She came out of the bathroom and laughed.
“Still think a naked man reading is the sexiest thing ever?” he asked.
“I think you’re the sexiest thing ever.” She’d carefully removed his glasses, stripped off her pajamas, and ridden him until he couldn’t see straight.
He couldn’t remember ever being happier than he’d been this week. And it was coming to an end far too quickly.
On Saturday evening, his last night before an early flight home, they stood at the edge of the water watching the sun disappear below the horizon. Overhead, clouds and contrails slowly turned brilliant orange against a fading blue sky.
Returning his attention to the amazing woman in his arms, he stroked her precious face and met her gaze, his heart twisting in on itself. “I don’t know how to leave you.”
“Well, good. Because I’m not sure how to let you go.” She sighed and chewed her lower lip. “This long-distance thing is going to be hard.”
More like hell. “It doesn’t have to be.”
She pulled back, her brow creased. “What do you mean?”
“There might be an opportunity for me to move to LA soon.” His blood quickened at the thought. “If I found a place not too far away, we could do this right, take our time. You know, be a normal couple. Date.”
“You would leave your friends? Virginia? Just like that?”
He laughed at her surprise. “Yeah, I would. Though the job would still be with Steele, and Jason. But even if it weren’t…” He kissed her, wishing they were back at her apartment already so he could do more. “I’m not trying to rush you into anything permanent, but I’m all in, sweetheart. The only guaranteed time we have is right now, and I don’t want to waste a second of it. My heart is with you.”
She looked at him through her lashes with a sheepish smile. “I was actually going to start looking at moving to Virginia.”
“You were?” He couldn’t hide his shock. “But this is your home. Your family is here. Your business is here.” The fact that she’d be willing to give up everything she’d ever known to be with him meant…everything. “You love it here.”
“I do, but I also love you.” Her fingers caressed the back of his neck. “I can visit LA when I need to. You, I want to see every day.” She tilted her head, her gaze turned inward. “I’d obviously have to come up with a plan and have everything figured out. But I know what I want.” She bit her lower lip. “When I thought you were…” She looked away.
“Hey, Linds, hey,” Todd whispered, pulling her easily into his arms. “It’s okay. I’m right here.” The only place he wanted to be. “We’re both here. We’re both fine.”
Actually probably a little messed up. Therapy was probably in order for both of them. But they were alive.
She nodded and took a long, shaky breath, running her hands through his hair. “None of this matters without you anymore. I want us to be together, whatever it takes.”
“Works for me.”
Her watery laugh made his heart lighter. “I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a little scared, but I’m braver now than