Footprints In The Sand - Michelle Horst Page 0,43

things I saw that I loved about you, and one of the first things I missed.”

He ducks his head and I pull away. I don’t know why I pull away. It’s too soon? Isn’t it?

“What?” he asks, frowning.

I look up at him and take in every single one of his gorgeous features. There is nothing left of that boy face I fell in love with. This is a man standing in front of me and that thought makes me so very nervous.

“Ahh …” I take a step back, needing some space to gather my thoughts, “you don’t think it’s too soon?”

Seth lets out a sharp laugh then he shakes his head. “Lacey, no.” He closes the distance between us again. He pushes some hair off my shoulder and his fingers brush against my neck, sending a million tingles racing through my body. “No, I don’t think it’s too soon. I’ve been waiting for four years. I’m tired of waiting. I’m going to kiss you now. Then we’re going to talk. We have a lot to work through,” his hand slips behind my neck again, keeping me in place as his head starts to lower to mine, “but no … no, I don’t think it’s too soon. Now we get to make up for the time we’ve wasted.”

My heart is racing with excitement. Seth is inches from my lips when he stops again. He pulls back and looks at me. There’s a worried look on his face. “Unless you don’t want to be with me?”

There’s a glimmer of pain in his eyes and all I want to do is wipe it away. I raise myself on my toes and press my mouth to his. I lift my arms around his neck, holding him to me. His hands settle on my hips and he tugs me flush with his body, as his lips press back against mine. He bites my bottom lip and growls, “Open for me.” I obey and open my mouth. His tongue slips in and all my self-control slips away.

This kiss is different from the first one. The first one was an experiment. We were both so careful and innocent in so many ways. This one is greedy, wanting to make up for lost time. This kiss is seductive and needy.

Our tongues tangle and Seth’s fingers dig into my hips. He pushes back against me until I’m forced to take a step back. I break away from the kiss to look behind me. Seth sits down on the couch and pulls me down next to him. “I’m far from finished,” he murmurs as he leans over me. He pushes me back until I’m lying on the couch and he’s leaning over me. He must see the nervous look flashing over my face, because he says, “I just want to touch and kiss you. Just give me that tonight.”

I lift my hands to his sides and grab onto his shirt as his mouth settles over mine again. We get lost in a kiss until I feel something wet drip onto my cheek. I push at Seth and when he lifts himself on his elbow I see that the wetness is tears. “Seth?” Panic blooms in me.

“I’m so unbelievably happy right now. These last four years have been pure hell, but it’s worth it all if it means I get you.”

Tears burn in my eyes as emotions swamp me. I make Seth happy! The thought makes the tears spill from my eyes. Seth laughs through his own tears that are making his eyes shine a brilliant blue. “I really hope those are happy tears.”

“They are,” is all I get out before he sweeps me away with another kiss.

~*~

Chapter Thirty-Eight

Seth~

She tastes the same. She feels the same and that blush! She’s still the same Lacey I fell in love with that night I walked her home. Now that I have her nothing will come between us again.

I’m leaning on my elbow, my body half over hers. She can feel how much I want her. With one finger I trace lightly over her lips, her eyes, and every other inch of skin I see. I watch as her eyes start to flutter closed, once … twice, and then her breathing evens out.

I let my head rest in the crook of my arm, right next to hers. I take her in, drinking her in as if I’m a drowning man and she’s my air. I let my other arm rest on her chest, my