Nets and Lies(66)

I laughed. “Whatever.”

During the drive, we talked and sang along to the radio. I dozed off after awhile, and Will woke me up when we arrived. We grabbed a quick bite before heading back to the condo.

The first night we were so exhausted from the drive we fell asleep as soon as our heads hit the pillow. The next day we woke up early and spent the day lounging around the beach and walking on the shore.

Just as it was getting dark, Will mumbled something about grabbing a quick shower before he headed back to the condo. I hung around on the beach, wanting to finish my book. When I walked through the door, I gasped. There was a trail of rose petals leading to the bedroom. I followed them, my feet sliding along their silky texture. Inside the room, candles flickered. I heard Will behind me, and I turned around. “This is beautiful,” I murmured.

He smiled. “I wanted something beautiful for you…for us.”

I wrapped my arms around him and brought my lips to his. The warmth of his tongue slid into my mouth as I ran my fingers through the silky strands of his dark hair. He held me tight in his strong embrace as all of our longing poured out in deep kisses. We moved toward the bed, each helping the other take off bits and pieces of clothing. Stripped down to our underwear, we lay back on the bed.

Staring into my eyes, Will once again brought his lips to mine as his hand tentatively came up to cup my breast. When I didn’t recoil away from him or freak out, he caressed me tenderly over my bra. I wanted the feel of his hands on my bare skin, so I reached up to pull down the straps. His mouth left mine to kiss a moist trail down my neck while he palmed my na**d br**sts.

Desire began to pool below my waist as I took one of Will’s hands and brought it between my legs. A warm, dizzying rush flooded me as he stroked and teased me. This was familiar—we had been here before many, many times over our relationship. Will knew just the right buttons to push to get me off, just as I did him. I was moving close to go over the edge when Will shifted his weight on top of me.

Then like flipping a switch, all the old memories came charging back. I huffed breaths of panic, rather than pleasure as I jerked away from him. This time instead of screaming and flailing around, I simply started crying.

Will eased up on his knees and stared down at me. “Mel, was I hurting you? I can go slower…softer.”

“I can’t. I just can’t. I’m so sorry,” I sobbed.

“Shh, don’t cry. We knew this might happen,” he said. He tried pulling me into his arms, but I slid out of the bed.

I couldn’t stay there in that beautiful room so full of romance. I jerked up the straps of bra before sliding on my beach cover up. “Where are you going?” Will asked.

“To the beach.”

“But it’s dark out.”

“I’ll be all right,” I said. Without another word to him, I slid on my flip-flops, grabbed a flashlight, and headed out the door.

I hurried across the boardwalk. My steps echoed in the silence surrounding me. When I got to the end, I slipped my shoes off and felt the cool sand between my toes. The wind had picked up. It whipped my hair against my face, making me wish I’d pulled it back into a ponytail. I walked to the edge of the shore and into the water. The waves rushed with a new urgency, and I didn’t miss the subtle irony that a storm must be brewing on the horizon.

I stood in the water up to my knees, letting the waves crash against me. My tears dripped off my cheeks and fell back into the water.

“Mel?”

“I’m here,” I said.

Will stepped over to me. “I got worried about you.” He had a flashlight and blanket in his arms.

“I’m sorry.”

He glanced around. “You should be out here by yourself. What if someone…” he trailed off. Even in the pitch blackness, I knew he was blushing.

“I’m sorry, but I just couldn’t stay in that room. Everything was so perfect, and I ruined it.”

“You didn’t ruin it.”

“Yes, I did. You tried so hard to make it beautiful for me, and I couldn’t.”

His pulled me into his arms and wrapped the blanket around me. “It’s okay, Mel. We don’t have to have sex tonight or the next night or even this week. I love you, and I’m not going anywhere.”

My only response was to tremble uncontrollably. He sighed. “Come on, let’s get you inside,” he said.

We started back through the sand. “Can’t we sit out here for awhile? It’s so peaceful,” I suggested.

“Whatever you want.”

He took blanket off my arms and spread it on the sand. He sat down first and pulled me back in his arms. When I turned towards him, I pressed my head against his chest. A gentle thump, thump, thump, thump filled my ears. And I remembered; it was my favorite position.

I brought my lips to Will’s. He was cautious and barely kissed me back. But when I raked my hand through his hair and pressed my tongue against his lips, he moaned.

With absolute certainty, I gently pushed him onto his back. I whisked the beach cover-up over my head. Trembling fingers found their way to my bra straps as I slowly pulled them down over my shoulders. The sound of my bra clasp snapping open caused Will to groan. “Mel, don’t you know what you’re doing to me?” he asked, his voice hoarse.

“Am I making you want me?” I asked.