His Reverie (21 page)

“Really? I just…” I let out a ragged breath, trying to find the right words. “I didn’t know what else to get you and I don’t have a lot of money but I wanted it to be something meaningful. I know it’s not much—”

“Stop.” She rests her fingers over my lips, silencing me. Since when did she get so close? And how does she smell even better than usual? I breathe in her scent, my head starting to spin and it’s not from the glass of wine I just sucked down. “I love it. You made this for me. I almost don’t feel right in taking it since it’s something that once belonged to your mom.”

“It’s not much,” I start but she presses her fingers firmly against my mouth, silencing me again.

“It’s everything,” she whispers. “You made it. For me. No one ever makes me anything. They buy me stuff. But that’s not the same. This is…this gift came from the heart.”

My damn heart starts to beat so hard I feel like it’s going to pound out of my chest. “The color of the bottle reminded me of you,” I admit. “And every time I hear the word dream, I think of you.”

“It’s beautiful.” Her hand drops from my mouth as she studies the bottle once again. “I’ll use it to capture all of my new dreams.”

“New dreams?”

She lifts her head, those luminous blue eyes meeting mine. A cool breeze washes over us, sending a stray strand of her hair across her face and I reach out, tuck it behind her ear. “I have new dreams,” she whispers. “They involve me and you.”

Ah hell. How do I respond to that?
Don’t waste your time, we probably won’t last long anyway?

Yeah. That sucks. I can’t say that to her.

“And one of them is coming true tonight. Right now.” She leans in closer to me and rests her head on my shoulder. “This is the best birthday present I’ve ever received.”

I make a noise, dismissing her remark. “Give me a break.”

She lifts her head to glare at me. “I’m serious, Nicholas Fairfield. You created this romantic setting tonight just for me. No one’s ever done anything like this for me before. Ever.”

I dip my head and kiss her before I ruin the moment and say something stupid. Cupping her face, I run my thumb along the smooth curve of her cheek and drink from her lips, tasting the wine there, and the underlying sweetness that’s Reverie. She opens easily for me and I slide my tongue inside, circling it around hers. She scoots closer, her hand going to the back of my head, fingers plunging in my hair as she holds me to her and we kiss like that for long, tongue-filled minutes.

Until I finally break away from her first, pressing my forehead against hers. “Want more wine?” I ask, needing the break from her addicting lips.

She laughs, the soft huff of her breath brushing against my chin. “Okay.”

I reluctantly pull away from her and top off her glass, then fill mine. I sneak glances at her as she drinks, the way she’s curled up on the blanket, her legs tucked under her, her knees peeking out from beneath the hem of her skirt. Her bare shoulders gleam under the moonlight, making me want to lean in and kiss her there but I restrain myself.

For now.

“Look at the stars,” she says, her voice soft, her head tilted back.

I glance up at the sky. “All I can see is the moon.”

“And a few stars, right?” She leans into me again, rubbing her cheek against my shoulder. “Let’s lay down on the blanket and check them out.”

I grab the pillows and arrange them so we can get more comfortable. We stretch out next to each other and I grab her hand, intertwining our fingers. Her shoulder brushes against mine as we both lay there quietly, staring up at the sky. The moon is bright, casting its silvery glow over everything, including the pine trees that surround us. The night is so silent, I can almost hear the ocean in the far distance.

“This is the best night ever,” she says on a sigh, her fingers curling tight around mine.

“Come here,” I tell her, releasing my hold on her hand and lifting my arm. She scoots even closer to me, laying her head on my shoulder and using me as her pillow as I slip my arm around her shoulders. She feels good nestled up close and I stroke her shoulder and arm with my fingertips, making her shiver.

“Keep doing that,” she whispers, turning her face into the crook of my neck. Her lips move against my skin and I close my eyes, savoring the sensation. “You smell good. Fresh and clean.”

“Irish Spring working its magic,” I joke and she laughs, the sound and movement tickling, making me squirm.

She hums against my neck then kisses me there. One little peck after another, until I’m pulling her closer with a growl and slipping my fingers under her chin to lift her mouth to mine. She tilts her head back, her lips part for me and I dart my tongue out, teasing as I lick at her, then suck her lower lip between mine.

I could do this all night. Stare at her pretty face. Touch her. Hold her close. Kiss her until our lips are raw. I pull away from her a little bit so I can study her. The delicate arch of her brows. The kissable tip of her nose. Her swollen lips, her slightly pointed chin…

Slowly her eyes open to find me staring at her. Her brows wrinkle. “What?”

“You’re beautiful,” I whisper as I carefully roll her onto her back so I’m hovering above her. “I feel like it’s my birthday too and you’re my present.”

A smile spreads across her face and her eyes go soft and hazy. “Kiss me, Nicholas,” she murmurs.

So I do.

Dear Diary,

(July 18
th
, 1:12 a.m.)
This was the best birthday of my life. I’m in love. Totally and completely in love with Nicholas Fairfield. I know it must be love because no one makes me feel like he does. He looks at me and my stomach flutters. He touches me and my skin burns. And when he kisses me…

I want to melt.

I think all the splashing around with Glenn in the pool earlier this afternoon upset Nick because I caught him staring at me and he looked so angry. But not at me. More like at Glenn. I know he hated how Glenn tossed me around, his hands all over me. Nick’s glare and hard jaw said it all.

And I liked it. I know it’s wrong of me to admit and I’ll probably need to say extra prayers asking for forgiveness before I fall asleep tonight but if it worked and got Nick’s attention, did I really do something wrong?

Probably. But I don’t regret it.

I lucked out and ran into Nick as I was going to the rose garden where Mama and Daddy were holding my birthday dinner. He looked at me, in my new dress with the makeup on and my hair up, like he wanted to eat me up, and that made me feel strong. I’d been so bold with him. I even kissed him and asked him to meet me in the woods. When he promised he would, I felt triumphant but also scared. What if he didn’t show? I would be devastated.

The entire dinner, all I could think about was him. I was so distracted, everyone noticed though no one really said anything to me but Daddy. I reassured him I was fine, just tired and I had a minor headache from the too-chocolatey birthday cake and he seemed to accept that answer.

The minute I could make my escape though, I did. Oh, and it was worth escaping for. It was worth the risk of getting caught too. When I showed up at the clearing, Nick was there, looking so unbelievably handsome he made my breath catch. He wore a blue and white plaid shirt and dark jeans, his usually out of control hair somewhat tamed. He was nervous, I could tell from the way he was pacing back and forth and I thought that was so cute.

He brought wine and set up a spot with blankets and pillows. He gave me a present, a pretty little bottle filled with glitter that he labeled dreams.

So incredibly sweet, I almost wanted to cry when he told me the bottle belonged to his mom.

We drank some wine and kissed. I felt very grown up, even though I didn’t like the wine very much. I had a whole cup though and I could feel the alcohol buzzing through my veins. That was kind of weird but it also felt good. The wine helped me relax.

Then we were lying on the blankets and staring at the stars for all of a minute before he started to kiss me. Well, maybe I was the one who kissed him first. His neck…he smelled so delicious and I couldn’t resist.

I think we kissed for at least an hour. Maybe more. I don’t know. I lost count of time. All I know is there is nowhere else I’d rather be than in his arms. He felt so good. So solid and warm. At one point I pushed him onto his back and spent about fifteen minutes just kissing his face. His eyebrows, his nose, his cheeks, his chin, his amazingly perfect lips…

At the end of the night I asked him what this meant. What I meant to him. He cupped my face with his big hands and stared into my eyes. He said he wanted no one else. He just wanted to be with me. I thought my heart would soar right out of my chest, hearing him say that. I told him I felt the same way. It’s not like he officially declared, ‘You’re my girlfriend’ but what else could that mean?

We’re together, Nick and I. I know Mama and Daddy won’t approve so it’ll still have to be a secret. But I’m going to work up the nerve to tell them. I have to.

After all, I’m in love with him.

Confession: acknowledgement, admission

July 27
th

“W
here are you taking me?” Reverie turns her head in my direction, the wind blowing her hair everywhere. We have the windows down, trying out the new truck I just bought yesterday.

I smile at her. “It’s a surprise.”

She settles back in her seat, her hands clutched together and resting in her lap. Looking sexy as hell in a thin pale green sundress that tempts me to slip my fingers beneath the hem and stroke her thigh.