Page 88 of Beachside Kisses With My Enemy

My hands reach for his upper arms, lying flat on top while my thumbs press into his biceps, soaking up his strength.

He keeps talking. “I know you’ll be shocked, but I took some time to analyze my life.”

“No. You?” I tease.

“Hush, woman.” He kisses the tip of my nose, and I shudder at the contact. I want more of him, always more. “I thought about which parts of my plans were actually something I wanted—not just what was expected of me. And I realized that what I want is to be proud of the work I do. To love what I do. And…” He exhales. Inhales. “To come home to a good woman that I love. Someone who makes all of my hard work matter in the first place.”

I hear the hiss and whine of a firework as it careens from a boat out on the water up into the sky. There’s a red flash and a burst of something beautiful overhead.

But I’m more concerned with what’s happening here.

With how Blake tugs my hips against his, moves his mouth to my ear, and whispers, “And if you haven’t figured it out yet, Sunshine, that someone is you.” Then his lips are brushing against my ear before Blake pulls back to look at me. “I love you, Lucy. And I’ll do whatever it takes to prove I’m not going anywhere. That I’m in this with you for the long haul.”

The next firework sparks, ignites, and the light it gives off allows me to see the pleading—the utter hope—in Blake’s gaze.

Oh, this man. How did he make me love him back when I was so determined not to?

“Say something, please.” His hand tightens around my waist.

“Something.” I finally let a smile flit across my lips.

“Sunshine,” he growls, and the sound of it sends a thrill up my spine. “Put me out of my misery. I’ve told you what I want. What do you want?”

The question of the hour—the last twelve years, really. “What do I want? It’s simple, really. You.” I lift up on my tiptoes and press a kiss to his stubbly cheek. It’s so unlike Blake to not shave, but I kind of like this undone look of his. “Flake, I’ve spent almost half my life loving you. Why would I stop now?”

He breathes out a disbelieving laugh before grabbing my face and kissing me. Another firework, then two, bursts in the sky, and the explosion rocks my whole body. Or maybe that’s just Blake’s kiss. His hands are everywhere. My hair, my cheeks, my ears, arms, waist, back, like he can’t get enough. Our mouths move together, in sync as we bask in the glow of each other.

I don’t care where we go or what we do for a living. Blake is enough.

“What?” he says, freezing, his mouth hovering over mine.

Oops. Did I say that out loud? But I shake myself. What does it matter? I’m done hiding my feelings away. “You’re enough. I want an adventure with you. So…I’m moving to L.A. If that’s okay with you.”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea.” He softly tugs on a strand of my hair. “I’d miss you if you left.”

It’s my turn to freeze. “What do you mean?”

He grins at me. “I spent the day in Los Angeles yesterday and all this morning because I was selling my recipes to Dale. Well, selling him the use of my recipes for the restaurant in exchange for a small stake in the business. I’ll still be involved, but only from a distance and only as an investor. We’ll hire another chef. Another manager. Dale was disappointed but understood my decision and respected it.”

I blink. Sweet macaroni. Am I understanding what he’s saying? For real? “You’re giving up your recipes?”

“Not completely. Dale’s just licensing them, and we agreed I’ll not license them to anyone else—except I have the right to use them in my food truck here in Hallmark Beach.”

Whaaaaat? I bounce on my tiptoes. “You’re staying? Are you sure? What about your dream?” I sputter question after question, my brain working faster than my mouth.

He laughs. “Yes. Yes. And as for my dream”—Blake folds me up in his embrace—“it was waiting for me back here in Hallmark Beach the whole time.”

Then he kisses me with all the depth and love I feel right back for him. And as a slew of fireworks burst and flame in a raging, beautiful finale overhead, I know that my love story with Blake is just beginning.

epilogue

Marilee

I sigh as the last vestiges of color disappear from the sky, leaving a smoky haze of firework dust behind in the dark night. Somewhere behind us all, up on the cliffs, I pray that Blake and Lucy are getting their happily ever after.

Some of us aren’t so lucky. But if I can’t have romance, at least I have this.

Ryder’s sweet red head is mashed against my shirt, and his even breathing tells me that despite the fireworks, he’s fallen asleep. I kiss his hair, which smells of sugar and little boy sweat.

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