Page 51 of Memories of Me

As he helped me to my feet and led me away from the crowd all I could think about was how I wanted every part of this man. I was so nervous; my heart was jumping, my body was tingling, my stomach was going nuts, and my cheeks were getting hot. I was officially worked up, and when I spotted a blanket laid out just ahead with a bottle of wine, cheese and crackers, and brownies I let out a surprised gasp, “Brandt!”

"Tessa helped with the setup."

"I love it. Thank you." I raised on my tiptoes and kissed him. Before I could pull away, he grabbed the back of my head and kissed me deeply, leaving me breathless. I tried to kiss him again, but he stopped me.

"There's plenty of time for that." He leaned in close to my ear and whispered, "I promise." I hit him playfully on the chest.

"Ow, what was that for?"

"For turning me on and then asking me to wait." I pouted.

He took my chin in one hand and then slid the other down the small of my back slowly. I went to kiss him, but he nibbled at me playfully and pulled away.

"You're a tease, Mr. Brandt."

"I plan on savoring every single moment with you for the rest of my life," he promised.

“Was that a proposal, Mr. Brandt?” I watched him curiously.

He dismissed it with a mischievous smile. "Come on."

He pulled me over to the blanket. Today had been monumental for us. First, he said he loved me, and now he was talking about spending the rest of his life with me. Things were happening. I just didn't know in what order. He poured us both a glass of Pinot Noir.

"You hate wine," I said.

"I never said I hated it. I just prefer something a little more manly, but today is about you and all your favorite things."

He knew how much I loved savoring a glass of wine with cheese and crackers. It was so silly, but I always imagined a romantically cheesy scene like this, but all I really needed was Brandt. He had stolen a small piece of my heart our first night together and continued collecting more over the months. After tonight, I knew he had it all.

"Cheers," he said, raising his glass.

We drank and ate, enjoying the sounds of the crickets and the occasional howl of a coyote under the stars.

"I'm really going to have to come up with something special for your next birthday." His birthday had already passed in March and we spent it at his place watching a movie with Tessa and Grady.

"I don't need anything but you, Bay. You know that."

And I did. The way he studied me every time we were together was flattering. I have had such a charmed life. My parents were supportive, my sister was one in a million, and now, not only did I have the sexiest guy on the planet, but also the sweetest, and he only had eyes for me. I was so grateful.

"I do know." I leaned over and kissed him.

"Shall we play with a little fire?" His brow arched mischievously.

Oh boy, how I wanted to play with fire. I leaned in to get another kiss, but was displaced by a sparkler in front of me instead. I started laughing. "Okay, fine, but my patience is wearing thin," I teased as I grabbed the sparkler from him. I held it between us, so he could light it.

He lifted his to mine and lit them at the same time. We both jumped up off the blanket and ran toward the water. We had taken off our socks and shoes earlier, so I splashed ankle deep into the water, spinning the sparkler around. I felt like a little kid again. I loved Fourth of July and not just because it was my birthday.

I could sense Brandt watching me, so as soon as the sparklers fizzled out, I marched up to him, grabbed his face in my hands, and said, "I love you, too."

He picked me up, so I instinctively straddled him and took his lips in mine. The passion between us went from zero to sixty in a split second. He carried me into the water rather than to the blanket.

"Where are we going?" I laughed.

When we were waist deep, he put me down and slid his hands down my sides, all the while not breaking eye contact. He grabbed the sides of my shirt and lifted it over my head and I obliged willingly. He slipped his shirt off and threw them both onto the beach. The silence kept the heat between us at a steady boil. I was so nervous I swore he could hear my heart booming against my chest. He stepped into me, our chests pressed against each other, and he snuggled his face into my neck, nibbling gently as he made his way across my jawline to my lips, kick-starting the natural magnetism between us. He teased my lips with his own as he slowly grazed back and forth, breathing in unison with me.

After a few moments, he said, "Bay, I want these moments…just like this one…I want to savor them. I want to feel this way with you forever."

I wasn’t sure why, but tears filled my eyes, a single one escaping down my cheek. My heart ached harder than it ever had, and my body started trembling. I was scared. For the first time, I was feeling us with the same intensity he was. For the first time, I couldn't imagine my life without him in it, and for that, I was petrified something would take him from me.

---