Page 688 of Not Over You

Shaking my head, I laughed. Lincoln pulled the bottle of wine and two glasses from the picnic basket, then sat down next to me.

Popping open the bottle, he filled both glasses, then handed me one. “I could get used to this,” I joked.

He chuckled. “If this will get you to move back here, I’ll cook for you every night.”

A lump formed in my throat, and I took a sip of wine to wash it down. “I wish it were that simple.”

Lincoln didn’t respond. He looked out at the ocean and drank from his glass. I could tell that he wanted to say something by the look in his eyes, but he didn’t. Instead, he reached over and grabbed my hand. “Hopefully one day, it can be.”

I didn’t see how it could be. I’d built my life in Charlotte and made my career there. I couldn’t just uproot everything I’d worked so hard for.

Could I?

Once again, my mom’s words played in my head. What is life without love? Now that I had Piper and Lincoln back in my life, could I live without them again?

After a few more glasses of wine, my worries were forgotten. Lincoln had cooked everything perfectly, and the food was divine. I giggled as I took the last bite of my steak, which practically melted in my mouth. I closed my eyes and hummed my approval. “I haven’t had a steak this good in a long time.”

Lincoln’s lips tilted up in a lopsided grin. “You don’t have to lie to spare my feelings. It’s okay if you didn’t like it.”

My eyes sprang open in disbelief, and I gestured to my plate. “Do you not see this?” I’d eaten everything, leaving only the foil from the baked potato. “Does this look like I didn’t like it?”

Lincoln chuckled, then leaned in and pressed a kiss on my lips. “Tastes even better on your lips.”

The sun was almost completely set on the horizon, heightening the romance swirling between us. Lincoln stood, extending his hand to me. “Walk with me?”

A small smile curved my lips as I nodded and placed my hand in his. He led me to where the tide was rolling in, then pulled off his boots and set them on the sand. I followed suit, kicking off my sandals as he rolled up his jeans.

He smiled and took my hand again. “Shall we?”

I giggled as we linked our fingers together and started walking in the shallow water. The wet sand felt amazing beneath my toes, reminding me once again of what I was missing by living in the city.

As if reading my mind, Lincoln asked, “Would you consider moving back here?”

A lump formed in my throat. “I don’t know. I’ve built my life in Charlotte, but now that you and Piper are in the picture, I’m not sure what to do.”

He squeezed my hand. “Would it be selfish of me to say I think you should move back?”

I chuckled, shaking my head. “No. I was selfish to move away. I shouldn’t have left.”

His thumb caressed the back of my hand. “Leaving was always part of the plan. It was just supposed to be together.”

I bit my bottom lip and nodded. We walked for a few minutes in silence as the tide washed over our feet. Lincoln stopped and faced me, cupping my cheeks in his hands.

He looked gorgeous in the waning light as he stared into my eyes. “Liv, I don’t care if you stay in Charlotte; I want to make this work. We’ve been given a second chance, and I don’t want to take it for granted. I’ll drive up there every damn weekend if I have to.”

I smiled as his eyes held mine, feeling happier than I’d been in a long time. “Okay. Whatever happens, we’ll make it work.”

Lincoln pressed his mouth to mine, kissing me slowly at first, but the kiss soon turned frantic. Slow sweeps of our tongues and tender presses of our lips morphed into crazed nips and rough grazes as we devoured each other, unable to get enough.

Lincoln lifted me, and I wrapped my legs around him. He carried me in the sand back toward our picnic, then laid me on the blanket he’d spread out earlier.

He pressed against me, his hardened erection rubbing up against my core. Gasping, I broke the kiss and pulled his shirt over his head, then tossed it aside.

Lincoln peppered kisses along my jaw down to my neck. I felt his fingers skimming my panties before slipping under the silky fabric and finding my wetness.

He sank his fingers inside me, and I bit down on my bottom lip, arching into him as I moaned, “Lincoln.”

“My name sounds amazing coming from your lips,” Lincoln growled as he nipped at my neck, pumping his fingers inside me.

---