You & Me: The Complete Series (3 Book Boxset) Read online

  The kiss doesn’t stay soft and gentle for long. Before I know it I have one hand on the back of her head and the other on her lower back pushing her into me so there’s no hiding what her kiss has done to me. The moans that escape her nearly do me in right here and now. Her hands are behind my neck and slowly working their way to my head. I suddenly wish I had more hair than my short, military regulation cut so she had something to grab on to. God, she tastes so good, even better than I imagined and the feel of her body pressed against mine is setting me on fire. I have never felt anything like this. As we explore each other for the first time I feel an excitement, a hunger and a true feeling of being at home all wrapped up in this one kiss. Our kiss is soul deep and I am not sure I will ever recover.

  I hear other hikers in the distance and realize that in a few moments we won’t be so alone. The last thing I want to do is stop our exploration of one another but it is the gentlemanly thing to do, and I am nothing if not a gentleman. My mom would want it no other way.

  I bring my hands back up to her face and cup her jaw as I begrudgingly remove my lips from hers. With closed eyes her hands grasp my forearms and squeeze as if asking me to freeze this moment in time and never let it end.

  I rest my forehead on hers and say, “As much as it kills me to say this, we better stop for the time being because we’re not going to be alone in a few seconds. What do you say we finish this hike so we can move on to the rest of our day?”

  With her eyes still closed she brings her fingertips to her swollen lips and rubs them almost like she’s burning this moment into her memory bank. I know I’m burning the sight of her before me into my head to keep with me forever. I knew kissing her would be great but there are no words to describe what just happened. If she were a drug, I would be one of those people who become addicted the first time they try her.

  Her eyes suddenly open and as if she has just had the best idea of her life she holds her forefinger up to me and says, “Sounds like a plan. I just need one second.”

  She takes the few steps back to the mailbox and brings the journal back out. She writes her note and then places the items back inside the mail box and returns to me with a shy smile that is so fucking adorable. No scratch that. This time that smile is doing something new to me, and it’s fucking hot.

  I reach out my hand and take hers in mine and ask, “Ready?”

  Chapter 5

  Emily

  The text message alert on my phone wakes me and I realize I must have fallen asleep out here on the ocean view deck off of our suite. Shit! I look at my phone and stop the panic attack I was about to have when I realize that I still have two hours to get ready. Thank God!

  The text is from Cami and is in reply to my panicked group message to her, Sam and Steph. After coming back to the suite and finding it empty I realized I had nothing to wear to dinner with Jonathan tonight, and I don’t have the energy or extra money to shop. I sent the emergency text to the girls and then headed out to the deck to calm myself down. I must have fallen asleep the moment my butt hit this lounge chair because I don’t remember anything else after laying down.

  As I read my texts, I realize I am the luckiest girl on the planet to have the friends I have.

  Cami: Sorry, chica. We’re at the spa in Laguna and are just now seeing your text. Don’t panic, you can wear anything of mine that you want. Not that he will care what you have on, have you seen the way he looks at you?

  Steph: She’s right. He’ll just be thinking about taking whatever you wear off of you. Don’t sweat it, you’re beautiful no matter what you wear.

  Cami: Wear your hair down!

  Sam: I have the perfect dress for you. It’s hanging in our closet, light gray, sleeveless with a little flared skirt. Simple, yet nice enough for an upscale restaurant.

  Sam: I know you’re thinking you can’t but you can and you will. Take the dress and Steph says you can borrow her heels that are almost the same color as the dress. It will be perfect!!!!!!!

  Steph: Yes, wear the shoes! Have fun and be good…but not too good. ;)

  Me: Thank you both! You are the best and I will make it up to you!

  Steph: Just have a great time and call if you need anything. Oh, and I agree with Cam, wear your hair down.

  Cami sends me a private text that reads:

  Cami: Don’t stress…have fun…give him a chance…you deserve it…let me know if you need anything.

  Me: I know and I promise to do all of those things.

  Me: He’s amazing. Why did I have to meet him now?

  Cami: Life doesn’t always seem fair but things happen for a reason.

  Cami: What do we always say? Repeat after me…No regrets, live today like it’s your last and along the way kick some ass!!!!! Got it?

  Me: Yes. Thank you. I don’t know what I would do without you.

  Cami: I do, you would sit at home on your ass and read your naughty little romance novels and never leave the house! I am saving you from a house full of cats! Gotta go…time for my mani/pedi. Wish you were here but I’m glad you're not.

  I now have two hours to get ready so I head to the bathroom and start a bath. Taking a nice, hot, relaxing bubble bath is a rare thing when living the college life with roommates. While I wait for the water to fill the tub, I text Alex an update and I go and find the dress and shoes that I have been instructed to wear. I try them on really quick to make sure they’ll work and they fit like a glove, even though the dress is a bit longer on my 5’7” frame than it is on Sam’s 5’10” frame. It’s still plenty short but not slutty at all. I love it.

  The water is finally ready and I climb in to the steaming water. I lean back in the tub and think back to my hike with Jonathan and that kiss. Just thinking about the moment he finally kissed me fills me with a feeling I have never known. I can feel everything again as I relive the moment in my head. A moment that I never wanted to end. His hands, his lips, his tongue and the bulge that I felt pressed into me as he held me against him. I wanted to rub my hands all over his hard body but I was holding on for dear life around his neck, afraid that if I let go and moved at all we might lose our connection. When he did finally stop the kiss I felt an instant feeling of loss. I know I’ll never be able to get enough of his kisses.

  If only we had met in another lifetime…

  After our kiss we leave our flagpole, our view, and our mailbox and continue on our hike. My body has never felt so alive and this was from just a kiss. I’m scared to think what might happen to me if we were to ever make love? I’m not sure that I could ever come back from that and it would probably ruin me for all other men. I know without a doubt I will never be kissed again, like I was today, not by any other man. If I’m being honest with myself, I may already be ruined for all other men.

  Holding his hand the rest of the hike scares me almost more than the kiss. It feels as if he’s claiming me, and as much as I want him to claim me, I also don’t want to lead him on. I’ve been upfront with him and he says he knows it’s just for a week, but I just want to be sure that we stay on the same page.

  Along the way there’s another bench and Jonathan veers us towards it, and we both take a seat.

  “I had brought a blanket to spread out and have a break, but after seeing your reaction to our friend, the snake, earlier I think it may be better if we stay off the ground. Let’s just settle for this bench, sound good?” he asks with a smirk.

  “I think that’s the best idea you’ve had all day,” I giggle. “Well, maybe the second best.”

  He stops mid-motion with his hand in his ruck sack (Apparently, Marines don’t carry backpacks they carry ruck sacks, who knew?) and stares into my eyes looking like he is at a loss for words. But in true Jonathan form, he says just the right thing.

  “That kiss was the best decision I have ever made, and I can’t wait to do it again but right now, I need to feed you and make sure you stay hydrated. I only get a week and I don’t want you under nourished or dehydrated. We don’t hav
e time for any of that now, do we?”

  I watch as he unpacks the nourishment he referred to and he wasn’t kidding. He’s prepared with apples, trail mix, protein bars, little bags of carrots and Goldfish crackers.

  “I got a little bit of everything here, we don’t have to eat it all since the trail is almost over and we’ll be done soon. We can save what we don’t eat for later,” he says as he opens the Goldfish crackers.

  “So, how old are you again?”

  He looks at me with confusion and says, “Twenty-three, why?”

  “I just don’t know too many grown men who still eat Goldfish. I mean I know a lot of two to five year-olds that do, but not too many twenty-three year olds. No judgement, though.”

  “Oh, darlin’ if you let age stop you from enjoying the finer things in life you’ll be missing out on so much. Goldfish crackers are the shit! I can’t live without them and have no shame in admitting it. My mom already promised to send me shipments of them while we’re in Afghanistan. I did tell you she’s the best mom ever, right?”

  “Yes, you did and maybe you’re right. It’s been a while. Maybe I should try them again,” I say reaching for the bag but he pulls it away.

  “Open.”

  I look at him with suspicion in my eyes when he says, “Open,” again.

  I decide to trust him and open my mouth and he lobs a fish into my mouth on the first try!

  “Nicely done!” I say as I lift my hand in the air for him to high five.

  He doesn’t leave me hanging and slaps my hand.

  “You sure do love the good, old, classic high five, don’t ya?”

  With a puff of my chest and a lift of my chin I say, “Yes, as a matter of fact I do. Just like you and your Goldfish, I have no shame in that and believe that some of the classics are keepers and shouldn’t be forgotten. I know it’s dorky but I don’t care because some things just need to be celebrated with a high five. You landing that Goldfish, on the first try, was a worthy event if you ask me.”

  Jonathan throws his head back and out comes that infectious laugh of his. It wraps around me like a warm hug to know that I can make him feel so comfortable and happy. It is so sexy to watch a man just throw his head back and laugh with everything he’s got. He’s hot, his laugh is hot and his kiss was scorching.

  “You. Are. Adorable.” He says catching his breath.

  We sit on our little bench and talk for what seems like forever. We share more of our favorite foods, music, movies and childhood stories. I wish I could find a word to describe how I feel just hanging out and talking with him. I don’t think there is a word out there to describe somebody that feels like an old friend that you just met. That is what Jonathan feels like to me, an old friend but I would like to be so much more.

  I have no idea how long we sit there. Hours, days, I have no concept of time when I’m around him, but when I reach up to scratch the back of my neck I know it’s been too long.

  “Ouch, I think we have been in the sun a bit too long and I forgot to put sunblock on. Maybe we should get going?” I say as I stand to take the hoodie tied around my waist off so that I can actually wear it and cover my top half.

  “Shit! I am so sorry. I wasn’t thinking. I packed SPF and everything,” he says as he reaches in his bag and pull out the tube of sun-block.

  “Of course, you did.” I laugh. “I feel like I’m on a hike with a boy scout.”

  “Sorry to disappoint, but no boy scouts here. Just a United States Marine Corps grunt. Now, turn around and let me put some of this on you. It may be too late but it might make it feel better.”

  I turn so my back is facing him and I feel the heat of his breathe just moments before I feel his lips on the back of my neck. His left hand comes around my hip and splays out on my stomach to pull me back to him. All too soon his lips are gone, but I am relieved when I feel them start a trail of kisses that start from that spot just behind my ear all the way down to my shoulder. On instinct I tilt my head to the side to give him more of my neck to work with. The heat of my sunburn is nothing compared to the fire that has started burning inside me from the soft touches of his lips.

  Just as I’m about to turn to face him, and take his kisses a little further, his kisses stop. He lets go of me, and he starts to rub the sun block into my shoulders and neck. He hands me the bottle and says, “Here I’ll get the back and you get the front.” There was nothing sexual in his words but to me they sounded as though they were dripping in sex.

  I’m not sure how I manage to do anything while his hands are on me but I silently rub the lotion onto my chest and face and hand the bottle back to him. He packs everything back into his camouflage ruck sack, grabs my hand and we finish our hike and head back to the jeep.

  The ride back to the suite is a comfortable silence and he only lets go of my hand if there is a real need, like shifting the jeep into gear or other driving essentials. I love the fact that we’re both okay with not talking, and that it doesn’t get awkward in those moments.

  When we get to the hotel he jumps out of the driver’s seat and is around the front of the jeep in a flash to open my door. I don’t want to get out because I don’t want this to end, but I know that I must so I grab his hand and hop out. He shuts the door behind me and says, “I had an amazing day, Gracie, and I would love to show you my gratitude by taking you out to dinner tonight. Just you and me. Does that sound okay?”

  I answer with just a nod of my head. He has my back pressed against the jeep door while he holds on to the bar above my head. He’s so close to me that if I just lean forward an inch or two my lips would touch his. But I don’t and for now I just take in his warmth while his amazing smell surrounds me. Yes, he still smells amazing after a long, sweaty hike. He smells like the manliest of men, but still like Jonathan.

  “Good answer,” he says so low I almost don’t hear him say it as he leans in for a slow, sweet kiss that almost feels as if it is happening in slow motion.

  A low growl comes from deep in his chest as he pushes himself off the jeep and away from me. At the same time a pitiful whimper comes from me as I feel the loss of his soft lips on mine. He puts his hands in his pockets as if to force himself to keep his hands off me.

  “I’ll pick you up at six o’clock if that works for you?”

  “Sure, that works. What should I wear?” I ask.

  “You could wear anything and look beautiful but let’s dress it up a little tonight. Let’s continue this weeklong adventure with a bang and do it right. What do ya say?” he asks with a lifting of his handsome brow.

  “Let’s do it.” I walk away from him and to the doors of the hotel. “I’ll see you at six o’clock, Georgia. Don’t be late!” I yell over my shoulder to him with a huge smile on my face. The smile I get in return just makes mine grow even larger—if that is even possible!

  Waiting for the elevator to arrive I check my reflection in the stainless-steel doors in front of me and I must admit I clean up nicely. I took my time on my hair and make-up which is not the norm for me but Jonathan said we were gonna do this right and get dressed up, so I made the effort. My hair comes to the middle of my back when it’s down so to blow it out and add some curls to my natural wave takes some time, but it was worth it. I can’t remember the last time I didn’t just throw my hair up and be done with it.

  The elevator finally arrives and I step inside. I’m only going down one floor but I was just too nervous in these heels to start the night off with a flight of stairs, so the elevator it is. At least I’ll have a big strong Marine to hold on to all night if things get shaky. And just as that thought crosses my mind the elevator doors open and there he is waiting for me. Damn, this man is fine. He looks like he jumped off a magazine cover in his white button-down shirt with his sleeves rolled up, dark jeans, dress shoes and a beautiful watch. The shirt and watch look amazing against his tan skin, but the smile that he gives me when he sees me is what nearly knocks me off my feet. He is staggering.

  He’
s holding his left hand behind his back when he brings his right hand up and places it over his heart and says, “You are breathtaking, Miss Emily Grace.”

  He takes my hand and spins me around and once my eyes are back to him he says, “I love your hair down like this,” and then leaning into my ear he whispers, “Very sexy.”

  Just as I start to feel the heat of my blush rush to my face he pulls a pink birthday cake flavored cake pop out from behind his back and I can’t stop the smile spreading across my face.

  “You remembered?”

  “When the girl you’re trying to get to know tells you she would rather have a bouquet of cake pops over roses, you listen. I know it’s only one, but I figured you wouldn’t have room for dinner if I brought you the full dozen. We’ll save that for another occasion.” He places a kiss on my cheek and hands me the cake pop.

  “Thank you so much, Jonathan, it means a lot. Not because they’re my favorite but because it means you were really listening. I have never known a guy who actually wants to talk and get to know me, so thank you, truly.”

  He doesn’t say anything, just gives me a small nod of his head. I lift up to my tip toes to lean in and once I’m right by his ear I whisper, “Wanna bite?”

  “Oh, I wanna bite, sweetheart, but a bite of a cake pop isn’t what’s going through my mind with you standing in front of me in that dress.” He lifts just one eyebrow in a cocky little show of a side of him I haven’t seen yet. It’s not the Jonathan I’ve come to know, but I like it just the same.