“I’m gonna need you to put this on,” I tell her, standing in her hallway.

  “Why?”

  “It’s all part of the surprise.”

  She glares at me with amused curiosity, hiding behind her thick glasses. “Seriously?”

  “Yes.” I laugh. “Don’t you trust me?”

  She says nothing.

  “Don’t answer that.” I look her up and down, admiring her outfit, and I suddenly realize that I’ve never actually seen her in jeans before. “You look nice,” I say.

  “Thank you,” she says, stepping backward into her apartment. She reaches into her closet for a jacket. “I figured casual meant I could hang up the skirts for the night.”

  I nod, watching the light dance on her face. Casual must also mean a slightly darker shade of lipstick. Not that I’m complaining.

  She stops in front of me and eyes the blindfold again. “Okay, do I need to put it on now or…?”

  “Now.” I step behind her and she slides her glasses off her nose. I place the blindfold over her eyes, tying it off so it’s snug but still soft. “Can you see anything?”

  “No,” she answers.

  I wave my hand in front of her face. “Are you sure?”

  “Yes. You are going to help me down the stairs, right?”

  “Sure.”

  I bend at the waist and throw her over my shoulder.

  “John!”

  “Relax. I won’t drop you.”

  “I meant, you know, tell me when to step down and stuff.”

  “But this is way more fun.” I spank her once and she lets out another scream, laughing with me as I carry her out into the hall.

  “Wait—” she says, slapping the wall. “Lock the door, please.”

  I fish into her jacket pocket for her keys and secure the door behind us. “Okay, hold on.”

  Rose grunts playfully with each step, feigning discomfort as I pretend to almost drop her. The ruckus forces one of her neighbors to inspect what’s happening and I do my best to explain in passing that I am not kidnapping her. Not that they’d believe I was anyway, considering how hard Rose is laughing the entire way to the ground floor.

  I reach the van and I set her down next to the passenger’s side. “All right,” I say, opening the door. “Hop in.”

  “Can I take the blindfold off yet?”

  “No,” I answer, helping her step up. “Leave it alone. Watch your hands.”

  “But blindfold.”

  “Hands in lap.”

  She lays them on her knees. “So bossy. Wait, is this a van—?”

  I close her door and rush around the van to enter the driver’s seat.

  CHAPTER 23

  JOHN

  We ride along the coast for about thirty minutes, arriving at our destination just after six as I planned.

  My heart races. Each mile brings me a little closer to kickoff, so to speak. I wouldn’t describe myself as a perfectionist, but I really want to get this right.

  I turn onto the driveway, smiling at the two story beach house at the end.

  “Okay, seriously,” Rose says, still wearing that blindfold. “Where are you taking me?”

  “We’re almost there,” I tease.

  I reach for her hand. She gives it willingly, smiling as I kiss her knuckles on the uneven path down the beach.

  I turn around and park on the sand so we’re facing the beach house. Behind us is Lake Michigan. Rose swivels her head, hearing the sounds of waves breaking with a wrinkled, curious brow. I wave my hand in front of her face.

  She leans away, sensing it. “What are you doing?”

  “Just making sure you’re still blind.”

  “Oh, I am,” she says. “I definitely am.”

  “Good.” I step out onto the sand and walk around the van to open the hatchback door.

  Rose cranes her head, listening closely as the door slides upward. “I knew this felt like a van. When did you get a van?”

  I don’t answer. I walk to her door and open it. “Hand, please.”

  She hesitates for a moment before extending hers, and I take it to help her out. “Okay. Smells like beach. Sounds like beach.” She stomps her feet. “Feels like beach.”

  “We’re on the beach,” I confirm.

  “Why are we on the beach? Wait, are we really going swimming?”

  I lead her by the hand around the van. “Shush.”

  “Because I didn’t bring a suit. Though, I guess we could do it naked, so long as the water is clean.”

  “Rose.”

  “Is it clean?”

  “Shush means stop talking.”

  “Oh. Right.”

  “Okay, stand here.” I stop. “Don’t move.”

  Rose obeys. “Okay. Not moving.”

  I grin, taking a second to enjoy the moment before moving on. Her here with me, alone. The sun just barely above the horizon.

  “John?” she asks. “Are you okay?”

  I touch her face to let her know I’m near, and she turns toward my hand. I kiss her, soft and slow as the cool autumn breeze passes us by.

  “Are you ready?” I ask.

  “Depends on what I’m supposed to be ready for,” she says, suspicious.

  “I’m going to remove your blindfold now.”

  “John?”

  I pull the knot loose. “Rose.”

  “John…”

  “Open your eyes.”

  The cloth drops from her face and she gasps. She rests a hand on my arm to steady herself as she takes it all in, her touch sending goose bumps toward my shoulder blades.

  “John,” she says, her voice barely above the waves. “This is beautiful.”

  I nod at her. “Yeah, it is.”

  “Where are we?”

  “A beach house on Lake Michigan,” I say.

  “You have a beach house?”

  “No, a friend of mine at Delta Xi does.”

  “And he just let you have it?” she asks.

  “He owed me a favor.”

  She snorts. “Some favor. What did you do for him?”

  “I let him borrow my econ notes.”

  Rose stares.

  I raise a loose fist and say our battle cry. “Delta Xi.”

  “Okay then,” she says, her expression blank as she looks away. She eyes the horizon before turning around, her gaze snapping to the van. “Okay, hold on. Is this what I think it is?”

  “What do you think it is?” I ask.

  “It’s the Junior-mobile, isn’t it?!” She leans in, admiring the strings of blue lights on the ceiling. “I’ve always wanted to see inside of this thing. I crack up every time I see it on campus.”

  “Well…” I sit down on the open back door. “It’s ours for the night.”

  “Really?”

  “Yes.”

  “No…”

  “Yes.”

  “All of this?” she asks. “The van? The beach? The beach house?”

  I nod. “Yes.”

  “No.”

  “Yes.”

  “No way. You’re kidding!”

  I lean back, sinking my elbows into the oddly comfortable mattress on the floor of the van. “You wanted private,” I say. “I’m giving you private.”

  Rose sits down beside me, her face touched by shock. “John, this is…”

  “Magical? Romantic?”

  “Insane.”

  I shrug. “Close enough.”

  “But the other things, too.” She looks at me, her smile digging in. “I don’t know what to say.”

  “Say nothing,” I whisper, drawing a hand to her cheek. “Just kiss me.”

  Rose tilts her head with closed eyes. I keep mine open until the last second, admiring the way her hair glistens in the setting sun. We kiss and she leans in, our bodies connecting as we both lie back onto the mattress. She rests her head on my chest and sighs, our fingers touching, sparking fire between us.

  “Is that what you were going for here?” Rose asks after a minute. “Magic? Romance?”

  “A little,” I answer. “Yeah.”

  She gently raises her head and looks at me, her eyes flickering beneath the soft blue lights above us. “This…”

  Her voice falls.

  “What?” I ask.

  She pauses, pressing her lips together in thought. “This is getting serious, isn’t it?” she asks.

  “Yeah,” I say without thinking, the answer obvious. “It is for me.”

  Her chest rises, filling with air, and it escapes twice as slowly through her nose. “Okay…”

  “You don’t have to say anything, Rose,” I say, pushing a lock of hair from her eyes. “I’m not expecting things between us to change if you don’t want them to, but I wanted to take just one night and show you what you mean to me. I want you to know that when I look at you, I see you. When you speak, I hear you.” I smile. “When you smile, my heart skips.”

  Her eyes grow a little wider. “Uh…”

  “Like I said, you don’t have to say anything.”

  “Good,” she says. “Because I literally can’t.”

  “I hope that’s a good thing.”

  “Oh, it is.” She swallows. “You, uh… you word very good.”

  Relief passes through me, but my pulse maintains its quick thump against my ribs. “Excellent.”

  “John…”

  I brace myself. “What?”

  “Can we skip to the kissing part again?”

  I take her into my arms, gently easing her closer until our lips finally touch. She melts against me, her fingers slowly gripping my shirt, and I feel her pulse increase to match mine.

  My Rose.

  She rolls onto her back, taking me with her, and I tower above her on both arms.

  “Rose,” I tease as she slides my belt open. “We have all night.”

  She slips her little fingers into my zipper, instantly latching around my growing cock. “Assuming there are no peepers in boats out there, we’re also completely alone. We’re not constantly looking over our shoulders or keeping our ears open in case someone tries to walk in.”

  I exhale hard as she squeezes a little tighter. “You make an excellent point.”

  “And that… really turns me on.”

  “Me, too.”

  I crush my mouth on hers and draw her bottom lip between my teeth. She moans softly and continues to stroke me as I shift onto one arm. I feel down her body, all the way to her jeans, and she gasps as I tug her button free with one quick flick of my fingers. Her taut belly quivers as I slide my hand in, softly caressing over her bare mound to feel her wet lips waiting for me.

  Rose twitches as I find her clit, and I bite down on her lip until she moans. Her hips roll, rubbing herself against my fingers as they cradle her throbbing bud, and I fuck that sweet fist of hers as she strokes me faster.

  “Rose,” I say. “Don’t you dare come.”

  She laughs as her thighs shake.

  “Rose.”

  I slow down my rub, and she loosens her grip on my shaft. She teases me as I tease her, both staring into each other’s eyes as we fight the laughter building inside of us.

  She withdraws her hand from my jeans and pushes me onto my back. I move my hands to her hips as she straddles me, lightly grinding herself on me as she slides her jacket off and tosses it aside.

  I move with her, rubbing my hard cock against her, letting her lead. She flicks the buttons free on her blouse and slides it down her arms while I crawl my fingers up her body, sinfully enjoying the minor striptease.

  “Rose Hawthorne, you are one dirty girl.”

  “I wasn’t always,” she says.

  I bite my lip as she lowers the bra straps down her shoulders. “Yeah, my bad.”

  She leans down, still rocking her hips on my throbbing cock, and kisses me. Her tongue massages mine with a slow motion that sends fireworks down my spine.

  I fall back onto the pillows. I hold her against me, grunting with that amazing grind of hers until I crash against the edge and force her to stop so I don’t ruin my boxers. “Fuck…”

  She chuckles as she slips off of me. “Don’t you dare come…”

  I reach up to take hold of her and I let out a growl as I lay her down onto her back. Her laughter continues as I kiss down her neck. She combs her fingers through my hair, enjoying the attention I give her until I descend to her knees and grip her jeans. I slowly pull them to her ankles with her panties and she gazes up at me beneath the sparkling blue lights.

  I pull my shirt over my head, performing a quick striptease for her, and she laughs even harder. She spreads her knees for me. I get even harder at the very sight of her willing pussy.

  She sits up and reaches for my jeans, sliding them down below my ass to free my stiff cock. I tremble as she lays a few kisses along the shaft. She looks up at me with those big eyes and I nearly blow it all over her face.

  “Rose…” I reach into my back pocket and pull out a condom. “Lie back.”

  She obeys, instantly spreading her knees even wider as I tear the package open and roll the condom on.

  I grab her hips and pull her closer, digging my fingertips into that soft skin as I line up my cock with her dripping slit.

  Rose reaches down and takes hold of me, controlling where she wants it, and I let her do as she pleases. She lays the tip against her clit and rubs, arching her back as she gets herself off. I groan with her, her fingers stroking me with each firm rub she gives herself, and I bite my lip to hold it all together.

  Finally, she guides me down and slips my tip inside of her.

  I close my eyes, feeling pure heaven as she takes every long inch of me.

  “Johnny…” She moans my name, reaching up to guide me down, and I lean over to give her the kiss she craves.

  Our fingers entwine, our pulses sync. Everything clicks into place as I fuck her, and I’m struck with complete, blissful epiphany.

  I’m not just fucking Rose Hawthorne right now.

  I’m making love to her.

  I adjust the grind, giving it to her the way I know her body adores it, and she gasps with pleasure.

  “Johnny, don’t stop!”

  Her breathing labors, her thighs twitch, and soon, her tight pussy quivers around my shaft. She digs her nails into my back, scratching hard, and the delicious pain sends me over the edge, too.

  I come with her, continuing the hard fuck until my cock slips out of her and I collapse against her soft breasts.

  “Okay…” She catches her breath. “This van is awesome.”

  I laugh against her skin, kissing her softly as I look up into her wild, blue-tinted eyes. We shift onto our sides, embraced in each other’s arms. I gently run my fingertips along her curve for who knows how long.

  I lie back and she fits into the crook of my arm, setting her head on my chest and I breathe in the warm scent of her hair.

  “This is nice,” she whispers, looking out the open door to the lake outside, now shadowed with moonlight.

  “It’s not too bad.”

  “I hope this moment lasts forever.”

  I kiss her head. “Yeah. Me too, Darling.”

  CHAPTER 24

  ROSE

  I wake up and, for a second, I’m not sure where I am, but I know beyond doubt that I’m safe.

  The morning sun barely bleeds through the windows. An autumn wind catches the curtains, shifting them from side-to-side above our bed. The lake echoes outside, waves softly crashing on the beach.

  John Kirby lies behind me with a powerful arm wrapped around my waist, clinging to me in his sleep.

  It got chilly on the beach, I recall. We came inside the house, ordered dinner, and picked out a bedroom — the one with the largest bed. John insisted.

  We needed it, though.

  I catch sight of the open bottle on the nightstand. Wine. Two glasses.

  Yep. There was wine, I recall. Vaguely.

  I hesitate, not wanting to wake him, but I move my head to look at him, anyway. A rush of warmth overwhelms me as I gaze at him in the morning sunlight, memories of last night coming back. So sweet. So tender. So…

  Johnny.

  His eyes flutter open, as if he could feel me gawking. He smiles weakly, exhausted but content, as he stirs beneath the blanket. “Good morning,” he says.

  I chuckle. “Good morning.” He pulls me closer. “We fell asleep.”

  “Uh-huh.”

  “When did we fall asleep?” I ask.

  “Oh, after the third time, I think,” he says.

  “Third or fourth?”

  “My third, your fourth,” he says, chuckling.

  “My fifth,” I correct.

  “Oh, there’s the ego stroke I was looking for.”

  We laugh as I sit up, scanning the floor for my clothes.

  “What are you doing?” he asks.

  “Looking for my phone—”

  “No.” He grabs my arm and pulls me back to him. “Not yet. Please.”

  I laugh. “Why not?”

  “Because if you check your phone, then the outside world takes over.”

  I smile. “You make an excellent point.” I settle back down on the bed and he hugs me against him again. “I can spare a few more minutes.”

  John kisses me as he caresses my cheek. “So…” he says, clearing his throat, “Junior Morgan is getting married next month. November 7th.”

  I nod. “Congratulations to Junior Morgan.”

  “I want you to go with me to the wedding.”

  “Um…” I blink. “No.”

  “Why not?”

  “Because obvious. Private dates in modified vans at secret beach houses are one thing, but I can’t be your date to a wedding.”

  “There’s no rule against you being my plus one,” he argues. “Friends go with friends to weddings all the time.”

  “It will look like a date, no matter what. It’s too risky.”

  His fingers spider up my bare arm. “But I like risky.”

  “No,” I say, shaking the tickle off.

  “Cary Pierce will be there.”

  I frown at his sinister eyes. “That’s cheating.”

  “Five hundred and fifty-seven touchdowns…”

  “John…”

  “Eighty-one thousand passing yards…”

  “Stop.”