Full Circle (14 page)

Somehow managing to maneuver in the small space, he gathered her up and deposited her on the bench, moving quickly to pin her with his weight. Ellie shrieked but didn’t struggle, and after stealing a kiss he scooted down her body to nuzzle her breasts. She sighed and stroked his hair as he closed his lips around one turgid nipple, sucking then rolling it with his tongue. The tender flesh elongated in his mouth and he thought she tasted like sunshine. He cupped her other breast and teased the nipple into a slight point before quickly replacing his fingers with his mouth. Ellie moaned and arched against him.

He wanted to make it perfect for her and released her breast, kissing his way over the smooth flesh of her rounded belly, past the cup of her navel to where the tight patch of curls veiled his goal. Ellie’s thighs parted and he slung her legs over his shoulders as easily as if they’d practiced the move a thousand times before. His hands full of her curved buttocks, her sex open to his voracious gaze, Heath laid an open mouthed kiss on that wet, welcoming part of her. If her breasts had tasted of sunshine, her sex embodied the ocean swells, pure and salty-sweet. He drifted his tongue along her inner folds and learned her all over again before turning his attention to the swollen nub drawn from its sheltering cloak.

“God, Heath. You’re making me crazy. Please—”

As crazy as she’d made him he hoped as he worried the tiny bundle of nerves, feeling Ellie quake and tense as she fought her rising climax. He held her against his devouring mouth, squeezing her buttocks, reveling in the give of her firm flesh when she called out his name and her sheath spasmed. “Heath!”

There was no one to hear her—the shorebirds didn’t count—and he was at once fiercely possessive and wishing for the world to have heard her scream his name. Lowering her, he fumbled for a condom, shoving his pants out of the way to hobble his ankles. They’d discuss a different form of birth control because having Ellie bare would be the ultimate experience, but he’d always take care of her. Sheathed, he eased over her dewed skin, smiling down into her glazed eyes. “Okay?”

“Never better.”

“We’ll see if I can’t improve on that.” He smirked when her eyes widened as he notched himself at her gate.

Her orgasm-swollen tissues tried to keep him at bay, but he persevered, gentle but determined. While he hung on only by reciting times tables and thinking of dentists’ drills, he finally halted, fully clasped within her sweetly clenching channel. Ellie never took her eyes from his, staring into the depths of his soul, and he willingly let her in as he would each and every time.

“You could be right. On improving a little.” Her mouth curved and he fell deeper in love with her.

The boat rocked in tandem with their movements and in the freshening breeze. The halyards jangled and the canvas rustled secretively. Heath felt the weight of the sun on his back and the soft, yielding body of Ellie beneath him. He wasn’t sure which was hotter. So aroused by her hands and mouth, and now with the silken glide and pulse of her channel, he worked quickly to bring them both to the peak.

She met his thrusts, lifting her hips and wrapping those long legs around his waist. He tucked his hands beneath her back to hold her even closer and she wreathed her arms around his neck, panting into his ear, murmuring incoherent things. Heath couldn’t form rational thoughts either as he erupted on a heartfelt groan with Ellie shuddering once again beneath him.

At length they unwound from one another, delightfully slippery and wet from their exertions. He kissed her nose before kneeling back so she could push up to sit. He stared. Ellie was flushed and her hair was a tangled mess. Evidence of his scruff showed pink across the swell of her breasts and on her belly. He reached out and traced a faint mark.
Mine.

“Definitely.”

“What?”

“You said I was yours. And I am. Definitely.”

So he’d said it out loud like some kind of prehistoric male. Seemed it applied in present day too. “Time we told everyone, Ellie.” He was going to buy her a ring as soon as they got back, maybe from that little vintage jewelry store he’d passed with his father.

He helped her into her clothes, even the little blue panties, although the clasp of her bra foiled him. They laughed and teased one another. He nearly smacked his head on the boom, struggling back into his pants. Some sailor he was.

Ellie got the lunch she’d made and offered him a drink. She curled up beside him once he had the anchor hauled and stowed, and the boat back under sail toward Seaside. Content didn’t begin to describe his state of mind.

* * * *

Ellie couldn’t have asked for a better day. This was what it felt like to be in love. Hand in hand, she and Heath walked along the waterfront, soaking in the last remnants of the sun. Her arms and neck were sensitive to the touch, but the warmth of Heath’s hand in hers had her forgetting about the mild discomfort she had been in. She was sure by tonight she would be begging for aloe though. Good thing she had Heath and his skilled hands. She shivered as if he was stroking her arms, back, and thighs right then.

Beautiful rays of sunshine sparkled along the sea, making the waterway picturesque. She and Heath stopped to take in the moment.

“I love this town.”

Surprised, Ellie turned to Heath and he laughed a little.

“You don’t have to say it. I know in the past I’ve given everyone the impression that I was too big for Seaside. Since being home I’ve realized how much I’ve missed the simplicity of it. The slower pace of life is good for the soul.” He laughed. “And when did I get so deep?”

“Home?” she asked. Her brain stopped working at knowing he still thought of Seaside as his home.

“What?”

“You said ‘since being home’.” Stupid tears pricked the corners of her eyes. When did
she
become so emotional—crying twice in one day? “Does that mean…”

Using the pads of his thumbs, Heath wiped away the wetness about to dampen her cheeks. “Don’t cry, baby. I hate seeing you upset.”

She shook her head. “No, these are happy tears. I guess I’m still getting used to the idea of us making this work. Everything seems too perfect. I can’t help but be afraid it will all fall apart again.”

Heath pulled her toward him, tucking her head under his chin. “I can’t stand here and tell you we will never disagree, but I can promise you I will never walk away again. Whatever it is we can get through it. Together.”

“That sounds wonderful.”

“I want to take you some place.”

“Is it nearby? I want to check on Mia before we go back to my place.” She hadn’t meant to imply he would be staying with her, but unless he needed to be there for Mia, she wanted him in her bed. They had a lot of time to make up for.

Crushing his mouth to hers, he stole her breath away with a kiss she could feel to the soles of her feet. She circled her arms around his neck to bring him closer. Heath broke the kiss first and swore against her lips. “Damn, sweetheart. I’m kinda rethinking my surprise and visit with Mia so I can have you naked, sprawled out in bed.”

She sagged against him as he swept her up in another long kiss. Eyes squeezed shut, her breath caught in her throat. She didn’t want the sensation to ever leave her, but knew if she didn’t do something to distract herself, she wasn’t going to be able to make it back to her house. She counted to ten before gazing back at him. So much desire resided in his eyes. Lord help her. “I want to know my surprise.”

Mischievous dark eyes gazed back at her. “You sure that’s what you want?”

“It’s not all I want, but yes, where do you want to take me? I really want to know.”

He laughed. “Good. I plan to give you both.”

Her mouth went dry and her mind went back to their time on the boat, her mouth around him, the power she felt almost bringing him to orgasm that way.

He took her by the hand and led her down the waterfront a little farther and crossed the street. At first she thought maybe they were going to
Bodacious Blooms
, but they walked a couple shops down. “The jewelry store?” she asked when he stopped in front of the glass windows of the local vintage establishment.

He looked down at his wristwatch. “It’s almost three. Whew. We barely made it.”

“What are we doing?”

“I want you to be my wife, Ellie,” he said as he pulled her through the door. “We’re here to pick out a ring. I’ve been thinking about it for the past couple days.”

Before she became a blubbering mess earlier, they’d talked about marriage and the possibility of having children. It shouldn’t have come as a shock to her that he would propose, but she didn’t expect it to happen today. “Are you sure you want this now?”

“Of course. I don’t want to wait a second later to claim you as mine.” It was the second time he’d referred to her as
his
. She didn’t think she would like the caveman type, but she’d been Heath’s ever since she was seventeen. “There’s no reason to wait. I also plan to contact my boss tomorrow morning and figure out a way for me to work from home. I might have to travel back to Chicago once every couple of months, but we can work all that out. Maybe you can even come with me.”

“I would love that. I want all of it too, Heath. I want to be your wife, the mother of your children.”

Mrs. Maxwell, the owner of the shop, appeared from the back of the store. “Y’all are the sweetest thing I’ve ever seen. Ellie Scott, you’ve found a good one here.”

Ellie smiled at Heath before turning toward the elderly woman. “I have to agree with you.”

Heath reached out to shake Mrs. Maxwell’s hand. “Hi, ma’am, I’m Heath Granger, Ellie’s future husband.”

Mrs. Maxwell fanned herself. “And a charming one too.” She shook his hand. “Welcome, Heath. Granger?  You’re Roy’s son. It’s nice to finally meet you.”

“You have a wonderful little shop here.”

“Thank you. I moved here about seven years ago to be closer to my kids and opened this place shortly after. Is there something I can help you two lovebirds with?”

“We’re here to find an engagement ring.” A warm smile spread across Heath’s stubbled face. “Anything she wants.”

Ellie couldn’t believe this was actually happening. In less than twenty-four hours she’d become not only someone’s lover, but engaged too.

“Let me show you what I have.” Mrs. Maxwell beamed.

For the next hour, well past closing time, she and Heath looked at almost every ring in the shop. Mrs. Maxwell was kind and didn’t mind staying open late. In fact, when Heath suggested they leave and come back tomorrow, she insisted they stay. Ellie had already made a mental note to send the lovely woman flowers. It was the least she could do. Being surrounded by such kind people was one of the reasons she was glad Heath had decided they reside in Seaside instead of Chicago. Although, she would’ve made the move for him. She wouldn’t have had to think twice about it.

“This one,” Ellie practically cried the instant she noticed the thin gold band with an oval shaped diamond, adorned with several single diamonds around it. It was pushed in the back corner of the glass case, one Mrs. Maxwell hadn’t showed them yet. “That’s my ring.”

Mrs. Maxwell quickly retrieved the antique.

“Yes, it is,” Heath said as they both examined it. He slipped it on her finger and it fit perfectly. “It’s meant to be.”

“Oh, it’s just lovely, dear. You must take this one. There’s a reason it already fits you.”

“We’ll take it,” Heath said.

Ellie couldn’t stop smiling as she gazed down at
her
ring. Forever, she would wear this piece of Heath’s heart and remember their past, present, and all the hopes she had for their future.

Heath paid, and Ellie impulsively invited Mrs. Maxwell to the wedding as soon as a date was set.

After they got outside, Ellie asked, “You care if we sit for a minute. It’s so nice out tonight.”

They found a park bench by the water. A lot of the stores closed early on Sundays, leaving the streets unoccupied. For a moment they stared out over the water, her dreaming about wedding dresses and more days like the one they’d just shared. “What are you thinking about?” she asked.

“That I’m one lucky bastard. I come back here with a chip on my shoulder, not deserving a second chance, but here you are, my perfect Ellie, able to forgive and agree to marry me. How did this happen? Why do you love me?”

She leaned over and kissed him. She could still smell the salt and sunscreen from the day. They were two scents she wished she could bottle up and bring out every time she wanted a reminder of the day. “That’s an easy one. I’ve loved you since I was sixteen years old. I tried to stop, believe me I did, but my heart has always belonged to you, Heath. I couldn’t love anyone else. I never have. You’re it for me. For the rest of my life
you
will be mine.”

She thought she saw moisture in Heath’s eyes, but she couldn’t be sure. Instead of asking about it, not wanting to embarrass him, she looped her arm into his, showing him she would always be there for him. A kiss, so gentle and heartfelt, pressed against her hair. And in that moment—their moment—she knew their hearts were beating as one.

“I want to tell Mia,” she said. “Although I’ve had a very good reason, I’ve been a bad friend today. I need to go check on her.”