Sofie

“Zach, what did you do?” I ask in awe as he pulls into a handsome shingled house one block from the beach.

“I told you I’d take care of everything, remember?”

“But we can’t afford this!” I protest.

Zach gives me a sideways grin. “They had a discount for cops and child psychologists.”

“Liar!”

He laughs, then pulls my hand to his lips for a soft kiss. “Come on, let’s check it out.”

When I jump down from the truck, the salty breeze feels thick and fresh on my face. Zach slides his hand into mine and pulls me toward the front door. Beyond the berm of sand dunes, the slate-blue ocean rises up in long waves that crash on the beach, leaving lines of pearly white foam on the dark shore.

When Zach said he wanted to plan a trip just the two of us after we dropped William off for college, I had imagined a night in a hotel or maybe a camping adventure. Not a romantic getaway just steps from one of Oregon’s most beautiful beaches.

Inside the house, it’s so cute that I gasp. Little beach-themed touches accent the tasteful, cozy furniture. The distressed-white cabinets in the kitchen match the seashell wallpaper. The living room faces sliding glass doors and a small deck with an expansive view of the ocean.

“Like it?” Zach asks, arching an eyebrow.

I wrap my arms around his neck and kiss him. “It’s perfect.”

“What should we do first?” he asks, cupping my bottom.

“Is that a trick question?”

“Upstairs,” he says, his voice a throaty purr.

I take his hand and climb the open staircase to the loft bedroom where a king-sized bed with a fluffy cream-colored comforter and heaps of big pillows faces a wall of windows.

“The view!” I race to the sliding glass door that leads to a covered balcony and step outside. The roar of the ocean and the brisk sea breeze in my hair feels incredible.

“Gorgeous,” Zach says, coming up behind me, his hands on my hips. He presses a soft kiss to the exposed curve of my neck, sending a shiver down my spine. He kisses behind my ear and wraps me in his arms.

I hug him closer. “This is so sweet of you.”

“I love making you happy.”

I spin around in his embrace and kiss him. His lips taste of salt and the summer sunshine and the early-summer blueberries we snacked on during the drive. He kisses me back, his tongue flicking playfully against mine. A gust rises from the dunes, making my hair dance around our faces. Zach lifts me up, our lips still embraced, and spins for the bed.

“You make me happy,” I say as he sets me in the center of the bed.

He locks eyes with me, the dark blue a perfect match for the ocean beyond, restless and powerful. “I love you so much, Sofie.”

He slips off my sandals and kicks off his boots, then climbs over me. I cup the back of his neck and bring him to me for another kiss, the warmth of him a perfect contrast to the soft, cool breeze coming in from the balcony.

He rolls to his side and strokes up my thigh, rumpling the hem of my dress, to my hip, his touch sensual, like he plans to take his time. We kiss again, my pulse thumping lower, creating a sharp ache for his touch. He strokes my lower back, then glides under my panties to caress my bare bottom.

“I love how soft you are here,” he says, cupping my ass to bring my hips closer to his. Beneath his jeans, the firm ridge of his erection presses against me, sparking that hunger only he knows how to tame.  

I tug at his shirt tails so I can skim underneath the fabric and caress his stomach. He’s warm here and so strong. I move to his lower back, the muscles smooth and hard beneath my fingers.

Zach glides the hem of my dress to my hip, letting the satin pool at my back, and kisses my neck. After an impatient tug on his shirt, he rises to slide it off, giving me the best view of his sculpted chest, the untamed pair of serpents twining his left arm, and the edge of yearning in his eyes. He hovers over me for a slow, sensual kiss, his lips soft, yet eager. He moves down my body, kissing the open V of my chest, rolling me to my back. With one movement, he tugs my panties down and climbs between my thighs.

Gently, he plants soft kisses as he moves higher, lifting one leg over his shoulder.

“Zach,” I sigh, my breaths coming faster.

With a groan, he parts me with his tongue. I shudder, the sensations of his warm mouth where I’m aching in such a sharp contrast to the cold salt air pricking my skin, adding even more fuel to the fire beginning to rage inside me.

Zach takes his time, caressing me with his tongue and several fingers that manage to find that magical place inside me, and though I try to hold on, make it last, it’s not long before I’m arching off the bed, my fingers locked in his hair and his name on my lips as I come undone.

Panting, with the roar of the ocean buzzing in my ears and the colors of the room swirling softly around me, Zach plants a series of kisses up my body, his lips plush and soft. I shudder in pleasure and reach out to stroke his bare shoulder.

He caresses under the fabric of my dress to my bra and strokes me. I shudder again, and his eyes sparkle with mischief, making my belly warm.  

“I love making you feel good,” he says, and tugs my dress up. I lift my arms so he can peel it the rest of the way off.

“Do I get to return the favor?” I stroke down his bare chest.

“Maybe,” he says with a sexy smile. “If you’re good.”

I arch an eyebrow. “According to you, I’m always good.”

I expect him to sass me right back, but his eyes soften. “My sweet girl. You are.” He kisses me again, then leans back to caress the side of my face. “More than you know.”

“We’re good together,” I say, and kiss him.  

Our tongues tangle in a slow, sweet duet while we touch and caress, the heat between us making my pulse quicken. I stroke over his jeans, drawing a groan from the back of his throat. The buckle clatters as I work his belt free, bringing on a craving to touch him. He rises up and slips his jeans off, leaving him standing in only his briefs, his thick thighs tanned from our summer and muscular from our adventures and the training he and William do together. I get to my knees and shuffle to the edge of the bed. He leans down to kiss me, stroking my shoulders and down my back. The soft snick of our lips blends with the steady growl of the sea and the rising pace of our breaths, making me feel like we’ve stepped into some private, enchanted world that belongs only to us.

Zach slips the clasp of my bra and tugs it free, the brush of his firm chest against my breasts making my breath catch.

“Have I told you how beautiful you are today?” Zach asks, kissing down my jawline to nuzzle behind my ear.

“At breakfast, remember?” I say with a laugh as he strokes both of my nipples, creating a tight ache behind my breastbone.

“Then I guess I’ll say it again. You’re so beautiful,” he whispers. “Inside and out.”

I wrap my arms around him and hug him to me. “You take such good care of me, Zach.”

“Planning to keep it that way.”

I laugh. “Lucky me.”

We kiss again, but I’m quick to break away and plant soft kisses down his chest, sliding his briefs down as I go. He releases a soft groan as I guide his cock free. He caresses my back, sweeping my hair to one side, his touch tender, reverent, like the sensation is something to savor. Closing my eyes, I take him slowly into my mouth.

Zach hisses a breath, his core tensing. “Oh baby,” he says in that sexy groan. He gathers my hair at the back of my head and rocks gently into me. I love knowing that I can make him feel this good. As we move together, he caresses to my breast, stroking and teasing with his firm touch. “Your mouth feels incredible.”

I hum my approval. He feels so good. Firm and thick, his arousal a hint of salt on my tongue. Slowly, Zach caresses down my spine, to between my thighs where I’m sensitive and beginning to throb. I come off him with a gasp as he strokes me there.

He lifts me by the waist and we land in the center of the bed. He climbs between my thighs and rubs me with the tip of him. A tremor rattles through me and my core draws tight in anticipation. I rock my hips to meet his and cradle his waist as he locks into place and drives inside.  

The firm stretch of him is delicious. He rocks back, then leans down to kiss me and thrusts again, filling me completely. I tense around him, my body alive with need and a powerful craving. Zach groans, tugging on my lower lip.

“I love you so much,” he says, the kindness in his gaze washing over me like gentle rays of sunshine.

“I love you too,” I reply, combing through his hair. I grip the back of his neck and pull him close for another kiss. The sensations swirling inside me rise up like the peak of a breaking wave. I lose myself to the feel of him sinking inside me and his sweet kisses on my lips. The waves build, drawing all the tension in my body to an almost painful height.

Zach arches down to kiss my breast, his lips wet and so soft. I arch to him as I come undone, the waves inside me cresting and crashing, the sharp high flooding me with pleasure and setting my heart free.

I come down, panting, little tremors rattling my thighs. Zach smiles at me and kisses the tip of my nose, then rolls us over. We move slower this time, Zach caressing and teasing me with his expert touch and his skilled tongue, until I come again, my cries rising above the distant crush of the surf. Zach moves faster, harder, his eyes smoldering with desire. He draws me to him for a kiss, our breaths fast and sharp. With a groan, he comes, pulsing deep inside me.

I collapse on him, panting. Zach caresses down my back and holds me around my waist, his chest rising and falling fast, our hearts tapping in synch.

We doze in bed for a little while, kissing, caressing, the sun sinking lower, washing the room with a golden hue. Then we dress in cozy clothes and take a quick walk on the beach before the sun slips beneath the horizon.

At the water’s edge, I can’t help but want to get my feet wet, so we leave our shoes behind and wade in.

“Brr! It’s cold!” I shout over the roar of the surf as an incoming wave pulses over my toes.

Laughing, Zach takes my hand. “It feels good, though, doesn’t it?”

I smile at him. “Do you miss the ocean?” We wade a little deeper, the icy water invigorating in a way I’ve never felt before.

“A little. But I love our mountains too.”

My heart warms. Our mountains. The sentiment reminds me of that winter night long ago when he chose me. He could have stayed in Alaska to raise William, and I would have understood. Family means everything to both of us.

But he uprooted his life to move to Finn River.

For me.

After our walk, we share a simple pasta dinner at our little table, the sky outside the window bright with stars. We talk about William and the brutal pre-season conditioning he will start tomorrow with his new team and the plans we’ve made to see him play this season. We talk about Jesse, rocking the single dad gig and so in love with his little girl, Skye, and about Linnie starting her senior year of high school in September and eager to apply to colleges so she can follow in Dad’s footsteps.

“Our house is going to feel sort of empty soon,” Zach says with a sad smile.

“Weird, right?”

His gaze softens with a look of such tenderness that I set my fork down. A strange feeling tingles my spine.

He reaches for my hand. “Maybe it’s time we start our own family.”

The tingles brighten inside me. “Zach, really?” We’ve talked about having children and how we’ll balance raising them with our careers, but it’s always felt like a someday goal.

He brushes over my fingers with his thumb. “Yes, really.”

My heart swells inside my chest. “Oh. Wow.”

He laughs, his eyes sparkling. “If you’re not ready, you know I can wait. I’ll wait as long as you need me to.”

I stand and pull him to his feet so I can hug him. “It’s not that. I just love you so much. You’re so patient and kind and loving and I know you’re going to make the best dad.”

He holds me tight. “And you’re going to be an amazing mom.”

I rise on my tiptoes to kiss him. His eyes flutter closed, his face flushed with emotion and so much love. Our kisses turn heated, his tongue swirling with mine in a slow, sensual dance. In one motion, he lifts me into his arms and carries me to the stairs.

“Can we start trying now?” he asks with a sly grin.

I laugh. “Yes, but…it might take us some time.”

“I know. But I can start dreaming, right?”

“Yes, you’re free to dream.”

He sets me down on the bed and kisses me. “I love you, Sofie. I love our life together.”

“Zach,” I sigh.

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