A Touch of Heaven (16 page)

"He never told me you called."

"Figured as much."

"Well, why is that a regret?"

Paige raised her hand, running it through
the short tussled curls on his head before looking up at him.
"Because, I never got to tell you."

"Tell me what?" he asked, his voice
quiet.

"I never got to tell you, that I'd love to
be your date for the prom."

Simon let out the breath he hadn't realized
he was holding in as he stared down at her.

Ten years had passed since then and the
memory of that day was as fresh as if it had happened yesterday. As
much as he hated to admit it, it still hurt.

"You ran out of the room so fast that day, I
never got a chance to answer you," Paige said smiling. "And after
school, I tried to tell you, but you walked away," she said
quietly, her hand lowering to cup his cheek. "I ended up going with
Lance, only after Heather said she'd drag me there kicking and
screaming if I didn't. I've never been so humiliated as I was that
night. There wasn't a person there who didn't know what he'd done
to me, and I looked like the biggest fool in the world, walking
around with him on my arm. The worst past was, the whole time I was
there, I was wishing I was with you."

Simon's eyes closed, his jaw twitching
slightly as he ran her words through his head. "You really wanted
to go?"

"Yes. I was tired of being everyone's
Stepford friend and wanted to do something for me, just once,
before I graduated. I refused to go, especially with Lance. I kept
waiting for you to talk to me or to just even look at me. When you
didn't, I tried calling you, to see if… to see if you still wanted
to go to Prom with me, but Michael told me you weren't there and to
never call back, so I didn't. I just figured you hated me by that
point, so I didn't even try again."

"I could never hate you," Simon told her as
he laid his forehead against hers. "I love you. I have from the
moment I saw you."

"I know," Paige said smiling as she leaned
up and kissed him.

It felt better than
anything she had ever felt. Free to make her own decisions, free
from
the guilt of what her friends would
think. With the wind whipping around her face,
Paige's arms wrapped tighter around Simon's waist as they
headed back to L.A. on his
bike and she
knew she'd made the right decision.

It had been an easy choice to make once she
realized he was right. Her friends didn't live her life. They
wouldn't be there day in and day out to help her cope with the
everyday things she faced. She made her own choices daily. Why,
just because they were here, could she not make them now?

She wondered why she
hadn't ever done it
before. The looks on
her friends' faces were filled with surprise, but when she tossed
her
car keys to Megan and seated herself
behind Simon, they were smiling. Would it have
been that easy all along? Could she have told them no all
those years ago and it still
have worked
out okay?

Paige held Simon to her as the kiss
deepened. A month had passed since the reunion and there hadn't
been a day since, they hadn't been together. She'd almost given up
on her apartment all together as his beach house felt more like
home.

They spent most of their time together
talking or walking along the beach or their favorite pastime,
exploring each other and learning what pleased them. Paige wondered
daily what it would have been like over the last ten years if she
had been strong enough to stand up for herself and admit that she
had always sort of liked him when they were in school. Would he
have been like he is now, or had he needed time to discover himself
as she had?

She didn't know the answer but she saw him
differently now. She saw him for who he was, not what her friends
thought he was. And she liked what she saw. She saw a man who loved
her completely. A man who would probably take his last breath
loving her and the thought warmed her to the bone. Simon loved her,
he always did, and she was glad.

Paige's eyes opened when Simon broke the
kiss. She smiled up at him when his hand slipped down her body to
her leg, moving it aside to allow himself room to settle between
them. She was constantly amazed at how the slightest touches sent
her body into a rush of tingles. One soft touch of his lips across
her skin and she was completely swept away.

He had become a constant fixture in her life
over the last month and she knew she'd be miserable if he were no
longer there.

She felt him enter her and their eyes
locked. Limbs entangled and emotions poured out through light
touches and soft kisses. No matter how many times they came
together, it always felt like the first time. Whether it was fast
and hard or slow and passionate like now, it was always like
finding their way home.

Simon lowered his head, kissing her before
slowly grinding his hips into hers. He had one hand tangled in her
hair while the other was wrapped around her waist, pulling her to
him. A small moan escaped her throat when his tongue slipped
between her lips.

As the rhythm of Simon's thrusts increased,
Paige's nails bit into his back and her legs wrapped around his
waist. Her eyes opened, staring up at him and she felt the
fluttering in her stomach as her release neared. Simon's grip
around her waist tightened, his hips rocking against her in a
steady but urgent rhythm.

Paige leaned up, kissing him as her body
began to hum with electricity, the friction between them increasing
until she pulled away with a gasp as her body began to tremble.

Simon's head lowered to her shoulder when he
felt her muscles clench around him before she let out a small
scream, her body trembling beneath him. His own release quickly
became apparent, his thrusts increased, his hips pushing against
her before his world slowly exploded around him.

Paige lay breathless, her arms and legs
wrapped tightly around him as he lay on top of her. Her hot breath
tickled his neck as he tried to regain hold of his erratic
breathing while their bodies calmed. A small sigh escaped her as
she held him to her and leaned in, placing a small kiss on his
shoulder.

"You know, you just keep getting better and
better at that," Paige said, breathing in deeply.

Simon chuckled against her neck before
raising his head. "Well, I aim to please, Ms. Foster," he told her
before stealing a quick kiss from her.

"Do you now?" Paige asked
raising an eyebrow, "Cause if you
really
want to please me, you can
skip out of work tonight and every other night for that
matter."

"Here we go again," Simon said laughing
before moving to lie beside her. "You know, I still can't for the
life of me figure out why me working at the club is such an issue
now, when I distinctly remember a certain gorgeous blonde, namely
you, checking me out there not more than a month ago."

"Well, that's different," Paige said, before
rolling to her side so she could see him. "Me gawking at you is
different than others gawking at you."

Simon looked up at her when she rose up on
her elbow and looked down at him. "I'll tell you what. When I
finish paying off the beach house, I'll quit."

"Really?" Paige asked excitedly, her smile
huge as she stared down at him.

"Really," Simon said smiling back at
her.

Paige giggled before kissing him hard and
laying her head on his chest. "So, how long till the house is paid
for?" she asked, tracing circles around his stomach with her
finger.

"Twenty-eight years."

Paige's head shot up, her eyes and mouth
wide and she stared down at him before he laughed and tackled her
onto her back.

"What? I've only had the
place a few years. I don't make
that
much money, you
know."

He knew he should tell her he had already
put in his notice, but just watching her pout about it daily gave
his ego a boost he'd never get tired of. Just knowing she wanted
him all to herself was enough for him to keep the information to
himself.

"You really aren't funny," Paige said
pouting up at him.

"Yes I am," Simon said, lowering his
head.

"Are not," Paige said finally smiling.

"Are too,"

Paige giggled when he kissed her, his hand
grabbing at her side as his fingers dug into her flesh. "Stop!" she
yelled, laughing as he tickled her before she started tickling him
back, sending them both into a fit of giggles. They finally both
released their hold on each other.

"What am I going to do with you?" Paige
asked as they both lay panting for breath.

Simon looked down at her, his eyes softening
as he said, "Love me forever."

Paige smiled before saying, "I don't think
that will ever be a problem, Colin."

He smiled down at her when she said his name
and knew she meant what she said. He could see it in her eyes. He
stared at her as she raised her head and their lips finally made
contact. Never in his wildest dreams did he ever think his
fantasies of having a life with her would ever come true, but here
he was. He held heaven in the palm of his hands and his entire
world existed in the eyes of an angel.

The End

# # # #

About the Author:

LILY GRAISON resides in
North Carolina, a stones throw away from the Blue Ridge Mountains
and a few hours from the Outer Banks. First published in 2005, her
debut novel won a Reviewers Choice Award. Writing mainly in the
contemporary romance genre, Lily also dabbles in erotica,
paranormals and occasionally in a fantasy realm of her own making.
Her love of adventure, and a very active imagination, take Lily to
worlds she can only imagine
.

Visit Lily' on the Web.

Website:
http://lilygraison.com

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