Long Way Home (22 page)

“Neither can I,” she whispered and slipped off her flip-flops.

Feeling the sand beneath her feet and in between her toes, she glanced down with uncertainty. Her first time with Tyler promised to be one uncomfortable ride if she succumbed now. And as much as she wanted him, she didn’t want to worry about ridding herself of sand in all the wrong places.

“Ugh,” Alexis said in frustration.

Tyler pulled back and gave her a quizzical look. “That’s not exactly the kind of reaction I was hoping for,” he said.

“I’m just annoyed with myself,” she admitted. “I can’t…do this here.” She leaned her head against his chest. “I’m sorry.”

He lightly touched her cheek. “Don’t be sorry. You’re right. I want this to be perfect and romantic and there’s nothing romantic about rubbing your skin raw with nature’s loofa.”

“Sounds like you’ve had some experience,” Alexis teased.

He gazed into her eyes and smiled faintly. “God, you’re beautiful.”

“Let’s get back to your house before the shellfish spoils,” she said.

“Yes, blame it on the shellfish. You know you want to jump me,” he taunted her. “Admit it.”

The moment they arrived at the house, they threw down their bikes and Tyler hastily unlocked the door. He lifted her up and tossed her over his shoulder before barreling into the house.

“Tyler,” she squealed.

“Admit it,” he said again.

“I admit it,” she wailed. “I want to jump you, bone you, fillet you. Whatever it takes.”

He carried her straight to the bedroom where he eased her down to the floor in front of the bed. His need for her was uncontrollable. His hands moved under her dress and she moaned when she felt his fingers shift the crotch of her panties aside and slide inside of her. She was so wet with desire and it took all of Tyler’s self-control not to rip off his pants and have her right then. But he wanted to make the moment last. He’d waited so many years; he wanted to feel every second of their passion and every inch of her body.

Her hand moved to the top of his pants and she unbuttoned him with ease, nibbling his earlobe as she did so. Tyler tensed as she unzipped him. Alexis worked her way down his body, trailing kisses as she went, and relieving him of his clothing in the process. As she rose to her feet, he felt her tongue hot and wet against his skin. She ran it up his thigh before shifting to his erection. His breathing hitched as she lingered there for a moment before continuing up his chest to his waiting lips.

He wanted time to worship her, but she was making it almost impossible. He pulled her dress over her head and let his eyes travel down her to where her breasts spilled out of her black, lace bra. The hunger in his eyes only intensified the throbbing between her legs. She watched as his gaze moved to her matching panties. She’d never had anyone drink her in the way Tyler did. It was intoxicating.

“This bra isn’t going to unhook itself,” she teased in a raspy voice, longing to feel his fingers, his tongue, any part of his body, back inside her.

Tyler had fantasized about this moment so many times over the years. Now that she was standing in front of him, wanting him as much as he wanted her, he could hardly believe it was really happening. She was more beautiful without clothes than he could’ve hoped for. Her brown, silky hair contrasted nicely with her milky white skin. He spied a smattering of light freckles across her chest and he couldn’t wait to touch each and every one with his lips.

Tyler reached behind her and released the clasp, heat filling his eyes as he watched her breasts fall free. He let the bra drop to the floor.

“You see me, don’t you, Tyler?” she whispered.

“I see you,” he replied. “I’ve only ever seen you.”

She waited for him to remove her panties before she collapsed onto the bed, pulling him down on top of her. The sensation of her writhing beneath him, desperate for his touch, was almost more than he could take. He pushed himself up onto his elbows so he could admire her naked body. Alexis MacAdams was nude in his bed, ready to give herself to him. He kept waiting to wake up, to feel a hand shaking him or an alarm buzzing. Instead, he felt only the smoothness of her skin and the desire radiating from her body.

Her breasts spilled to either side and he bent his head to taste them. His tongue circled her nipple before giving it a nip. She moaned again, pressing herself against him. Then she took the length of him in her hand and stroked.

“Alexis,” he breathed.

“I want to feel you inside me,” she insisted.

“Not yet,” he said. “I just want to taste you a little more. Don’t deprive me.”

Her breasts tingled as he cupped them in his hands. He moved his head to her belly, enjoying the feeling of her squirming beneath him. He couldn’t wait to hear her cry out with pleasure. All he wanted in the world was to please her.

When his mouth reached her most sensitive place, she couldn’t stay still. His tongue darted in and out and she opened her thighs in response. When two of his fingers joined his tongue, she raised her hips, urging him deeper.

“Tyler, I can’t take it,” she said, her voice low and filled with lust.

His cock pulsed in reply, but he persevered with deep thrusts of his tongue, determined to make this memorable for her. He didn’t know if he’d ever get this chance again.

“Oh my God,” she cried, arching her back as an intense wave of pleasure swept her away. She ran her fingers through his thick, sandy hair, panting heavily.

“There’s more where that came from,” he promised. He reached into his nightstand drawer and expertly rolled on a condom.

Alexis tried not to wonder how often he’d done that maneuver. Seeing his vibrant erection in front of her effectively blocked out thoughts of his other women as desire overcame her. Eagerly, she wrapped her legs around his waist and he took the hint, slowly pushing his way inside of her. She gasped as he entered her and threw her head back, the soft pillow cushioning her. She moved her hips in time with his thrusts, her nails dragging along his backside as the sensations intensified. When he pulled out of her completely, she cried out in protest. With expert precision, he flipped her onto her front. She raised herself onto her hands and knees, angling her bottom to meet his rock hard cock. She inhaled sharply as he took her from behind, his hands gripping her hips.

“Tyler,” she cried as he pumped in and out of her. Another orgasm rocked her and she tossed her head back in ecstasy, her hair spilling across her back.

At the sound of his name on her lips, crying out for him, his knees nearly buckled. As her final spasm trailed off, it only took a minute before his whole body shuddered and he joined her in blissful fulfillment.

He collapsed on top of her, spent and breathless. Slowly and seductively, she rolled over beneath him and laced her fingers through his.

“Be careful with those sexy movements,” he warned her, “or I may be ready to go again sooner than you think.”

“Bring it,” she said, squirming just a little to tease him.

Tyler gazed at her with such intensity that Alexis nearly erupted again. She longed to stay like this, to feel the warmth of his skin against hers as he covered her with his own bare body. She was afraid to admit it to herself because she didn’t believe it possible, but she knew in her heart it was true. She was in love with Tyler. Truly and deeply in love.

“I love you, Alexis,” he whispered, his words echoing her thoughts. His blue eyes remained locked on hers and her thoughts whirled.

Instead of replying in kind, she raised her lips to meet his. Although she was ready to make love again, she wasn’t ready to declare it. She’d been through too much heartache. Tyler would need to wait a little longer to hear that he’d finally won her heart.

Later that night, Tyler lay in bed, reliving the glorious moment when he finally took possession of her. A small part of him had worried about whether intimacy with her would live up to the many years of dreams and fantasy, but he needn’t have worried. The living, breathing Alexis was so much better than the one on the pedestal in his head. His idealistic dreams paled in comparison to the reality he now faced. Her pale skin, the smattering of freckles across her chest, her fragrant smell. She was more real than she’d ever been and he loved her for it. The thing was, he never imagined her as perfect, he only imagined her as perfect for him. And she was.

Chapter Nineteen

Tilly wiped down the counters, the last of the evening chores before she retired to her bedroom. Alexis appeared in the doorway, holding a sheet of paper.

Tilly glanced up. “What’s that, dear?”

“It’s a poem. It was in my box, but I didn’t write it. It’s not even my handwriting.”

Alexis walked over and handed the paper to Tilly, who glanced at it and smiled knowingly.

“You’re right. It’s not one of yours. Your father wrote it.”

“Dad? You’re joking.”

“He wrote it for you, the day you were born. Betsy has one, too.”

Alexis retrieved the paper and studied the words carefully. “It’s good.”

“You think talent like yours just falls out of the sky?”

“Did he write anything else?”

“Not much. Only when something really moved him. He only ever shared them with me. I think he was embarrassed.”

“Why would he be embarrassed? It’s really good.”

“You know your father.”

Yes, Alexis did. “Is this for me to keep?”

“That’s why it was in the box. Your father won’t mind. He doesn’t hold on to things. Well, most things.”

Alexis considered all the possible things her mother could be suggesting — grudges, anger. Hope?

“Is Dad around? He wasn’t in his chair.”

“He’s out front.”

Alexis opened the front door to see her father deflating the blow-up Christmas lawn ornaments. He already had the large plastic ones in a pile, ready for storage. Alexis approached him tentatively from the front steps.

“Need a hand?” she asked.

“No, thanks. Been doing this so many years, I can do it in my sleep.” He continued with his busy work, not really giving her his full attention.

“Maybe next year you could give the lawn decorations a break.”

Greg stopped and studied her for a moment. “They’re tacky as hell, aren’t they?”

He didn’t wait for a response. “I may not know anything, but I know that much.”

They shared a small laugh that eased the tension.

“Dad, I’m sorry I cut you out of my life,” Alexis blurted out.

Unable to make eye contact, Greg focused on deflating the large Santa.

“You don’t have to be sorry.” He stepped on Santa to squeeze the air out faster. “I know we seem like dimwit trailer trash to you, but the garbage doesn’t fall far from the can.”

“Is that your charming way of saying we’re not so different after all?”

Greg finally cracked a real smile. “I guess it is.” He handed her a stack of deflated Christmas figures. “You’ve got about seventeen years of chores to make up for. Here, make yourself useful.”

Alexis took the stack and headed for the front door. Once she turned away from him, Greg allowed the pent-up emotion to creep into his well-worn face. If Alexis had looked, she would have seen the immense gratitude and relief reflected there.

Chapter Twenty

Tyler was heading out the door to meet Alexis at The Blue Heron when he received an urgent text from her, asking him to pick her up at the high school because her golf cart had a flat tire. He couldn’t imagine what she was doing over by Wilson when she was supposed to be meeting him, but he didn’t question it. Alexis needed help, so help was on the way. He grabbed a spare tire and tools from his shed and tossed them into the empty seat beside him.

By the time he arrived at the high school, Alexis was nowhere to be seen. The golf cart was parked at the bottom of the front steps and he was surprised to see the tires in perfect condition. His phone vibrated again; he glanced down at the text.

“I’m at the football field,” he read aloud. Football field? What was she up to?

He walked around to the back of the school and glimpsed a lone figure seated on the bleachers. As he got closer, he broke into a huge grin. Alexis was wearing a form fitting, bright green Wilson soccer jersey and a pair of tight black shorts that left little to the imagination.

She stood up when she saw him approaching and he shook his head in amazement when he noticed the white knee socks with green stripes around the top.

“Aren’t you the sexiest soccer player I’ve ever seen,” he said appreciatively. He had a hard time keeping his eyes from roaming the length of her body.

“I drew the line at pigtails,” she told him. “That would’ve just been creepy.”

She hopped down in front of him when he reached the bleachers.

“So what is all this?” he asked.

“You told me to make new memories so I’ve decided to take your advice. Starting with my memories of you.”

“But you don’t have any memories of me from high school,” he objected.

She reached up and touched his face, tracing his strong jawline with her finger. “I will now.”

He leaned down and pressed his forehead gently against hers. “You have no clue what you do to me.”

She ran a hand down his chest and said in a throaty voice, “I’m Alexis MacAdams and I noticed you in the stands during my game because I am neither blind nor self-absorbed. You are incredibly hot.”

He played along. “I couldn’t help but notice you, too. Number twenty-one, right?”

She nodded and cocked her head coyly. “Do you have a girlfriend?”

“Not yet, but I’m working on it,” he said. He reached for her, but she teasingly backed out of his reach.

“I’m not that kind of girl,” she scolded him in a breathy voice.

“Don’t I know it,” he said, his own breathing growing more ragged. Tyler felt the heat emanating from his core. He loved the way the thin, green fabric hugged her breasts; her protruding nipples beckoned him. He ached to touch and taste every part of her.

“You seem like you could be special, though,” she said in her normal voice and Tyler could tell that she meant it.