Run to You (13 page)

So fucking hot.

They spent the morning at the beach, then went back to the house for showers and a late lunch. After lunch, Gabby and Gram went into town to do some touristy shopping.

Ethan took his iPad and sat on the back deck to do some work. The kid they'd hired to design Off-the-Grid's website had created a graphic for them to use to promote the Adrenaline Rush. The Haven Summer Festival was two weeks away on the Fourth of July, and since they couldn't open for business until after the Adrenaline Rush, they'd decided to have their big event just two weeks later on July eighteenth.

It didn't give people much time to form teams and do any training so they were going to focus on the obstacle course aspect and less on any kind of distance running. People planned and trained for months for those things. This was going to have to be more of a spur-of-the-moment event because they just couldn't wait three or four months to open their doors.

Gram didn't have that much time, and frankly, neither did he, Ryan, and Mark. They needed to start bringing in some cash like yesterday. Ethan had saved up a cushion to last only through the summer, and his income from the swim lessons he taught wasn't enough to sustain him. Mark had been helping out part-time at the auto body shop, and Ryan had gone back to his bartending roots to cover the slack, but they needed to get Off-the-Grid up and running as soon as possible before they all went broke.

Today's task was to start getting the word out about their event. Ethan didn't use social media much, but he had a lot of “friends” on Facebook, most of them local, so that seemed like a good place to start. He posted the graphic on his wall with a link to the registration page and asked people to share it.

He glanced at his watch. As soon as Gram and Gabby got home, he needed to take the car and run a few errands of his own. He'd been thinking about it since they got here: the fantasy date Gabby had told him about that night at the Skyline Grille. Even if he couldn't get her naked, he could give her that romantic candlelit dinner on the beach. And he was going to pull out all the stops. She deserved to have a man work for her attention for a change.

After he'd worked on a few more things for the Adrenaline Rush, the warm sun proved too big of a distraction so he set his iPad aside and leaned back in the chair, closing his eyes. The next thing he knew his phone was ringing. He reached for it blindly, smiling when he saw Gabby's name on his screen, and wow, he'd been asleep almost two hours.

“Hello, gorgeous,” he said.

“Ethan.” Gabby sounded breathless, and not in a good way. “We're at the ER. They think it's just her blood pressure, but—”

He bolted upright, his heart slamming painfully into his rib cage. “What happened?”

“She got really dizzy and was having another headache. I got her here as fast as I could.”

“Where are you?” He was already inside and walking toward the front door of the house when he realized they'd taken the car.
Fuck.

“Carteret General Hospital. We'd been shopping in Beaufort, and it was just down the road so I drove her straight here.”

“The aneurysm?” A hot, prickly sensation crawled across his skin. If she died before he could get there…

“They don't think it burst, but they took her back for an MRI. She's in there now.”

“I'm going to hang up and call a cab. Call me back when you know anything.”

It took almost an hour to get a cab out to the house and to drive to Carteret General Hospital, one of the longest fucking hours of his life. When he barged through the Emergency Room doors, Gabby was waiting for him, her face pale.

“She's okay,” she said.

“Where?” was all he could manage.

Gabby motioned him to follow, and they walked through a set of double doors, down a hall, and into a room divided by curtained partitions. Gram lay on a cot, chatting with a nurse.

The vise that had been squeezing his chest ever since Gabby's first call loosened at the sight of her. Gram was okay. She wasn't dying. Or at least, not right now.

She looked up at him and smiled. “I'm so sorry for all the fuss. Did you have to take a cab to get here?”

“What happened?” he looked from Gram to Gabby.

“Well, it's the silliest thing,” Gram said. “They've got me on medicine to keep my blood pressure down because of the aneurysm, you know? I guess I got a little dehydrated today in the sun, and it made my blood pressure
too
low.” She gestured to the IV taped to her arm.

“Too low?” He shook his head.

“She got really dizzy and almost passed out.” Gabby looked stricken.

“I'll be careful to drink more water tomorrow,” Dixie said.

“And limit your time in the sun,” the nurse added.

“Yeah, yeah.” Gram waved her hand. She didn't like being told what to do. Never had.

But he'd be damn sure she drank plenty of water from now on. Two hours later, they were back at Seaside Dreaming. Gram rested on the couch, watching a TV show about people redecorating their home, while Gabby worked in the kitchen, fixing them some kind of pasta dish for supper.

Not knowing what else to do, Ethan went out on the back deck, staring at the ocean, all those churning gray waves. He itched to jump back in for another swim, but there wasn't time before supper. Maybe later. Swimming had always helped him sort through all the shit in his head.

When Gabby called him in to eat, they sat together at the kitchen table, the mood notably subdued.

“Will y'all cut it out?” Gram said finally. “You're not at my funeral. Now who else saw that man in the banana hammock at the beach this morning?”

Ethan choked on the tortellini in his mouth. Gabby laughed until tears leaked from the corners of her eyes. Gram leaned over to whisper something in her ear, and the two women laughed even harder. Gabby looked at him and blushed.

He shook his head, a smile tugging at his lips. He wasn't even going to try to guess what his grandmother had just said.

They finished their meal, and Gram went to read in bed until she fell asleep. Ethan took over the job of cleaning up the kitchen. He was knee deep in dirty dishes when Gabby walked by, headed for the deck.

She had on a knee-length pink skirt and a white tank top, and his mind nose-dived straight into the gutter. There hadn't been time to shop for her dream date after what happened with Gram, but a new idea came into his head.

He might be able to salvage the evening after all.

G
abby walked along the beach, letting the surf slap her toes as she hunted for shells. Behind her, the sun settled on the horizon behind the row of beach houses, casting everything in a golden light. Her nerves were finally starting to settle for the first time since Dixie had collapsed that afternoon.

She'd gone down on her knees on the pavement, clutching her head, and Gabby's heart had stopped. Just stopped. The thought of losing Dixie…of Ethan not being there…

Gabby pressed a hand to her chest and swallowed hard.

The sun was fading fast now so she turned around and walked back toward their beach house. Her hand clenched around the collection of shells she'd gathered. Maybe she'd try to find something crafty to do with them when she got back home. Not that she was all that crafty, but she did try. Dixie might have an idea for her.

As she got closer to Seaside Dreaming, she saw that there was someone sitting on the beach towel she'd left spread out on the sand in front of their house. A man. And not just any man. The man who'd given her so many moments of pleasure, the man who'd put so much color back into her dreary life.

The man who felt like so much more than a pretend boyfriend.

Her heart thumped faster when he looked up at her, and a funny little tingle spread through her belly. She stopped a few feet away, just staring at him. He'd spread a second towel next to hers, and on it, he'd set a plate of fruit and cheese. A bottle of wine rested in a bowl of ice beside it. Several candles flickered from inside decorative green bowls nestled into the sand.

He looked up at her with candlelight dancing in his eyes. “I wanted to do this right, but with everything that happened this afternoon, I didn't get a chance to go shopping. So it's not quite a candlelit dinner on the beach, but I thought this might be a close second.”

He'd remembered her dream date.
And he'd tried to create it for her. Her heart flopped in her chest. “It might be even better.”

“I hope so.” He smiled as he poured two glasses of wine.

She sat beside him, tucking her skirt beneath her thighs. He handed her a glass, and she clinked it against his. “To your grandmother,” she said.

“To Gram.”

They drank. The wine was good, crisp, and sweet. It added to the warmth already flushing her skin just from sitting so close to Ethan. It was getting darker now, and while she could see a few other couples out strolling the beach, it was largely deserted.

The rhythmic slap of the waves against the sand felt like the pounding of her heart. Overhead, a gull screeched. She sucked in a deep breath of the moist, briny air.

“Lots of memories on this beach,” Ethan said quietly.

“You guys always stay in this same house, right?”

He nodded. “Every summer for seventeen years.”

And this summer would probably be the last. Gabby turned her head to look at him, saw the hard look in his eyes, the rigid set of his jaw. “That's a lot of summers.”

“Never brought a girl here before.” He winked, returning a playfulness to the mood the way he was so good at.

“And you wouldn't have brought me if we were dating for real.” She plucked a piece of cheese from the plate and bit into it. Delicious.

“No.” He stared at the waves, fading to a dark gray as the last sunlight left the sky. “We would have broken up by now. No offense.”

“None taken.” On the contrary, she appreciated his honesty. “So what, you date a girl for a few weeks, then dump her?”

He shrugged as he reached for a grape. “I try to keep it casual enough that it's a mutual thing. After a few weeks, the spark usually burns itself out.”

Would it be that way if she and Ethan had sex? “I've never done that. Casual sex.”

“I don't take you for a casual girl, Gabby.” Something about the way he said it sent a thrill down her spine. Right now, she really wanted to be the kind of girl who had hot, wild sex with Ethan for a few weeks before moving on with her life.

She'd come to Haven to stand on her own two feet, but being with Ethan didn't feel like leaning on him. If anything, he made her feel stronger and more capable of tackling the world all on her own.

He lifted a strawberry from the plate and brought it to her lips. She bit into it, groaning as the tart flavor hit her tongue. “Mm, delicious.”

“I think watching you eat it is even better.” Though it was nearly dark now, she could see the glint of arousal in his eyes.

She felt an answering tug low in her belly. A few weeks ago, she'd been too unsure of herself to let go with a man. Ethan had given her back her confidence, at least somewhat. She no longer felt broken…that the only way she could have an orgasm was by herself.

Having sex with him would either give her back all her confidence and then some or, if it failed to live up to the hype like so many other things in her life, it might just crush her. But maybe it was time to take a risk and find out.

Candlelight flickered around them, dancing over his features. He'd asked her once what was the most romantic thing a man had done for her.
This.
It was definitely this. This was more romantic than anything she'd envisioned.

“You're thinking dirty thoughts.” His voice had gone low and gruff.

“So are you.” And hers was breathless.

“Sweetheart, I've been thinking dirty thoughts since I met you.”

She grabbed another grape from the plate, desperate to maintain some sort of composure, but her throat had gone dry so she gulped the rest of her glass of wine, and
fuck it
. She leaned in and kissed him.

He let out a very masculine-sounding groan, his free hand coming to rest in her hair as he kissed her back. He tasted like wine and strawberries and everything sinful and delicious. His tongue thrust against hers, each stroke adding to the ache building inside her.

They kissed like that for a long time, until her body begged for more. A gust of wind ruffled her skirt and blew out most of the candles. As night fell heavy and dark around them, he lay back on the beach towel and tugged her on top of him. His hands roamed down her back to cup her butt. She nipped his lip, and his grip tightened.

“You are the sexiest fucking thing,” he whispered, his breath tickling her neck.

“Nope. Pretty sure that's you.” She sucked in a breath when his tongue brushed against the hollow of her throat. She slid forward so that she could feel his hard length between her legs, and then it was her turn to groan. She wanted this…more…everything.

His hand slid inside her panties, and she started to protest because it really wasn't fair that he kept doing this without letting her return the favor, but then he was stroking her, and she was already so close, and…
oh God
.

“Ethan,” she gasped, squeezing her eyes shut as the orgasm built inside her. Everything faded away but the pleasure growing inside her, rising like a tidal wave higher…and higher. Ethan paused, and she tried not to scream because any second she was going to explode with one of the best orgasms she'd ever had. He thrust his fingers against her again, hard.

The wave crested, and she screamed, bucking wildly against him as pleasure pulsed through her. Then she collapsed on his chest.
Whoa.

“Holy shit.” Ethan sounded strangled. “That was hot.”

He kissed her again, crushing her against him as aftershocks of pleasure pinged through her body.

“Ethan,” she whispered. She was ready. She trusted him. She
needed
him.

“Remember what you said would come next on your dream date?”

Oh, she remembered, but now he was pushing her outside her comfort zone again. “Skinny-dipping?”

“I'm game if you are.” As if to prove it, he sat up with her still in his lap and tugged his T-shirt over his head.

“This is a public beach!”

“And it's too dark to see a damn thing.” He leaned forward and blew out the last candle, plunging them into total darkness. “Which is a shame, because I still won't have seen you naked.”

“Ethan…”

“Come on.” He stood, tugging her to her feet. Then he let her go, and she heard his shorts hit the ground.

“Oh my God.”

He was naked. On the beach. Standing right in front of her. And she couldn't even see. He was right. It was too dark to see a thing.

“Last one in is a rotten egg.” His lips brushed hers, and then he was off, running toward the surf.

This was total insanity. She glanced back at their beach house. Across the dunes, she could see that the light in the kitchen was still on, but Dixie's room was dark. Not that she'd be able to see them even if she were still up.

Shaking her head at herself, she slid her skirt down her legs, then shucked the rest of her clothes and felt around to place them at the end of the beach towel. She'd obviously lost her mind because now she was standing buck naked on the beach. Anyone could walk by and see her. Or not see her. But anyone could walk by!

She half walked, half ran down the beach to the water's edge, and there she stopped. The water lapped against her feet, cooler now that darkness had fallen. Dark. Dangerous. Who knew what lurked out there?

When she'd imagined skinny-dipping on her fantasy date, she had definitely
not
imagined swimming in the ocean at night.

“Ethan?” she whispered.

“Right here.” His voice was close. Really close. His hands skimmed down her sides, sending a shiver of pleasure across her skin. “Nice,” he whispered. “Come on.”

He took her hand and tugged her forward.

“I can't believe I'm doing this.”

“I can. This was your idea, remember?” His hand was warm in hers.

The water was up to her knees now, cool and soothing on her overheated skin. “It sounded a lot more fun when it was hypothetical.”

“It's going to be just as much fun in real life.” With a splash, he dove into the surf, leaving her standing there.

It was dark, and terrifying, and thrilling all at the same time. Cautiously, she took another step, then she squeezed her eyes shut and flopped backward into the water. It closed around her, as dark as the night around them, but still gentle and refreshing and salty, just like it had been when the sun was high.

Ethan's hand touched her shoulder, and she squeaked at the contact, her heart thumping harder. If anything
but
Ethan touched her out here in this dark ocean, she might completely lose her shit.

She turned toward him, and her body bumped his. He was so warm, so solid. She slid her arms around him, exploring the hard-muscled planes of his back. She couldn't help herself. Her hands slid down to his ass. It was firm and tight. And as she gave it a squeeze, his cock brushed against her belly. He hissed out a breath.

The water came to their waists now, each wave rocking them into each other until Gabby was so turned on, she could barely see straight. Not that she could see anyway. She reached down and gripped him in her hand, stroking up and down his shaft.

Ethan groaned, thrusting into her hand. He was so big. So hard. So hot, even beneath the cool caress of the ocean.

And she wanted him. Right here. Right now.

Ethan fought for control as Gabby's fingers slid up and down his cock. It felt so good. Too good. Then as he was about to let her go and swim until he'd regained his composure, she lifted her feet, wrapping her legs around his waist.

His cock pressed against the heat between her legs, and
fuck
. He was so gone. He thrust against her once, twice. She whimpered.

“Ethan.” Her voice was soft, filled with want.

His cock strained against her. “Gabby.”

He had to find the strength to let her go. His arms tightened around her, holding her firmly against him. He wanted her so fucking bad. Wanted to hear her scream his name while he was buried inside her. Wanted to lose himself in her. Wanted to wake up beside her.

Wanted things he had no business wanting, from Gabby or any other woman.

Never, ever, had he been this close to losing control with a woman. Unless she asked him to, he absolutely could not find the strength to pull away.

“Now, Ethan,” she was saying.

“What?” He shook his head to clear it. Even if she was saying what he thought she was saying…they had a problem.

“Take me,” she whispered, rocking against him. “Right here.”

“Can't,” he answered, even as his dick begged for the chance. “Even if it wasn't a bad idea, I'm naked here. No condom.”

“It's okay. I'm on the pill.”

He went still. She was serious. “Not okay, Gabby. I always practice safe sex.” Always. He'd never, ever gone without a condom. To go without was riskier, and also more intimate.

“But you've been tested?” she asked hopefully.

“Yeah. I'm clean.”

“Me, too. I got tested after I ended things with Brad.”

He couldn't believe they were having this conversation. Skinny-dipping in the ocean under nothing but a sliver of moon, his dick nestled against her heat. One thrust, and he'd slide home. He shuddered with the effort to hold back.

“So it's safe,” she said. “Please?”

She lifted her hips so that she slid up and down his shaft, and like a rubber band that had been stretched to its breaking point, he snapped. He crushed her mouth against his, grinding her against him until she whimpered with need.

He positioned her against him, and she sank down onto him, hot and tight. His eyes rolled back in his head, and he had to lock his knees to keep from taking them under. She wiggled her hips, and he clutched her ass, holding her against him for a long moment. The darkness around them had heightened all his other senses. The chill of the water on the rest of his body contrasted with her heat, gripping him, driving him toward release.