When Dreams Come to Life (17 page)

I stretch my neck, trying to push work out of mind so I can enjoy the next few days. Eoin surprises me by coming up behind me and rubbing my shoulders.

“Everything okay, Lea?” he asks. “You’re so tense. I can see it in your face, too. Talk to me.”

“I’m just relieved I was able to change their minds. I hated hearing how upset Jessie was, just because some asshole customers couldn’t give me a break. He’s an important part of my restaurant and I want him happy.” I smile at him and kiss him softly on the lips.

He pulls me into a deep kiss, making me let out a huge sigh of relief. Eoin sure knows how to make me forget about anything and everything around me with
those lips. As he pulls away from me, I can see the gleam in his eye.

“Get your bags. We’re going on a road trip.” Without another word, he turns and gets his things so I follow suit.

We get into his Audi SUV and he takes the wheel. Oh, he’s driving me somewhere! This must be the last surprise he had planned for me.

Smiling, I look over at him and notice he has a cute smirk on his face. He turns the music up and we drive down the interstate, just enjoying the view as it changes from bustling city to quiet open nature. We pass a sign that says
Indian Springs State Park
.

“What are we doing here, Eoin?” He shakes his head and I realize he’s not going tell me until we arrive. We drive for another forty minutes or so and he veers off onto a secluded road.

It doesn’t look like many people venture this way. The thought makes me giddy - I feel like a child waiting to open her birthday gifts. Hopefully, Eoin will be my present when we get there.

He parks the car and walks to my side to let me out. Putting his hands over my eyes, he guides me slowly, making sure I don’t trip over my own feet. With him leading me, I feel no clumsiness. I know he won’t let me fall. We stop suddenly.

“Are you ready, Lea?” he whispers in my ear and I squeeze his hands over my eyes.

“I’m always ready for you, Eoin.” I can almost
hear
his smile and he lifts his hands. I slowly open my eyes. Before me is a gorgeous lake, right at sunset. The fall colors of the trees reflecting on the water are breath taking!

I inhale a deep fresh breath of the clean air. I look over and see a tent up. Eoin has almost got a fire started and there’s also a blanket, a picnic basket and a chilled bottle of wine next to it. I walk towards him.

“Eoin, this is gorgeous! Thank you so much.” I lean down, grab his face, and kiss his forehead then his cheek and finally, his lips. He pulls me down to him and rolls us in the leaves over to the blanket, my hands pinned above my head and his sexy eyes staring into mine.

“We’re not done yet. I have more but it’ll have to wait. In the meantime…”

He runs his hand down my face, over my breast to my stomach then up my shirt back to my breast. My breathing hitches in my chest and increases to match the pace of his as he invades my mouth.

He lifts me to rip my shirt off, along with my bra. He swiftly takes his own shirt off, too, pushing me back down to kiss and touch every inch of my upper body. My head is spinning. He has me close to climax and we haven’t even started yet.

Suddenly, he stops and props himself up on one arm so he’s lying on his side. He grabs a yellow leaf and starts to run it gently over my body. He’s looking into my eyes with a sweet smile playing across his lips so I smile back.

I get a small tickle in certain spots and the erogenous zones he hits pull deep inside of me. He sets
the leaf on my chest and kisses his way down to the button on my jeans.

Biting the fabric, he pulls the button free and smiles a very sexy, primal grin, like he just conquered my jeans. I laugh at the thought.

He unzips my zipper with his teeth. Fuck, he’s so incredibly sexy and seductive - I love it! He stands after pulling my jeans off, looking me up and down as he takes his jeans off and lets loose his perfect erection.

“You said you’re always ready for me, Lea. Is that still true? Or do I need to tease you some more?” he asks, his hand traveling up my leg to my inner thigh. I let one leg fall to the side, welcoming his hand with pleasure.

“I’m pretty sure I’m ready all day, every day, when I’m with you.” He bites his lip and kisses me as he puts his fingers deep inside me. I let out a moan against his mouth and push myself further onto his fingers. I want more of his mouth so I grab his face but he pulls away. No fair!

Eoin smiles and shakes his head softly. He slowly brings his lips to mine. The way he kisses me is so sensual and sweet. He slowly gets on top of me, pushing into me carefully, almost like we’re making love for the first time. His eyes are fixed on mine, watching me, as he builds me to the deepest, amazing feelings I’ve ever felt.

Eoin keeps the slow and delicious pace. His brow furrows and his mouth pops open, quivering as he releases without a sound.

Whatever just happened has never been done to me in all my 30 years. My whole body feels like its rose red. I kiss Eoin’s cheek as he lies gently on top of me and he smiles against my face.

“Eoin-” He puts his fingers on my lips to hush me. All I can do is smile and comply.

I notice it’s now dark out and grab my shirt. I realize it’s not going to take the chill from my body so I get up, completely naked, and walk over to my bag.

“You should just stay like that. You look even more beautiful with the light of the moon and the glow of the fire on that body.” I set my bag down and grab two blankets, walking over to him.

“If it wasn’t so chilly, I’d stay naked,” I reply with a grin, “But it is, so blankets will have to do. That way, I’ve still got easy access.” I hand him a blanket and sit next to him. He laughs in my ear, nibbling it gently.

We both just sit there for a moment, taking in the beautiful night, the reflection of the moon on the calm water of the lake. I notice a telescope to the left of us. Oh, I love star gazing!

I turn to him and ask, “Do you know all the constellations?” Eoin nods and grabs my hand. We walk over and he points out the obvious ones like Orion’s Belt and Taurus. I show him Cassiopeia and Ursa Major, the great bear. He shows me a few planets like Antares and Venus.

“Here, look at this and tell me if you know which planet it is, Lea.” I look through the scope after he adjusts it. I look think to myself,
That’s just a star.

“That’s just a star, Eoin, not a planet. But nice try.” I nudge him and laugh.

“That’s what wanted you to see. It’s the star Conrad. I had it named for you and your dad through the International Star registry.”

As he’s telling me this, I hold back tears, happy tears, but tears all the same. He has the most beautiful smile on his face, like he’s pleased with my mouth-wide-open response.

He runs, literally
runs
, to the tent and pulls papers out, rushing back to hand them to me. It’s a booklet on astronomy with additional sky charts and a letter of congratulations, as well as a little card for my wallet. I laugh at that and hand it to Eoin.

“I want you to have this,” I say. “What you’ve done is by far the sweetest and most thoughtful gift I’ve ever received! I’m at a loss for words.”

“Then why are you crying?” Eoin asks as he reaches up to gently wipe away a tear.

“Oh, Eoin! The tears are happy ones.” He leans forward and plants a soft kiss on my forehead.

“This is the final gift that I promised to you, baby. No words can describe how happy I am that you’re pleased with it. Now your dad can be watching over you always. I mean, he always has been but now you can actually
see
him, Lea.” I see a tear pool in his eye as he says this so I pull him into a long, tight hug.

“Thank you so much, Eoin. You’re so wonderful to me. I’m never letting you go.” He squeezes me so hard, I almost can’t breathe.

“Lea, I did this for you because when you talk about your father… You just have such love in your eyes. You know he must be really proud of you, right? It’s a silly question, I know, but…”

“Yes, I do. He always told me how much he loved his food and how proud he was of not only me but all his kids. But this, this moment right here… This is going to be burned in my brain forever. It’s a perfect and touching moment we’ll both share for the rest of our lives. Thank you.”

I kiss him again and we head over to the blanket by the fire. Eoin opens the wine and we sit and start talking about what we want to do tomorrow (other than each other over and over again).

The love and chemistry between us is off the hook. I want to take him now and the carnal look in his eyes isn’t helping but it’s nice to just sit and enjoy
us.

We decide a walk around the lake is definitely on the agenda for tomorrow. Eoin mentions that he wants to take me to a scenic spot he knows. As we talk, he alternates between playing with my fingers and toying with my hair, as always, looking into my eyes.

His eyes… How does one describe the deep blue pool they are? You really have to see them in person to understand. They are the first thing about him that catches your attention and he definitely knows how to use them to seduce you without even trying.

He’s simply a stunning and sexy man. I could say it a million times and still be floored by his looks.

We finish our wine and lay back to look at the stars - I look over and see my father’s star. I’m flooded with a strange emotion as I look at it and an overwhelming urge to cuddle Eoin.

His body is hard yet soft at the same time and he’s warm from the fire. I feel myself drifting off into a cozy slumber.

Eleven

I WAKE TO Eoin making coffee and a camp breakfast: eggs and bacon on a cast iron skillet. He regards me with a sweet smile and says, “Good morning, love bug.”

That makes me smile so big, my cheeks hurt, even more so than when he said it to me at the convention. He’s got a pet name for me and I know it’ll stick around.

“Morning, my handsome man. That looks great! I’m famished.” I take the coffee he hands me and drop my blanket.

All he does is move the skillet from the fire and watch me get dressed, the look of want in his eyes.
              “Oh, I want you to be in me right now but I feel I need some fuel first.” I get dressed quickly so I don’t tempt him further. He keeps his eyes on my every move until I sit next to him and give him a chaste kiss.

“Food, Eoin.
Now
.” We both laugh and he serves up our breakfast.

I literally swallow without chewing, I’m so hungry. I never eat that way. I look over at Eoin and see he’s done the same. Good, that means we’re both getting a workout.

I stand up and walk over to the water. I feel the temperature with my fingers and good grief, it’s cold as hell! I was thinking maybe we could go for a dip but I’ll have to see if it warms up enough later. Eoin comes up behind me and puts his arms around me.

“Such a beautiful view, isn’t it?” His warm breath on my neck sends shivers down my spine.

“Yes, it is. I love being out here with you. I could do this, you know. Live like this every day, living off the land. It’d be a lot of fun, I think.” He hugs me harder and we head off on our walk around the lake.

With all the wildlife and nature around us, we’re both in our element - we both enjoy the peace and beauty of the outside and unmanned earth.

We’ve been walking for a couple hours when we decide to stop for a break and have lunch. Eoin pulls some delicious-looking sandwiches out of his pack, along with water. I sit down and he sits directly in front of me.

I used to have issues with eating in front of men but not him. He makes it sexy, in a very odd way - but it’s true. I decide to tell him this, embarrassed at myself, but he laughs.

“I like that not only can you cook but you show your love of food through the way you eat it, too,” he says, taking a healthy bite of his sandwich and giving me a
grrr
look.

I do the same and almost lose the bite from laughing. We both have our hands over our mouths to try and keep our food, eventually calming down enough to swallow.

I stand up, stretching my full belly and start to wander about. There are still so many flowers blooming this late but I forget I’m in a southern state. Colorado has very few open this time of year - most of the land is blanketed in snow. I pick a flower and place it in my ear.

“How very hippy of you, Lea. That flower can’t compare with your beauty.” I smile and he stands, walking towards me.

“I like my cute flower. Don’t poke fun, Mr. Skye.” I almost called him the cute pet name he got on the set of Memoirs of a Vampire but I decide against it.

He picks me up into his arms and twirls me around. I’ve got my forehead pinned to his and we’re giggling like kids.

He’s so amazing when he’s in this mood. I’ve been, and always will be, a kid at heart. He’s the same way and I think that’s one of the biggest connections we have. There’s always time to have fun like that in life; most people tend to forget that.