With full bellies and an armful of books, we walk into Jagger’s house. After lunch I forced Jagger to swing by the library, so I could check out the latest titles. Before I knew it, hours had passed, but he was a trooper. Never complaining once while I chatted with the librarian about some of her recommendations.

I place my purse and bookbag near the front door once we enter. We’re at his beach house this time, but he couldn’t be further away from his family. He could be on the Atlantic instead of the Pacific. God knows I would be if I had Monica Kale as my mother.

“Outside or inside?” Jagger asks, sorting through his mail, putting his keys on a table by the door.

“Outside,” I answer, having kept away from the ocean for most of my adult life. The past always haunted me whenever I’d go near.

“I’ll be right out. White or red?” He glances up, still sorting through his mail. Who in this day in age gets so many envelopes?

“Red, please.” I head out the screen door, right to a long rectangular pool. Lounge chairs have towels tucked in the bend as though guests will be coming down to take a late-night swim.

The moon is high tonight, casting a glowing white image on the dark water below. The waves are trickling in slowly, the water barely moving up the sand. Other than a few lights on decks, there isn’t much lighting on the desolate beach.

The sliding doors open behind me and the clink of glasses rings through the night air.

I circle around, my back to the ocean. “I can’t get over how beautiful your place is, Jagger.”

He nods. There’s no argument to be had. He lives in paradise. “It’s home.”

“How long have you lived here?”

He hands me the wine glass and then pours us both a drink until they’re half full. My eyes fix on his, waiting for him to answer.

“About five years. I used to live closer to the clubs and the city. I wanted to get away.”

I nod. That was the thing with Jagger—he liked his alone time as much as he liked his party time. “To be alone?”

“Yeah.” His head snaps up. “I mean, you know.”

I do, but it always made me wonder if Jagger could settle down. Not have a place of his own, or a weekend by himself to veg with movies and food. Back when I’d be daydreaming about what he might be doing with his life it wasn’t my problem. But now…

“Is that the reason you’ve yet to settle down with anyone?”

He glances away from the ocean, giving me a quizzical look. “Are we psychoanalyzing me tonight?”

I laugh, stepping closer to him. “No, I just wonder why you don’t have anyone. I mean you meet beautiful women every day. Successful women with careers of their own. Ones who would give you the space you need.”

“The space I need?” He turns from facing the ocean, skepticism written all over his face.

“You know how you like your alone time.”

“Do I?” The smirk on his lips confirms it’s a fact.

“I vaguely remember you disappearing for a night or even a weekend on occasion.”

He places his wine down on a table by the lounge chair, digs his hand in his pocket and pulls out a black remote. He presses a button and soft music sounds around us.

“Do you have speakers hidden in the bushes?”

He entwines our hands, leading me over to the open area by the pool, and I welcome the comfort of his arms.

I step into his space, his one hand in mine and the other on the small of my back. The lights in the pool change from white to red to pink, leaving a soft glow on the deck. I relax into him and let the music set the mood.

“Do you prefer to be alone?” he whispers, and I step back, staring up at him. I’m so short compared to him when I’m not in heels.

“I’m alone most of the time, so I tend to be the opposite of you.”

He shakes his head. “Why are you alone?”

“For my job. Not a lot of people would enjoy sitting around watching me type.”

He gives me an amused smile. The one that tells me he likes my quirky self.

“I meant why, after you hole yourself up in a room, isn’t there a guy at your place making you dinner?” He spins me fast and I’m so enamored with his dance skills, I forget the question he asked me for a moment.

He waits silently, the soft hum of the music floating from his lips to my ear.

“I never found the right guy, I guess.”

“Never?” he asks, his eyebrows raised. “You do know this is our fourth date?”

I widen my eyes. “It is?” I say with mock surprise.

He rolls his eyes. “Let’s dig deeper into the ‘never’ comment.”

He spins me again, dipping me to place a gentle kiss on my lips. His strong hands pull me back up and we start to dance slowly along the makeshift dance area around his concrete pool. No one can say Jagger isn’t romantic, though I can’t help but wonder how many women he’s done things like this for.

“Jagger, what’s happening here?” I ask softly.

The smile leaves his face for a second before the cocky grin reappears once more. “What do you want to happen?”

Of course, he throws it back in my lap. “If I had my way, we’d be dancing on our anniversary right now.”

The grin leaves his face, he steps into my body and both arms wrap around me.

Shit, I should have kept up the tough act. Not laid it all out for him to stomp all over.

“I wish the same,” he says softly in my ear, the sweetness of his voice flowing through my body like I just binged on birthday cake frosting. He takes a step back and the chill of the night air seeps into the small space between us. “I messed up and I know you have assumptions about the man I am, but you’re a game-changer, Quinn.”

Tears prick my eyes. How long have I yearned to hear him say something like this? Fourteen years, if I’m honest. Secretly wishing he’d seek me out, find me on social media. Show up one day and carry me off like that movie An Officer and a Gentleman. Except he’s not in the military and I don’t work in a factory, so really if he carried me off there wouldn’t be anyone to clap and wish us well as we rode off on his motorcycle. Oh, never mind, you get the gist.

“How can you be sure?” I wish my voice wasn’t quivering.

“You didn’t just pop back up and take that spot in my heart. You implanted yourself there a long time ago. I’ve made a crapload of bad decisions, beginning with letting you go, but this time if you won’t have me, nobody will.”

“So, you’ll be celibate, huh?” My eyebrow quirks up.

He chuckles. “Yes.”

“Hmm…that might be pushing that sappy declaration too far.”

His hands come to rest on either side of my face. “Then let me prove it to you.”

I take a deep breath and a leap of faith and nod. “Okay.”

And with no more words, he brings me in and holds me in his arms, silent promises that tomorrows will be coming our way. I lay my head on his shoulder and we sway to the music under the moonlight. How much more cliché can we get? But I don’t care. I love it.

The back of my heels hit the edge of the pool, my sandals unable to grip the concrete ledge. Jagger’s eyes widen, and he reaches for me, but I’m too far over the threshold. In one last attempt to save myself, I reach out, fisting his t-shirt, but it’s worthless. We both splash into the pool. Kicking off the bottom, I rise to the surface, thankful that the pool is heated.

“Shit, that ruins the moment.” He grabs me by the waist, leading us over to the corner. Positioning me in the corner of the pool, he cages me in, hands placed on my hips.

“Maybe I’m wrong,” he says, his voice lowering to that deep timbre that does things to my lady parts. “Maybe the mood is perfect.” His gaze dips to my cleavage, and then rests on my lips.

“I think it speaks volumes about us.”

Jagger squeezes my hips under his fingertips. “Please tell me I’ll be able to strip these clothes off you tonight.” The seductive tone of his voice sends shivers cascading down my back.

“Why else do you think I wore a sundress?” I joke.

His hands leave the edge of the pool, unbuttoning the front of my dress until my sheer bra is revealed. Sliding my sundress open, he exposes me to him. The wet fabric does nothing to hide my erect nipples. “Jesus, I want to prop you up on this ledge and lick you until you scream.”

My entire body drowns in heat as his strong hands grip my breasts and it’s marvelous. Everything I’ve wanted for so long. Him. All of him. He’s claiming me and handing me his heart. All of sudden, my heart races and not from the scent of his cologne, but because my mind is swimming in doubt that it’s all too good to be true.

God, why can’t I just enjoy this?

I dip down and slide under his arm, pushing off the wall, the coolness of still water clearing my mind for only a moment.

He follows, slowly peeling the dress from my skin.

“You!” I yell, pointing to him as my dress falls to the bottom of the pool.

Again, he’s too fast and cages me with his arms, his wet shorts now scratchy against my legs that have wrapped around his waist with a mind of their own.

“Why do you keep running?”

“I swam in this case.”

His head falls back. A small splash comes up around the back of his head. “Quinn?”

“I…I’m just…You.” I smile, shaking my head. “It’s just been a long time.”

Without a word he lifts me out of the water, carrying me out, laying me down on a lounge chair.

“We were so good, it’ll be like riding a bike.” He winks, grabbing the hem of his shirt, tearing it from his body, allowing the moonlight to illuminate his rippling muscles. He’s all lean muscle and Greek god perfection, I swear.

His t-shirt slaps on the concrete and he fumbles with the button of his shorts. I sit up, my hands, my fingers sliding down his defined abs, eager to see what he’s hiding.

“One day you’ll strip for me,” I say, looking up at him through my lashes.

He chuckles. “Deal, and then I’ll tie your ankles together.”

I fall back against the lounge chair, a rolled-up towel cushioning me while I picture the aftermath of my exit that night and roar in a fit of laughter. “I’m sorry.”

“Yeah, yeah, whatever. You loved it.”

I hold up my fingers in the air. “Little bit.”

His shorts drop to the ground and the soaking wet boxer briefs do nothing but make his bulge appear more prominent. He’s gorgeous and mouthwatering and I want him on top of me.

I hold my arms out and he takes the offering, slowly lowering his body on top of mine. His hard cock nestles right between my legs and I grind against him, back up on the diving board, ready to jump right in.