Chapter Nine
IT WAS AFTER eight by the time they left the festival. The sun had long ago kissed the horizon, leaving a chilly evening behind, but Lizzie was warm and happy sitting beside Blue on the drive home, tucked beneath his arm. She’d already decided to forgo trying to end their relationship—because in the space of a day that’s exactly what it had become. A relationship. She struggled with how to tell him about the Naked Baker, because she knew Blue trusted her, and the guilt of hiding that part of herself was eating away at her. Maybe it was selfish that she didn’t want to ruin this beautiful day by blurting out something that might totally turn him off, but as she snuggled closer and he kissed her temple, she knew she would never get enough of him. How could she? Blue was everything she’d always known he’d be, and so much more.
“I would really like to see the place you bought out on the bluff. You’ve talked about it, but I’ve never actually seen it.”
“I’d love to show it to you.” He squeezed her tighter against him. “How about if we make a fire and we can chill on the beach for a while?”
On the way to Bowers Bluff, Blue’s brother Jake called. Blue put the call on speakerphone. “Jake, good to hear from you and to know you’re alive.”
“Dude, do you expect anything less? It was a mess. Sorry for not being in touch.” Jake’s voice was as deep as Blue’s. “We got about two hours’ sleep each night before heading back out. Am I on a squawk box?”
“Yeah, sorry. I’m driving, and keep it clean. Lizzie’s with me.” Lizzie had met his younger brother last summer, when Jake had come to visit. He was tall and fit, like Blue, and a total flirt.
“Hi, Jake,” Lizzie said.
“Hey, Lizzie. How’s it going?”
“Great, thanks.”
“What’re you doing with B? Slummin’ because I’m not in town?” Jake asked with a laugh.
“I can still kick the tar out of you,” Blue teased.
“Yeah, yeah,” Jake scoffed. “We’ll see if that’s true when we get together at Jeremy’s wedding. Are you going, too, Lizzie?”
She said, “No,” at the same time Blue said, “Maybe.”
“Okay, then,” Jake said. “Listen, I was just calling to let you know I’m okay. I’ve got to give Duke a ring. He’s called me about fifty times. I’ll see you at the wedding. Have fun, and don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”
“Great. No restrictions, then. Love ya, bro,” Blue said casually.
“You too.”
Blue was smiling when he ended the call. Lizzie had seen Blue with Duke and Jake, and she knew how close they all were, but hearing Blue say he loved his brother struck her in the center of her chest.
“I like that you guys say you love each other,” Lizzie said.
“Family’s everything,” Blue said. “Don’t you tell your family you love them?”
“All the time. But I’ve never heard guys say it so freely.” She glanced out the window as Blue pulled down a dirt road. “This is really private.”
“Just the way I like it.”
He parked the truck in front of an adorable white cottage with a red roof, set at the edge of a sandy beach streaked with long dune grasses whipping in the wind. There were no trees or bushes to buffer the breeze as it swept off the water. To the right of the house stood a stately white lighthouse with a balcony around the top and a peaked black and glass cap.
“This is beautiful.”
“Thank you.” Blue lifted Lizzie from the truck.
Lizzie had never been the type of woman who felt like she needed taking care of, but being with Blue, having him lift her to and from the truck, watching his eyes dart around them, like he was always making sure she was safe, felt good and made her feel special. She’d put so much energy into hiding part of her life for so many years that she’d forgotten what it felt like not to feel so alone. And she hadn’t even realized she’d been lonely, but Blue touched a part of her that made her see how lonely she’d been. Every minute they spent together brought them closer, magnifying the reasons they were meant to be together.
“I can’t believe you bought a lighthouse. This is so different from your cabin.”
“I know. But as I said, it spoke to me. The inside still isn’t quite finished.” He unlocked the cottage door and moved aside for Lizzie to walk in.
She slipped off her sandals and stepped onto the shiny hardwood floors. The wide foyer opened to a dining room to the right and a great room straight ahead. A stone fireplace graced the center of the back wall, flanked by two glass doors that led to a deck. Lizzie walked through the living room, taking in the decorative moldings and dark cherry mantel over the fireplace. A stone surround led up to the cathedral ceiling. A railing overlooked the living room from the second floor. Knowing Blue’s capable hands had brought this place to life, she felt him all around her.
“This is gorgeous. Did you take out the second floor above this room, or was it like this?”
Blue came to her side, pride beaming in his eyes. “I removed the second floor here and kept two bedrooms on the other side.”
“This is a work of art,” Lizzie said as they passed through an archway into the kitchen, where she admired the custom-built cabinetry. Blue never flaunted his talents. He was as modest as he was generous, and those traits only added to his allure. “I love how you used the muted greens and earth tones. I can just imagine how beautiful it would be with the bay window open and the breeze coming off the water while you’re cooking.” She sighed. “Heaven.”
He wrapped his arms around her from behind and kissed her cheek. “I’m glad you like it. You’re the first to see it, you know.”
“I am?” She turned to face him. “I’m honored that you’d share it with me.”
“I want to share so much more with you, Lizzie.”
A thrill rushed through her at the thought of sharing her life with Blue, but that thrill was chased by a nagging voice reminding her of the parts of her life she couldn’t share. It had become the constant push-pull she’d worried it would, and now she had to figure out how to deal with it.
“When the house is done, we’ll throw open the windows and cook something wonderful. Come on, I’ll show you the upstairs and then the lighthouse.”
They followed the hardwood stairs up to the second-floor hall overlooking the living room, which led to two bedrooms, complete with full baths.
“I just finished the hardwood floors. I’m working on the closets and moldings next.”
“It amazes me how much you can do, and you have such great vision.” She thought about the incredible job he was doing in her kitchen, which brought her mind back to the basement kitchen and to her webcast. For a second she wondered if she really could share her secrets with Blue. If he might be able to overlook what she did. She walked to the window and gazed out over the water, deciding to leave that thought unanswered for a little longer. “This is just lovely. I can see why you were so drawn to it.”
“Wait until you see the lighthouse.”
A few minutes later they stood at the bottom of the circular iron staircase in the lighthouse. The steps had molded iron risers with intricate designs, the type that they could see straight through. Lizzie’s heart beat so fast she felt like she might hyperventilate.
“I’m not great with open staircases like this.” She hated how weak she sounded. She’d forgotten the panic that filled her at open staircases. There was no reason for it that she’d ever been able to put her finger on, but the fear was very real, clutching at her chest and squeezing her lungs.
“It’s okay. We don’t have to go up.” Blue reached for her hand, and she stood stock-still.
“I want to. I really want to.”
“Okay, then let’s do this.” He moved to the side with the railing and wrapped one arm firmly around her from behind. His other hand pressed to her belly. She felt secure, safe. “I’ve got you. Are you afraid of heights?”
“No. There’s just something about these types of stairs that freak me out. I haven’t been in many places like this. Otherwise I would have warned you.”
They made their way up the stairs slowly. Blue was patient, taking each step at her pace and not pushing her to ascend them any quicker than she was able. When they reached the doorway to the balcony, he stopped and held her close.
“You never need to warn me. There’s nothing I can’t handle. Are you sure you’ll be okay on the balcony? We’re really high up.”
Nothing you can’t handle? Again, she wondered if that were really true.
“Yeah, I’ll be fine. It’s just the open stairs that rattle me.”
He opened the door and a gust of cold air rushed over them. Lizzie pressed herself closer to Blue, stealing his warmth as they stepped outside and took in the breathtaking view of the water and the miles of unencumbered shoreline.
“Thank you. I’m sorry about that.”
“Lizzie, you never have to apologize for being scared. We all have fears.”
If only he knew her greatest one. Losing him because of what she did. She tamped down that thought and focused on the here and now—being with Blue in this incredible place.
“Thanks for understanding. It’s crazy that you own this. What will you do with the lighthouse?”
“I’m not sure yet. I thought about restoring it to its original condition.”
“Makes sense, I guess. But if it were mine, I’d do something really different. You’ve got this spectacular view. Why not make this into livable space? I’d put a floor between the top and bottom with another balcony and windows. Or maybe that’s not structurally possible, but how cool would it be if it was?”
He stood behind her with his arms wrapped around her waist. “I love your vision. You don’t see what everyone else sees. Like with your orange kitchen and your string gardens, you put your personal touch on everything.”
“Is that a nice way to say I have weird taste?”
The brisk air stung her cheeks and Blue’s warmth heated the rest of her.
“No, it’s me telling you that I am attracted to everything about you, Lizzie, and I’m totally falling for you.” He turned her in his arms and gazed into her eyes. “I’m picturing you here with me all the time. In the house. In the lighthouse. On the beach.”
Her heart was beating so fast she was afraid if she opened her mouth it would come racing out.
“Does that freak you out?” he asked.
She shook her head, envisioning the same things, despite the devil on her shoulder whispering, “Naked Baker.” Her hair whipped across her face in the wind. Blue gathered it in his hands and held it over her shoulder as he leaned down and kissed her, sealing her secret away.
THEY TOOK A walk along the beach, kept company by the sounds of waves rolling in. They were barefoot, and the sand was cool beneath their feet. When they returned to his property, Blue spread out a blanket on the beach and made a fire to keep them warm, then joined Lizzie, reclining on his side and propping himself up on his elbow.
“I can’t remember when I’ve had such a great day. I still don’t know how you fit almost two full pies in that tiny body of yours.”
She laughed as she stretched out beside him. “My mom used to tell me that one day I’d wake up weighing six hundred pounds, and I used to say that that would be okay. At least I’d enjoy getting there.”
He placed his hand on her hip. “You’d be just as gorgeous, no matter what size you were. Your beauty comes from within.”
She blushed and dropped her eyes. When she met his gaze again, her eyes were serious. “Blue, you’re such a great guy. You’re open and honest in a way that most guys aren’t, and you’re romantic and thoughtful. Why are you still single?”
“Why? Well, for the last year I’ve been trying to get a certain woman’s attention.” He knew she was asking for more, and although he hadn’t ever shared his past with anyone but family, he wanted to let Lizzie into his world. He didn’t want any secrets between them.
“Before that, I guess it was a combination of not meeting the right person, and the past.”
“The past?”
His gut knotted with the memory, but he wanted to be honest with her. “I dated a girl for a little more than a year, and I thought she was it, you know? We were young, and honestly, she probably did me a favor, but I caught her cheating on me, and…” He shrugged, hoping that would suffice.
“And it hurt,” she offered.
He nodded.
“That sucks. I never understand why people cheat instead of just breaking up. I’m sorry you went through that. Although I can’t imagine anyone ever cheating on you.”
He moved closer, bringing their bodies together, and draped an arm around her, holding her to him. Her feet snuck between his legs, and he knew she was seeking warmth. Reflections of the fire danced in her eyes, and when she smiled, he felt it in the center of his chest.
“What about you? You’re gorgeous, you have your own business, and you’re sweeter than that pie we had this afternoon. Why hasn’t some guy scooped you up by now?”
“I told you, my life is complicated. After college I opened my flower shop, and that was really time-consuming. And lately…I’m just so busy all the time.”
“So no horrible breakups? No stalker ex-boyfriends?” He hadn’t heard about Lizzie dating since he’d known her, and he’d wondered why.
“No, thank goodness. I’ve been focused on other things.”
“It seems like it’s paid off. P-town Petals is the place for flowers in Provincetown. Maybe now it’s time to focus on you for a while. To focus on us.”
“I’d like that,” she whispered.
Blue lowered Lizzie to her back as he pressed his lips to hers.
“Do you have any idea what torture it is to work in your house? To smell your perfume as you walk by? To know that everything I build is going to have your hands on it?”
She inhaled a ragged breath.
“I want to be those cabinets and feel your hands on me every day.” He pressed his lips to the corner of her mouth. “I want to be the countertop that you trail your fingers on every time you walk by.” He kissed the delicate line of her jaw. “I want to make love to you on every surface, so every time you reach for a glass, or prepare a meal, you think of me. Of us. Of how good we feel together.”
“Oh, yes,” she whispered.
His mouth covered hers hungrily, and she succumbed to the forceful domination of his lips, meeting every stroke of his tongue with her own. He’d been reining in his desire since their very first kiss, and now, as she clutched at his back, pressing her body against him, he didn’t want to hold back anymore. He slipped a hand beneath her shirt, needing to feel the weight of her against his palm.
“You feel so good,” he said before kissing her again.
His lips trailed over her jaw to the hollow of her neck. She arched back. His promise came rushing back and he stopped, breathing hard, needing her approval to take them further.
“Don’t stop,” she urged.
“I’m not sure I’ll be able to.” He searched her eyes. “Are you sure?”
“I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life.”
He pressed his lips to hers in another soul-searing kiss, need pulsing through his veins, hot and urgent. He wanted to go slowly, to pleasure her in every way, tease and taunt her until she was begging for him, but his body had a mind of its own. And it was on a mission, moving south, and lifting up her shirt.
“You feel so good,” he rasped against her neck. “This. Here. Now,” Blue panted out. “Every moment of my life has been leading up to this. To you.”
“Stay with me,” she whispered.
He’d never heard so much emotion in three words, and as he touched his forehead to hers and whispered, “Always,” he knew she’d fallen for him every bit as deeply as he’d fallen for her.