“I’m excited, too,” I reply and turn in his arms, hugging him tightly. “And I’m ready for a long walk on the beach, Mr. Crawford.”

“Well, then lead the way, Miss Montgomery.”

I take his hand in mine and lead him out of the house and down the long staircase. We stop at the gazebo.

“This is great,” he says. “We’ll use the firepit later.”

“We even have the makings for s’mores,” I reply with a grin. “And all of these cushions are brand new. I’ll be out here a lot.”

I continue down to the sand and grin at the roar of the waves, the smell of salt in the air, and the cool breeze hitting my cheeks.

“It’s always cool on the Washington coast.”

“Mm,” I reply with a nod. “Hard to believe this is the same ocean as the one in southern California. Honestly, I prefer this.”

“Why?”

“Fewer people. The water is more passionate. Moody.” I shrug. “I think it’s beautiful.”

He kisses my hand, and we walk down to where the sand is wet and packed, making it easier to walk. After about five minutes, I take off my shoes and leave them in the sand, planning to retrieve them on the way back.

“Good idea,” Wyatt says, joining me.

“So, I have some really good news,” I begin. He looks down at me with raised eyebrows, curiosity all over his face.

“Tell me.”

Why am I suddenly so nervous?

“I’ve been thinking quite a bit since I’ve been home that maybe I’d like to stay here. Permanently.”

His hand tightens on mine, but he stays quiet, which is good because I need to get this out.

“I think it really hit home for me when my dad was in the hospital. Not only do I miss the good things in L.A., like babies being born, and engagement parties, and weddings, but I’m also far away when the bad things happen. What if he’d died and I wasn’t able to get here right away?”

He nods, listening intently.

“I love my family, Wyatt. They’re fun and they may be quirky, but they always have my back, no matter what.”

“You have a great family,” he agrees.

“And I have you,” I continue. “I am not trying to put any kind of pressure on our relationship at all, but the fact remains that I have you, and I don’t want to live a three-hour flight away from you. I want to be close to you.”

“I’m definitely on the same page there, sweetheart.”

I grin. “So, I spoke with Natalie and Luke, and they’ve agreed to rent the house to me until I find a more permanent place. I also needed to speak with my brand sponsors in L.A. to make sure that they’d help me make the commute work, and they’re on board.”

He stops walking and turns me to face him.

“Are you telling me that this is for sure? That you’re not just throwing it out there?”

There’s so much hope in his eyes, it almost buckles my knees in relief.

“I’m for sure relocating to Seattle,” I confirm, and am swept up in his arms. He spins us around twice and then begins kissing the hell out of me, just as the sky decides to open up and dump on us.

Wyatt doesn’t seem to give a shit.

He’s cupping my face, his thumbs brushing over my cheeks as he kisses me, nibbles my lips, tickles the corners of my mouth.

“Wyatt,” I murmur as the water sluices over our bodies. “Raining.”

He just picks me up and walks back toward the house with me in his arms. My legs are wrapped around his waist, my arms around his neck, and he’s supporting my ass effortlessly. The rain is warm.

I tip my forehead against his so I can catch my breath.

“I guess you’re okay with my plan.”

“So fucking okay with it,” he agrees and begins to climb the stairs.

“We’re barefoot.”

“I don’t care.”

When we reach the gazebo, he sets me on my feet and turns to start the fire. I immediately strip my shirt over my head and let it fall to the floor with a soggy thud. The rest of my clothes follow, and when he turns back to me, I’m sitting back on the cushions, completely naked.

“You didn’t like those clothes?”

“They’re wet.” I grin and spread my legs wide, knowing he can see the most intimate part of me, and let my fingers softly drag over my skin toward my center. I bite my lip, watching Wyatt’s eyes as they follow my hand, and when I begin to make circles over my clit, he swears a blue streak as he strips out of his clothes.

“You’re so fucking sexy,” he says and joins me, laying me back over the cushions and cupping my breasts in his hands, flicking my nipples with his thumbs. “Everything you do sets my body on fire.”

“Everything?”

“Every fucking thing,” he confirms before sucking one nipple firmly into his mouth, then letting it go with a pop. “I’m permanently hard for you, Amelia.”

“That’s fine with me,” I reply and reach down to try to cup his cock in my hand, but he’s too far away. “I can’t reach you.”

“I’m going to take you, right out here in the open,” he says, ignoring me. “It’s going to be hard and fast.”

“Hell, yes,” I reply, already soaked for him. He pins my hands over my head and thrusts inside me, making me gasp as my body stretches and accommodates him. “Fuck.”

“That’s right, baby.” He bites my neck, then licks the tender spot before traveling to my shoulder. “Jesus, I can’t get enough of you.”

“Good.” I strain against his hands, but he holds firm. “I want to touch you.”

“I didn’t ask you,” he replies and pins me in a hot, controlling gaze that only makes me wetter. “You’re mine, do you understand me?”

I blink rapidly, surprised by the sudden intensity in him, and nod, completely under his spell. “I’m yours.”

He pulls out and flips me over. I don’t even have time to feel self-conscious before he straddles my thighs, pushing my cheeks together. His thumbs dive into my folds, spreading my wetness, and my pussy to accommodate his cock.

“Holy shit,” I mutter when he pushes inside me. “God, that feels different.”

“Are you okay?” he asks, and I fall in love with him all over again. He may be taking me, but he’s careful to make sure I feel safe.

“So damn good,” I confirm. “Feels so good.”

The tip of his cock pushes slightly against the deepest part of me, and with my legs and ass pressed closed, I feel more full than I ever have in my life.

I think I just found my new favorite position.

He brushes his thumb over my asshole, and I come apart, pulsing against him and crying out as the intense orgasm rolls through me.

“Jesus, Amelia,” he groans as he comes inside me.

Before I can catch my breath, he pulls me off the cushions and into his arms. He flips a switch, turning the fire off, and carries me up the stairs.

“Where are we going now?”

“To the shower. I need to wash you and bury myself inside you again.”

“You took my news well.”

He smiles down at me. “I’m a very happy man.”

It turns out that Wyatt was right. I brought way too many clothes.

Since our walk on the beach two days ago, I’ve hardly had clothes on my body. We’ve been in bed, making love, eating, watching the water.