Nate

Nate glanced at Camille, barely able to contain his excitement. “No peeking,” he ordered.

“Nate! You are ridiculous. Are you going to keep me blindfolded the whole time?”

“Just a little bit longer.”

Nate eased his dad’s pickup truck off the road. He’d stolen Cami away from prom early to make sure she didn’t wear herself out on the dance floor. His dad had dropped off the truck with the prom valet service and packed the things Nate asked for in the back.

Nate was sure the smell of salt air would alert Camille to his plans, even though he’d blindfolded her after they’d crossed Lake Pontchartrain. He didn’t want her to get any ideas where they were headed.

“I promise it’ll be worth it,” Nate said.

Camille made what she probably thought was a growl, but it pretty much sounded like an angry kitten—basically, it was adorable.

“Come on, is it that bad?” he asked. “They say taking away a sense heightens all the others.”

“So.”

“So enjoy your heightened senses.”

“Are you trying to tell me that my surprise is your voice sounding extra sexy?”

Nate grinned. “You think I have a sexy voice?” he asked, in a low growl.

“Nate!”

“Okay, I couldn’t resist,” he said not even trying to hide his amusement. “I’ll give you a hint.”

Nate rolled down the window as they left the road, creeping along the abandoned stretch of sand he’d scoped out a few days ago. The salt air must’ve surprised Camille, because she inhaled sharply as the wind ruffled the short fringe of her baby-fine hair. The moonlight washed everything silver and Nate had the strange feeling that he was staring at an angel again as he drank in Camille’s ethereal glow.

He shivered at the goose bumps that assaulted his skin. The sound of the ocean was unmistakable to him, and he had the sensation of being home as he listened to the push and pull of the sea. He missed that sound—the breathing of the ocean. It had been the soundtrack of his life in California, and he couldn’t wait to share it with Camille.

He reached over to take her hand and she jumped. Her skin was cool and stippled with goose bumps. She was trembling. “You okay?” he asked.

She turned toward him, her blindfold still secured. “Are we at the beach?” she whispered her voice as fragile as glass.

“Take your blindfold off.”

With shaking hands she removed the blindfold. He saw tears instantly fill her eyes as she gasped at the scenery. Nate had parked the truck on the moonlit beach facing the ocean. Camille gazed around in wonder, her large eyes reflecting the shimmer of the water like a mirror. The look of pure awe on her face slammed into Nate’s heart. He wanted to remember it forever.

Cami

“Nate . . .” Camille exhaled his name like it held magic. She couldn’t tear her eyes from the water, but she reached for his hand, squeezing it with trembling strength.

He slid across the bench seat so he could be closer to her. “Do you like it?”

“It’s more beautiful than I ever could’ve imagined.” She sucked in a breath. “I can’t believe I waited so long to come to the beach.”

“Me either,” he said kissing the top of her head. “Come on.”

“Where are we going?”

“We’re not here to just look at it. The beach is meant to be experienced.”

Camille let Nate unlace her boots and lift her out of the truck, his steady hands firm at her waist. The coolness of the sand on her feet surprised her and she let out a tiny yelp.

It made Nate grin wide enough to rival the moon for brightest light source on the beach. “God this was so worth it to see your face. You’d think I brought you to the moon.”

“It sorta feels like you did,” she admitted. “Where are we anyway?”

“Biloxi.”

“I had no idea there was something this beautiful an hour and a half away.”

“This is nothing,” Nate teased. “I wanted to take you to Florida or to an island, where all you can see for miles is white sand and crystal blue water. But I was trying to tick all your bucket list boxes, so I’m hoping Biloxi will do.”

“It’s perfect.”

Nate laughed. “I don’t think anyone’s ever said that about Biloxi before.”

“I’m serious, Nate. Tonight has been like a dream.”

“Good,” he whispered against her lips. “Because that’s all I want to do, Cami. I want to make your every dream come true.”

She looped her arms around his neck and kissed him. “You already have.”

It took everything in Camille’s power to let Nate stop kissing her, but he was inching them toward the water. “Wait. What about my dress?”

“What about it?”

“I don’t want to get it all sandy.”

Nate raised his eyebrows and gave her a crooked smile. “Take it off.”

“What?”

“Last one in the water’s a rotten egg.”

“Are you crazy?”

“Crazy ‘bout you,” he said nipping her lips with a kiss before pulling off his shirt.

“We’re gonna freeze to death!” she exclaimed.

But Nate was already kicking off his shoes and unbuttoning his pants. “Cami, trust me. I’ve got you covered.”

She blushed when Nate shimmied down to his boxers. “Are we really doing this?”

“Says the girl who made me swim in the Mississippi?”

“Oh, I so did not make you do that.”

“All I know is you’re about to be a rotten egg,” Nate taunted jogging backward toward the water.

“Not fair!” Camille cried. “I can’t get this off by myself.” It was a total lie, but she didn’t want to lose.

“Camille LaRue, are you asking me to take your dress off?”

“Why yes I am. I have no morals and low standards. You know this about me.”

Nate laughed coming back to her. His breath was warm on her neck as he slowly unzipped her dress, peppering kisses down her spine. “That’s precisely what I love about you, Miss LaRue.”

Camille couldn’t help but shiver. The warmth of Nate’s lips against her wind-chilled skin was like ice crackling in fire. Her whole body came alive under his touch, and suddenly, she didn’t want to beat him to the water. She didn’t want to be anywhere but in his arms.

Nate unfastened the last clasp on her dress. Only her hands held it up. She turned slowly to face him. The moonlight made him glow. He was all shadows and bone. And in that moment Nate looked more like a statue carved from marble than the boy she knew and loved. He was so staggeringly beautiful it took her breath away. She let go of her dress, feeling the rich fabric pool at her feet. She stepped out of the dress toward Nate, nearly naked.

Camille had never felt more exposed, but Nate made her feel secure. The last time she and Nate had been together like this had been such a frenzy. It was a rush of emotion and passion, over almost before she realized it’d started. But this time would be different. She could tell from the smoldering gaze with which Nate regarded her.

Tension pulled every muscle taught across his chest and abdomen. He was holding himself back. Camille shivered as she pulled off the last of her undergarments. She stood completely bare in front of Nate. The muscle in his jaw twitched as she took a step toward him. Then another. Then another. Until there was no space between them and finally Nate gave in, his arms circling around her, pulling her closer and closer, as if they could dissolve into each other.

Nate hoisted her up and Camille wrapped her legs around him. Her fingers twisted in his hair and across the muscles of his back as he kissed her, carrying her into the water. She gasped when it first reached her toes, clinging tighter to Nate, until the water was lapping at her waist. They moved deeper still, until the water took her weight and they floated together, kissing and bobbing with the gentle roll of the waves.

The water was warmer than the air and Camille relaxed into it, focusing only on Nate. His lips were soft and cool and tasted like salt. She clung to him as he traced feather-light kisses across her throat. She felt her pulse throbbing beneath her skin as Nate captured her mouth with his. She couldn’t get enough of him. She was broken and he was the only thing that could fix her.

“Is this okay?” Nate asked when their passion started to progress.

“Yes,” she panted between kisses.

“You’re sure?”

“Nate, I’ve been sure since the moment I met you. I’m just sorry it took me so long to figure it out.”

“Cami . . .”

“Nate, I don’t want to talk. I want this. I want us.”

It was all the coaxing he needed and Camille lost herself in him.

Nate kissed her as wave after wave of bliss crashed over. Her arms shook as she tried to contain the joy erupting inside her. It was like a million stars exploding under her skin at once, and she was sure even the heavens could see her glow.