Beth

True to his word, Parker was back at her door in two hours. He knocked and when she yelled, “Come in,” he only knocked again.

Beth wondered for a moment if maybe it wasn’t Parker. But when she answered the door he was standing there in navy Bermuda shorts and a white linen shirt with a giant bouquet of daisies in his arms.

“What’s this?” she asked.

“It’s a date,” he replied brightly.

“Parker, you didn’t have to do this.”

“Yes I did. I told you I wanted to take you on a real date.”

She blushed as he handed her the flowers and gave her a kiss on each cheek.

“Beth Bennett,” Parker said, his voice serious and official. “Will you be my girlfriend?”

She laughed. “Yes.”

“And will you accompany me on a date today?”

“I’d be honored,” she said slipping her arm through his.

Suddenly, Beth did feel like she was going on a real date. No one had ever picked her up with flowers before. She and Jared had to keep their dating a secret from her parents. And she and Parker had done a million date-like things, but only as friends. This was uncharted territory.

Parker slung Beth’s overnight bag over his shoulder and led her from the room, bouquet and all. She followed him to a golf cart he had waiting out front. There was a large wicker picnic basket in the back. Parker added her bag and flowers alongside it before helping her into the cart.

“Where are we going?” she asked.

He leaned in and kissed her sweetly. “You’ll see.”

They drove toward the beach and Parker steered the cart onto the conservation path. It was a long and winding boardwalk that wove through the inland side of the dunes that separated the golf course from the beach. The path ran through the protected area for wildlife the estate had designated when it was turned into a hotel. Beth and Parker used to spend hours hiking there as kids.

“Are we hiking?” she asked.

He grinned at her. “We’re doing a modified hike, golf cart style.”

Beth raised her eyebrows.

“I didn’t know how steady you were feeling.” Parker said. “And I don’t want you to get too worn out.”

“Parker, I feel fine.” Beth placed a soothing arm on Parker’s. “I promise.”

“Good,” he said. “But we’re still taking the golf cart.”

“Are we allowed?”

“I cleared it with the hotel.”

She laughed.

Parker queued up a playlist on his phone and Frank Sinatra’s sultry voice serenaded them as they slowly cruised through the beautiful greenery. It was perfect. Beth leaned into Parker and he wrapped his arm around her shoulder, pulling her close. She could’ve stayed like that forever, but their joyride eventually ended at a little sandlot in front of the beach cottage.

Beth could hear the waves crashing in the distance and the smell of salt in the air instantly brought her back to her and Parker’s first kiss. She looked over at him and could tell he was thinking the same thing from the wistful curve of his lips.

Beth was awestruck that this beautiful boy was all hers. She leaned in to kiss him but he dodged her, scooping her up in his arms instead. He twirled her around before planting a kiss on her lips that left her breathless. He set her down for the briefest moment to grab the picnic basket, then he swept her up in his arms again.

“Parker,” she shrieked. “I can walk.”

“I know. I’m just being romantic.”

“So carrying me everywhere is just part of our date?”

“Yep, get used to it.”

“Really? You’re going to carry me everywhere from now on?”

“I just might. You’re great strength training,” he teased curling her like she was a kettle ball.

She gave up fighting him and nuzzled her face into his neck instead. He smelled delicious—like fresh soap and boy. Parker carried her around the side of the beach cottage, which was a small white-washed bungalow shaped like an octagon. Every room had a stunning view. Beth had only been there once before, since it was almost always rented out by guests.

When they reached the back of the cottage, Parker finally set her down. “Ta-da,” he said drawing her attention to the fire pit where a perfect bonfire waited to be lit.

Beth clapped in delight. She instantly knew what was in the picnic basket Parker set down. “S’mores?” she guessed.

“I promised you hiking, bonfires and S’mores,” he replied.

“It’s perfect,” she exclaimed, launching herself back into his arms.

Beth kissed Parker madly as the ocean air blew her hair like a golden storm around them. He held her with such intensity that she wanted to cry. She was his and he was hers. Parker was everything she’d ever wanted and they’d finally found their way to each other.

Beth’s feelings overwhelmed her as tears slipped down her cheeks.

Parker pulled away in alarm. “Are you okay?”

“Perfect,” she murmured.

“You’re crying.”

“I know,” she said swiping at her cheeks. “I’m just so happy.”

“Me too,” he said, caressing her face with heartbreaking tenderness. “Me too.”

Parker

Parker lounged in the oversized Adirondack chair with Beth in his arms. He stared at the dancing flames of their bonfire. They’d both eaten their fill of S’mores and were now snuggled in a warm cable knit blanket as the sun set, painting the sky cotton candy pinks and blues.

Today had been perfection, and there was still more to come—if that’s what Beth wanted. Parker was happy to stay right where he was. But if Beth wanted more, he wanted to let her know he wanted it too. It was a fine line to walk. He didn’t want to push her, but he didn’t want her to think that every fiber of his being wasn’t craving her.

The flames were smoldering down to embers and it was starting to get cold.

“Do you want to go inside?” he asked.

“Yeah.”

Beth gathered the blanket in her arms and stood up. She walked a few steps and turned back to him with a smirk. “What? You’re done carrying me already?”

Parker laughed but made no move to pick her up. If they were going to do more than kiss, he wanted her to lead the way. He never wanted her to feel pressured.

Beth made her way to the cottage and Parker followed her inside. It was dark and she reached for the light switch.

“Wait,” he said, grabbing a remote instead.

Parker pressed a button and the room blazed to life with the dozens of LED candles he’d set up earlier. He clicked another button and Snow Patrol’s seductive melodies softly greeted them.

Beth gasped as she took in the room. Parker watched as her hand flew to her chest. Her eyes misted up as she drank in the scene he’d arranged for her. The round cottage studio was aglow with candlelight and scattered on every surface were hundreds of bouquets of daisies. The flowers had taken him the longest to arrange, but it had been worth every second to see the look of awe on Beth’s face.

“Do you like it?” he asked.

“I love it,” she whispered.

Beth walked further into the room, moving toward the king sized bed at its center. Her fingers trailed over the soft white flower petals. “Where did you get so many daisies?”

Parker laughed. “Let’s just say every florist in Savannah had a very lucrative day.”

Beth looked at him, curiously. “Why daisies?”

Parker rubbed the back of his neck shyly. “I didn’t know your favorite flower.”

Beth sauntered over to him and looped her arms around his neck. “Parker Reed, are you saying there are things you don’t know about me?”

“I guess so.”

“I think that’s a very wonderful thing,” she whispered against his lips. “That means there are still things for us to discover about each other.”

Parker kissed her for a long moment before pulling away. “What is your favorite flower?”

Beth looked as though she was pondering it for a moment. “I guess I don’t have one. Why’d you choose daisies?”

“I thought you might like them since they were the flowers on your lucky shoes.”

He watched Beth’s eyes blink in a mixture of adoration and astonishment. “Ya know, I may not have had a favorite flower, but I do now.”

“I was hoping you might say that,” Parker admitted kissing her again. “I sort of think of them as my lucky charm now.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. The last time you wore daisies on your shoes it was in my favor.” Parker kissed her slowly. “Do you remember?” he asked between kisses.

Beth nodded, whimpering as Parker trailed kisses down her throat.

“It was the night you told me you picked me,” he murmured.

“I remember.”

“I think it was the greatest night of my life.”

Beth smiled and for a second, the candlelight made her look more devilish than angelic. “I was sorta hoping tonight would be the greatest night of your life.”

Parker’s heart thumped so loudly in his chest he thought he would have to turn the music up to drown it out. Beth turned away from him and started to unzip her dress. Time slowed as it fluttered to the floor and Parker drank her in—flawless skin, pearl-white lingerie.

Beth shimmered in the candlelight. She took a step toward him tugging at his shirt. It was off in an instant and they were kissing like their lives depended on it. They moved to the bed. Parker followed Beth across the plush white sheets, hypnotized by her beauty and hungry for more. She lay back, pulling his hard planes against her soft curves. The moment was so painfully exquisite that Parker found it hard to breathe. He’d always known he loved Beth, but now he was falling, deeper and faster than he knew existed. Parker never knew he could feel so much all at once. But when Beth wrapped her arms around him, he knew he was irrevocably changed.

Parker’s chest rose and fell quickly as their bodies aligned. Beth’s breaths came in fast, shallow bursts. But through it all, Parker noted their heartbeats and how perfectly matched they were—both pounding with frantic pleasure. He felt like he was about to dive off a cliff. He was terrified and exhilarated, and he’d never felt more alive.

“Are you sure?” he whispered one last time.

Beth stared into his eyes. “I told you, Parker. I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life.”

“I love you, Beth.”

“I love you too, Parker.”