"Malibu. I rented a house for the weekend."
"You did?"
She nods. "I thought we could use some time to ourselves without Quinn hanging around."
The console between keeps us separated, but I still manage to pull her into a kiss. "This is perfect. Come on there's something we need to do."
"What's that?" she asks as she gets out of her car. I rush around to the other side and pick her up. She squeals, making me laugh.
Once we're at the door, I put her down so she can unlock it. Inside, the house is white and gray, with massive floor to ceiling windows that look out over the ocean. Tomorrow, the view's going to be spectacular once the sun rises.
Elle takes my hand and leads me down the hall to the bedroom. She steps in first and holds the door, while I take in the surroundings. There are rose petals on the bed, floor, and furniture with what I’m hoping are battery operated candles burning, giving off a romantic ambiance.
"Elle?" I reach for her and press my lips together. "Are you sure?"
"I have never been surer."
31
Elle
It took me a few days to find this house, but once I did, I didn’t hesitate to book it. The only problem is, I had to do it for a month, and with school starting its final quarter, there’s no way Ben and I can stay here for that amount of time. However, I wanted to do something special for him when he came back, more so, something special for us.
Keeping this secret from Ben has been hard. We promised to tell each other everything, and I like to think he’ll forgive me once he wakes up and sees the view from the bedroom. While we may not be able to stay all week, we can come back Thursday night and stay until Sunday. I’m excited that neither of us has classes on Friday.
Ben snuggles into my back, and this time when he kisses my bare shoulder, I don’t flinch or recoil. I relish in his touch, the softness of his hands and the tender way he’s spent the night making love to me. I know we were supposed to wait, but I couldn’t. Once I left New York, my heart hurt more than it ever had. There’s no question in my mind that I want to be with Ben, now and forever. Together, he and I are going to be super cheesy, corny and probably argue a lot because we’re both stubborn, but it’s going to be worth it.
“So beautiful,” he says as his lips ghost along the top of my shoulder, peppering me with his kisses.
“I know it is.” To think we’re going to give this up… it’s the right thing to do for Ben’s career. My job’s going to be mobile. I can do it from anywhere as long as there’s a band playing.
“I’m t
alking about you.” He stops, allowing me to turn over. My hand immediately goes to his chest so I can feel his heart beating.
“You haven’t even seen the view,” I tell him.
“I don’t need to, not when I have you to look at.”
I bury my face in his chest, feeling embarrassed. He laughs, the reverberations shaking the bed. “Get used to it, Elle. I’m going to compliment you all the time.” It’s not that I’ve never been complimented, it’s that when most guys did it, it’s because they wanted something I wasn’t willing to give. However, when Ben does it, it’s different. There’s so much sincerity behind his words, love in his eyes and tenderness in his touch, I know he means it every time he says something kind.
“What do you want to do today? We can go surfing,” I tell him.
“I have a better idea,” Ben says as he starts kissing me. His hand slides under my leg, lifting it over his hip. I can feel him at my entrance, poised and ready, all I have to do is push my hips into him. I do, not caring whether he’s using a condom or not. He’s my Ben, and he’ll never do anything to hurt me.
By lunchtime, my stomach is growling. We haven’t left the bed, other than to drink some water and use the restroom. Oh, and shower because Ben said we needed to take advantage of the dual showerheads.
“You’re right,” Ben says while standing in front of the window.
“About what?” I walk over to him with a sandwich. The view is stunning. It astounds me.
“This view. It’s hard to give it up.”
I place my hand on his shoulder and kiss him there. “I’m sure the east coast is pretty in its own way.”
He shakes his head. “I’ve been thinking, maybe Omni isn’t the right fit for me.”
“Why do you say that?” I ask.