He slides out and lays his body partially on mine, his head on my chest. I run my fingers through his hair, and we lay like this…for
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a bit.
***
LAST NIGHT WAS…WELL, MIND-BLOWING. I kinda knew from us working together and how we moved back and forth behind the bar that we had chemistry. But after last night, I am certain of it.
He stretches awake next to me, and I run my fingertips up and down his torso.
“Good morning, beautiful,” he says and kisses the top of my head.
“Did you sleep okay?” I ask him
“I don’t think I have slept that good in years.”
I sit up next to him, and he props himself onto his elbows.
“Are you ready for your next adventure?” I ask him
“If it’s with you, I will always be ready.”
He grabs me, pulls me onto him, and I squeal.
“I seriously fucking love you.” he says
“I seriously fucking love you too.”
***
GRAYSON
“This is the life.” Riley says to me as she comes back to her lounge chair. “Here.” She hands me a beer. I open it and take a drink.
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“I agree.”
We took three days to drive from southern Florida to an island off of North Carolina. We camped for a day, then we decided to rent a little bungalow for the week. It’s beachfront, and Riley has lived in a bikini since we got here.
We had three days of discussing where we wanted to go, what we wanted to do and how we see our lives going after we leave North Carolina. Riley told me that the thought of having a home scared her a little, but that she was ready to start that new phase of her life.
We called my mom on the way here and told her everything. She was ecstatic about it. Told Riley how much she loved her and couldn’t wait for her to be a part of the family. Riley cried and shut down for about an hour after that phone call. I gave her the space she needed and reassured her that my parents will love her, no matter what.
We are spending a week here, and after that, we are taking another week to drive home. Our home.
I dig my feet into the sand and look out over the horizon. Kenny Chesney really said it best. LifeIS, good today.