Tingles swept my feet as I stood, the blood rushing back into them. “I miss you every day, and will always love you, Peyton.”
I unclasped my watch and used it to weigh her bucket list down on the top of her stone. Then I pressed a kiss to my fingers and traced the outline of her name with my fingers, aching for the sight of her smile, the sound of her laugh, anything but the cool stone that was left in her place. “I’m going to live for me now.”
The gravel on the path crunched as I walked toward Jagger. He opened his arms wordlessly, and I slipped into them, my head finding its place on his chest. His heart beat under my ear, strong and steady. Mine was finally a match for his, just like our lives.
We spent what was left of his leave down in Destin, Florida, finishing out the only break Jagger was going to get during the Apache course. It looked the same as it had a year ago, but I had irrevocably changed. Just not in the modesty department. I clutched my cover-up to my chest and breathed in the salty air.
“Let’s go, Little Bird!” Jagger stood in the water, the waves rocking to his knees as the sun started its descent. He bounced, expelling the nervous energy that had been slowly leaking out through the tapping of his fingers on the steering wheel for the whole drive. I’d never seen him so nervous to start a new session of classes.
Another wave crashed, soaking him above his waist before receding. Water dripped down his stomach to his swim trunks, and my mouth ran dry. I knew what every inch of that skin tasted like, and I could never get enough, but it was the heart underneath those incredible looks that had me hooked. I walked forward, to where my toes hit the cool water, and watched a wave bury my feet.
“Still not close enough.” He cocked his head to the side and grinned, but I held firm until that dimple made its appearance. It was my kryptonite.
I forgot about the depth of the water and what had happened the last time we were here and concentrated on the man standing in front of me. Then I unclenched my hands and let go, the ocean breeze sweeping my cover-up away. He held out his arms, and I walked straight to him, gasping as the water hit the tiny strip of skin exposed by my tankini. “Impatient today?” I couldn’t fake being stern when his smile still took up half his face.
“Always impatient to get my hands on you.” He grabbed my rear and lifted me against him. I wrapped my arms around his neck and my legs around his waist, reveling in the warmth of his skin over the cool water.
“People are going to stare,” I murmured, leaning my forehead to his.
“Ask me if I care.” He punctuated the last word with a kiss that consumed every protest I had. By the time he pulled away, I was beyond caring that we were making out on the beach. His biceps flexed as he lifted me even higher and ran a trail of kisses along the scar between my breasts, lowering me as he made his way to my mouth. “You taste like sunshine.”
I slid my tongue across his lips, and his grip tightened on me. “You’d better not move, or we’ll really give everyone a show,” he whispered.
“You’d better cool off, there are kids on that beach.”
He peeked over my shoulder. “There’s one other group here, and I’d hardly call those teenagers kids. Now, are you ready?”
“Ready for what?”
He flashed me a wicked smile while he turned my back to the ocean. Then he threw me into the waves. I sailed through the air with a squawk and plunged into the crystal water. My toes hit the sand, and I pushed off, clearing the distance to the surface. I took in a huge breath and located Jagger a few feet away.
Then I splashed him. “Seriously?”
He laughed, the sound stealing all of my ire away. “Better to just jump in, don’t you think?”
“That was a daring move, Mr. California.” I treaded water, rising and falling with the waves as they gently swelled the surface around us.
“You want to see daring?” he challenged. “Follow me.”
I swam after him as he crossed the small distance toward the pier. My heart beat in a steady rhythm as he cut us toward shore where he could stand, but I couldn’t. My body hummed with energy, elation at what I’d just done. “I love this!”
He lifted me against him, the water swirling around his shoulders. “I’m incredibly proud of you.” Fear flashed across his eyes, flattening his mouth, but he replaced it with a smile before I could ask what had crossed his mind. “I love you, Paisley.”
“I love you, too,” I said softly.
“I want to spend every day of my life telling you that.” He swallowed and took a breath.
“Me, too. Jagger. Are you okay?” I rested my hand over his bird tattoo. “Your heart is pounding.”
He walked us slowly toward the beach, until the water lapped at my waist, then turned so he was backdropped against the colors of the sunset. “Yeah, well, I’m nervous. Look, I know we’re young, but if there’s anything that the last year has taught me, it’s that life is short, and I’m not going to stand around waiting for what I want.” His eyes dropped to my scar, then up to my eyes. “I want you, in every way possible. I want to sleep next to you and wake up next to you. I want to fight with you, and make up, and give you everything you could possibly want, because I’m addicted to your smile, your laugh. I can’t think of anything better than building you a library so you can read to our kids, or having the same last name. I’m not exactly known for rational choices, but you are, so I’m going to trust you.”