Linc’s arms came up behind me. “I’d heard about this place from a couple of friends, so me and the guys decided to check it out. It’s not widely known, so mum’s the word.”
I pretended to zip my lips closed in response.
He held me in his arms for a few minutes. “Are you hungry?”
I looked up at him, noticing the small amount of stubble on his chin. I pressed up on my tiptoes so I could kiss the side of his jaw. “I could eat,” I responded after kissing him briefly.
“C’mon,” he said, leading me to the blanket. We sat down, and I watched as he opened the picnic basket. Inside, there were a couple of cans of pop. “Pepsi or Sprite?” he asked, showing me the bottles.
“I’ll take Pepsi,” I replied.
“It’s nothing fancy, just a couple of subs Alex threw together for us.”
“I like subs.”
“See, that’s one of the things I love about you; you’re so easy to please.”
Love about me?
Oh, my God! Did he just say that?
I looked at Lincoln with wide eyes, and he just smirked at me. The corner of those beautiful full lips lifted ever so slightly.
He handed me a paper plate with my sub on it then asked, “Do you want Italian dressing or mayo?” He held up a few packets, and it was like he knew I was still dumbfounded over what he just said.
“Um, Italian?”
“Is that a question Lols, or is that what you want?”
I felt like he was teasing me. “Give me the damn, Italian,” I said, lightly smacking his arm.
He chuckled and handed me the packet.
“What time is your dad expecting you home?”
“He thinks I’m at Ellie’s studying, so I need to be home by nine-thirty.”
“That gives us some time, then. The sun sets around seven, so we’ll have more than enough time.”
I looked for the sun in the sky, and I’d seen enough sunsets that I figured we still had about forty-five minutes until the sun sets.
“I hate that you have to lie to him. I’d like to meet him one day, so it does not seem like I’ve been sneaking around behind his back.”
“I know, me too. But he’s old-school, and he’s protective.”
“I don’t blame him. When we have a daughter, if she’s half as beautiful as you, and she will be, because our babies will be gorgeous, then I’d probably want to kill any guy that came near her.”
“Are you planning our future kids, Lincoln Paige?” I joked.
“Damn straight I am. I’m planning it all. Kids, a house, a future.”
His voice was light-hearted as he said this, but I could tell he was serious, and I couldn’t eat. Butterflies had taken flight in my stomach.
“Linc,” I said breathlessly. Where had my ability to talk around him gone?
He took the plate from my hand and set it beside me.
“God, the way you say my name.”
“How do I say it?” I whispered, feeling so much intensity.
“You say it like I’m it for you too.”
I blinked up at him. Could this beautiful guy feel the same way about me as I was rapidly feeling about him? I knew it was too soon. We’d only been dating for a short amount of time, but it was intense from nearly the first moment we met.
“I brought you up here because I wanted to tell you something, and I wanted to do it somewhere beautiful, in a way that will stick with you.”
My throat suddenly became dry, and I could swear I was getting warm all over.
“What did you want to tell me?” I croaked out.
He leaned closer to me and put his forehead against mine. There were a few seconds of him just staring into my eyes. I stared at his too and loved how dark they were, but with the sky turning slightly orange, I could see more browns in them than normal.
“I wanted to tell you that I’m falling completely in love with you.” His voice was so confident when he said those words to me. He was completely sure of himself and what he said, and I knew it before he said it, but that confidence he held was one of the reasons I’d already fallen in love with him too.
I closed my eyes, wanting to take in his words and savor them. When I opened them again, he was searching my face, trying to gauge how I felt. I was only fifteen, but it didn't stop me from knowing my heart down to my very soul. So I said my truth because he deserved to hear it without any pretenses, “I’ve already fallen.”
Then he was kissing me. It was soft and sweet and oh so gentle. There was no rush to the way his lips pressed against mine. He took his time, and it felt more about memorizing our love for one another than anything else. I felt every ounce of love he felt with the way his lips pressed against mine.
Once it started to get heated, Linc pulled away.
“Let’s eat before the sun is gone.”
Eating was the last thing I really wanted to do. I wanted more of him. I wanted him to touch me, and I felt an ache between my legs that I’d never felt before. I blew out a large puff of air, knowing he was right, we needed to cool it down.
He handed me my plate, and I cracked open my pop, trying to calm my nerves. After taking a sip, I looked at him again. The sun was much lower now, and hues of oranges, pinks, and purples covered the sky, but it was nothing compared to how beautiful he looked right then. He had the biggest smile on his face that I’d ever seen. It was almost like he was a different guy, lighter in some way.
“You’re in love with me?” he asked, biting his lip.
“Yep, I love you, Linc. And you love me.”
“Damn straight.”
We finished our food as we watched the rest of the sunset. It was a calm and peaceful evening after that. We didn’t talk much, just basked in how happily in love we were. That spot became a place for us, where we could just shut out the rest of the world, and it was just the two of us. And he was right, it was perfect, and I’d never forget it for as long as I lived.
“I HAVE TO STOP AT THE house real quick. I forgot towels,” Lincoln said from beside me.
“You mean Alex forgot the towels,” Ty grumbled from the back seat.
“It was an accident,” Alex defended.
“You had one job,” Trey bit out.
I noticed a small amount of tension coming off of Trey and tried to calm him down. “It’s not a big deal. I don’t mind us taking a detour.”
“Marlene’s home, so you’ll finally get to meet her,” Lincoln added.
I turned, looking wide-eyed at the boys. Alex chuckled. Ty lifted his chin then said, “She’ll love you,” and Trey nodded his head in agreement.
I nervously checked myself in the mirror and pulled my shorts down to cover more of my legs.
“Ty’s right. She’ll love you. Just be yourself.” Lincoln reached for my hand and twined our fingers. I couldn’t help feeling nervous. I’d heard so much about Marlene from all the boys. When I talked to her on the phone, she intimidated me, but they all loved her so much.
“Lols, does your dad know you're with us or are we on some covert mission again?” Alex asked. Lincoln squeezed my hand.
“He knows I’m going to the beach with some friends. That counts, right?”