“Other than this hot body?”
Nerves made me tremble. “It’s in my purse.” I hopped up before he could stop me and ran lightly through the hall to where I’d dropped my purse in the foyer. I grabbed the box of socks and the limerick and went back to the bedroom.
My breath caught in my throat as I saw Beckett lying on his bed. He sat propped against the headboard, wearing only a pair of boxer briefs and a pair of yellow socks decorated with smiley emojis. Light streamed in from the wraparound windows that overlooked the Chelsea neighborhood. His hair gleamed russet, contrasting with the stark-white headboard. He reached for his phone and tapped the screen, and the shades were lowered over the view of Manhattan.
Beckett tossed his phone aside and then squinted at me, waiting for me to come closer so he could see what I’d brought. I went to his side, feasting on the sight of his rippling muscles and smooth skin. Beckett was sexier than any book boyfriend I could conjure.
He snagged my wrist and pulled me to the bed. “What did you bring me?”
I handed him the box. “It’s nothing fancy.”
Beckett’s laugh rumbled as he opened the box and saw the lavender-and-pink socks emblazoned with unicorns. He raised the socks closer to his face to read the thought bubble above the unicorn. “I’m a special unicorn,” he read, laughing.
“You get it?”
“I get it.” He reached for the folded paper in my hand, but I jerked it away.
“I’ll read it for you.” There were so many lines scribbled and crossed out, I was afraid he couldn’t make sense of it. I cleared my throat, and my cheeks burned with embarrassment. “There once was a girl from Wisconsin. Who didn’t think love was an option. Then she met a man, who knew his that from his who, and she fell for his wit, charm, and Johnson.”
Beckett choked on a laugh. “That has to be the worst limerick ever written.” He pulled me into his lap. “God, I missed you.” He rolled so that I was underneath him and nuzzled my neck. “Have I told you how much I love you?”
“Not in the last minute or so.”
Beckett arched off the bed, reaching for his nightstand. “I love you madly.” He fumbled with the drawer and came back with a condom.
“Always prepared,” I mumbled. Jealousy flared as I contemplated why he had a box of condoms right next to his bed.
Beckett, sensing my discomfort, pinned my wrists to the bed, shifting over me. His eyes seared through me. “These are for us.” He rattled the foil packet.
“Pretty confident, aren’t you?”
“I knew you’d find me. Just like you knew I would forgive you. Because I love you.”
Guilt pricked my chest. Beckett and I still had a lot of landmines buried between us. They could go off at any time. I had to be willing to risk getting hurt in order to have him.
Beckett was worth it.
“You know what?” I grabbed the condom from him and ripped it open.
“What?”
“I’m really glad I drank that cider.”
Beckett’s laugh filled me up, shining a light into all the dark places I’d kept hidden for so long.
Epilogue
One month later
I droppedthe cardboard box of advance releases onto the coffee table and stood back as the members of The Blue Ridge Book Club pounced.
Ever-practical Gabi used her Swiss Army knife to cut the tape. She’d barely put the knife away before Sloane tore open the box and greedily sifted through the contents.
“Here’s yours,” she said to Kennedy, who floated into the reading nook just in time to catch the 700-page tome with her chest.
“Oof.” Kennedy groaned, collapsing back on the sofa with the heavy book.
“That’s mine.” Mia shoved Sloane out of the way to grab her book.
