Miller glances at me. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t know, otherwise I would’ve scheduled ahead.”
“You shouldn’t be the one apologizing. I suggested this date! I didn’t know either.”
Turning back to the worker, he asks, “There’ve been no cancellations? There isn't a waiting list?”
The man ponders Miller’s question and looks down at his schedule book in front of him. “Give me just a second.”
As the man scurries away, Miller turns to me. “We could always go to the hotel's gift shop, get some snacks, and pick a spot to hang out on the beach. Not quite the same, but if all else fails.”
“That sounds perfect.” I lean against him with my head on his chest. His arm circles around my waist. “Don’t worry, we could also just go back to my place and hang out. It doesn’t have to be fancy. I just want to spend time with you.”
“I’m not going anywhere,” he promises, kissing the top of my beanie-covered head.
The hotel worker comes back to his podium and looks around before dropping his voice. “I just got approval from my manager to open up one of the reserved cabanas. You have an hour before the party comes.”
“That’s all we need.” Miller pulls his wallet from his pocket and hands the man a credit card. “Thank you.”
“You’ll be in cabana number eight.” The worker pulls a box of graham crackers, two chocolate bars, and a bag of marshmallows from below his stand. “Roasting sticks are already in there, and a member of the waitstaff will be there to take your drink orders shortly. There is also a menu if you’d like anything else.”
“Great, thanks.” Gathering everything, Miller shifts the sweet treats into one arm so he can hold my hand with the other. I offer to take something, but he tells me he’s got it.
My heart swells from how kind this man is.No one’s ever treated me like such a princess.
As we walk along the beach, our steps are slow, heavy from the weight of our shoes against the sand. When we enter our cabana, it takes my breath away. Three of the four sides are enclosed so it’s semi-private, and Christmas lights line the edges of the inside, brightly lit with multicolor bulbs. The small gas fire pit is already lit with a small fire burning, and there’s plush seating arranged around it, overlooking the ocean. I bet the view is gorgeous during a clear summer day, and I make a mental note that we should come back for a staycation. Looking around, I locate the menu and the marshmallow skewers we were told would be here.
“This is so cute!” I tell Miller as I drop my purse on the couch, feeling giddy. He places the s'mores supplies down next to my purse, then turns to me with a serious expression on his face.
My heart drops, a flicker of ice instantly shooting through my veins. Taking both of my hands in his, he pulls us down to sit, then kisses my knuckles.
“Elizabeth, you know these last few days have been a dream. I’ve spent years up in my secluded little cabin, spending time with family, and working on my farm. Life’s been good—comfortable—and I never felt like anything was missing. But then you tripped into my world, and suddenly, everything changed. I never realized my life was the equivalent of white Christmas lights until you came in and rehung them in multicolor hues. Everything’s more vibrant and beautiful with you around, and I don’t want to go back to how things were.”
He looks down at our hands, still clasped together, and sighs deeply. “This is going to sound absolutely insane. Never for onesecond did I think I wouldeverbe the guy to say this, let alone have this happen to him…”
He hesitates, and I wait with bated breath, not wanting to interrupt him. My heart is hammering in my chest as I wait, nerves coursing through me.
“But I’m trying to say… What I’m trying to say…is… I fell in love with you, Elizabeth. I love you.”
My jaw slackens, completely stunned by his admission. All at once, my brain and my heart go to war with each other, one screamingit’s too soonwhile the other swells with happiness.
“You… You love me?”
“More than I ever thought possible,” he says in earnest. “And I know it’s fast—I’m not expecting you to feel the same. I just needed to tell you. It has been weighing heavily on my mind, and I needed to get it off my chest.”
“No.” Quickly, I let go of his hands and take his face between my palms, pressing my lips to his. “I love you too,” I breathe, and kiss him again.
“Yeah?”
“Yes.” The confirmation is barely audible before he slams his lips to mine again. Immediately, I wrap my arms around his neck and a small whimper leaves my chest.
As our kiss intensifies, his hands slide beneath the hem of my shirt, and he traces my spine as he pulls me closer. “I want you so bad. I can’t keep my hands off you. It’s like I have no self-restraint when you’re in my vicinity.”
The sound of laughter from a neighboring cabana rings into the crisp night sky, forcing me to pull away. Breathless and flustered, I turn to the box of graham crackers and give it a small shake. “Let’s have some s’mores, then I’ll let you take me home.”
I hand him one of the skewers and he nods, then drifts his hand down to the bulge in his pants and shamelessly adjusts himself. “You’re right—we need to keep it PG here. But how longdid the guy give us? An hour? After that, you’re mine, Elizabeth, and I don’t care if I have to have you in the back of the car. Iwillhave you.”
His filthy promise ricochets into the deepest parts of my core, and I swallow thickly. “Sounds fair.”
Picking up a marshmallow, Miller smirks as he stabs it onto the stick. “I have a very important question to ask you.”
