The Big One (Second Chance Romantic Comedy)

by Katherine Hastings

  His fingers slid beneath my chin and lifted it to those lips I needed to kiss. When they brushed mine, I felt the last of the fear slip away with the dying light, and I shed the last of those reservations telling me to protect myself. Lying back in his arms, I wrapped mine around him, embracing him and the idea we could make this work.

  Desperation rippled through my body as he pulled me deeper into his embrace. A wave rocked the boat and he pulled me backward, yanking me down into the safety of his lap. I slid up onto it, and wasted no time seeking his mouth, our tongues twirling together while I straddled him. His fingers worked up my back and twisted into my hair. A soft tug pulled my head back, and I gasped when his lips pressed into my neck. The heat of his breath brushed my skin as his lips worked down toward my breasts.

  A powerful push sent me onto my back, and my eyes snapped open to see him hovering above me. Passion burned from his eyes when they locked with mine. He pulled off his shirt and my breath quickened at the sight of him. That impressive body I’d remembered had been sculpted into something so incredible I struggled to close my mouth. I reached up and traced my fingers along the lines carved into his stomach, working my way up until my palms slid across the bulging muscles of his expansive chest that puffed with deep breaths.

  My eyes moved back up his body to those lips, parted in anticipation. The look in his eyes pulled mine up, and I saw the need brewing behind them.

  “Liam,” I whispered, and he was on top of me, lips crushing down onto mine. My body sparked as his hands slid down to my waist, pulling my shirt with them when they moved back up. Our lips broke apart when he yanked it over my head, his eyes falling to the bikini top tied around my neck.

  I let his eyes rake over me while I panted below him. His fingers moved to the straps behind my neck, and I felt the ties loosen. Slowly, he pulled at the straps sliding them off my shoulders until my suit slipped free of my breasts. The warm ocean breeze grazed my bare nipples, and I shuddered from the sensation.

  Leaning down, he pressed a single kiss to my lips before lowering himself to my breasts. The breeze mixed with the heat from his breath coaxed out a moan, and I arched my back, begging to feel his tongue twirling around them again.

  When his mouth closed around my nipple, I gasped and let the pleasurable waves move through me. That talented tongue worked my peaks, his hands joining to deepen the sensation. I closed my eyes and let the sensations he induced continue rolling through my body, each one making its way to the heat growing between my legs.

  With the softest touch of his tongue, he traced it down my stomach, and I struggled to catch my breath. His fingers found the band of my skirt and he slid them underneath it, grabbing my suit. A slow tug moved them over my hips, and he worked them down my legs, his kisses peppering the exposed skin as he followed them down. A gentle hand lifted my feet as he slid them off. I lay naked beneath him in the dusk light, and the feeling of his eyes on my body set my skin on fire.

  When I thought I would explode from needing his touch, his rough hand returned to my leg and slid up the length of it. Coaxing me open, his lips returned to my thigh. Soft kisses and brushes of his warm tongue sent me writhing beneath him, desperate to feel him where I needed him most.

  His fingers brushed against my most sensitive spot and I gasped, pressing my head back into the cushion. A single finger slid up the length of me and settled onto the bundle of nerves screaming for his touch. Biting my lip, I whimpered when he worked it with the skills I remembered so well. I felt his warm breath ghosting over the wet skin and I arched my back, begging him to taste me again.

  When his tongue touched me, I cried out, collapsing back down while he gently traced the outline of my throbbing flesh. His finger moved down and slid inside me, and I pressed against him, his tongue working faster now while I struggled for breath. Quickening the pace with his finger, I writhed below him, my body tingling with pleasure long since forgotten. My hips moved with his rhythm and soon I felt everything tighten, the height of ecstasy reaching its peak before I cried with the release, my body shuddering as he held me in his mouth.

  He lifted his head, pride and desire brewing behind those azure eyes. I reached out, sliding my hand across his shoulders and pulling him up to me. Muscles in his arms bulged beneath his weight while he hovered above me, his eyes burning into mine.

  As satisfied as I was, I needed more. I needed all of him. Sliding my hand to his waist, I loosened the ties, and his breathing quickened when I pushed back his shorts, sliding them down until his cock sprang free. His eyes closed as I wrapped my hand around it, sliding down the length of him and then back up. The moans escaping him encouraged me on and I tightened my grip and watched his face twist with pleasure.

  He moaned one last time and then leaned down, crushing me with a kiss.

  “Protection. We promised,” he whispered, and I saw the sly smile crack on his lips.

  I giggled as he pulled it from his pocket and tore it open with his teeth. My heart hammered while he slid it down his impressive length. Memories of seeing him doing this for the first time flooded me with emotions. I felt the same powerful brew of excitement and fear just like I had that first time with him.

  He leaned down and his lips grazed mine. He lowered himself between my legs and I felt him brush against me.

  “Are you sure?” he whispered, his cock pressing against my entrance.

  I answered by grabbing him around the waist and pulling him inside of me. Our moans blended into one when I felt him plunge deep into me. His lips pressed into mine as he moved inside me, our heated breaths mingling into one. My fingers dug into his broad back while he pushed deeper than I knew was possible.

  Feeling him inside me again, our bodies connecting while we moved together, sent a burst of emotions exploding through me. I hadn’t known just how badly I’d needed him all these years. How empty I’d felt. Desperate hands dragged down his back as I clung to him, my breath quickening while he brought me back up to those heights where only he could take me. My body tightened, and I felt him stiffen, and together we moaned as those waves of pleasure rippled between us.

  “Oh my God,” I panted out from below him. He buried his face in my neck and I felt the last tremor move through him.

  Lifting his head, he met me with his satisfied gaze. “I missed you, Ellie. God, did I miss you.”

  I succumbed to the weight of his kiss and of all the realities that came with it. The last of my fears left on my exhaled breath, and I knew there was no denying myself a life with Liam. This was right. We were right. I didn’t need a checklist to tell me that finding him again was the best decision of my life. And having lost him once, I had no intention of doing it again.

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  Liam

  I pulled the blanket up around her shoulders when I felt her shiver. “Are you cold? Do you want to go in the cabin?”

  “No. You and I are sleeping out here under the stars.” She snuggled in deeper and I closed my arms tighter around her.

  We’d been lying here for an hour just watching the stars and bobbing on the soft waves. As much as our moment had exhilarated me and replenished my soul, it had left my stomach tied in knots. Fear of her leaving tore at me.

  “Are you okay? You’re quiet,” she said, looking up.

  “I’m just enjoying the moment.” I kissed her head, and she made that happy moan I loved. She fit perfectly in my arms and I let my chin rest on her head. Her body wrapped around mine and our legs tangled together.

  “Look, our tattoos.” I pointed to our legs twisted together. The sun and the moon lined up where her ankle hit my calf. We’d gotten them in those exact spots for just this reason. When she was wrapped in my arms, we wanted them to mirror each other. Using permanent markers, we’d snuggled up and put an ‘X’ on the spots that lined up as a guide for the tattoo artist. Now they were back together again. “I’m so glad you still have it.”

  “Of course, I still have it. I’m glad you have yours.
In fact, that was how I knew it was your profile.”

  “Really?” I peeked down at her.

  “Yep. Make fun of me for using a fake name? You were just as hard to find. You had no public pictures and the only thing I recognized was the sun on your calf.”

  “Now I’m even happier we got them. They brought us back together.”

  She rubbed her feet down my leg and nuzzled my chest.

  “Are my big hard man boobs comfortable?” I asked, trying to suppress my chuckle.

  “Liam!”

  “Don’t forget to tell Louie we used protection. He’ll be thrilled.”

  “Shut up, Liam.” I felt her shoulders shake with the giggle and my smile grew.

  “I’ll never get sick of teasing you. I hope you’re ready for a lifetime of torture.”

  “You’d better not stop. And it’s not like I don’t have a knack for giving you endless ammo.”

  “Remember you told me not to stop the next time I’m tormenting you. I’m holding you to that. Me and my big hard man boobs are, that is.”

  “Good God! What have I done?”

  Our laughter joined, and she rolled over onto her stomach, resting her chin on hands folded over my chest.

  “I’m glad I learned how to sail again.”

  “Oh, yeah? Why is that?”

  “Well, I have this plan in the event of a Zombie Apocalypse, but I was worried I wouldn’t remember how to sail.”

  I quirked a brow. “Zombie Apocalypse?”

  “Yes. You know how prepared for everything I like to be, and you never know.”

  Peeking down at her, I waited for her to tell me she was teasing, but there was no indication on her face. I knew I shouldn’t be surprised. Ellie, even though she was logical and knew the likelihood of such an event was unlikely, was always prepared for everything. Even the Zombie Apocalypse it would seem. “Only you.” I laughed.

  “So anyway, my plan is to get on a sailboat as quickly as possible. Since we don’t need gas, we can move around to different islands without worrying about running out. And, assuming zombies can’t swim—”

  “Of course. Why would we assume otherwise? Please, go on.”

  She ignored my teasing. “Well, under that assumption, we can sail around until we find a deserted island. Since no one will live there, there’ll be no zombies and we can just hunt and fish and wait it out. If we run out of food, we can just sail off to another island. And using the sailboat, we can sweep the shores and keep checking to see if it’s under control and we can go back.”

  “That’s actually pretty smart, Ellie.” I loved how her brain worked. She was always the planner, and she helped to balance my propensity to do things by the seat of my pants. It was part of what made us such great partners.

  “I’ve got my apocalypse team picked out—”

  “You have a team?” I chuckled.

  “Of course! I have a group of friends at the ready. A doctor, an engineer, a sharp shooter, and a melee guy.”

  “And what are you?”

  “The brains, obviously! I’m the organizer. Hey! I’ve been looking for a builder! Will you join my zombie team?”

  “I’d be honored to be the builder on your zombie team. I’ll also have you know I’m a pretty good shot and I can swing a bat with the best of ‘em. Plus, I can fish. I’m like a one-man apocalypse team. It’s just going to be tricky to join this team when I’m in Italy and you’re in Chicago, but don’t worry... I’ll find you.”

  Her playful demeanor shifted, and she went quiet for a few moments. “Liam?” she asked, her voice soft with worry.

  “What’s up, baby? You re-thinking having me on the team?”

  “What’s going to happen when I have to go back?”

  She’s said it... the thing I feared the most.

  “We’re going to figure it out.” I pressed my head back on my arms and stared up at the sky.

  “How? How are we going to make this work?”

  “Well, to start, I’ll come visit you for a week or so. I’ll see if my cousin can stay with my mom, and I have a great foreman who can run the business while I’m gone. But it will depend on how my mom is feeling. But I’m coming. I promise. And then we’ll have Skype, and I’ll fly you here as much as you want. Unless of course, you decide to stay?” I held my breath and waited for her answer.

  Silence settled over us and I listened to her breathing. My heart pounded so hard I was certain she could hear it.

  “Are you serious? You would want me to stay?”

  “More than anything,” I admitted and felt the relief now that I’d said it out loud.

  “It’s such a big decision. I’d have to leave my friends and family. And move to a new country. Will they even take me? Are immigration policies like the US? And Italian! I would need to learn Italian!” Her fear continued raising her voice with each word.

  “Shhhhh.” I pushed a piece of hair from her face. My Ellie. Always overanalyzing everything. “We will figure it out, okay? I’m not letting you go again, no matter what. Understand? It’s just you and me. Always, Ellie.”

  The words I wanted to say stuck on my tongue and I tried to force them out. It was just like that week we’d spent together. Every second we were together, all I’d wanted to say was, “I love you” yet it had taken until my last night before I could muster up the courage to say the words out loud. Being in love after a day was crazy, I’d told myself, yet ten years later and my feelings hadn’t changed at all. Here I was again, desperate to tell her yet terrified of the weight of those three little words.

  “We’ll figure it out,” she interrupted my internal struggle, and I sucked the words back in.

  She softened in my arms and I rolled over, pulling her in close. There were so many obstacles other than the ocean between us, but I would find a way through them all. I had to.

  We fell asleep under the stars and I awoke to the first rays of the sun coaxing open my eyes. I felt her stir in my arms and those soft green eyes blinked open.

  “Good morning, beautiful.”

  A sleepy smile stretched her lips. “I loved waking up to that in my messages every morning, but it’s so much better in person.”

  I wanted to say she should move here and get used to it, but I didn’t want to pressure her. Moving to a new country was a huge decision, one I could relate to. Knowing how much she liked to plan and prepare, I knew she would need time to sort it all out, so I bit my tongue.

  “Well, you are beautiful.” I leaned down and brushed a kiss across her lips.

  “I can’t believe we slept out under the stars. I think that was the best night’s sleep I’ve ever had.”

  “Even on these scratchy vintage cushions?” I patted the ugly, outdated make-shift bed.

  “Yep.” She stretched her arms and yawned. Her bare breasts slid free from the blanket and my eyes drank in their fill before she caught me.

  “Oops!” She grabbed the blanket and blushed, looking around to make sure no one saw.

  “It’s just us. By all means, don’t cover them on my account. I was enjoying the show.” She was just as bashful today as she was the morning after our first time together. “It looks like I’m not the only one who got bigger boobs since we last saw each other.”

  “Liam!” She laughed and wrapped the blanket tighter around her shoulders.

  “What? It’s true. They look good enough to taste, actually.”

  She squealed when I leapt on top of her, diving beneath the covers. Her playful protests sent us tumbling around the bow of my boat, and I bumped something with my shoulder. A soft splash broke the sound of her giggles, and I popped my head out from under the blanket just in time to see our pile of discarded clothes from last night slipping beneath the waves.

  “Oh shit,” I said, and she popped up to see what happened.

  “What? What is it?”

  Choking back laughter, I turned and sucked the air through my teeth. “Ummm... there’s been an incident.”

&n
bsp; “An incident? What kind of incident?” Wide eyes searched mine.

  “Our clothes just went overboard.”

  “What?” she shrieked and crawled to the edge. I peeked over with her and saw the clothes sinking out of sight. “Oh my God! I have no clothes!”

  “I’m more upset my only other condom was in those shorts, but I can understand why you’d be upset.”

  “This isn’t funny!” she shouted, but her words dissolved into laughter.

  “At least you look good naked. No complaints over here. And luckily my phone and wallet weren’t in there.”

  “I’m not taking this blanket off. Oh my God. We have to dock this boat still and take a cab back! All naked! Liam! What are we gonna do?”

  I lost the battle against my laughter, and it poured out of me so hard I gasped for air. Her irritated look only fueled the fire, and I laughed harder than I could remember in a long time.

  “I’m sorry,” I choked. “I’m sorry. It’s just so fucking funny.”

  “I’m keeping the blanket. You’re docking us naked.” She tried to scold me, but her smile cracked the stern look. Soon her laughter started again, and we leaned together, gasping for air while the tears poured down our cheeks.

  After I got ahold of myself, I marched naked across the boat and disappeared beneath the cabin.

  “Maybe grandpa left some clothes in here,” I called up to where she sat huddled in the blanket. Digging through cabinets and cubbies, I found a drawer that needed significant strength to open. It was so stuck, I wondered when it was last opened. Once I muscled my way in, I looked down and burst into laughter at the shirt and pants folded up inside. From the looks of it, it had been stuck shut for decades.

  “I found clothes!” I called up, struggling to keep it together while I pulled out the fabrics that gave away their seventies origin.

  “Thank God!” she called down, and I heard her footsteps above me until she appeared in the doorway clutching the blanket.

  “Do you want the pants or the shirt?” I held them up and watched her face fall. “We each get one.”

  “They match the cushions!” She managed to say before laughter consumed her.