Footprints In The Sand

by Michelle Horst

  “You’ll just be moving back into your room,” he says, as if that’s totally okay.

  “But it’s full of boxes,” I try to come up with an excuse.

  Seth takes a deep breath. “It’s not. I cleared it out last week already. Would you stop making excuses? You can get what you need for the night and then we can come get the rest tomorrow.”

  I’m all out of excuses. It’s not that I don’t want to be with him, it’s just that I’ve never lived with a man, and my dad doesn’t count!

  ~*~

  Chapter Forty-Two

  Seth~

  I can see the uncertainty in her eyes. I know I’m pushing her and I probably shouldn’t, but I’m scared that she’ll run the second she’s out of my sight. That’s what Lacey does, she runs.

  It’s not that she doesn’t want to stay and fight, it’s because she doesn’t want to feel caged in or cornered.

  I wait for her until she comes out with an overnight bag. “Do you have clothes for work in there?” I double check with her.

  “I’m still looking for a job,” she murmurs.

  I take the bag from her and throw it over my shoulder. I take her hand and pull her behind me, and I don’t let go until we’re safely in the apartment and I get to lock the door.

  I walk to Lacey’s room and place the bag on her bed. When I turn around, it’s to find her standing in the doorway. “Now, you’re more than welcome to sleep with me.” Her cheeks turn a beautiful shade of pink, and then she looks away, so I quickly add, “You know, sleep not sex.” Her face lights up like the fourth of July and that makes me wonder for the first time. “Have you been with someone before?”

  Her eyes widen. “Seth! You can’t just ask someone a question like that!” She turns to walk away but I rush forward and grab her hand.

  “You’re not just someone. I want to know if the girl I intend on making love to has done it before. It’s nothing to be embarrassed about. We’re adults having an adult conversation.”

  “You’re so forward!” she huffs. I don’t let go of her hand, and raise an eyebrow to show that I’m waiting for her answer. “Gosh, Seth! You’re impossible. No, I haven’t.”

  It’s my turn to be shocked. She’s still a virgin?

  “I’ve had stupid teenage sex! Once! I was young and naïve. But to answer your question, no, I haven’t made love to anyone.”

  I tug her closer to me. “I’ll have to do something about that.” She moves fast and crushes her mouth to mine. I’m just about to get lost in the kiss when she pulls away and moves around me. “Why did you stop?”

  I watch her open the window and she starts to climb through it. “That kiss was only to silence you. I’m going to the roof. You’re more than welcome to join me.”

  ~*~

  Chapter Forty-Three

  Lacey~

  I can’t believe we just had that talk! I climb up to the roof, very aware that Seth is behind me.

  It’s nice and warm. I flick on the lights, as it will be dark soon. I look up and I can already see the first stars flickering above.

  Seth’s arms wrap around me from behind. “I don’t mean to make you uncomfortable. I just don’t like to talk in circles. If there’s something I want to know, I ask. If there’s something you want to know, then just ask me. I want us to be honest with each other.”

  I turn in his arms. There is something I want to know. It keeps scratching in the back of my mind. “Do you feel guilty? About what happened?”

  He looks over my head for a moment and shrugs. “I do. I think I always will. I keep thinking I should’ve seen the signs. I should have made sure you went into the RV. I should’ve known my dad is a sick bastard.”

  I rest my hand on his cheek. “You’re not responsible for another person’s actions.”

  He nods and then his eyes land on mine and I know what he’s going to say before he says it. “What happened?”

  I shake my head, but I know I have to talk to someone. The sooner, the better … right?

  “I woke up in the dark. I was locked in some sort of cage,” I pull free and start to walk from tree to tree, looking at the lights. “There was another girl there with me. He came once a day to bring us food and then one day he took her.” I swallow hard on the memories. I can’t stop the tears from falling. “I remember wondering what was worse; me being left there to die in a cage or whatever he was doing to Willow.” I turn around and force a smile through my tears. “That’s it.”

  Seth shoves his hands in his pockets, like he always does if he’s nervous or going to be serious. “You were there for two weeks, Lacey. That is definitely not it.”

  I sit down on a bench and wrap my arms around my waist. “There was water dripping somewhere. It was all I could hear. It got so loud it was hurting my ears. And it was dark. I would pinch my eyes closed just to see those spots. I really thought I was going to die there.”

  Seth sits down next to me and he reaches for my hand. We link our fingers and I stare at his bigger hand compared to my small one.

  “At first I didn’t want to think of you, scared that I would think of him then. But then you wrote me that letter,” I look up to find his eyes on me, “you remember that letter you wrote to me in class?”

  He nods. “I was desperate to get through to you.”

  “And you did. When you asked me to see you, I did. All I ever saw was you. Somewhere along the line I realized that it was you keeping me sane. For so many months you were all I thought about. I was so happy just dreaming about you, so when he took me the only way I could deal was to escape and there was only one place I could escape to … you.”

  ~*~

  I feel better after our talk on the roof. We had dinner and then Seth went to shower.

  I take my flashlight out of my bag and place it next to the bed.

  “Does it really make you feel safe?” I didn’t hear Seth come out of the bathroom. When I look up it’s to see him leaning against the wall, only wearing a towel.

  Oh wow! I stare shamelessly and then he pushes away from the wall and comes toward me. The man of my dreams is wearing a towel! I wish I was those drops!

  A smile tugs at his lips and when he reaches me, he takes hold of my hand and presses it against his bare chest. He is warm and solid beneath my fingers.

  He catches my eyes and then he says, “Now you see me. That was the look I was waiting for. That’s the look you had that day I saw you on the beach and later that night.”

  “What look is that,” I whisper, too caught up in his presence.

  “It’s a look that says you see me and you like what you see.”

  “You have no filter, do you?” I laugh. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to be as forward as him.

  “What you see is what you get,” he says, spreading his arms wide.

  “Really?” I let my hand brush over his chest, taking in the feel of him.

  “What?” He brings his arms down and they go around me.

  “Do I get you? Because,” I suck in a desperate breath of air and then I just let the words out, “I wanted you so much. All I wanted was you and then he took me. And now that I’m standing in front of you I’ll go through it all again … as long as it means I get you at the end.”

  “Lacey.” My name sounds like a lost prayer on his lips. “You had me the second I laid eyes on you. You’re the sun my planet orbits. You are my light.”

  The moment becomes too much. I almost lost the only boy I dreamt about. I almost lost the man who holds my heart in his hands.

  He presses his lips to my forehead. It’s a whisper-soft kiss, and he continues with them down the side of my face. He doesn’t stop at my jaw, and continues to leave a burning trail down my neck. His hands drop to my hips and then I feel his fingers curl around the hem of my shirt.

  My heart leaps into a full sprint. He pulls back a little and when I see the heat in his eyes, my insides melt. He starts to pull my shirt up and I take a huge gulp of air. The look on his fac
e is smoldering, pure lust. No one has ever looked at me like that.

  “Let me see you,” he whispers and then he pulls the shirt over my head.

  There’s a nervous flutter in my stomach and then his hands drop to my pants. I look down in time to see him take hold of the zipper. He pulls it down and with every click, my heart thumps harder.

  My pants drops to the floor, and I have to fight the urge to cover myself as I stand in front of him, dressed only in my underwear.

  His eyes travel over the length of my body, and for the first time in four years I wish it was dark.

  “I’ve waited so long for this moment, but tell me if you want me to stop and I will.”

  His fingers start at my shoulder and trail down the length of my arm. I can’t form a coherent sentence so I settle for nodding.

  His other hand goes to my hip and he pulls me to him. I feel him press hard against me, and it awakens a strong desire for him in my abdomen that feels like a million tingles. His hand travels back up my arm until he reaches my bra strap. His eyes are on the skin he’s touching as he follows the strap to my back.

  I stare at him, still not quite believing that he is here with me. Seth Harper is here with me and he wants me!

  He unclasps my bra and the piece of material drops to the floor. I feel unbelievably shy so I press my chest against his, to hide myself. I feel his warm skin and hard muscles press back against my breasts, and the amazing feeling makes my lips part.

  Seth groans as if he’s in pain. “You’re so perfect. You’re everything I dreamed of.” His lips find mine and for a moment we get lost in a sweet kiss, but then it starts to grow urgent.

  I feel his fingers at the edge of my underwear and then they slip under the material. He pushes the underwear down, breaking the kiss. When I’m naked, he wraps an arm around my waist and lifts me to his body. He holds me tightly to him as he walks us to his room. When we reach the room, he lets me stand, but only for a moment. “On the bed,” he growls.

  I sit and scoot back onto bed, watching as he retrieves a condom from his wallet. He comes to the bed and gets on, crawling over me.

  This is already surpassing my wildest dreams and we haven’t even done anything!

  ~*~

  Chapter Forty-Four

  Seth~

  I can’t stop looking at her. She’s perfect in every way. I want her with every beat of my heart.

  As I crawl over her, I let my eyes feast over her body again. The towel’s in the way and I reach down between us, and with one yank it comes free. I toss it to the floor and when I look up her eyes are wide with wonder.

  I take her hand and place it against my chest. “Touch me, Lacey. Make love to me.” I quickly rip the little packet open and put on the condom. I don’t want to stop once I start, so I get that part over with.

  Her eyes lock on mine and I see the words in them before she says it. Her face is so expressive. “I love you, Seth.” That’s all I ever wanted. She’s all I ever wanted.

  I lower myself to her and when our bodies touch, it feels like I’m home. I cup her breast and then something snaps in me and I can’t take it any longer. I crush my lips to hers and kiss her with all the longing I’ve felt the past four years.

  Her hand trails down my side and then to my hip. I take hold of her thighs and open her legs so I can settle between them. “I promise to go slower next time, but right now I need you.”

  She surprises me by slipping her hand between us and taking hold of me. She presses me against her hot core and I look deep into her eyes as I start to press forward. I feel some resistance and I stop, waiting for her to adjust to me. I place my arms on either side of her head and kiss her, drinking in this moment of just being so close to her.

  Her arms go around me and her fingers dig into my lower back. She arches under me, pressing her breasts hard against my chest. It’s such a turn on that my hips rock forward and I slam fully into her.

  She gasps, tossing her head back. It’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen. I wait a heartbeat before I pull out and then my hips rock forward again. I start a slow assault on her, soaking in the feel of her, the sounds she makes and her smell.

  Her breathing starts to speed up and she opens her legs wider. “Oh … please, Seth,” she begs.

  She doesn’t have to ask me twice. I speed up my pace and as tingles start to spread down my spine, I take hold of her one leg and pull it over my hip. I hold it there and I slip my other arm behind her, pressing her body hard against mine. I want to feel every inch of her as she comes apart in my arms. Her arms cling to me as I start to slam harder into her, every thrust harder than the one before.

  She gasps for air and her cheeks flush pink. I feel her spasm, her eyes snap open and then her body tightens around me. Her lips part on the sweetest moan.

  It doesn’t take long for me to follow and as I empty myself in her, I know there will never be a moment that will come close to this one. This woman is mine and I’m never letting her go.

  ~*~

  Chapter Forty-Five

  Lacey~

  I am in heaven. I’ve never felt anything so good. It was the most amazing experience of my life.

  I curl into Seth, wanting to make the moment last a little longer. He must have the same idea because he doesn’t move. We stay linked together for a long while, and it’s just perfect.

  Seth moves behind me and pulls me against his chest. I’m just about to doze off when he whispers, “I love you so much. I’m not ever letting you go again.” I snuggle closer to him and fall asleep feeling safe for the first time in a long time.

  I wake up, not sure what woke me. At first I’m groggy and I blink a couple of times. It’s dark! The thought paralyzes me with fear for a few seconds. I forgot to put on the light before falling asleep!

  “Lacey?” I hear Seth next to me.

  I try to talk but it feels as if my jaw is wired shut. A strangled noise comes out instead and then I manage to growl, “Light!”

  I hear him move and then the light brightens the room. My eyes search wildly until they rest on Seth as he rushes back to the bed. When his arms go around me the relief feels like pins and needles spreading through me. I can almost taste it.

  I squeeze my body into the space between Seth and the bed, needing to feel him everywhere.

  “Are you cold? Should I get an extra blanket?” He asks softly.

  I shake my head tucking myself deeper under him. “No,” I whisper. “I want you to cover me like you did last night. I feel safe then.”

  He moves his leg between mine and leans over me, and just like the night before he slips his hand into my hair and presses my face into the crook of his neck. I breathe him in, my arms tightly wrapped around his waist.

  “Thank you,” I whisper.

  He places a kiss on top of my head. “I’ll always protect you, Sweetheart. You’re mine now and I’m going to take care of you. I promise.”

  With his promise warming the darkest parts of my soul, I drift off into a dreamless sleep.

  ~*~

  Chapter Forty-Six

  Seth~

  My chest fills with pride and inexpressible happiness. Lacey feels safe with me. That means as much to me as her loving me. It means she trusts me.

  I wake up, cocooned in warmth. A wide grin spreads over my face. Somehow we moved during the night and I ended up on my back with Lacey draped over me. Her hair tickles my nose and I try not to move but it becomes too much and I rub my nose.

  The movement wakes Lacey, exactly what I was trying to avoid. She stretches against me, her body pressing hard into mine, and then she lifts her head. “Morning,” she says, her voice thick with sleep. Her hair is everywhere and she has a red mark on her cheek that matches the red mark on my chest.

  “Morning,” I say and then I roll her over onto her back.

  She starts to laugh and then covers her mouth. “I need to brush my teeth and shower.”

  “Don’t be long or I’ll come an
d fetch you.” She slides out from under me leaving me with a hard problem. I watch her as she walks out the room and when I hear the bathroom door close, I get up. Screw this. I’m going to shower with her.

  I tap twice on the bathroom door before I go in. She looks at me with surprise, the toothbrush halfway to her mouth. Her eyes glide over me and her lips twitch when she sees my obvious arousal for her. “I took too long?”

  I nod and stop next to her. I reach past her for my toothbrush, and I put on some toothpaste. I keep my eyes on her as I start to brush my teeth. She’s frozen in place. With my free hand I take hold of her hand and guide the brush into her mouth.

  “Brush,” I mumble around the toothbrush in my mouth. She does as I say, and we both finish brushing out teeth. After I rinse my mouth, I open the faucets and check the water for the right temperature. When the water is just right, I take her hand and pull her under the spray with me.

  I take the soap and start to wash her arms and back. I take a step forward and her breast presses against my arm. I lean down and let my hand travel over her other breast, over her stomach and then my hand slips between her legs. “Open wider,” I say softly, my voice hoarse with want for this woman.

  She spreads her legs, making more room for my hand. I start to caress her softly, taking in the feel of her. I place my hand against the tiles, next to her head. I bend my head lower so I can feel her warm breaths on my lips. I push back against her with my body until she’s leaning against the tiles. She moans softly and I slip a finger into her. As her breaths speed up her hips start to rock into my hand. She turns her head a little and I watch as she licks drops of water from her lips.

  I stop and take the soap again. Watching her closely, I move my hand back between her legs and then take hold of myself. Her lips part and her eyes stay glued to my hand working up and down my hard length.

  “I want you in me,” she groans, her hips rocking hard against my hand. I turn off the faucets and I don’t care that we leave a wet trail to the room. I quickly grab a condom and notice that it’s my last one. I need to get more!