Page 62 of The Lucky One

He slid down his underwear. I looked at him, astonished. He was so beautiful in this lighting. He didn’t have the most athletic body, but he was still fit and broad. I walked up to him and ran my fingers down his bare torso.

He grabbed me by the wrist. “It’s kind of unfair that I’m standing here totally naked while you’re still fully dressed, don’t you think?”

I scanned the surroundings. There was no house, no sign of any people.

I decided that whatever happened tonight was meant to be. With Jon by my side, I felt a sense of security. He would protect me and I would protect him. It was like a night in a movie where nothing could stop us from living like there was no tomorrow.

“Then help me,” I said.

Jon carefully lifted my knit sweater and shirt over my head and gently tucked my hair behind my ears. I turned around to let him undo my bra strap. His fingers grazed my skin so delicately that a pleasant shudder traveled over me, forming goosebumps. The bra slid down my arms and landed on the ground. Cold air surrounded me but I was burning on the inside. Turning back to face Jon, I met his gaze, my breasts exposed. A spark ignited in his eyes as he looked at me. “You’re so fucking beautiful.”

He leaned down to kiss my chest, then fiddled with the button of my jeans. My entire body was on fire, ready to be cooled by the lake. But he took his sweet time to glide down my pants. His fingers paused at the scars, touching them—and the fire was replaced with something else... memories of the time I had caused them.

I pulled him back up. “Hey, don’t do that,” I whispered, taking his face in my hands. “The past is the past, and we have the present to make it right. Remember?”

He nodded, but the mood had sobered. “I can’t get over what I put you through.”

“Jon, you didn’t put me through anything. You helped me in so many ways.”

He snorted and turned his face up at the moon. “You fucking kidding me, Little German? I messed up your fairy tale.”

“Oh, so you think tonight isn’t like a fairy tale?” I put my hands on my hips, not caring that I was entirely naked in front of him. “I stood on a freaking stage and invented a poem on the spot, something I would’ve never been brave enough to do without you. And now—” I broke away and ran toward the water. “I’m going skinny-dipping in the moonlight!”

I ran down the dock and jumped into the water, expecting a romantic moment, but—

A frigid chill rushed up from my toes to every nerve of my body. “Cold!” I squealed. The water was too deep to stand in; I had to swim to keep myself above the surface.

Jon chuckled. “You’re so cute.”

“Cute? Come in here and I’ll show you how cute I can be.” I splashed water in his direction and then let myself float on my back for a while.

Suddenly his arms enveloped me from behind, pulling me close. I turned, dog paddling. Our noses brushed, and I smiled, feeling his warmth emanate from his skin.

“I’m so lucky I found you,” Jon said. “You and me, in this town...” He sighed. The sparkle was in his eyes again. “It makes me wish it could be like this forever.”

“It could be,” I said. Staying here with him—going on Jon Denson specials, having dinner with his father... “Seriously, Jon.”

“What do you mean?” he asked.

This was the moment to tell him. We could have this forever if he wanted.

“We could get married so I could get a permanent visa,” I said in the lightest tone possible.

“Sure we could.” Jon laughed, and my smile faltered. He thought I was kidding.

“It wouldn’t be that crazy, would it?”

“I mean, we’re only seventeen. There must be another way, right? Not that I don’t want to marry you one day... but we’re young.”

I swallowed. “Right.” I couldn’t break the news to him. He wasn’t ready. I’d got my answer.

Jon smiled at me, but it wasn’t a cute smile; it was mischievous—

He sucked in a breath and pulled me under.

I beat my legs and surfaced. “Arschloch!” I pressed my palms on his shoulders to push him down. But in one swift motion, he lifted me onto his shoulder and twisted me around. I laughed so hard, I almost swallowed lake water as we both went under.

This time, coming up, we weren’t laughing anymore. We were kissing heavily, gasping for air in between. I could feel his hardness poking into my belly. He’d been so patient, waiting for my freaking never-happening appointment. I clasped my palm around his dick, slowly stroking it. The pounding between my legs was suddenly so intense, I just couldn’t wait anymore.