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Just under three hours into our drive, I spot a sign for the town of Seaside and Parker veers off the highway to the exit. I straighten my back, sitting up in my chair, and Parker notices the excitement in my face.
A few miles up the road, we pull into a quaint little town with Victorian buildings and red brick cobblestone streets. There is a charming B&B on the corner, painted in a shade of butter yellow, with a porch lined with rocking chairs. A small coffee shop and a restaurant called the Lobster Shop are anchored beside it. There are children riding scooters and couples strolling the streets hand-in-hand. I can’t wait to get out and explore with my man.
I steal another glance at Parker, trying to read his eyes for clues of exactly where he is taking me. He catches me staring at him and the corners of his lips turn up.
“Are you going to tell me where we’re going yet?”
Parker turns to me with a wry smile. “Nope! What kind of surprise would it be if I told you before we got there? Patience, my sexy girl. You are just going to have to wait and see. But first we need to make a quick pit stop for groceries.”
He flips on his turn signal and makes a right into a parking lot.
We go into the grocery store and purchase enough food and essentials to hold us over for the weekend. Whatever I eye or touch seems to make its way into our shopping cart thanks to Parker. He pulls me into his hard body every chance he gets, covering me in kisses in practically every aisle of the store. With each kiss and embrace, the stress that seems to have taken root in my body eases. I’m starting to feel more in the moment with him. I want to make the most of each and every second of this weekend together. He deserves that. We deserve that.
The sun is still shining brightly in the sky when Parker turns his Audi down a paved driveway. It leads down to a stunning home on the edge of the ocean. Parker tells me it’s his cousin’s cabin and it’s all ours for the weekend. The home is so large that calling it a cabin seems ridiculous. It has a pillared front porch entrance and is covered in wood shingles the color of driftwood, with a painted white trim. The manicured lawn in the front of the house gives way to sand dunes edging the back. I’m in awe.
“Parker, this is gorgeous. It’s really all ours for the weekend?”
“All ours, babe.” He flashes me a sexy smile and I swear my heart stops for a split second.
He parks the car and steps out, jogging around to my side. He helps me from my seat and slips his hand in mine as we walk to the front doors.
I feel his hand rest at the curve of my back guiding me through the front doors. Impossibly, the inside of the house is even more impressive than the outside. It has a warm, lived-in feel with an open floor concept and exposed beams in the vaulted ceilings. There are water views from almost every window at the back of the home. The living room boasts a large wood-burning fireplace and a pair of leather recliners. I envision the two us cuddled together in front of the fireplace with a glass of wine and my heart warms.
We move through the house to the gourmet kitchen at the back of the home, where French doors lead to an outdoor dining area. I can see a dock at the foot of the beach with a large boat house and wonder what floats inside of it.
“Do you think it will do, Liv?”
“I think I’d be crazy if it didn’t do. It’s just beautiful. I can see the ocean from every angle. Thank you for bringing me here, Parker.”
“I’m happy you like it. I sort of knew you would.” Parker winks. “There’s still one part of the tour left. Let me show you the master bedroom upstairs and then I’ll bring in our bags from the car. Follow me.” He takes my hand, tugging me behind him.
Parker leads me up a set of wood stairs to a long hallway with four bedrooms. The master bedroom is on the left with a king size four poster bed covered in white linens and a mass of accent pillows. We move inside towards the French doors leading out to a balcony overlooking the ocean. My hand glides over the gauzy curtains and I take in the view. I feel Parker behind me. He wraps his arms around my waist and nestles his face into my neck. I exhale. He breathes me in and my skin tingles all over. I run my hand up the side of his face and rest it behind his ear. My fingers play with the short strands of hair at the base of his neck and I drink in his scent. That scent. I swear I’m going to figure out how to bottle it one of these days.
“There’s a boat in that house that I thought we could take out tomorrow.” He says, pointing toward the dock. “I was thinking we could pack a lunch and head out for a few hours. What do you think?”
“Yes!” I practically squeal and turn in his arms to face him. “I might never leave here. Can we stay forever?”
I grew up on my dad’s boat. We spent most of our summers exploring different bays and eclectic marinas, sleeping in the small cabin down below. We would kayak in the ocean and fish off the bow. We barbequed whatever we managed to catch in the evening and played board games, listening to the classics because those were my dad’s favorites. They are my fondest memories with him, before he was gone.
Parker is beaming as I clasp my hands around his neck. His hands join at the arch of my back.
“I could never say no to you, Livy. The answer will always be yes with you. If you like it here that much, we will buy a place.”
“We will? Parker, I don’t have that kind of money.” I clear my throat. “I didn’t mean for it to sound the way that it did.”
“I know that.” He tips his face down towards me and places his lips on my forehead. “But I do have the money and what’s mine is yours when we get married one day.”
“Married? Don’t you think you are moving a little fast?”
“Honestly, I don’t think we are moving fast enough. Livy, if I thought you would say yes, I would have already moved you into the beach house with me permanently. I hate the thought of going to bed without you and waking up alone in the morning. I want more of you. This is it for me. It’s only you. It’s always been you.”
I feel my knees go weak and I’m thankful I have Parker’s embrace to hold me up.
Did he really just say we’d be married one day?
He feels the same way about me as I do about him. He has to. He wouldn’t see marriage in our future if he didn’t love me. I want to tell him how I feel but I’m confused how he could be ready for a commitment so soon? This is Parker Bennett standing in front of me. Gorgeous, successful, sexy as sin with a history of serial dating. My head is still spinning when he pulls me from my thoughts.
“Livy, what’s wrong? Where did you just go?” His eyes narrow as he looks at me.
