"You're an addiction," he continues softly, his breath fanning across my lips. "But I like it. You're the one addiction I don't want to ever give up. You're the one addiction I won't ever be able to give up."
He brushes his lips across mine twice, his touch feather light.
''What if you're my Juliet, Princess? Does that scare you?''
''Does it scare me that Lilac Bay's bad boy seducer could be in love with me?'' I raise my eyebrows. ''No.. I.. I don't think so.''
''But what if he knew that one day, he'd love you enough to take a bullet for you?''
''Then maybe,'' I whisper, running my fingers up his arm. ''Maybe the city girl would say that's okay, because maybe Lilac Bay's bad boy is her Romeo.''
''On one condition,'' he whispers back.
''What's that?''
''Juliet doesn't die before Romeo.''
''But I don't want Romeo to die first again.''
''Then they die together. One of... natural causes and the other of a broken heart.'' His lips curl to one side.
''Sounds like a master plan,'' I agree, smiling too.
''What if, hypothetically,'' Alec muses, ''Romeo said he was in love with Juliet. Not a could be. For definite.''
I stop breathing.
Thump. Thump. Thump.
My heart goes crazy in my chest.
''I think I might go so far as to say it's mutual,'' I say quietly and meet his eyes, swallowing back my fear and dropping the word play. ''But I've always thought words are seriously overrated, so you could always show me.''
He swallows. ''Show you?''
I nod at him seriously. ''Show me.''
''Show you... how?''
''You know how.'' My voice is quieter than even a whisper and he tightens his grip on me, pulling me closer to him.
"Are you sure?" Alec asks, looking at me intently.
"Positive," I reply. "I won't be here forever, Alec, and I know I've been waiting for you."
"I just don't want you to regret it, Princess."
''Like I could regret it with you.''
ALEC
I look at her for a moment. My eyes search her face for any sign of resistance, any sign she's still unsure about what she's asking for.
Nothing. She wants it.
She wants me.
I cup the back of her head and kiss her, all the pent-up need, want and tension of the last few weeks leaving me in that second.
ALEXIS
I sink back into the sand, taking him with me. He runs one hand down my side, slipping it beneath my top and caresses my bare skin. Tingles run down my spine and I kiss him ferociously.
I need him. I need all of him.
His lips leave mine as he kisses a tender path along my jaw, on my earlobe, down my neck. A small moan escapes my mouth as his tongue darts out and licks the tender spot below my ear.
Alec's hand moves down my leg and I bring it up. He gently caresses my foot, my ankle, my calf.. He strokes his way up my thigh to my hip where he rests his hand, his fingers toying with the waistband of my skirt.
I run my hands down his muscular back and grip the bottom of his shirt, slowly pulling it up. He lifts his head enough for me to pull it over his head and looks down at me. The moon is shining behind him, and with the shadows dancing across his face all I can see is the brightness of his eyes.
His hand moves to my shoulders and he pulls down one of my straps, pressing gentle kisses against my tanned skin, reaching down towards the swell of my chest.
"Alec," I half-breathe, half-moan.
"You're so beautiful," he says softly against my ear. He slides one side of my skirt down slowly, then the other, before finally taking it off.
I know he's teasing me. I'm going crazy with want, with need, with feelings.
No, he's not teasing me. He's making it special, making it something to remember, and although I've yet to say the words, I love him all the more for it.
His fingertips brush the patch of skin above my lacy pants and my breath catches. Holy..
"Sit up," he whispers. He helps me up and slowly removes my top before lying me back down again.
His eyes sweep my body, the look in them sending sparks of passion through me.
He takes my mouth in a kiss once more, more forcefully, and I can feel his length pressing against the inside of my thigh. I push myself against him, wanting more, needing more than he's giving me right now.
His tongue pushes through into my mouth and I tangle my fingers in his hair. My hips buck involuntarily and he groans. He reaches his hand down to remove his jeans and his knuckles stroke the part of me that's almost crying his name.
"Fuck, Lexy," he groans again and kicks off his jeans.
Alec puts his hand in my hair and brings it down across me, stroking my br**sts, my stomach, my thighs, and finally,
Oh finally!
His hand settles between my legs. I inch my legs open, inviting him. My breathing is shallow. I can feel the blood pumping through my body in a hard, fast beat, flowing and racing through my veins and converging in one area.
He moves the material to the side and runs a finger along the wetness. I moan incoherently and he kisses my neck.
"Like that?" he whispers between kisses, his finger stroking and probing.
I moan again in reply and push my hips towards him.
"Alec, please." I lick my lips and close my eyes for a second.
"It's not too late to change your mind.'' He continues his kissing, stroking, probing.
"Alec.'' His name is a whispered plea on my lips and I feel him shiver.
"I love it when you say my name that way." He hooks his fingers in my underwear and removes them in one fluid motion. He stands and pulls off his boxers, and holy shit.
He's like a god.
He smiles sexily, dimples showing, and my body goes into overdrive.
He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a small square of foil. I shake my head.
''No.''
''What?'' He looks at me, eyes heated and wide. Did the temperature just go up by a few degrees, or is it the look in his eyes?
''I'm on the pill,'' I say quietly.
He lies back on top of me and gently pushes my legs open, settling the tip of him against me.
''Why didn't you say so,'' he says against the skin of my shoulder. ''I wouldn't have wasted those thirty seconds.''
I laugh-moan and hold him tightly. ''Alec, please. Me and you, please.''
"For you, anything, Princess. Now, relax," he says, stroking my thigh. I nod and think of nothing but him.
He pushes into me slowly and pain spikes through me. I tense.
"Whenever you're ready," he whispers and kisses me again.
I relax almost instantly and he pushes in again. The pain is still there, but I ignore it, focusing on the feel of him inside me.
He continues moving in slowly, then pulls back. He eases himself back in and I run my hands over his back, up to his neck and back down as he increases his speed slightly.