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“It all started with one look…”. That’s what it takes for the rich bad boy by reputation, Wade Cambell, to fall in love with the sweet and innocent Leigh Collins. A summer romance filled with passion and tenderness that soon ends despite the young couple’s efforts to stay together. Nine years later, Wade is in L.A., enjoying his career as a famous actor when a letter from a little girl, claiming to be his daughter turns everything upside down. Something in the letter seems to call to him and indeed, the little girl turns out to be the fruit of that young love that he was never able to forget. But, how can he fit his lifestyle into his daughter’s life? And what about Leigh? Could he make up for the lost time and be brave enough to reconcile himself with his past?
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BUILD
UNIVERSES
R.J. Raine
Full Circle
© 2024Europe Books| London
www.europebooks.co.uk | [email protected]
ISBN 9791220148863
First edition: April 2024
Full Circle
Nine years earlier…
It all started with one look. Leigh Collins was standing in line with her friends at the cinema, waiting to buy a movie ticket. It was the beginning of summer break and the latest Marvel movie had recently been released. Friday nights were always busy and it seemed almost the entire town had flocked there to see the movie. The queue was gradually getting shorter, and her feet were already beginning to ache in her new strappy shoes. How had she let her friends talk her into coming out tonight? And in high heels no less! She thought of her favorite Doc Martens, tucked away in her closet at home and she sighed wistfully. This was the last time she would let Anna decide on her dress code for the evening, birthday or no birthday.
As she stood with her friends, people-watching, she was suddenly overcome by a weird sensation. She could only liken it to a tingle along her spine or a featherlight caress. She could feel eyes on her. The fine hairs on the back of her neck prickled slightly and she instinctively cast a glance over her shoulder, scanning the crowd. And then, there he was. He was standing across the foyer near the popcorn vendor, leaning casually against the wall with his hands in his jean pockets. He was tall, and his dark hair was unruly and flopped down on his forehead. His smoldering blue eyes probed hers, just long enough for them to each appreciate the other and exchange a brief smile. Leigh instantly felt heat rush to her cheeks and radiate down her arms to her fingertips. Holy Hell! Move over Thor!
Her best friend Anna elbowed her in the ribs, causing her to jump and turn her concentration back to the slowly shifting queue.
“Seriously Leigh?” Anna rolled her eyes and shook her head, “Wade Campbell? He is such a spoilt, mama’s boy!”
Leigh gently rubbed her ribs where Anna had poked her. “I have no idea what you’re talking about,” she huffed and Anna lifted her hands to her hips, leveling her with a glare.
“I did not get you all dressed up so you could bone the first asshole to catch your eye, Missy.” She ran a hand over her perfect black hair, cut into a shoulder-length bob with a streak of blonde cutting through one of her curtain bangs.
Leigh rewarded her friend with an eye roll of her own and a scoff, “Whatever Cruella, you’re delusional.”
“Am I now?” Anna dared to level Wade with her “drop dead” stare and he raised one eyebrow in amusement. “You’re telling me that you two weren’t eye fucking each other?”
Leigh almost choked on her own spit, “Geez Anna, I was only looking at him. He’s easy on the eye, in case you haven’t noticed.” She grinned at her friend, who was giving her the stink eye.
“I have noticed, and so has every other girl in town. He’s a total man-whore, Leigh. I heard from a friend that he and his friends had a bet going to see who could hook up with the most girls this summer.”
Anna pretended to gag and took a step forward in the queue as people moved ahead of her. “He probably has an STD! Ugh!”
Leigh felt her skin crawl at the thought. Too bad, Wade was a real looker. He was a summer visitor and he was older. College age. All the local boys her own age were such douches. Leigh had dipped her toe in the dating pool a couple of times in recent years, but it always ended the same way. Any potential future boyfriends inevitably only wanted to get in her pants while she wanted a deeper connection than just sex. She wanted her first time to mean something. She was the only one in her friend group who was still proudly holding on to her V-card. She wasn’t an angel, far from it. But for some reason, something her mother had told her when she was younger had always resonated with her. “Your body is your temple, Leigh. Never let anyone disrespect it.”
Leigh risked another look at Wade across the cinema. He was bumping fists with a boy Leigh didn’t recognize and as she stared, he turned his head and shot her a heated look over his shoulder. She flushed visibly and blinked hard, embarrassed at being caught ogling him. In a heartbeat, he was gone, swallowed up by a crowd of noisy teenagers and twenty-somethings as the doors to their movie hall opened and people began to file in.
“Great,” she thought, “He’s watching the same movie as us.”
The truth was, she had lied to Anna. She had most definitely been checking him out. Who the hell in their right mind wouldn’t? Leigh was so tired of hanging out with the same people: The football players who were, for the most part, all brawn and no brain. The ice hockey players who were notoriously promiscuous but so beautiful that nobody held their man-whoring against them. The gamers whose skewed opinion of women was based largely on the buxom characters they embodied in their games.
Then, there were the kids like Wade. Oh, she knew his type, too. In fact, she was familiar with some of his friends. Anna wasn’t wrong. They were the party-hard trust fund kids from the side of town where people like Leigh and her friends never ventured. Wade and his friends owned the holiday homes that stretched out along the golden coastline in all their glory. Leigh and her friends ran with a different crowd. They were considered the kids from the wrong side of the tracks, so to speak. Leigh’s father was a hard-working mechanic and owned his own garage, while her mother owned a hair salon in the city, a profession that certainly never landed her any invitations to High Tea or a ladies’ luncheon at the golf club.
Leigh had never suffered from any delusions about who she was or where she came from. As an only child, her parents had doted on her and she had never needed to vie for their attention growing up. Being a small-town kid, she had never aspired to be anything more than she was. But as time had passed and her eighteenth birthday had drawn near, something inside her had awoken. Ambition started taking root, and she began to develop dreams of leaving and attending college. Nobody in her family had ever gone to college. Maybe she could study for a degree in English Literature like her cousin Katie, her role model, so she could pursue her hobby and become a writer.
Whilst her friends were less ambitious and had no problem getting jobs after school and staying close to home, Leigh made a promise to herself that she would aim higher. She didn’t want to end up like her parents. She wanted more out of life. It’s what they wanted too and they worked hard to keep Leigh focused on her goal. That goal did not include standing in a crowded cinema foyer, wearing a killer red dress, and smiling at a boy she knew better than to fantasize about for even a moment.
At 5ft 7 inches, Leigh was almost a head taller than most of her friends. Her blonde hair was naturally wavy and thanks to her mother, always looked like she had just stepped out of the salon. She wore it long, almost to the top of her buttocks and it was her most redeeming feature. She was curvy if she was being honest with herself. Maybe too curvy to attract the attention of most of the local boys. Food was her enemy and she had long since made peace with that fact. Unlike her friends who mostly ate whatever they wanted without ever gaining a pound, Leigh just had to sit next to a bowl of pasta and the calories would magically jump from the plate and into her body.
Leigh, Anna, and her two other friends found their seats near the back of the cinema. The queue had been so long that all the good seats were already occupied and they were relegated to the third last row from the back. After a brief discussion about who would sit where, they settled into their chairs and propped four pairs of feet up on the seats in front of them, ignoring the disapproving looks from patrons around them.
“Damn, Girls,” Anna groaned disapprovingly, “I’m going to need a telescope to watch the movie from back here!”
All four girls broke into fits of laughter as the movie started. At least they had missed all the trailers.
Leigh took a long sip from her soda before doubling over to place it safely between her feet. When she straightened again, she was startled to discover that someone had snuck into the empty seat beside her.
Her skin prickled in awareness of his body heat and the air around them suddenly seemed electrified.
She turned her head to find Wade slouched lazily in the seat, eyes on the screen and a large soda in his hand. She was momentarily taken aback at finding him there, his chiseled features, lit only by the cinema screen. His jaw ticked and as if sensing her eyes on him, he slowly turned his head and stared boldly into her eyes. She felt her breath hitch in her throat but she gazed back with a confidence she rarely felt.
He was all kinds of beautiful, Leigh thought, as her eyes roamed briefly over his face. His eyes were the deepest blue, his pupils dilated in the dim light of the theatre and the intensity of his gaze left her stunned and unable to move. Suddenly, his face was transformed as he smirked, then shifted his weight in the seat so he could lean into her personal space, his lips brushing the hair by her ear.
“Mind if I join you?” he murmured, his voice deeper than she expected.
She shivered at the feel of his breath on the shell of her ear and silently cursed her body for reacting so strongly. She recovered as swiftly as she could and blinked, turning her attention to the front of the cinema with a dismissive shrug of her shoulders.
“Sure, whatever.”
The sexy smirk widened and he shifted his weight back into his seat. They chanced quick glances at each other during the movie, which she had long since lost interest in. A few times his fingers brushed hers as they each leaned on their armrests, causing electric currents to shoot up her arm. Eventually, his large hand found hers in the dark and he linked her fingers with his own while her heart nearly beat its way clean out of her chest. Nobody noticed them but the attraction was instantaneous and when he leaned close to her again and whispered “bathroom” in her ear, she felt all control leave her body. It was like someone had pulled the plug on her common sense. She told her friends that she was going to the ladies’ room midway through the movie and Wade followed closely behind her.
Needless to say, neither one of them made it back into the cinema. In fact, she had barely made it out of the darkened stairwell before he caught up with her, took her hand in his and tugged her out the door.
“Let’s get out of here!” He said over his shoulder and before she knew it, they were in his Range Rover Sport, windows cracked open a little, hurtling down the coastline to Millionaires Row.
Wade pulled into a parking spot only a few feet from the sand and killed the engine. They were sitting shoulder to shoulder in the front seats and gazing silently out at the black ocean while Leigh focused on keeping her breathing even. The silence was making her beyond nervous. Wade opened a playlist on his phone and played it through the car radio while she watched his every move.
“80’s rock ballads?” She asked with a raised eyebrow when the music started. “Corny much?” Leigh chuckled softly and Wade shrugged innocently, feigning offense.
“Would you prefer something a little more contemporary?” He asked, searching her eyes curiously.
“Nope, this is cool,” she smiled.
He shifted closer to her and twisted his upper body to face her, lifting one knee onto the car seat. He reached his right arm across the space between the seats to rest along the back of hers, close enough to her shoulder for her body to hum with his nearness. Leigh mirrored his position and willed her heartbeat to slow down before the pulsing in her neck gave away her anxiety at being alone in a car with him.
“What’s your name?” He asked softly, his eyes never leaving her face.
“Leigh Collins,” she answered, her voice coming out more breathily than she had intended.
“I’m Wade Campbell,” he offered, and she nodded at him with a slight smirk on her lips.
“I know who you are.”
His eyebrows furrowed in surprise and he smiled, somewhat smugly, she thought. “How’s that?” he asked and she bit her bottom lip nervously. That small action caused a twitch in his jeans and he shifted his weight slightly. God, she was adorable. And she was turning him on something fierce with her innocence.
“Let’s just say your reputation precedes you,” she said softly, her eyes focused on her hands now as she twisted her fingers together nervously in her lap.
“Okay,” he murmured in his sexy deep tone, dragging out the syllable. Leigh felt her body temperature rise slightly. “I’m not sure if that’s a good thing or a bad thing,” he finished, his hand coming up to rub the back of his neck almost nervously.
Leah found the action endearing and her heart fluttered. She chose not to respond, remembering Anna’s words at the cinema. For some reason, Leigh didn’t want to hurt his feelings by repeating what she had heard. He seemed sweet, nervous even, and not at all what Leigh had expected. Although she had hardly expected to find herself where she was currently sitting when Anna had fetched her earlier in the evening either.
“Why are we here?” Leigh asked boldly and he seemed to consider her words for a moment.
He turned and gazed out at the ocean and Leigh took the opportunity to study his features again. He was an artist’s dream subject. Every plane of his face was symmetrical, his nose straight and narrow, his cool blue eyes framed by perfectly sculptured dark eyebrows. His lips were full, and his chin was strong and square and lightly stubbled with dark hair. Her fingers itched to reach across and touch his face but she didn’t dare act on her thoughts. He suddenly lifted his left hand and pushed his fingers through his dark hair, brushing it back from his forehead and turning back to Leigh with a slight frown now across his brow.
“Let’s just say I’m tired of hanging out with the same people, at the same boring places and I felt like being spontaneous tonight.”
Leigh’s lips formed a small, silent O and her eyes fluttered away from his, back to her hands. She still fiddled with her fingers anxiously and Wade realized that he was making her nervous just by being alone with her. He wondered what it was exactly that she had heard about him, but it had him suddenly feeling the need to reassure her. He lifted his hand from behind her chair and reached down to press it over both of hers.
“I’m not going to hurt you, Leigh,” he said, his voice low. “Would you rather I took you home?” He asked.
Her hands fell still under his touch and she lifted her chin again. “No, um…,” she swallowed hard against the nervous lump in her throat, “It’s okay. It’s nice here. At the beach I mean.” She resisted the urge to slap her hand over her face in embarrassment. When exactly had she forgotten how to speak?
He chuckled softly at her rushed words. She was making him feel all kinds of unfamiliar emotions which he couldn’t quite pinpoint. She definitely had his full attention. All the girls he would usually hook up with were as privileged as he was and just as transparent and he was oh-so bored with them. He could scroll through his phone contacts and have three girls lined up to fuck him within a few minutes if that was what he wanted. But something about this girl’s innocence and feistiness had him oddly intrigued, and he wanted more time with her. The way she yo-yoed between shy one minute and then bold the next had him intrigued.
He closed his fingers over her left hand, pulling it free from her own grasp on her other hand, and he urged her closer to him. With his left hand, he placed two fingers gently under her chin and encouraged her to look at him. Her pale skin was smooth and flawless, her cheekbones naturally prominent and she had the cutest nose he had ever seen. She liked to wrinkle it when she was nervous, he noticed. He searched her wide green eyes as she parted her lips and met his sincere gaze.
“Can I kiss you, Leigh?” He whispered softly and she hesitated before nodding wordlessly.
He moved his fingers from her chin to thread into the silky hair at the nape of her neck and he gently pulled her closer. Her eyelids fluttered closed and his breath danced across her lips as he slowly closed the space between them. His lips were like silk as they brushed softly and seductively over hers.
His tongue softly touched her lower lip, asking for entrance and Leigh felt her body almost vibrate with pleasure as she parted her lips and allowed him in. He was surprisingly gentle, given the reputation that preceded boys like him, and it occurred to Leigh that no boy had ever elicited such a carnal reaction from her as Wade just had. He caressed her hair softly and held her protectively against him, though never stepping over the line, as Leigh had almost expected him to.
He pulled away then and, this time, he cupped both her cheeks in his palms and planted soft kisses on her cheeks, her forehead, and her chin before claiming her lips again. She moaned softly into his mouth and his dick twitched again at the sound. Shit, what was it about this girl that had little Wade standing to attention at the slightest sound from her mouth? His breathing quickened against her lips and his tongue twisted urgently against hers, fighting for control. Surprisingly, despite her obvious nervousness, she was a really good kisser, her tongue stroking his boldly. But when his hands dropped from her face to her waist and he softly brushed his thumbs along the underside of her breasts over her dress, her breath caught in her throat and she lifted her palms to his chest, pushing him away.
“Wait…” She gasped, staring deep into his eyes as he looked back, his eyelids narrowed and his irises almost black in the dark. He stilled his hands and waited for her to ask him to stop, half expecting her to bolt from the car. But she didn’t. She just seemed to be pausing, maybe to catch her breath or to gather her thoughts, Wade wasn’t sure. But something told him not to push her.
“I’m…,” she started, “I mean, I’ve never…” She sighed and looked down at her hands still pressed to his pecs. Damn, this boy was ripped! She quickly pulled her hands away as if he’d burned her.
“You’re a virgin?” He asked softly and she nodded. Why was she embarrassed? He paused then, choosing his words carefully. “There’s nothing wrong with being a virgin, Leigh,” he continued, “In fact, it’s kind of refreshing.”
His voice was gentle and reassuring and Leigh couldn’t hide her surprise at how nice he was being.
Especially since her revelation basically meant that his Friday night hook-up was going to be a total bust.
“We…we can do other things,” Leigh suggested nervously and Wade chuckled softly, placing a soft kiss on her lips and brushing her hair back behind her ears.
“Is that all you think I’m after?” He sounded almost offended and Leigh’s eyes widened in surprise.
“No! Um, well, it’s just…” She sighed, feeling like a total fool. “God, what is wrong with me?” She chastised herself and pulled away from him. She collapsed back in the car seat and hid her face in her hands.
“I only asked if I could kiss you, Leigh, not fuck you.” Wade said, his voice laced with amusement and Leigh silently cursed herself. His dirty mouth was turning her on in ways she had never felt before.
“I’m sorry, I’m not usually such a dork,” she mumbled into her hands.
“Leigh, come here,” Wade said suddenly and reached to lift her across the seat onto his lap while she let out a small squeal of surprise. Her legs were draped over the center console, and she reached out to steady herself on the steering wheel. Wade circled one arm around her waist and the other across her legs and he angled her body towards him.
She finally forced herself to look him in the eye, hers wide and uncertain. Her butt was pressing into his crotch and judging by the bulge she felt there, it couldn’t have been comfortable for him. Wade knew she could feel the effect she was having on him and he hoped it would not scare her away completely.
He was a flesh and blood male, and she was gorgeous. She smelled like vanilla and something else floral and it was almost intoxicating. Her body was young, soft, and well-rounded in all the right places and he could not help the effect she was having on him.
“Now, where were we?” He asked huskily before he leaned forward and pressed his lips back to hers.
He kept it unintimate, just brushing his lips over hers in the softest caress while his breath burned against her skin. Her pulse raced in her neck and Leigh silently begged her heart to slow down. God, he could kiss! Where the hell had he learnt how to work her mouth in exactly the way she loved?
Easing back breathlessly, she lifted one leg and turned awkwardly to straddle him, her dress riding up before her lips hungrily found his again. She was desperate to be closer to him somehow. Her arms twisted around his neck and this time she was the one to tease his lips with her tongue. He opened for her, relinquishing control and loving the fact that she was becoming bolder at his gentle urging. Her core was now grinding softly against his straining cock, and he growled in the back of his throat while she timidly sought her own pleasure against his hardness. He thrust his hips up gently into her and she groaned against his lips.
“Fuck Leigh,” he whispered breathily against her mouth. “You need to stop that or I’m going to shoot my damn load in my boxers!”
She chuckled against him and eased back. “Sorry, I guess I got a little carried away.” Her cheeks flushed the most endearing shade of pink and he kissed them one at a time, softly.
“Don’t apologize. I’m just trying to be a gentleman here and you’re not making it easy on me,” he chuckled softly.
A strained silence fell around them while they searched each other’s eyes. He lifted a hand to gently stroke her hair away from her temple and she leaned her head into his touch.
“Why haven’t we met before?” He asked her, raising one eyebrow questioningly.
Surprised at the question, Leigh bit her lower lip and debated telling him the truth. She didn’t want him to be disappointed that she didn’t come from money.
“We don’t exactly move in the same social circles if you know what I mean,” she decided to say, keeping her answer vague.
“That’s crazy!” He said with a laugh, although he knew it was probably true. Turning serious suddenly, he eased back from her and searched her eyes. She found it oddly unsettling. It was like he was trying to figure out the answer to a question he had not yet asked.
“How old are you?” She ventured, more to distract him than anything. She was certain though that his experience spoke for itself.
“I’m twenty-one, why?” He asked, hoping that she wouldn’t think he was too old for her.
“Your dad is that big-time movie director, isn’t he?” she answered his question with one of her own. If he was surprised that she knew who his parents were, he hid it remarkably well.
“I don’t want to talk about my parents,” he said somberly, and Leigh realized that there was a story there, one he had no intention of disclosing. So the subject was immediately dropped. He tilted his head curiously and narrowed his eyes at her. “How old are you?” He finally asked and she smiled shyly.
“I just turned eighteen today.”
“It’s your birthday?” His eyes widened at the revelation, and he sat up against her. “Shit, why didn’t you say something sooner?”
She shrugged innocently and her hands dropped from around his neck to rest on his chest again. She fiddled with his buttons while he relished the feel of her small hands on him.
“I guess it’s not something you announce to someone you’ve never met before. Like, Hey, I’m Leigh and I’m officially an adult today!”
His chest seemed to vibrate under her hands and he chuckled deeply, a sound that was fast becoming one of her favorite things about him.
“Well, turning eighteen is a big deal and we should celebrate!” He suggested enthusiastically but Leigh hesitated.
“I’m not much of a party animal,” she shrugged but this did nothing to discourage him.
“Come on, at least let me take you out for something to eat? Or how about dessert? Everyone likes dessert, right?” He smiled and touched her under the chin again, lifting it. “What do you say?”
Eventually, she smiled in defeat and clapped him softly on the chest with both hands. “Okay, why not?
“Ice cream maybe?” She suggested, and he winked at her seductively.
“Done deal!”
He somehow managed to extricate himself from her legs and help her back into her seat before engaging the start button on the engine. The SUV hummed to life immediately and he revved the engine unnecessarily, while watching her with intensity in his eyes. The car vibrated beneath her and Leigh felt a ripple of excitement run down her spine at the sensation. The car absolutely suited him, rich, dark and brooding, she thought in amusement. She couldn’t suppress the feeling that her life was about to spiral out of control and yet she had zero desire to stop it.
Leigh became aware of a vibrating sound somewhere in her room and she pulled her pillow over her head, snuggling deeper into her blanket. No way was someone calling her so early on a Saturday. She ignored the annoying sound until it stopped, but when it started up again after a few seconds, she sighed and rolled herself out of bed to dig in her purse for her phone. Anna’s name lit up the screen and Leigh answered with a dismissive “Hey.”
“Bitch, what the hell?” Anna screeched into the phone and Leigh had to hold it away from her ear as she climbed back into her warm bed, flopping onto her back and resting one wrist over her eyes. “I called and called, what happened to you last night? We were ready to call the police and file a missing person report.”
Leigh pulled the phone away from her ear and glanced at the screen, only then seeing the missed call icon blinking at her. “Sorry Anna Banana, I just lost interest in the movie and decided to call it a night,” she lied, hoping Anna would leave it at that. No such luck though.
“Don’t Anna Banana me, Leigh. Jonah said he saw you and Wade Campbell ducking out of the cinema together when he was on his break. Now spill girl!”
Leigh sighed and rubbed her eyes with her free hand. Fucking Jonah and his big mouth! He was one of their gamer friends, and he worked at the concession stand on weekends to save up for some fancy new game console.
“It’s not a big deal, okay? We just went for a drive along the coast and talked.”
“Talked? You talked? Leigh, I wasn’t born yesterday. I saw the way you were looking at him last night. Were you safe? I told you he’s a total slut, girl!” Anna whined and Leigh suddenly wished that her best friend wasn’t so protective. And nosy.
“Annie, you know better than anyone that the day I decide to play my V-card, you will be the first to know, okay? Really, nothing happened. We kissed in his car, that’s all there is to it. He was a perfect gentleman, okay?”
Anna was silent for a moment, seemingly weighing up her words, then she spoke quietly. “Be careful with that one, girl. He’s a player and I don’t want to see you get hurt, okay?”
“I’ll be careful. Besides, we didn’t exactly make plans to see each other again.”
“Did you give him your number?” She asked.
“Yeah, and he gave me his. But it’s not like I’m going to use it. Chicks don’t make the first move, remember?” She smiled as she quoted the mantra her friend lived by, knowing Anna would approve.
“That’s my girl,” Anna beamed through the phone, “You got to make them work for it.”
A weird silence fell while Leigh could almost hear the wheels turning in Anna’s head. “Speak Annie, I know you want to ask me something,” she chuckled softly and Anna giggled too.
“I was just wondering if he was any good, like, does he know how to use that gorgeous tongue of his or are the rumors only that?”
Leigh scoffed at her friend’s crass question. “My God Anna, you are so disgusting!”
“What?” Anna asked with innocence in her tone now, “I’m your best friend, you have to give me something?”
Leigh rolled her eyes and sighed, sitting up and crossing her legs. “Okay well…let’s just say I’ve had worse.” Leigh said cryptically and Anna groaned in response.
She was about to speak when Leigh rushed the conversation to an end. Her phone had dinged in her ear during the conversation and she felt her heartbeat quicken at the thought that it could be Wade. “Got to go babe, my bladder is going to burst!”
She hung up on her friend and opened her messages. She had saved his name as Sexy in her phone and seeing that name light up her screen did things to her insides. She opened the message.
Sexy
Had a great time last night…
Leigh grinned widely and took a deep breath, trying to calm her heartbeat which had suddenly taken off like a racecar. She hit reply.
Leigh
Me too. Did you sleep well?
She watched the dots blinking on the screen, indicating that he was typing, and she waited anxiously.
Sexy
I did. I had an amazing dream…
Leigh felt her temperature rise at his words.
Leigh
Oh yeah? Who did you dream about?
Sexy
I think you know…
Swoon!
Leigh
What happened in the dream?
He didn’t reply right away, and Leigh hoped that she hadn’t been too forward. She was about to add something to her message when she noticed he was typing again.
Sexy
Let me take you out on a proper date tonight, and I’ll tell you anything you want to know.
And just like that, it was the best weekend of her life. Leigh felt lighter than air as she hit reply.
Leigh
Sounds great. What time?
Sexy
7pm? I’ll pick you up. Since I know where you live now. Be ready beautiful girl.
Leigh
See you at 7, Sexy.
Sexy
Sexy huh? I’m flattered…
Leigh had no idea how she was going to make it through an entire day without completely freaking out.
She had never been on an official date before, and her nerves were completely frayed. For the second time in two days, she questioned her logic about starting up something with Wade Campbell. It was either going to be the best or the worst decision she would ever make. But she was willing to take the risk.
When Wade texted her at 7 to say he was outside, Leigh’s heart did a back flip in her chest as she gathered her purse and gave herself one last critical look in the mirror. She had chosen a knee length black, strappy dress this time. It hugged her curves and made her breasts look incredible and that’s what Leigh loved about it. She had always been self-conscious about the way her body looked in a dress. She found herself wishing that her thighs were smaller and her breasts were bigger than just a handful. So, she welcomed any help she could get from clothes that either hid or accentuated her body parts. Not that she intended to allow Wade any access to said body parts, but it couldn’t hurt to keep him wondering, right?
Leigh’s father was relaxing on the couch in front of the TV, watching what appeared to be a hockey match. Her mother was busy in the kitchen and Leigh had to pass them both on her way out. There would be no ninja-style escaping from the house tonight.
“Where are you off to, sweetheart?” Her father called, catching her mid-step into the entrance hall.
When she turned to walk back into the room, his eyebrows nearly hit his hairline as he took in her dress.
“Just dinner with the girls, Dad,” she came closer and gave him a peck on his stubbled cheek.
“Dressed like that?” His surprised expression morphed into one of disapproval. “Leigh, are you planning on attracting every predator on the East Coast tonight?”
Leigh sighed and rolled her eyes. “Stop worrying old man, I won’t be out late and I won’t drink, I promise okay?”
“Where will you be?” her mother interrupted from behind her, making her jump.
She turned to find her wiping her hands on a dish cloth, her blond hair pulled back in a messy bun and concern on her face. She had obviously caught the conversation from inside the kitchen.
“We haven’t decided yet, Mom. We’ll probably just hang out at the diner until we work out our plans for the night.”
Both parents seemed reluctant to let her go out dressed like she was, for the second night in a row.
“I’m eighteen now, guys, you can’t stop me from going out. I promise I’ll stay safe and I’ll call if there are any problems.”
Her father huffed and turned his attention back to the game while her mother remained where she was, blocking her access to the front door.
“Adult or not, you still live under our roof and the same rules apply. Home by twelve and no getting involved with boys.” Her mother folded her arms and leveled Leigh with a determined stare.
Leigh chewed her lip and bit back a sarcastic remark. No point in angering the dragon, she thought.
“Got it, Mom. I’ll be home by twelve,” she said resignedly.
Wade was standing outside his SUV, leaning back against the driver’s side door with his feet crossed at the ankle and his arms folded across his broad chest. He looked delicious in skinny black jeans, a tight-fitting grey T-shirt, and black converse shoes on his feet. His dark hair was slicked back with hair product and Leigh thought he looked so much taller than she remembered from the night before. He was easily 6 feet 3 or 4 and athletic and God, was he a sight to behold.
He grinned when he saw her approaching and pushed away from the car to meet her on the sidewalk. He allowed his eyes to roam over her beautiful long hair, her pale green eyes watching him shyly as he allowed his gaze to linger on her breasts and then down to her long, tan legs. She had small feet, he thought, as he took in her black ballet flats that accentuated the delicate bones in her feet and ankles.
Lord, she was adorable, easily a head and shoulders shorter than him but still fairly tall for a woman. He adored the way her smile transformed her small, pouty mouth. But it was those big green eyes that did him in every time. He was sure she had no idea how stunning she was or the effect she had on him.
“You look incredible,” he said softly as he leaned down and kissed her softly on the lips.
Leigh’s pulse fluttered in her neck and she felt her cheeks redden. “You look pretty amazing yourself,” she replied softly, allowing him to take her hand and guide her to the passenger side of the car.
He opened the door for her and helped her climb up into the Range Rover before he closed the door again and hurried around the hood to the driver’s side. He hopped in with zero effort and offered her a sexy wink.
“Ready?” He asked and she smiled at how enthusiastic he seemed tonight.
“Absolutely, I’m all yours,” she said coyly and he clearly appreciated the comment because his eyes narrowed seductively and he licked his top lip in the sexiest way.
“I like the sound of that,” he grinned as he started the car and pulled out onto the quiet street.
Leigh watched the streetlights go by as the terrain changed from urban to more rural. Tall trees lined the road and she realized that he was taking her out of town. She said nothing and only glanced at him intermittently with a smile, which he returned. After close to an hour of driving, broken only by casual chatting about school and questions about her family, Wade pulled onto a dark dirt road that wound into the trees and finally broke into a clearing. The most adorable cabin was nestled amongst the trees, lit only by what appeared to be solar lights and the moonlight. It had a wrap-around porch and huge square windows and as they slowed to a stop in front of the steps leading to the porch, Leigh thought it looked abandoned.
“Where are we?” She asked nervously and Wade reached over to squeeze her hand reassuringly.
“This is one of my favorite places in the world. It belongs to my family but they never come here, I’m the only one who ever uses it. It’s where I come when I need to clear my head and think.”
Leigh regarded the cabin curiously, willing herself to stay calm and trust that Wade wasn’t secretly a kidnapper or a serial killer.
“Is this okay?” He asked and the uncertainty in his voiced surprised her. Was he nervous too?
Something about his tone immediately calmed her and she turned to offer him a reassuring smile.
“It’s perfect. Let’s go inside.”
After Wade helped her from the car, he popped open the back and retrieved a large picnic basket and a thick blanket. Leigh felt her heart warm at the realization that he had gone to so much effort. He ushered her up the steps ahead of him and then stepped around her to unlock the door. He tucked the keys back into his pocket then turned the handle and pushed the heavy, solid wood door open. The hinges creaked, the sound like something from a horror movie and Leigh couldn’t help the chuckle that escaped her throat. Wade was also amused by the sound as he stepped in and flicked on a light switch just inside the door.
Warm ambient lighting flickered on as Leigh followed him into the sweetest, most cozy cabin she had ever seen. The furniture was all solid wood with modern cushions and a thick rug was spread in front of the fireplace with a coffee table on top, also solid wood. A few framed pictures decorated the walls and bookshelves and Roman blinds hung from every window. But otherwise, the furnishings were minimal, and surprisingly, the cabin smelled fresh and clean. She had expected it to be dusty and stale-smelling, but someone had obviously cleaned recently.
Wade locked up behind them and moved directly to the fireplace to light it. To Leigh’s surprise, it was a gas fireplace and not a real one. Not quite what she had expected for this kind of off-the-grid living but certainly easier than chopping firewood, she thought with a smile.
“Are you hungry? How about a glass of wine?” Wade broke the silence, placing the picnic basket on the floor in front of the fireplace while he opened the blanket and laid it on the floor. He took two cushions from the sofa and placed them on top of the blanket while Leigh watched him closely.
“Wine sounds great. Are you having some too?”
“Definitely,” he winked at her again and she felt herself begin to relax in his presence. “Have a seat, Leigh, I won’t bite.” He smirked at her and Leigh realized that she had been standing awkwardly just inside the door with her purse clutched tightly in front of her.
She dropped the purse on the table and moved over to the blanket where she lowered herself onto one of the cushions and tucked her legs under her. She pulled her shoes off and wiggled her toes gratefully while Wade appreciated how delicate and innocent she looked tonight. He was going to have his work cut out for him if he hoped to refrain from taking her right there on the floor. She deserved better than that, he reminded himself. And for the first time in probably forever, he wanted to do things right. Why this girl? He hadn’t quite figured that out yet. But she was like a breath of fresh air when he had been drowning for so long.
Wade dropped to the cushion beside her and pulled his converse off. His ankle socks followed after.
He had long, bony feet and beautifully manicured toenails, and Leigh found this oddly arousing. Was there anything about this man that wasn’t perfect? Even his damn feet were sexy, she thought, amused.
He poured them each a glass of wine, seeming not to notice her preoccupation with his digits and Leigh dragged her eyes back to him.
“Can I do anything?” she offered but he handed her the glass and waved her off gently with his hand.
“Tonight is about you. I’m going to wait on you if that’s okay?” He asked and Leigh raised her eyebrows in surprise.
“Wow, okay. Can’t say no to that,” she chuckled and he grinned.
He reached into the picnic basket and pulled out roast chicken sandwiches, vegetable crudites, strawberries, cream cheese and crackers and a selection of preserves. There were also chocolate brownies for dessert. Leigh was so impressed that she found herself leaning across the space between them to place a soft kiss on Wade’s lips, catching him off guard.
“Thank you, Wade. This is so special. I’ve never had an indoor picnic before,” she smiled gently and he lifted a hand to cup her cheek, bringing her lips back to his so he could kiss her again, for longer this time. His lips moved softly over hers before he eased back and searched her eyes.
“Thank you for being here.”
Once they had finished eating sandwiches and other snacks, they fed each other brownie squares whilst laughing uncontrollably and ending up getting more on each other’s faces than in their mouths. Leigh took a paper napkin from the basket and wiped all the chocolate from his face that he had missed with his tongue and fingers, while he watched her closely. She took a moment to dwell on how incredibly satisfying it had been watching him wipe the chocolate off his cheeks and lick his finger clean. Leigh felt heat and moisture pool between her legs at the sight.
Once she had finished cleaning him up, she balled up the napkin and tossed it in the basket before her eyes found his again. He was sitting on one hip, mirroring her position with his legs bent behind him and he leaned forward on one hand, so close to her face that she could feel his breath on her lips.
“My turn,” he whispered, and she flinched when he lifted his free hand to her face and gently wiped some chocolate from her chin with his thumb, bringing it to his mouth and sucking it off.
Leigh watched him, mesmerized, her heart thundering in her chest and her breath coming out in short puffs. He repeated the action on her cheek, then her nose, this time with his index finger. In an effort to avoid having chocolate smeared on her earlier, she had accidently turned her head right into the brownie in his hand, smearing it on her nose. They had both howled with laughter at how ridiculous she looked.
Once that was clean and the chocolate sucked from his finger, he finally leaned in and very softly sucked the side of her mouth, humming in appreciation at the taste of her while she battled to draw in a single breath. God, it was the sexiest thing ever! Nobody had ever touched her like he did, with such gentleness and such passion. It released all kinds of emotions within her, and she had to squeeze her thighs together to try and ease the throbbing in her core.
Wade moved to the other side of her mouth and again, he sucked her softly, and this time, Leigh couldn’t control the moan that escaped her lips at his touch.