Page 81 of Beautiful Illusions
“Beueller Hall? That’s my dorm.” I hold his gaze hoping he’ll say what I desperately want to hear.
“Good because that’s my dorm, too.” His dimples dig in as he holds that killer grin back just enough.
I pull him up and leap onto him with my legs tight around his waist. Ace spins me, and I lean my head back feeling dizzy and light—head over heels in love.
“I’m on the team.” He melts a kiss off my neck. “Practice starts tomorrow.”
“You’re on the team!” I take a soft bite out of his ear. “I’m so proud of you. I always knew you had it in you.”
“Thanks.” He closes his eyes a moment before digging something out of his pocket. “You never answered my question.” He tosses a quarter into the air and it reflects the orange sunset like a salmon swimming upstream. I catch the coin midair and hold it close to my chest like catching ecstasy.
“Now we’ll never know if we were destined to take off our clothes or barter for plastic real estate.” His dimples go off and seduce me without even trying.
“We are definitely destined to take off our clothes,” I assure him.
“Is that so?”
“It’s a promise.”
“I’m glad you think so because I’ve got a surprise for you.” His dark hair shines in the ever-dimming light. His eyes beam like blue velvet.
“Another one?” Ace was all the surprise I needed.
“I got your roommate to switch with me for the week.”
“Just one week?” Elation blooms in me at the thought of all the things I can do to him in that tiny box of a room.
“It might have been a semester.”
“You’re a master manipulator.” I tighten my legs over his hips.
“I have you, don’t I?”
“You didn’t manipulate a darn thing to get me. I was yours from the day you told me to stay the hell away from your marbles.”
He gives a little wince. “I may have done a little manipulating.”
“Like?”
“Like that day at lake. I was going to make sure it was tails no matter what. There’s no way I was going miss skinny dipping with Reese Westfield.”
I bounce in his arms.
“That’s because you, Ace, are a brilliant man.” I land a kiss over his lips. “You ready for another fake honeymoon?” I bite my lip and nod toward Beueller Hall.
“About that. I think maybe we should have a real one. You know, tear it up over in married housing—show those other newlyweds how it’s done through those paper thin walls.”
“Really?” A breath gets caught in my throat. The world spins in one giant kaleidoscope of color as his words swirl through my mind.
“Yes, really. Would you do me the honor of marrying me, Reese Westfield?”
“There’s not another living soul I’d rather spend my life with. Yes, I’ll marry you, Ace Waterman.”
Ace and I seal the moment with a kiss that redefines every other kiss we’ve ever shared. His hungry mouth lapses into soft, sweet, soulful kisses as his tongue aches for mine to have it.
I pull back and take him in through tears.
“You make me happy,” I whisper right into his lips.
“You make me insanely happy.”
In a small way, my mother played a part in our love story by spurring me on to create this amazing adventure to begin with.
Our special summer was a perfect ending to the old Reese and Ace, and a perfect beginning for the new Mr. and Mrs. Waterman.
I crash my lips into his as Ace and I finally catch our ecstasy.
