Never Forget (Memories) (16 page)

Every Little Thing You Do.

Perfect for a wedding, I'll admit, but not so perfect when you're in the arms of the only guy you think of when you hear the song. Alec starts swaying me side to side gently and I allow myself to melt into his arms.

'''It's every little thing you do, that makes me fall in love with you. There isn't a way that I can show you, ever since I've come to know you, it's every little thing you say, that makes me wanna feel this way. There's not a thing that I can point to, it's every little thing you do.''' Alec sings quietly into my ear.

I rest my head on his shoulder, my face turned into his neck. He holds me tighter as he quietly carries on singing and my heart melts.

''Closet Westlife fan,'' I whisper to him.

He turns his face into mine so his lips are right by my ear. ''I've already told you I'd do anything for you, Princess, and if that means learning Westlife, then I'll do it.''

He starts singing again and something inside me breaks. I can't fight it anymore.

He's dangerous, flirtatious, my opposite in almost everything. But he's all I want.

I've never felt the way I do right now, with him holding me close and singing me one of my favourite songs. Nothing even comes close to the feeling spreading through my body.

I have to admit it to myself, no matter how much I want to run from it to save myself.

I'm falling for this guy, hook, line and sinker. He's stealing my heart, a little piece at a time.

And I'm not sure I want him to stop anymore.

~

I awoke this morning with the previous night's revelation still fresh in my mind.

We've been in Devon for three weeks. That means we leave in five. But that doesn't matter much to me anymore. Like Jen said, I have to stop worrying about the future and live in the here and now.

And that's why I'm sat on the beach, staring out to sea and waiting for Alec to get here.

I might be crazy. The early morning heat might be making me delusional. I'm not sure. I just know.. I trust him. Everything he's done since we've met is to make me believe in him, trust him.

''It's seven thirty in the morning.'' Alec's voice drifts over the beach towards me. ''Any reason I'm here so early? Not that I'm complaining, any excuse to see you, Princess, but still.''

I turn my head and he's stood behind me, the sun playing off his features. There's a shine to his hair and apprehension in his eyes. I pat the spot next to me and he moves forward almost tentatively.

''You're not smiling,'' he observes and sits down.

I shrug one shoulder. ''I have to talk to you about something.''

''Go on,'' he encourages, leaning back on his hands.

I look down at the sand and draw a pattern in the sand absently. I trace it three times and realise it's a heart.

''I don't wanna fight it anymore, Alec.''

''Fight what?''

''This. Me and you.'' I peer over at him. ''Us.''

His eyes widen slightly. ''Us?''

I nod and tuck my hair behind my ear. ''Everything you've done since we've met has completely disproved everything I've been told about you. You've done nothing but try and make me happy, and you have.''

''Princess..''

''Let me finish, okay?'' He nods. ''I've had the best three weeks - with a few exceptions - and it's because of you. I.. I don't want to keep fighting against what I know will happen.''

''So, you're saying.'' He swallows slightly and turns his body towards me, ''that you want there to be an us?''

I close my eyes, breathe deeply and nod. ''If.. If that's what you still want.''

''So, if I leaned over, like this.'' Alec inches closer to me, moving his hand behind my back. ''And put my hand here, wrapping my fingers in your hair, you wouldn't mind?''

He's so close to me, and I know, emotionally, this is the closest we've ever been. I can feel his warm breath fan across my cheek, my breathing speeds up, goose pimples erupt over my body. My lips tingle in anticipation, my heart starts to play a fast rock beat against my ribs. The almost kisses - and actual kiss - of the past hold nothing to what I know is happening.

''Hmm, Princess, you wouldn't care?'' he repeats softly, his blue grey eyes boring into mine.

I shake my head slightly.

''I didn't hear you.''

''No,'' I whisper, ''I wouldn't care at all.''

''And what if I did this?'' He moves his face forward so our lips are nearly touching, mere millimetres apart. My eyes flutter closed as he tightens his grip on me.

''Would you care, then?''

''No, not this time,'' I breathe out, almost soundlessly.

I want this. I want this more than anything, and I know I've been a fool to fight it.

''Then you wouldn't mind, if I did this.'' He closes the barely there difference between us and my body explodes.

His lips are soft, like a silky rose petal, and they merge against mine in a perfection seen only in movies. He's gentle, ever so gentle, brushing his lips over mine again and again.

I reach up and wrap my arms around his neck, my fingers entwining in his hair. I want more, more than just a gentle kiss. I've had a taste of him, of heaven, and I don't know how to stop. All that exists in this second is him, Alec, the guy I'd vowed to stay away from.

That thought sobers me and I freeze for a second, but it's long enough for Alec to notice. He pulls back and looks in my eyes.

''Princess?'' he says uncertainly.

I press my fingers to my lips and stand up, turning away from him. He stands and grips my arm.

''What are you running from now, Princess? What are you so afraid of?'' he asks me softly.

''I don't know.''

''You're lying. Tell me.''

''You want to know? Really?'' I turn and meet his eyes. ''Maybe I'm afraid to admit to you just how much I'm falling for you. Maybe I'm still scared of getting hurt. Maybe this.. kissing you... Maybe that makes it real.''

''Princess,'' he murmurs and cups my chin, bringing my face close to his. In his eyes I see a swarm of emotions. It's like he's stripped bare, he's stripped away everything everyone sees just to show me the truth. Just like I always wanted.

''Maybe you don't need to be afraid,'' he says in a gentle tone.

''You know a summer romance wasn't what what I signed up for when we came down here,'' I whisper.

"Lexy, you're not listening to me."

"I am."

"No, you're not." Amusement laces his tone and he slides his other arm around my waist, holding me in place. I'm trapped. Trapped in the one place I want to be.

"Maybe you don't need to be afraid," he repeats, "because maybe I'm falling for you too."

I know my eyes show I'm slightly sceptical. For him to fall for someone is about as likely as pigs growing wings and migrating to a warmer climate during the winter months.

"You still don't believe me." He sighs. "Do you think I would have kissed you like that just now if I didn't feel anything for you, Princess? Really?"

I can't deny that. The feelings he evoked in me during that kiss were unlike anything I've ever felt.

"I guess not," I mumble, reluctantly.

''Do you really think I would have spent every spare second of the last three weeks with you if I didn't care? Would I have made your birthday as special as it was if this was just a game? Do you think I would have lain awake at night thinking of how I could make you trust me?

"Princess," he whispers when I cast my eyes downwards. "Look at me."

I close my eyes and shake my head.

A summer romance wasn't in my plan. But that all changed the second Alec walked into my life. When I met him.. A summer romance became everything I wanted.

The next thing I feel is his lips pressing against mine for the second time. He pushes his hand through my hair and cups the back of my head. I can only kiss him back.

It's like he's wired in my DNA, and despite my head telling me to step away, my heart has taken over and it's all I can do to stay standing.

My arms go round his neck of their own accord and my fingers tangle in the ends of his hair.

"Believe me yet?" he murmurs against my lips. I nod and press myself up against him, claiming his lips once more.

He kisses me a few more times then pulls back. His smile reaches his eyes, and there's a spark in them I've never seen before. I can't help but smile back at him. He moves his head forward and runs the tip of his nose down the length of mine before kissing me once more.

"Don't run from me, Lexy,” he whispers, trailing kisses along my jaw and up to my earlobe. "Because I'll always follow you."

"Can I hide then?" I tease, leaning my cheek against his.

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because I'll always come and find you, that's why." He pulls back and looks into my eyes. "Tell me you won't run anymore."

His eyes are entrancing. The swirling mass of blue grey is mesmerising, and I know I couldn't run even if I wanted to.

"I won't run anymore."

"Promise?" He strokes my hair away from my face.

I put a hand on his cheek. "I promise."

He smiles at me again and I look down. He's looking at me like-

"You're beautiful," he whispers, kissing my nose.

Yeah, like I'm beautiful.

ALEC

I look into her brown eyes and see all I'll ever need.

She's mine.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

ALEXIS

Alec sits back against the rock and pulls me down with him. I hook my legs over his and rest my head against his shoulder, curled up against him. His arms are wrapped around my body, holding me tightly. I snuggle a little closer into him and he sighs.

''What?'' I tilt my head back.

''You.'' He looks down at me and smiles.

''What about me?''

''Just.. You.''

I smile and peck him on the lips.

''Call that a kiss?'' He growls playfully.

I nod and lean back. He leans forward until I'm lying on my back and he's suspended over me.

''This is a kiss,'' he says and presses his lips against mine. I cup his head with my hands and pull him closer to me. Will I ever have enough of him? One kiss and I can't seem to stop.

''Mmm,'' he murmurs. ''That's more like it.''

I grin at him and rest my fingertip against where his dimple is.

''I love your dimples.''

''You do?'' He raises an eyebrow at me.

''Mmhmm,'' I stroke his jaw. ''I noticed them the first time I saw you.''

''Oh, so it's the dimples you're after?'' He teases.

''Completely.'' I reply, straight faced.

He tuts and shakes his head. ''Washboard abs, gorgeous eyes, sexy hair, and she wants the dimples? What is the world coming to?''

I slap his shoulder and giggle. ''You forgot your charming personality.''

He thumps the sand. ''How could I forget that?''

''God knows, your ego is big enough.'' I kiss his cheek.

''Oi.'' He frowns at me. ''Just because you're mine doesn't mean you can be mean to me!''

''Oh, I'm yours, am I?'' It's my turn to raise an eyebrow.

''No doubt about it.'' He kisses me again.

''Again with the caveman,'' I mutter.

''Your caveman,'' he chuckles.

Alec brushes my hair away from my face and looks into my eyes.

He might not have been what I expected when I came to Lilac Bay, or even what I was expecting when I met him, but he's nothing less than I want.

Opposites. A city girl and a small town boy. Dirty jeans and designer jeans. Surfing and shopping.

We couldn't be more different, but that doesn't matter anymore.

He drops down next to me and we lie there together, listening to the waves crash up the beach. The world could be ending and I wouldn't care because I was with him.

"Oh yay!" I hear Jen shriek.

"Way to ruin their moment, Jen!" Carl calls after her. I turn my head and see her running down the beach towards us, Carl shaking his head as he walks behind her.

"Oh, shush you. Just because you're as romantic as a teaspoon!" she hollers back.

"Hey, I can do romance!" he replies, indignantly.

"You wouldn't know romance if it hit you between the eyes." She laughs and turns to him.

"I take offence at that." He stops in front of her and I press my face against Alec's chest as I laugh.

"Oh yeah? Prove it then," Jen challenges him.

"Fine." He stalks towards her and grabs her, tipping her back so the tips of her hair graze the sand. She grabs his neck to stop herself falling as he plants a deep, thorough kiss on her mouth.