She laughed. “No, but my parents are so conservative. I think it would have made some things easier for me if my parents had expected me to do questionable things instead of always assuming I’d do the right thing. Maybe I wouldn’t have kept so many secrets if I’d known they would roll their eyes and say, That’s just Lizzie.”
“Secrets? Care to share?”
She patted the sand castle she was building into a peak and sighed. “You know, normal stuff like making out with guys when I was in college or going to parties. If Maddy were older, I could have confided in her, but she was too young.” She shrugged. “So I learned to keep things to myself. It’s not a bad thing, just…a lonely thing.”
His heart ached for her. He’d always had an open relationship with his family, and with so many siblings, there was always someone to talk to about girls or problems, or anything, really.
“I’m sorry you went through all those years without having someone you felt close enough to talk to about those things.” He moved closer to her. “But I’m here now, and I want to share your secrets. And if you want to be rebellious, I’ll be right there by your side.”
She turned curious eyes to him, her dimples in full adorable force. “You’d do bad stuff with me?”
“I would walk to the ends of the earth with you. I’d lick chocolate off your entire body if you’d like. What other kinds of bad stuff did you have in mind?”
The sand she was holding fell from her hands. “Wait. I’m thinking about the chocolate.” She raised her brows, and that little invitation had his fingers twitching to pull her in close and kiss her again, but before he could, she said, “Nothing too bad.”
He thought he saw a hint of restraint in her eyes, as if she was holding something back, but then she smiled and the look of restraint washed away as she said, “But you know Sky and her friends go skinny-dipping. I’ve never even done that.” She walked to the water’s edge, brushing the sand from her hands.
Thinking about how sexy she would look running naked into the water made the twitching in his hands travel to more aroused parts of his body. He joined her by the water. “Sure, I’ll go skinny-dipping with you. Want to go now?”
“Now? What about sharks?” She reached for him.
“That’s the reaction I was hoping for.” He nuzzled against her neck. “We’ll go skinny-dipping in a heated pool when you go with me to my brother’s wedding.”
“I’m going to your brother’s wedding?” She smiled up at him. “But my shop?”
“Your shop? I didn’t hear any concern for your boyfriend having to go all weekend without you if you don’t come with me,” he teased.
“My boyfriend,” she said in a dreamy voice. “You can’t imagine how much I like to hear that.”
“Actually I can, because I’m sure you get the same feeling I do when I think of you as my girl.” He held her hand as they walked toward the blanket. “I really do want you to come to New York with me and meet my family. Sky already said she would watch your shop.”
“I’ve never asked anyone else to watch my shop. I could close it for the day, actually, and that way I’m not imposing on her. Do you really want me to go meet your family? That’s kind of serious.”
“Are you kidding? I never want to go a day without seeing you. And in case you haven’t noticed, we’re very serious.”
She gazed up at him and said, “I’ve noticed, and I never want to spend a day without you, either.”
That sounded damn good to him. They sank down to the blanket and Blue asked, “What other types of rebellious things would you like to do? Because I can think of a few naughty things you might enjoy.”
She leaned in to him. “I bet you can, and I want to do them all with you.”
“You don’t even know how naughty I can be. You might regret giving in so easily.” He felt himself getting aroused.
“Tell me.” Her tongue swept over her lower lip, and her eyes darkened seductively.
Christ. She had no idea how she stirred his deepest desires. Desires he’d never played out with anyone before. “Maybe we should table this discussion for a while. I wouldn’t want you to think I only want to be with you for sex.”
“I think we really are made for each other,” she said with a coy smile. “I’ve never felt close enough with anyone else to get really naughty, but I want to with you.”
Their eyes held, and the air heated up about fifty degrees despite the cool breeze coming off the water.
“Lizzie, you have no idea what you do to me.”
She climbed over him, straddling his lap. “Then tell me all the naughty things you want to do to me.” She pressed her lips to his chest.
It was one thing to play out a fantasy in the bedroom when they were both into it, but another to hear it spoken when they weren’t in the heat of the moment. He worried that despite her willingness to play along, he might cross a line that shocked her. “One day I will show you.”