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Ethan seemed distracted. His leg kept bouncing and his smile was slightly more hesitant than usual and it was starting to bother Maeve a little. She’d been so excited to share her breakthrough with him, but now it felt awkward. He had a busy day, she told herself. He was running late and probably just hasn’t settled down yet.
“So...” She hedged, hoping to get a conversation going. “Tell me about work.” She took a bite of a breadstick. “Did you have a lot of customers?”
“Hm?” Ethan turned her way, his eyebrows high. “What was that?”
Maeve laughed slightly to cover her annoyance. “Work? Did it go well today?”
“Oh...yeah...” Ethan chuckled and rubbed the back of his neck. “Sorry. I’m a little distracted. That surfboard...the custom one?”
Maeve nodded.
“I’ve been stuck on a part of the design and I just can’t seem to quit thinking about how to fix it.”
“Want to tell me about it?” she asked. “Maybe I can help.”
Ethan leaned over and left a peck on her cheek. “Thanks, but we can talk about something else. It’ll probably do me good to get my mind off it.” He picked up his own breadstick and tore it in half. “That’s when answers come, right? When we’re not looking for them?”
Maeve nodded her agreement. “Yep.” She pinched her lips together and toyed with her food. “In fact...I kind of had that happen today.”
“Yeah?” Ethan swirled his fork through his pasta. “What happened?”
“I, uh...made some decisions.”
He nodded, eyes still on his plate.
A tiny pinprick of hurt nestled against Maeve’s sternum. Ethan was the eternal cheerleader. She had really hoped for a little bigger response from him. He just doesn’t understand yet, she assured herself. You haven’t finished telling him what the decisions are about.
“I made a life list.”
“What exactly is a life list?” he asked, stuffing a large bite into his mouth.
“I feel like...” Maeve made a face and tilted her head back and forth. “I feel like I’ve been letting fear rule my actions for a really long time.” She glanced up from under her eyelashes. Ethan was still watching her, his face open but non-reactive. “And I’m tired of it.”
He nodded and swallowed. “Are you talking about us? Like how I hurt you?”
“Yeah...that and more,” she clarified. “The example of me being afraid to surf again is just one of several parts of my life that were held back. I was afraid to surf because I didn’t want to get hurt. I was afraid to trust you again because I didn’t want to get hurt. I was afraid to study something creative in school because I didn’t want to fail.”
“You didn’t want to study accounting?”
Maeve shrugged. “I like accounting. Numbers make sense and I enjoy seeing them all come together, but it’s the reason why I went into accounting that bugs me.”
“And it was fear?”
“Yeah.” Maeve nodded. “I’m tired of letting it win.” She straightened in her seat. “And today, I decided I want to do better. So I made a list of things that I’ve always wanted to do and I’ve decided I’m going to start marking them off.”
“Good for you,” Ethan said with a smile. “Is there anything I can help you with?”
Maeve’s frustration melted. He was such a good guy. He didn’t tell her it was dumb to make a list, he didn’t try to placate or tell her fear had nothing to do with anything. He simply heard her out and asked to help. Why had she held off being with him for so long?
“Actually...” she flirted. “There is.”
“Yeah?” Ethan grinned and leaned forward. “Why does it sound like you had this all planned?”
Maeve glanced down, unable to look him directly in the eye, but enjoying their conversation anyway. “I, uh...have always wanted to...” She blew out a breath. “I love romance movies where the couple takes a walk on the beach and kisses in the sunset, okay? It’s always my favorite part.”
He laughed. “Do I get the opportunity to recreate this with you? Is that why you wanted to go out to dinner tonight?”
Maeve could feel the heat crawling from her neck to her cheeks. She had to be bright red by now, but she forced herself to nod. If she was going to do this list, she couldn’t chicken out on the first one. “Please?”
Ethan took her hand and brought her knuckles to his lips. “I’d love that.”
“Thank you,” she whispered. “And there’s one more.”
“Oh? More kissing?”
“I’m all for kissing,” she said with a small laugh. “But no. This is something else.”
“Hit me with it.”
“I want to try to surf again.”
Ethan went still and a slow smile spread across his face.
The heat in Maeve’s cheeks grew to almost unbearable levels. She was glad he was excited, but the predatory look in his eyes was equal parts delicious and frightening. She might have unleashed something she couldn’t quite handle. And you’re going to enjoy every minute of it, a voice cooed in the back of her head.
She shifted in her seat, then straightened. Yes. She was going to enjoy every minute of it. She loved Ethan. She had for years and she wanted to share not only herself, but parts of his life as well. Surfing was a huge part of Ethan’s life and though Maeve had no interest in becoming any kind of a professional, she wanted to enjoy it because he enjoyed it. Just like she hoped he would enjoy the fact that she liked numbers and symmetry and building spreadsheets.
“I would love to help you do that,” he said in a husky tone.
Maeve smiled back at him. Her stomach fluttered and she knew that her dinner was done. “Maybe we could do at least one of them tonight?”
Ethan glanced out the window. “Then we’ll have to hurry. The sun is all but gone.” He waved down their waiter and got the check, quickly ushering Maeve outside where he took her hand. “Come on. We’ll have to run.”
Maeve couldn’t help but laugh, feeling young and free in a way that life had kept from her for too long.
Ethan pulled her off the sidewalk and up the sandy rise that separated the ocean from the town. Going down was a little tricky, since her sandals kept slipping, but he was relentless.
“Almost there,” he said over his shoulder, winking at her.
In a moment, they reached the edge of the water and Ethan pulled them down far enough that the edges of the waves were brushing over her toes. The water was icy cold and the evening air wasn’t far behind, but Maeve barely noticed.
Slowly, Ethan tugged her closer, the distance between them disappearing until they were pressed completely together under the burnt orange sky. “Is this what you had in mind?” he whispered just centimeters from her mouth.
Maeve nodded. She had been so nervous to bring up her wish, but now...she felt only anticipation. The evening was beautiful. A handful of fluffy clouds scattered along the horizon, soaking in the sunset’s colors and broadcasting an impressive display of colors. Orange, bright pink and dark lilac spilled across the sky, coming together to create something breathtaking. There was nothing that could have been more picturesque than what she was experiencing right now.
Ethan was warm and his hands held her securely. Her heart was thudding against her chest as his eyes went from hers to her lips and back again several times. She let her hands wander, climbing his muscled arms and wrapping around his neck until she could give him a gentle tug, asking...pleading for him to finally close the distance and give her what she wanted.
His lips twitched just slightly, letting her know he found her eagerness humorous, but the smirk lasted only a split second before he gave in and showed Maeve that her movie-created dreams could never compare with real life.
*****
ETHAN TIGHTENED HIS hold on Maeve, pulling her more closely into his chest. He could do this forever. She fit so perfectly, as if she were made exactly for him. He loved it when her hands crept up into his hair and toyed with it. Or when she lightly ran her nails down the back of his neck. She seemed to know exactly what to do to get a reaction out of him and his desire to take things slow before they got married was quickly waning.
All the years that had been wasted between them because of his stupid teenage mistake sat heavily on his shoulders. If he had just paid a little more attention, he could have had her in his arms long before now. He could have fulfilled her kissing wish years ago, maybe on the very night he would have proposed. It would have been the perfect set-up.
Though he wasn’t upset to be fulfilling it tonight, it just seemed so...pointless that they’d never done it before. Maeve claimed she had been held back by fear, but Ethan knew better. Maeve hadn’t been the problem. He had. He had been blind to her troubles. He had taken the situation and treated it like a game, rather than truly trying to find out what had happened. He had failed to take care of her when it mattered most.
But no more. He was going to fix everything. And it all started with the surfboard sitting back at his shop, waiting to become famous and set his shop to buzzing with customers.
Ethan pulled back, breathing heavily. “Did we check it off your list?” he whispered.
Maeve laughed, her voice slightly deeper than normal.
The sound did funny things to his chest and he flexed his palms against her waist.
“And then some,” she said with a breathless laugh.
Ethan laughed with her, then tucked a piece of her hair behind her ear. She never used to wear it down, but he’d noticed she did it more often now...and he liked it. The look was so feminine and he found himself constantly wanting to touch the strands. “You’re so beautiful,” he whispered, letting his fingers linger on her jaw line.
Maeve smiled, but looked away. “The list said to kiss at sunset, it said nothing about being drowned in flattery.”
He smiled and kissed her forehead. “I added that for free.”
Maeve laughed again, her forehead dropping to his chest. “Ethan, I think you might be the death of me.”
“At least we’ll go down together.”
She shook her head and slapped his shoulder playfully. She leaned back, smiling. “What am I going to do with you?”
Ethan shrugged. “You could give me a repeat performance of a minute ago. That would definitely teach me a lesson.”
“Oh yeah? What lesson would that be?”
He brought his nose down to rub against her cheek. “That I never want to let you go.”
She let out a shaky breath and Ethan leaned back so he could see the last bit of light on her face. He knew she’d be blushing. She always blushed when he got all mushy with her, but he knew she loved it.
His fingers traced the bit of the light as it played with the angles on her face. Her skin was cool in some spots and warm in others. He paused, something starting to tickle his mind.
A sunset...
The design. The design he’d been working on for the surfboard. He’d been so stuck, nothing unique and noteworthy coming to mind. Flowers, geometric shapes...it had all been done before and Ethan didn’t want something to blend in, he wanted something to stand out. Something that would please Ollie, but also catch the attention of every follower he had.
Quickly, the pieces of the puzzle began to snap together in his mind. The orange and purple from the sky, the pink and creamy tone of Maeve’s skin, the dark background of her eyes and hair...he had it. He knew exactly what he was going to design.
“Maeve. You’re a genius.” Cupping her face, Ethan kissed her hard and fierce.
“Wait...what?” Maeve asked when he pulled back. “What just happened?”
“You solved it,” Ethan responded. He took her hand and began tugging her toward the parking lot. He had to get this down. Tonight. While it was fresh in his mind. He needed to capture every nuance and line that was swirling in his brain. Tomorrow would be too late.
Maeve would understand. She’d want him to do well at this job. After all, she of all people had to know just how important it was for his dwindling business.
“I solved what?” she persisted when he opened the passenger door for her.
“My block,” Ethan reiterated. “The surfboard. You solved the block.” He shut her door and walked around, jumping into his seat.
“So we’re going to the surf shop?” she asked, still sounding dazed.
Ethan shook his head. That would bore Maeve to tears. “Nah. I’ll take you home. I don’t want you just sitting around falling asleep on the couch.” He grinned at her in the dark interior of the vehicle. “You get some rest. No reason for two of us to have dark rings under our eyes. Yours are far too pretty for that.”
Maeve was quiet and Ethan guessed that she was blushing again, though he couldn’t see it. He reached over and took her hand, entwining their fingers and resting them on his thigh while he drove.
He was so excited he could barely think straight. The board was going to be magnificent, if only he could make sure his vision came to light. He’d name the design “Maeve” after its muse. But that little tidbit would have to wait to be shared. Wouldn’t it be a wonderful surprise to gift to Maeve after Ollie made the board become famous?
Ethan jerked to a halt in the driveway and climbed out, rushing to her side so he could open the door. “Sorry to cut everything short,” he said quickly. “But I really want to get it all down while it’s fresh in my mind.”
“It’s fine,” she responded. Her voice was a little quieter than usual, but Ethan shook it off in his excitement.
He walked her to the door. “One more for luck.” He gently cupped her cheeks, letting his thumbs caress the soft skin of her cheek bones before leaning down for a sweet goodbye. “I love you, Maeve,” he whispered.
Forcing himself to let go, he rushed back to the car. He could stay there all night kissing that woman, but then he’d never finish the board and save his way of taking care of her. He wanted Maeve forever, not just for a dinner date and he couldn’t do that until he finished Ollie’s order.
So tonight he would sacrifice their evening for something greater. Their future.