Message in a Bottle - Nicholas Sparks [66]
Their bodies moved as one, each of them fully aware of the other’s needs, each trying to please the other. Garrett kissed her almost continually, the moistness of his mouth lingering wherever it touched, and she felt her body began to tingle with the growing urgency of something wonderful. When it finally happened, she pressed her fingers hard into his back, but the moment it ended another one started to build again and she began to climax in long sequences, one right after the next. When they finished making love, Theresa was exhausted, and she wrapped her arms around him, holding him close. She relaxed by his side, his hands still gently tracing her skin, and she watched as the candles slowly burned toward their base, reliving the moment they had just shared together.
They lay together for most of the night, making love again and again, holding each other tightly afterward. Theresa fell asleep in his arms, feeling wonderful, and Garrett watched as she slept beside him. Just before he fell asleep, he gently brushed her hair from her face, trying hard to remember everything.
Right before daybreak, Theresa opened her eyes, realizing instinctively that he was gone. She turned in the bed, looking for him. Not seeing him, she rose and went to his closet, finding a bathrobe. Wrapping it around her, she left the bedroom and glanced toward the darkness of the kitchen. Not there. She looked in the living room, but he wasn’t there, either, and suddenly she knew exactly where he would be.
Stepping outside, she found him sitting in the chair, wearing only his boxers and a gray sweatshirt. Turning around, he saw her and smiled.
“Hey there.”
She stepped toward him, and he motioned for her to sit in his lap. He kissed her as he pulled her to him, and she put her arms around his neck. Then, pulling back when she sensed that something was wrong, she touched his cheek.
“You all right?”
It took a moment for him to answer.
“Yeah,” he said, quietly, without looking at her.
“You sure?”
He nodded, again without meeting her eyes, and she used her finger to make him face her. She said gently:
“You look sort of… sad.”
He gave a weak smile without answering.
“Are you sad about what happened?”
“No,” he said. “Not at all. I don’t regret any of it.”
“Then what is it?”
He didn’t answer, and again his eyes shifted away.
She spoke softly. “Are you out here because of Catherine?”
He waited for a moment without answering, then took her hand in his. Finally he met her gaze.
“No. I’m not out here because of Catherine,” he said, almost whispering the words. “I’m out here because of you.”
Then, with a tenderness that reminded her of a small child, he gently pulled her close and held her without saying another word, not letting go until the sky began to lighten and the first person appeared on the beach.
CHAPTER 9
What do you mean, you can’t have lunch with me today? We’ve been doing this for years—how could you forget?”
“I didn’t forget, Dad, I just can’t do it today. We’ll pick it up again next week, okay?”
Jeb Blake paused on the other end of the phone, drumming his fingers on the desktop.
“Why do I get the feeling you’re not telling me something?”
“There’s nothing to tell.”
“You sure?”
“Yeah, I’m sure.”
Theresa called to Garrett from the shower, asking him to bring her a towel. Garrett covered the mouthpiece and told her he’d be right there. When he returned his attention to the phone, he heard his father inhale sharply.
“What was that?”
“Nothing.”
Then, in a tone of sudden understanding: “That Theresa gal’s there, isn’t she?”
Knowing he couldn’t hide the truth from him now, Garrett replied: “Yeah, she’s here.”
Jeb whistled, obviously pleased. “It’s about damn time.”
Garrett tried to downplay it. “Dad, don’t make a big deal out of this….”
“I won’t—I promise.”
“Thanks.”
“But can I ask you something?”
“Sure.” Garrett sighed.
“Does she make you happy?”
It took a moment for him to answer. “Yeah, she does,” he said finally.
“It’s about damn time,” he said again