Chapter Twenty Five

“Uncle Tucker, Uncle Tucker! You’re back!” Betsy screeched, launching herself into his waiting arms, both of them laughing.

Elise turned off the sink and wiped her hands on her apron, removing it hastily and trying vainly to smooth down her hair. Tucker was home a few hours earlier than he had originally thought and she hadn’t had time to primp or anything…

“You look beautiful,” he said from the doorway, stopping her hands in mid smooth. “Stop fussing.”

Elise blushed and turned to face him, both of them smiling like idiots at each other, even as Betsy was running circles around her uncle happily. “Hi.”

“Hi.”

“You’re early.”

“I told the pilot to step on it,” Tucker said. “I was… eager to be home.”

“Missing your eagles?”

“And my fishing manuals,” Tucker shot back, and Elise barked with laughter.

“Uncle Tucker, come see the map of America I drew and coloured. I even did all the state capitals on it and everything,” Betsy said, tugging on his hand.

“Okay, let me just tell Miss Elise something, and we’ll go look,” Tucker said obligingly and Betsy took off at a dead run towards her room.

Elise looked at him expectantly as he crossed the kitchen in two steps, drawing close to her but not touching her - maddeningly. His voice was husky and low when he bent to whisper in her ear. “You. Me. Wine. Bonfire. Beach. Tonight. Wear out the munchkin and put her to bed early. We have a date.”

Elise’s heart nearly exploded with happiness even as he turned and swept out of the room without nary a kiss or backwards glance.

It was a date.

#

“What did you do to her? Drug her?” Elise asked, stepping onto the sand, a bottle of wine and two glasses in her hands.

Tucker laughed, turning from the stack of logs he was chucking onto the fire. “We had a really energetic game of soccer, then we played Horse with the basketball a few times, and then we read two bedtime stories. And if all that didn’t work, I was going to get out the Nyquil.”

Elise laughed and set the glasses down on a smoothed out log before sinking onto a blanket already spread on the sand near a small, crackling fire.

Tucker expertly popped the cork and poured for both of them before sitting down beside her, dropping a kiss onto Elise’s shoulder. She snugged her body against his, leaning back into his warm, solid chest. “You were gone too long.”

“I was,” Tucker agreed. “But you were right – you’re still here.”

“I’ve nowhere else to be at present,” Elise said lightly. “Especially since you knocked out my charge with overexertion.”

Tucker laughed. “Guilty. I just wanted to spend some time with you without us being interrupted.”

“Oh. And what did you think Betsy might interrupt?” Elise asked flirtatiously.

Tucked kissed her – a heavy, wet kiss full of intention that took her breath away. “Well, that, for starters.”

“Scandalous.”

“Just wait,” Tucker purred, and Elise felt her chest tighten and her belly constrict at the weighted promise in just those two words.

They sipped their wine, both staring into the fire, Elise asking Tucker about his two days of work in South Carolina, Tucker asking Elise about Betsy’s latest progress in social studies and her plans to plant a small vegetable garden in a forgotten corner of the yard to teach Betsy about sustainable living.

They drank and talked, and kissed and talked, and drank and kissed, both of them gradually sinking down into the blanket until they were both lying on their backs, the length of their bodies pressed together, their fingers twined.

“I want to know everything about you,” Elise ventured softly as the conversation lulled into silence for several minutes.

“You know everything important,” Tucker replied.

“I know,” Elise agreed, believing that. “But I want to know everything.”

“Like what?”

She leaned up on an elbow, resting her chin on his chest, her eyes on his. “I want to know where you were born. I want to know the favorite meal you mother made for you. I want to know about your favorite Christmas ornament. I want to know your favorite constellation.”

Tucker remained motionless, and then lifted a finger to point to the sky. “That one,” he said simply. “Cygnus. It’s my favorite summer constellation.”

Elise looked up, seeing the stars as he pointed them out to her, seeing the swan’s shape in her mind’s eye.

“Swans mate for life, you know,” Tucker said, his voice strained.

“I know,” Elise said with a small smile. “What’s your favorite winter constellation?”

“Orion,” they answered in unison. “That’s everyone’s favorite,” Elise teased and Tucker laughed, knowing it was true.

“But at least I can name more than that and the Big Dipper,” Tucker argued. “That should count for points.”

“it does,” Elise assured him, snuggling back against his body, her arms around his chest, his ear over his heart, listening to its comforting beat.

“Elise…” Tucker said after a long pause. “You know I’m too old for you, don’t you?”

Elise frowned to herself, disagreeing with him. “What does age have to do with it?”

“There’s dozen years between us, and that’s a lot, especially at your age,” Tucker argued.

“Would it help if I told you I think I’m an old soul?” Elise asked and Tucker kissed the top of her head, smiling.

“I don’t doubt it. And it helps a little, but…”

“What?”

“I’m too old for you.”

“Maybe I’m too young for you. You’re afraid of being worn out by such a glowing whippersnapper such as myself.”

Tucker laughed. “Maybe I am.”

“Well,” Elise said after a long moment. “I think you’re just right for me. And I think I’m just right for you.”

“Are you sure?”

Elise nodded against his chest. “More sure of this than anything in my entire life.”

“Let’s go to bed,” Tucker said hoarsely. “I want to take you to bed. God, I do. But only if you’re ready, if you’re sure…”

Elise smiled, a small, soft smile meant only for him.

If someone had told her to just sleep with a guy a few months ago, she would have said she was miles from being ready.

But with Tucker?

She was ready.

She was more than ready, and she was definitely willing, able and downright eager.

“I’m sure,” Elise replied. “Just so long as you know…”

“What?”

“You’ll… you’ll be my first. My real first, I guess,” Elise amended. “You know what I mean.”

Tucker swallowed, though he had already suspected that was the case. “Then I want you to be very sure,” he said seriously. “I’m sure, but you have to be the one who…”

“Take me to bed,” Elise said throatily, interrupting him. “Before I start doing something untoward out here on the sand.”

“Are you sure?” Tucker asked again, sitting up and dislodging them both, trying to peer into her eyes to find the truth of her conviction.

In reply, Elise stood up and slowly unbuttoned her man’s shirt, dropping in onto the sand beside him, the cool night air immediately pebbling her skin, making her shiver.

She flicked her bra off expertly with one hand and dropped it on Tucker’s chest, then began walking towards the house without a backwards glance, her shorts falling by the wayside and her shoes kicked off after them.

Tucker hurriedly kicked sand on the fire and rushed after her, finding her panties near the front door. He stuck them in his pocket and rushed to his bedroom in time to find Elise pulling back the quilt on the bed, plumping the pillows and laying herself down – waiting for him.

God, she looked beautiful, her curves lit by the moon, her face soft and trusting, that cascade of red hair illuminated against the white of his pillows.

She was everything he never knew he wanted, and he couldn’t wait to have her – body, mind, and soul.

She smiled, beckoned him with one quirked finger, and he slowly closed and locked the door before joining her on the bed.

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