Spring Tide (Coastal University Book 1)

Eden and Fletcher are fighting again.

I’ve been running damage control all morning, but there’s little I can do to help remedy the situation at this point. Apparently, Eden overheard him flirting with some other girl after the football game last night. When she confronted him about it, he came back with the worst possible excuse: “We’re not technically dating anymore, so what does it matter to you?”

I’m surprised Eden was able to withhold herself from slapping him in the face. She said she wanted to, badly, but there were too many witnesses to risk it. My girl’s not prone to easily forgive and forget, so the fact that she opened herself up for a second chance is a big deal. Now, I doubt she’ll ever give Fletcher the time of day again.

Unfortunately, there’s still nearly a month left in the semester, so the two of them are stuck interning together until winter break hits. I’d ask Luca to help run defense, but I highly doubt he’d involve himself in some petty drama like this. Well . . . he might if I asked him to, but he’s already got more than enough on his plate to deal with.

He’s running himself ragged trying to balance everything, yet he still manages to make me feel like a priority. It’s honestly remarkable. We have plans to meet after his shift at Amber Isle this afternoon, but for now, I’m posted up in Eden’s apartment, watching her shovel french toast down her throat.

“He’s just such an ass,” she says through another massive, syrup-soaked bite. “Princess this, princess that, what a load of shit.”

“I just don’t understand his motive,” I say, dipping some more french bread into the eggy concoction beside me. “He acted like he really wanted to work things out.”

“That’s just it. It was all an act.”

“I’m sorry, sweetie.” I toss the bread into the pan and listen for a sizzle, flipping it once it’s perfectly seared on one side. “I can only imagine how awful you’re feeling.”

“You’ve never had your heart broken, have you?”

“Well, not really.” I pile up the last of the toast onto her plate. Untying the apron around my waist, I join her at the kitchen island. “I’ve never been in love.”

She gives me a sideways glance. “Not even with Luca?”

“Oh, I, um . . . maybe?”

Am I in love with Luca? I honestly hadn’t put much thought into the idea yet. It’s true, there are a lot of things I love about him—the way he makes me feel, the way he looks at me, the way he tries so fucking hard in all aspects of his life—but does that mean I’m actually in love?

If it does, then I guess I’ve fallen headfirst without even realizing it.

Luca’s mine, and I’m his. Truthfully, I can’t imagine my life here at Coastal without him now. So yeah, I guess that does mean I’m in love with him. It’s a scary thing to admit to myself, even scarier to think about admitting it to him.

It’s just . . . I know the whole love thing hasn’t worked out so well for him in the past.

“You just figured it out, didn’t you?” Eden asks with a knowing smile, popping the last piece of french toast into her mouth.

A welcome heat climbs my neck. “I guess I did.”

“The girls and I have known for ages.”

“Sure you have.” My arms cross over my chest with a dramatic huff. “You guys know everything.”

“Thank you. We’re very smart.” She stacks our dishes together, giving them a quick rinse before loading them in the dishwasher. “They’re coming to relieve you in about an hour, by the way.”

“Oh my gosh, I don’t need relieving.” I frown. “I like being here with you.”

“Don’t worry, I know you have plans with Luca today. I’m not bothered.” She clicks her tongue, waving me off. “At least one of us should be living out our romantic fantasies.”

“You know I would stay here if you wanted me to, right?”

“I know you would, which is exactly why I want you to go. I love you too much to subject you to this—me crying about Grant all damn day.” She plops back down onto the barstool beside me, dropping her head onto my shoulder. “Lord knows he’s not worth it.”

“He really isn’t.” I stroke the top of her hair, “Not if he can let someone as incredible as you slip right through his fingers.”

“That’s it.” She closes her eyes, a watery smile lifting her cheeks. “Go on, say more nice things about me.”

I twirl a thick, dark strand between my fingers, admiring how soft and shiny it is. “Has anyone ever told you that you have amazing hair?”

Later that night, Luca and I cuddle up on a blanket together at the beach. We’re watching the sunset at my favorite spot, about thirty yards shy of the shoreline, the chilly November air sending a tiny shiver up my spine.

“You cold?” he asks, tucking me against his side. “I think I still have a sweatshirt in my car for you.”

“I’m okay.” I gesture toward the open water. “Actually, I was just wishing it was warm enough for us to go swimming right now.”

“Yeah, that’s not happening.” He chuckles, running his hands over the goose bumps lining my arms. “We’d definitely freeze our asses off.”

I give him a playful shrug. “Might be worth it. Seems like a good time for screaming underwater.”

“What do you mean?”

“Have you never done that?”

His brow quirks. “Can’t say I’ve ever had the inclination.”

“It’s a great stress reliever. I always find myself swimming out there during spring finals.” I can hear the wistful smile in my voice. “I just duck my head under the water and yell. It feels so good.”

“Maybe when the weather warms up again, we can try it together.”

I nudge him with an elbow, excitement buzzing around in my stomach. “Better yet, we could do it tonight in the bath.”

“Sounds romantic,” he deadpans.

“Oh, shush.” Laughter bubbles out of me. “Like you’re the authority on what’s romantic or not.”

He scratches at the back of his ear, his sudden nervousness apparent. “I think I’ve done a pretty okay job lately, haven’t I?”

“Yes, you have.” My eyes drop to his mouth. “Speaking of, you should probably be rewarded for it.”

He breathes in, slowly, eyes heavy-lidded. “What did you have in mind?”

I tilt my chin, and we both lean in for a kiss. His lips are warm and soft, a shudder running through me when our tongues touch. I roll my body closer, and then his hands are everywhere—my hips, my waist, the back of my neck, up and into my hair. I reach my own hand between us, fingers frantically searching for the zipper on his jeans.

“So that’s what you had in mind, huh?” He rasps the question, his answering smile pressed against my lips.

I manage to pop his button open with one hand. “I really want to.”

He slides his hands out of my hair, gaze anxiously darting around us. “Out here, though?”

“It’s dark, and the beach is cleared out. I bet no one’s around for miles.”

“Yeah.” Another slow breath in. “You’re probably right.”

“So you’re okay with it?” I shift myself on top of him, straddling his outstretched thighs. God, I want to touch him everywhere. He leans back, one hand propping himself up while the other finds its home around my hip. “You want this?”

“I want you.”

“Then have me,” I whisper as he drags me in for another earth-shattering kiss.

He’s quick to bury his tongue in my mouth, his hand squeezing and kneading against my hip. I sink down further, grinding into his rapidly growing erection, desire pooling low in my belly. I swear we both stop breathing.

I’m desperate to feel him slide inside of me right now, but there’s something else I want to do first.

My fingers make quick work of his zipper, tugging it down and shucking his pants off. I reach into his boxers and wrap one tight fist around him, pumping a few times as a soft groan rumbles from his throat.

His head drops back, the corded muscles of his neck flexing as he swallows. “Shit, that feels so fucking good.”

“Tell me what you want,” I say, one hand sliding underneath his T-shirt.

I push up against the fabric, hinting for him to help me remove it. When he does, I kiss a trail from his neck across his pecs and down to his waistband. His hand covers mine, squeezing it tighter against him.

“Yeah, yeah.” The affirmation tumbles out of him, followed by a combination of ungodly sounds that make my panties even wetter. “Just like that.”

“Is that good for you, baby?”

“So fucking perfect,” he says, pushing a thick thigh between the junction of my legs.

I rub myself against him, my sundress riding up and exposing my damp panties. I’m sure he can feel the wetness dripping against his bare leg, but I can’t bring myself to care at the moment. My hips swirl and grind as I work him over, desperation growing with every tiny twitch of his cock against my palm.

“What else?” I ask in a breathless pant.

“I want your mouth. Fuck, I want you to wrap those perfect, pouty lips around my cock.”

I nearly choke. “What?”

He stiffens beneath me, wide-eyed with apprehension. “Sorry, was that too much?”

“Not at all.” I blink up at him. “I’m just surprised.”

“I’ve, uh, I’ve been thinking about what to say while we’re together like this . . . what words you might like.”

I practically come on the spot, my head, my heart, and my fucking vagina simultaneously combusting at the thought. “You have?”

“I just want it to be good for you,” he says softly.

My smile grows. He is so absurdly sexy, and he doesn’t even know it.

“Well, keep it up, champ, because that was everything.”

He snorts out a laugh. “You’re ridiculous.”

“And you are so hot.”

I shift myself off his thigh, shimmying until I’m perched between his legs. He works his boxers the rest of the way down as I move into the perfect position, his erection growing underneath my appreciative gaze. It doesn’t take much encouragement for my tongue to flick out, tasting him, running along the thick purply vein that curves around his length.

My lips encircle his thick tip, and I suck him partway into my mouth, softly at first, until I get the hang of it. I continue to lick and suck, spurred on by the sweet praises floating out of him. So perfect. So hot. I can’t wait to fuck you. At the sound of his rough, uncontrolled groan, I tilt my head, pushing down until I’m nearly choking.

“Come here, baby.” He loops one finger through the strap of my sundress, tugging me up and off his dick. “Let me fuck you before I come down your throat.”

With two gentle hands, he pushes me onto my back and climbs on top of me. His fingers dip down as he yanks my panties to the side, swiping his knuckles against my slit and rolling his thumb over my tight bundle of nerves.

“So wet,” he says, “Do you want me to fuck you with my fingers?”

“Too impatient for that.”

I pull my dress over my head as he leans to the side, fishing in his jeans pocket for a condom. It takes him a few moments to roll it on, so I mentally prepare myself to be fucked into the sand. Luca says his knee is “practically one hundred percent now,” thank goodness, which means I’m expecting full functionality tonight.

He moves over me, lining himself up at my entrance, pressing his full weight against me as he whispers into my ear, “You ready?”

“Please.”

He pushes into me slowly, canting his hips until his cock hits the perfect angle. As he roughly thrusts into me—hands pressed down on either side of my head—his lips meet my neck and leave a trail of wet kisses along my collarbone.

“Do you like how that feels?”

“It’s so good,” I murmur, a ragged moan ripping from my throat.

“Do you want more?”

My fingers thread through his hair as I attempt to control my breathing. Panting, I finally manage to say, “Any more and I might just . . . oh shit, I might just pass out.”

He chuckles, slowing his tempo but continuing to pound me into the blanket. There’s a sort of recklessness behind his movements now, as if fucking in public has suddenly opened up a new door for him, for us, for the shameless side of him begging to be unleashed.

“God, you take my cock so well. A perfect. Fucking. Fit,” he says, each word punctuated by a thrust.

I cry out, arching my back as my hips lift to meet him. I’ve almost reached the point of oblivion, but there’s one more thing I need to tip me over the edge.

“Harper, I’m gonna come,” he rasps against my throat. “Are you close?”Text property © Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org.

“I’m so close. I just, I need . . .”

He smooths a hand over my sweaty mass of hair, tucking it behind my ears. “Tell me what you need, baby. You can do it.”

“Can you suck on my tits?”

With a cheeky smirk, he dips his head and pops a nipple into his mouth. He rolls his tongue over it, lapping and sucking before he nips the sensitive bud with his teeth. It only takes about ten torturous seconds before I completely fall apart, writhing beneath him. With one last powerful thrust, he joins me there.

We catch our breath, silently slipping back into our underwear as he tucks the used condom away. Out of the corner of my eye, I watch Luca take a deep exhale and glance down the beach, ensuring that no random straggler has caught the show of a lifetime. As soon as he discovers the coast is clear, he pulls me on top of him and runs his hands along my sides.

“I love watching you come,” he murmurs.

“Damn, you’re getting really good at that.” I tap one finger on the end of his nose. “The talking thing.”

“It’s pretty fucking easy when I’ve got you underneath me. For some reason, I just want to spew out whatever shit comes to my mind. Plus, your reactions make it so much better.”

I’m practically glowing at his praise. “Yeah?”

“Yeah, being with you is the best I’ve ever had.” He kisses me again, slow and deep. “Every. Single. Time.”

“It is for me, too.”

“Good.” He gathers up the rest of his clothes and slips them on, passing my dress over as he rearranges the blanket beneath us. Sand is fucking everywhere, so there’s no doubt in my mind we’re going to need that bath later tonight.

“So,” he starts again, an awkward note behind his voice now, “I’ve been meaning to ask you about something.”

My nose wrinkles. “What’s up?”

“There’s a game this Saturday after Thanksgiving. It’s part of rivalry week, so our team’s playing against Dayton. Danny’s gonna be around, obviously, and he wants us to get together for another double date.” His shoulders tense. “What do you think? I know last time was fucking awkward, so you can say no.”

“Of course I’ll go, but I honestly don’t know why you still talk to him.”

He gives me an exaggerated eye roll. “Okay, Miss Forgiveness.”

“Hey, I’m not totally infallible.” I laugh, shoving at his chest. “At least some things have to be irredeemable.”

He shrugs. “He’s still my best friend.”

“I thought I was your best friend.”

“Okay, well, he’s my longest friend.”

“Fine, fair enough.”

He perks up, swinging an arm around me. “So we’re going, then?”

“Yeah, we’ll go.”

“Thank you,” he says softly, pressing a kiss to my forehead.

“I’d do anything for you. You know that, right?”

His cheeks flush, lips quirking into a smile. “I do now.”

“Tell me something. If you could do anything . . . if money wasn’t an issue and you had all the time in the world, what would you do?”

“I guess I would travel.”

“Where?”

“My mom’s family is originally from a small town in southern Italy, so maybe there. We don’t have many ties to the place these days, but I think it would be kind of cool to go check it out someday.” His fingers brush the stray hairs across my forehead. “What about you? I’m sure you’ve traveled all over.”

“I did do a lot of international travel growing up. There are still some places I’d wanna visit, but one thing I’ve always really wanted to do is go camping.”

He cocks his head to the side. “You’ve never been camping?”

“Nope, never.” I give him a tired sigh. “My parents aren’t really the camping type, if you know what I mean.”

He rears back, eyes glinting with mischief. “I’ll take you camping.”

“You will?”

“Of course.”

Anticipation thrums through my body at the idea. “Okay, maybe we could plan a trip somewhere in the spring after you get drafted.”

“And if I don’t get drafted?”

I give him a stern look, confidence seeping from my voice as I say, “You will.”

He nods, his smile piercing me as he laces our fingers together. “Then I guess it’s a done deal.”