Spring Tide (Coastal University Book 1)
Spring Tide: Chapter 36

In the beginning, I never could’ve imagined myself falling in love with Harper. I’d like to think it happened gradually, but the truth is I think I’ve been in love with her for a long while now. I just wasn’t able to admit it to myself.

It’s not a feeling that generally comes easy for me. Love. God knows I’ve been burned by it before. But loving Harper, the girl bathed in sunlight, feels as natural and effortless as breathing in my sleep.

I’ve learned and grown from my mistakes when it comes to her, to my family, to my health. They’re mistakes I’m committed to never making again. Losing her—spending those three agonizing weeks apart—showed me how important it is to keep my head on straight.

When I’m overwhelmed now, I’m dedicated to finding a solution, one that doesn’t involve me breaking my own back in the process. My new therapist is a godsend in helping me with that, among the many other issues I’ve been facing lately.

I’ll admit it’s been difficult coming to terms with ending my season early, but spending this last week with Harper has lightened my mood considerably. She’s cheered me up in almost every way imaginable. And her forgiveness is something I won’t take for granted.

This is our first weekend back together, and I’ve been racking my brain for a way to thank her. Something that’s affordable but memorable. Something that might make her smile.

With a little help from Taylor, I think I’ve come up with a decent enough idea—it’s simple, low-cost, and local. Plus, I have it on good authority that it’s something she’s been itching to do.

By the time she arrives at my house, I have her surprise all set up in the backyard. I greet her at the door with a soft kiss, take her hand, and guide her around to the back. It’s nothing too fancy, but I’ve set up a few heat lamps, a fire pit, and a tent packed to the brim with thick bedding.

It’s a few days before Christmas, a whopping twenty-eight degrees overnight, so it’s too fucking cold for the real thing. Otherwise, I would’ve set this up near the beach for us.

“Luca.” She tugs on my arm, practically bouncing on the balls of her feet. “You did this for me?”

“I know it’s not technically real camping, but I promise to take you again in the spring,” I say nervously, attempting to gauge her shocked expression. “And every year after that.”

She snakes her arms around my waist, gazes up at me, lifts onto her tiptoes. Her lips press a sloppy kiss to my cheek. “And what if I have a better proposal?”

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“You can take me camping in the spring like you promised, but next year, I get to pick our trip.” She taps her chin in thought, smiles wide. “I’m thinking a small town in southern Italy might be nice.”

I pull her closer, leaning down to capture her lips in a bruising kiss. My heart stutters in my chest, there’s an anxious sort of fluttering in my gut, and the tips of my ears are burning.

When I finally pull back, I drop my forehead to hers, whispering, “I hope you know much I love you.”

Her eyes shine. “You do?”

“God yes. I’m so in love with you,” I say, my voice thick with emotion. “Honestly, I think I’ve been a little bit in love with you ever since that first day at your apartment. You know, when you asked me to take my pants off.”

She steps back and laughs, tiny lines spreading around her eyes. “Aw, I remember how shy you were back then.”

“I wasn’t shy. I was fucking intimidated.”

“By me?” Her mouth hangs open. “I’m, like, the least scary person in the world.”

“Well, you certainly scared me back then.” A slow smirk tilts my grin. “Still do sometimes.”

“Hey!” she whisper-shouts, slapping me on the shoulder.

“Kidding.” I cup a hand around the back of her head, placing a kiss to her crown. “The only thing I’m scared of is losing you again.”

“I don’t want to lose you, either.” She swallows, heavy and low, as she threads our fingers together. “You know, you never mentioned what happened that first weekend we were apart. I know you didn’t play in the Rivals game, but did you ever end up meeting with Danny and Sofia?”

“No, definitely not.” I shake my head, a rueful sigh slipping from my lips. “I thought about it, but in the end, the only person I wanted to spend time with was you. I think I’m gonna take a break from that friendship for a while, anyway. At least until I’m in a better place, both physically and mentally.”

“That’s probably a good idea.” She rubs her thumb along the outside of mine. “You need something that fills your cup, not something that depletes it.”

“Exactly right.” I chuckle softly. “Have you been talking to my therapist?”

“No, but I probably could’ve told you that myself a long time ago.”

“Very true.” I squeeze her hand. “You’re pretty good at being right.”

“You know I love you, too, don’t you?” Her voice is eager, passionate as she looks up at me, those blue-gray eyes sparkling with adoration. “So much.”

“I know you do.” I lift our clasped hands, sweeping a kiss across her knuckles. “And that makes me feel really fucking lucky.”

“I feel the same way.”

Following another quick kiss to the cheek, she drops my hand and steps a few paces away, carefully surveying our surroundings. Her gaze flits to the tent, then back to me, brows lifted in question.

“So, are you gonna show me what you have set up in there?”

“The tent?” I ask, tilting my head. “It’s just sleeping bags and pillows. I have some stuff for s’mores in the house if that’s what you’re getting at.”

“Mm, nope.” She moves toward the tent, unzipping the entrance as she glances back at me over one shoulder. “I’d like to see where we’re gonna sleep tonight . . . maybe test it out?”

“Test it out?” I scratch at my forehead, shooting her a quizzical look. With a playful waggle of her brows, she uses two fingers to beckon me forward. “Oh! Oh yeah, let’s test it out.”

Once we’re securely tucked inside the tent, we make quick work of removing our clothing, desperate to reconnect physically. Harper runs her hands across my abs and up to my shoulders, carefully pushing me onto my back. She wastes no time climbing on top.

Before I can even form a rational thought, she rips open a condom package and rolls it down over my hard length. I’m not even sure where the hell she got it from, but I suppose I’m glad my girl comes prepared.

“Impatient much?” I ask playfully, running my fingertips along the sweet curves of her waist.

She dips her head, capturing my lips in a heated kiss. Her body melts against mine, chests flush, tongue pushing into my mouth. A quiet moan slips free.

“Sorry, I’ve just really, really missed you,” she says, reluctantly pulling away.

My hand curves around her neck, dragging her back against me. “God, I’ve missed you, too. So much.”

She angles her hips, lifting up until we’re perfectly aligned. One hand wraps around my erection, teasing the tip inside of her, slowly running it across her slick folds. She’s so fucking wet and ready, so I tap her clit just once before finally sliding home.

As she clenches around me, grinding her hips low and slow, I let her take full control. Her fingernails dig into my chest while she rides me, seeking out her own pleasure on my cock.

“That’s good, baby.” I reach a hand between us, rubbing my thumb over her clit. “You’re so fucking pretty like this.”

She bounces faster at my praise, her tiny little whimpers taking on a mind of their own. At this point, I’m fully lost in my lust-filled daze. I’m fairly certain I almost die when her hands move to cup around her breasts. She kneads the soft flesh, rolling her nipples between her fingers, a low hum of a moan breaking free.

I know I’ve already said it before, maybe more than once, but this time with her is definitely my fucking favorite.

“Luca,” she rasps, slowing her pace. “Can you fuck me now?”

I clasp both hands around her hips, driving into her from below, loving her harder with each passionate thrust.

“It’s you and me,” I murmur on a groan. “Always.”

“Always,” she echoes.

When we come together a few moments later—her clutching tightly to my shoulders—I swear to God a tear almost leaks out of my fucking eye. Sometimes, I still can’t rationalize the fact that this girl is actually mine. And that I’m hers, for-fucking-ever.

I’ve spent a large part of my life believing that I’m not enough. For anyone or for anything. That all my hopes and dreams—supporting my family, playing professionally, finding real love and friendship—were far-fetched, relatively unachievable for a guy like me.

It wasn’t until I met Harper that I started to believe differently. Although I’ve had to face some major setbacks over the past few months, I’ve also built a greater sense of confidence and security in myself. Truthfully, I never thought I could feel this fucking happy or complete.

Learning, loving, and then losing Harper has shown me exactly what I’ve been missing out on all this time. And there’s not a shot in hell that I’m gonna let myself lose her twice.

It’s the two of us from now on.

Together. Always.

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