Make Me Forget (6 page)

What Tyler would give right now for a condom. He wanted to sink into her. But doing so at that moment would be irresponsible, and he wasn’t like that. The more he thought about it—what they were doing and where—it was pretty fucking incredible. Tyler was loving the way Paige’s hand felt wrapped tightly around his dick, stroking it up and down, over and over again. As for sex, there would be plenty of it later that night. He would guarantee it.

Chapter Six

After giving each other amazing hand action in the ocean, Tyler and Paige did manage to get some surfing in. The waves weren’t too big, and Paige was grateful. They took turns positioning themselves on the board—she in front one time, he in front the next. She found it fun and exhilarating—or maybe it was just seeing Tyler in his element. She caught herself staring at him a few times when she was supposed to be paying attention to the waves—the way his back muscles flexed to keep balance. At one point, she watched the tiny drops of water slide down his suntanned skin.
Is this all for real? Is Tyler real?
Every time that thought crossed her mind, they wiped out or he reached for her, bringing her back to the present—with him.

Saying Tyler loved the ocean was an understatement. It was obvious to Paige that he had a great respect for it and a good understanding of its temperamental ways. Although it was a powerful element, the water was breathtakingly beautiful. He was careful with her while they were surfing but always made her feel comfortable, even while being adventurous. That was definitely a new concept for Paige. Plus, she was finally starting to get over her fear of swimming with fish.

They lay on the beach for a while, basking in the sun. Tyler started playing in the sand.

“What are you doing?”

“Making a sand castle,” he said casually. “Come help me. It’ll be fun. I promise.” He winked at her, and she felt a tightness in her chest. It wasn’t the first time he’d said those words to her. Everything with him
was
fun.
He
was fun. She shook the feelings away, knowing their time was ending soon. Tyler’s flight back to Australia was tomorrow.

This is just a weekend fling,
she reminded herself. The thought left a hollow feeling in the pit of her stomach, but she couldn’t shake the emotions swelling in her heart.

Paige watched Tyler in deep concentration as he patted the sand into perfect, round edges. He looked up at her with his shimmering blue eyes. They were full of excitement. He made her feel like a kid again. She couldn’t help giggling. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d made a sand castle and had actually played in the sand. She was twenty-six years old, not ten. She jumped in to help him, determined to continue having fun. They worked well together on the design and building process. They used shells, rocks and other things they found on the beach to give their work some more character. After nearly an hour, their sand kingdom was complete. It was so well constructed, other beach goers were stopping by to take pictures of it. The kids oohed and ahhed over it. They were pretty proud of what they’d built…together.

* * * *

Tyler and Paige quickly stopped at the condo to change their clothes. Paige went with a pair of denim shorts and a pink tank top. She ran a brush through her hair and was ready. When she came out of her room, she was surprised Tyler wasn’t waiting for her. She wasn’t the fussy type, but maybe he thought she would have taken more time.

A few seconds later, Tyler emerged from his room wearing a pair of khaki shorts and a white T-shirt that hugged his shoulders in the most eye-pleasing way.

They smiled at each other.

“You’re quick. Ready?” he asked her.

“I don’t like to fuss much. And yes, I am ready.”

“You don’t take long to get ready, yet you look so amazing. I like that…” Tyler kissed her cheek. “A lot,” he whispered in her ear.

Paige felt a blushing sensation take over her body. Not only did his words and touch turn her on, but the fact he appreciated her simple ways did too
.

Tyler laced his fingers with Paige’s, and they walked into town. She took a quick glance down at their hands and smiled. Her heart warmed. Even their hands fit well together. After a few short minutes, the aroma of delicious pizza hit her nose. She inhaled deeply and Tyler noticed.

“Yesterday at dinner, you mentioned you really liked pizza, so I wanted to bring you here.”

“Oh my God, it smells great,” she said, taking another big whiff of the air.

They walked into Pizza Village and took a table by the window so they could watch people pass by. It was a pretty small restaurant, but the place was hopping. A lot of people came in to pick up their orders and eat them elsewhere. Other customers waited patiently at the front counter and chatted with those around them.

Tyler and Paige placed their order.

“I’m so hungry, I could eat a horse,” Tyler claimed.

Paige giggled. “Good thing we ordered the meat lovers pizza. Do you want a large instead of a medium?”

Tyler shook his head as the server brought their drinks. She took a few gulps of the ice-cold cola. It was quite refreshing.

While they waited for their food, Tyler told Paige about the team he coached. The past two seasons had been victorious, but this year was a rebuilding year. A lot of the players had graduated, which meant the underclassmen would need time to work on their teambuilding skills. Once the pizza was delivered, they devoured it. Apparently, they both had worked up a huge appetite. The pizza was indeed delicious. Both Tyler and Paige stuffed themselves, Paige not realizing how much they were eating during their conversation.

* * * *

“Have you ever been to Montauk before?” Tyler asked when they left the small restaurant.

“Actually, this is my first time.”

“Well, Miss Mattheson, let me be your tour guide.”

Tyler and Paige walked all over town. They stopped in the various shops looking at clothes, T-shirts, and the surf shops. Paige admired a charm bracelet in one of the boutiques.

“That’s nice. Why don’t you try it on?” Tyler asked.

“It is very pretty, but I don’t really need it.” Paige put the bracelet down. She had already spent some money in New London before she’d got to Montauk. She’d never been a big shopper. She preferred to save her money or spend it on books.

They walked out of the store and Tyler called a cab. “I have one more place I want to show you, but we can’t walk there. The cab will be here in a few minutes. Do you mind waiting here in case it comes earlier? I don’t want us to miss it. I’m going to run back in the store real quick and use their restroom before our next destination.”

Paige nodded and sat on the bench near the intersection. He gave her a chaste kiss on the lips then dashed back to the store. He didn’t really need to go to the restroom. He needed an excuse to get back to the store and buy her that charm bracelet.

The cashier smiled at him when he walked up to the counter with the bracelet in hand. The lady was probably in her mid-fifties. “Sneaky man,” she snickered. “But a loving one.”

Tyler smiled, and his heart skipped a beat at the word
loving
as he thought about the look on Paige’s face when she would open the gift. His feelings couldn’t be anything more than
like
. He knew he really liked her, but it wouldn’t be any more. It couldn’t be. They were enjoying each other’s company immensely. This was just a weekend romance, wasn’t it? Besides, it was much too early. He had just met her.

A few minutes later, Tyler was almost at the intersection when the cab pulled up. Paige stood up and turned around to look for Tyler. He knew the moment she spotted him. Her face lit up with such a beautiful smile, he felt the warmth radiate through his heart.

“Ready?”

“I’m ready for our next adventure,” Paige stated with confidence.

“Montauk Point Lighthouse,” Tyler instructed the driver.

He put his arm around Paige and pulled her close. Paige looked at him and kissed his cheek. “Thank you for making me forget all the negative things and helping me remember all the positive ones.”

“I didn’t do anything, Paige. It was in you the whole time.”

“No, Tyler, you did. You dragged it all out of me and pushed the other stuff out of the way.”

He kissed her head, sealing the sweet moment, and they settled into the worn leather seat of the cab. With Paige nestled closely to his side, he looked out of the window, enjoying the views they passed.
I don’t think I could ever get enough of this place—or of Paige.

They arrived at the lighthouse. Tyler paid for their tickets, and they trekked up the small hill.

Paige stopped and looked up once they reached the top of the hill. “It’s beautiful,” Paige murmured.

“Wait until we climb to the top, the view is outrageous.”

Tyler followed Paige into the building, walking straight through the museum, which used to be the keeper’s house. They began climbing the one hundred and thirty-seven steps to the top.

“It’s already a fabulous view,” Tyler said, friskily pinching Paige’s bottom.

“Tyler, stop. You’re going to make me trip and fall.” She giggled.

“You wouldn’t fall. I would be right here to catch you,” he said as they approached a little landing area with a beautiful old window. Paige stopped, turned around and kissed him hard. He immediately opened for her, wanting to taste her. The kiss was sensual and wet.

“What was that for?” he whispered.

“The striking view,” she answered with a wink. “At least the one I’m looking at right now.”

Tyler pointed to the window. Paige turned to the actual view, which was already amazing.

“All right beautiful, let’s keep going so I can bore you with random facts about this place.” They continued up the stairs while Tyler told Paige about the lighthouse.

“It was authorized under George Washington and constructed in 1796. It was the first lighthouse in the state of New York. It is the fourth oldest active lighthouse in the U.S.”

“You are just a wealth of knowledge, aren’t you?”

“I like history too,” he stated with a smile.

They reached the top, and Paige peered out of the windows.

“Wow! It’s incredible,” she exclaimed.

Tyler pulled her hand, and they stepped out onto a very tiny balcony. He watched the wind blow her hair softly as she took in the sight before her.

“It looks like the ocean goes on as far as the eye can see. I can imagine sailors knowing their destination was near when they saw the flashing beacon of this lighthouse. Mine is nearby as well, even though I’m not certain what it is exactly. I can feel it. I couldn’t tell you the last time I felt this relaxed and alive. I am finally starting to feel like myself again. I don’t feel like I’m drowning anymore,” she explained while taking in the breathtaking view.

Tyler put his arms around her and held her close, his chest to her back. He closed his eyes and kissed the back of her head. He experienced a sense of relief and wondered how long she’d felt like she was drowning. Was it just the writer’s block? Was it her ex-fiancé? Or had something else been wearing her down for quite some time?

She turned in his arms and kissed his cheek. “Thank you for bringing me here. It is perfect. I needed to see this—all of this immaculate beauty,” she said, stroking the side of his face.

“You’re very welcome. You know, when I first came here, I went over to that area.” Tyler pointed to the water’s edge, which was full of rocks. “I sat there for a few hours and listened to the waves crashing while I tossed stones into the water. I thought about my life—my achievements, the things I enjoy doing and the occasions I wish I would have made different choices. When my thoughts frustrated me, I would throw a bigger rock into the water.” He laughed at himself, recalling the one that was nearly impossible for him to budge, let alone pick up. “Okay, some of them definitely tried my strength.”

Paige smile up at him, and the sparkle in her eyes made his heart skip a beat.

“But every choice I ever made brought me here with you, right in this moment.” He put his finger under her chin and tipped her head up. Her eyes fluttered shut as Tyler gently touched his lips to hers.
And no matter how long this lasts, we are meant to share this time together.

Chapter Seven

On the way back to the condo, Paige thought about the feelings they’d each expressed at the lighthouse.

As soon as Paige walked through the door, she stripped off her clothes. The need to be naked felt liberating, just like when she opened up about her feelings. It felt right. She didn’t quite understand how Tyler could make her feel so free and alive again—or maybe it was the first time in a long time she didn’t feel stressed. The more she thought about it, the more she realized she had never felt
liberated
before. She’d always felt like she had been walking on eggshells with her ex. Maybe it was the fact that Tyler would be leaving tomorrow or because he was so easy to talk to, so why not be herself and stick to the promise she’d made? She had nothing to lose.

Paige was standing in the living room, naked, her beach clothes tossed in a pile on the tiled floor. She turned around to see what Tyler was doing since she hadn’t heard any movement. He was standing by the door with dark, wide eyes and a sexy grin on his face. Paige returned the smile and crooked her finger, beckoning him.

He rushed to her, and she jumped into his arms, wrapping her naked body around him. She kissed him with feverish passion and slowly moved her body up and down his like she was inching up a tree. Tyler groaned.

Tyler walked them to his room to grab a condom then into the bathroom. While turning on the shower, he kept her in his arms and the steam slowly began to fill the room. He stepped inside with her. She slid down his body. Paige grabbed the waistband of his board shorts and pulled them down. His cock sprang free, and she dropped to her knees. Tyler braced himself on the walls of the shower in anticipation of what was about to happen. She looked up at him, gazing into his eyes. She darted her tongue out of her mouth, and she licked her lips to show her hunger. She hoped Tyler was more than happy to feed her.