Never Forget (Memories #1)(31)
Author: Emma Hart

”You two make a very cute couple.” A lady in her forties smiles at us across the table.

I open my mouth to correct her but Alec beats me to it.

”Thank you, ma’am.” He beams and takes my hand in his. I look at him and discreetly raise an eyebrow. He winks and shrugs one shoulder.

”Sorry,” he whispers in my ear. ”I didn’t want to ruin her little dream.”

I laugh under my breath and the same woman shoots a big smile at us. I smile back and shrug as if to say ‘what can I do?’

When all the dessert dishes are cleared away, the DJ welcomes us to the evening event and calls for the first dance. A smile graces my lips as I watch Hannah and Lloyd take the floor. They look into each other’s eyes as if they’re the only people in the room, and you can almost feel the love flowing from them.

As I watch, I wonder if I’ll ever feel that way about anyone. To love someone enough to commit your whole life to them is something else altogether. I think about my parents. They’ve been happily married for twenty-five years, and together even longer. That’s the kind of love I want one day. It’s the kind everyone wants.

Alec looks back at me like he knows what I’m thinking and smiles. I smile back.

The music changes and people start to gravitate towards the floor. Alec offers me his hand.

”May I have this dance?”

It’s Westlife. How can I possibly say no?

”You may.” I smile and put my hand in his. He leads me to the dance floor where I catch sight of Jen and Carl. Carl winks at me and nods toward Alec, Jen grins. I roll my eyes at them and turn towards Alec. He pulls me against him, spreading his hands across the small of my back. I wrap my arms around his neck and realise what the song is.

Every Little Thing You Do.

Perfect for a wedding, I’ll admit, but not so perfect when you’re in the arms of the only guy you think of when you hear the song. Alec starts swaying me side to side gently and I allow myself to melt into his arms.

”’It’s every little thing you do, that makes me fall in love with you. There isn’t a way that I can show you, ever since I’ve come to know you, it’s every little thing you say, that makes me wanna feel this way. There’s not a thing that I can point to, it’s every little thing you do.”’ Alec sings quietly into my ear.

I rest my head on his shoulder, my face turned into his neck. He holds me tighter as he quietly carries on singing and my heart melts.

”Closet Westlife fan,” I whisper to him.

He turns his face into mine so his lips are right by my ear. ”I’ve already told you I’d do anything for you, Princess, and if that means learning Westlife, then I’ll do it.”

He starts singing again and something inside me breaks. I can’t fight it anymore.

He’s dangerous, flirtatious, my opposite in almost everything. But he’s all I want.

I’ve never felt the way I do right now, with him holding me close and singing me one of my favourite songs. Nothing even comes close to the feeling spreading through my body.

I have to admit it to myself, no matter how much I want to run from it to save myself.

I’m falling for this guy, hook, line and sinker. He’s stealing my heart, a little piece at a time.

And I’m not sure I want him to stop anymore.

~

I awoke this morning with the previous night’s revelation still fresh in my mind.

We’ve been in Devon for three weeks. That means we leave in five. But that doesn’t matter much to me anymore. Like Jen said, I have to stop worrying about the future and live in the here and now.

And that’s why I’m sat on the beach, staring out to sea and waiting for Alec to get here.

I might be crazy. The early morning heat might be making me delusional. I’m not sure. I just know.. I trust him. Everything he’s done since we’ve met is to make me believe in him, trust him.

”It’s seven thirty in the morning.” Alec’s voice drifts over the beach towards me. ”Any reason I’m here so early? Not that I’m complaining, any excuse to see you, Princess, but still.”

I turn my head and he’s stood behind me, the sun playing off his features. There’s a shine to his hair and apprehension in his eyes. I pat the spot next to me and he moves forward almost tentatively.

”You’re not smiling,” he observes and sits down.

I shrug one shoulder. ”I have to talk to you about something.”

”Go on,” he encourages, leaning back on his hands.

I look down at the sand and draw a pattern in the sand absently. I trace it three times and realise it’s a heart.

”I don’t wanna fight it anymore, Alec.”

”Fight what?”

”This. Me and you.” I peer over at him. ”Us.”

His eyes widen slightly. ”Us?”

I nod and tuck my hair behind my ear. ”Everything you’ve done since we’ve met has completely disproved everything I’ve been told about you. You’ve done nothing but try and make me happy, and you have.”

”Princess..”

”Let me finish, okay?” He nods. ”I’ve had the best three weeks – with a few exceptions – and it’s because of you. I.. I don’t want to keep fighting against what I know will happen.”

”So, you’re saying.” He swallows slightly and turns his body towards me, ”that you want there to be an us?”

I close my eyes, breathe deeply and nod. ”If.. If that’s what you still want.”

”So, if I leaned over, like this.” Alec inches closer to me, moving his hand behind my back. ”And put my hand here, wrapping my fingers in your hair, you wouldn’t mind?”

He’s so close to me, and I know, emotionally, this is the closest we’ve ever been. I can feel his warm breath fan across my cheek, my breathing speeds up, goose pimples erupt over my body. My lips tingle in anticipation, my heart starts to play a fast rock beat against my ribs. The almost kisses – and actual kiss – of the past hold nothing to what I know is happening.

”Hmm, Princess, you wouldn’t care?” he repeats softly, his blue grey eyes boring into mine.

I shake my head slightly.

”I didn’t hear you.”

”No,” I whisper, ”I wouldn’t care at all.”

”And what if I did this?” He moves his face forward so our lips are nearly touching, mere millimetres apart. My eyes flutter closed as he tightens his grip on me.

”Would you care, then?”

”No, not this time,” I breathe out, almost soundlessly.

I want this. I want this more than anything, and I know I’ve been a fool to fight it.

”Then you wouldn’t mind, if I did this.” He closes the barely there difference between us and my body explodes.

His lips are soft, like a silky rose petal, and they merge against mine in a perfection seen only in movies. He’s gentle, ever so gentle, brushing his lips over mine again and again.

I reach up and wrap my arms around his neck, my fingers entwining in his hair. I want more, more than just a gentle kiss. I’ve had a taste of him, of heaven, and I don’t know how to stop. All that exists in this second is him, Alec, the guy I’d vowed to stay away from.