Chapter 263: Race Me
At first Genevieve’s lips brushed Stefan’s hesitantly, like she was afraid he would pull away. But Stefan didn’t pull back. He leaned in and kissed her fully, and it was deep and slow, like he too wanted to taste every bit of her.
Genevieve’s heart raced. Her hands lifted, clutching at the front of his shirt, while his arm slid around her waist, pulling her close. The swing rocked under them as their kiss grew hotter. His lips moved against hers with need, and her breath came fast and shallow.
Heat curled inside her, spreading quickly. She wanted more, so much more, but just as the kiss threatened to spill over, Stefan broke it.
He pressed his forehead against hers, his breathing rough, his hand still firm at her waist. "We should stop," he whispered, his voice husky.
Her lower lip protruded in a pout. "Why?"
His thumb brushed her jaw gently, but his tone stayed firm. "Because if I don’t stop now, I won’t stop at all..."
"I don’t want you to stop," she said softly.
"Sex between us doesn’t have to be just a way to satisfy our immediate urge. It should be a choice that binds us. And I really don’t want to do this now and feel sorry about it later."
Genevieve tried to shake off her disappointment and steady herself. "Alright. So... what now?" she asked softly.
He smiled, kissing her forehead quickly. "Now we take a walk to cool off. Come on."
Before she could argue, he stood and offered his hand. With a sigh, she placed her hand in his, letting him pull her to her feet. Barefoot, they walked off the porch and onto the soft sand. The grains were cool under their feet, and the waves lapped gently at the shore.
Though it was night, the beach area was bright because of the solar lamp posts that lined the area.
The night air smelled of salt and wildflowers. The moon painted the ocean silver, and the stars blinked above like tiny lamps.
They walked slowly, side by side, their fingers interwoven. For a while neither spoke, until Genevieve broke the silence.
"Have you ever been in a romantic relationship? I mean a sexual one?"
Stefan slowed, "You mean if I’ve had sex?"
"Yeah. Sorry I’m asking such a personal question," she said, and his lips twitched.
"You have told me more personal details about yourself. This isn’t a big deal," he assured her, though he didn’t answer immediately.
He stared ahead at the rolling waves, and he was quiet so long she thought he wouldn’t answer. Finally, his voice came low.
"Yes. Once."
Her brows lifted. "What happened?"
"Hmm. You could say I wasn’t what she wanted. She was after something else," Stefan said flatly.
Genevieve’s chest ached for him. She squeezed his hand gently. "I’m sorry about that. But it’s her loss though. I can’t imagine a better man than you. And I’m glad she left you. How else would I have met you?" She asked, and Stefan chuckled.
"Me too," he said, still glad that he’d realized soon enough that his lover had been a reporter who approached him because she wanted an exclusive on Jamal Jonas.
They walked in silence for some minutes before Genevieve spoke again, her voice came small. "So why don’t you want to... you know... with me? What are you waiting for?"
He stopped walking and turned his gaze to her, his eyes soft. "You told me about your struggle with sex. About your addiction. What happens if we go too fast, and when we separate after now, you relapse? I won’t risk that."
She crossed her arms, her pout deepening. "I’ve done a good job for years!"
"I know," he said, brushing a thumb across her cheek. "But I think it’d be safer for you if we don’t rush it. We will get there eventually. But for now let’s enjoy the journey instead of rushing to the destination. And when we eventually get there, I want us to not just bare our bodies but our souls as well. I want it to mean something real. I want us to both have all our cards laid on the table. I don’t want to cheapen this, Genevieve. Not with you."
Her lips parted, her heart thudding harder than before. She felt both frustrated and deeply moved all at once.
She tried to distract herself. "Okay, then at least let me have my phone back. I will need it while I lie alone on my bed at night."
He smirked, shaking his head. "Unfortunately I left it on the plane. You’ll only get it back on the last day."
Her eyes widened. "What? What if there’s an emergency?"
"Then it will have to wait," he said firmly. "This week is ours, Genevieve. No home. No drama. Just the both of us."
Before she could argue further, his eyes twinkled. "Race me."
"What?" she blinked.
"Race me," he repeated with a grin, and before she could process it or even protest, he took off running barefoot on the sand.
"Hey!" she laughed, hitching her leggings up as she ran after him. The sand sprayed beneath their feet, and the ocean roared beside them. She chased him, laughing breathlessly as she tried to catch up.
Far ahead of her, Stefan slowed and then crouched down. Genevieve watched as he dragged his finger across the sand like he was drawing something large.
He was still panting as he did that, when Genevieve caught up with him and she pounced on him.
Both of them toppled over on the sand, gasping for air, their laughter mingling with the waves.
"You’re crazy! I can’t believe you made me run that way!" She said breathlessly as they laughed.
Then, Genevieve rose and looked down, curious to see what he had drawn.
It was a giant heart. Inside it, the words read: "I love you, Genevieve. Be my girlfriend."
Her hands flew to her mouth. Her eyes sparkled as she gasped, then turned to him, squealing. "Yes!" She threw herself into his arms, hugging him tight.
He laughed as he caught her, spinning her once before holding her close.
She pulled back just enough to look at him, still grinning. "So... does this mean we can share a room now?"
He barked a laugh, shaking his head. "No."
Her smile faltered into a pout. "But we’re a couple now!"
"Yes, we are," he said gently.
"So, why not? We don’t have to have sex. We could just cuddle," she said with a shrug.
"Do you honestly believe we can lie in bed and cuddle without taking things further?" Stefan asked, and she grinned.
"Are you saying you can’t resist lying next to me without going further?" She batted her lashes, and he laughed.
"Yeah. I can’t. But if you insist we share a room, then I’ll only share a room with you if you agree to one thing."
"What’s that?" she asked suspiciously.
He looked her straight in the eye. "Marry me."