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Chapter 8

Chapter 8

"Thank you," Delaney said. She remembered the words of her grandmother, "You'll know he's a keeper if he opens your door and pulls out your chair." Nana was old fashioned, to be sure, but some things seemed to never go out of style. She smiled.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Shane asked. "You seemed a million miles away a moment ago."

"I was." She faced him as he buckled his seat belt and put the key into the ignition. "I was thinking about my Nana, and how much I miss her. She always told me that I should only date a proper gentleman, one who opens doors, pulls out chairs and says God bless you when you sneeze." She watched him carefully. "And I was just thinking how much she would've liked you."

Shane turned toward her, the look in his eyes warming her resolve. "That may be one of the kindest things anyone has ever said to me."

She smiled. "I'm not ready to go home just yet, want to take a walk on the beach?"

He pulled into a spot in the small gravel parking lot adjacent to public beach access. "Coming here clears my head," she said as he opened her door. "I spent a lot of summers on Lake Michigan growing up and the beach has always been my favorite place."

"I have a million memories here at this beach, with the twins. They could be so annoying when they were little, always pestering me to help them surf, build a bigger castle..."

She interrupted. "They look up to their big brother. It's sweet. I was an only child, and trust me, I wish I'd had a brother or sister."

"It's easy to say that when you never had kid sisters barging into your room, embarrassing you in front of your friends, and stealing your stuff." He laughed. He gently reached for her hand as they walked along the shoreline, lacing his fingers in between hers.

"You know you love them. Anyone can tell you're crazy about them."

Their interlocked arms swung gently between them as they walked. "Yes, I confess I do. They're family."

Something tightened in her chest. This was what security felt like. With Shane she knew she was safe and protected. She paused, turning towards him. "Thank you for tonight, I had a really nice time. Dinner was amazing."

"Except for your undercooked steak and rock hard potato," he laughed.

She laughed aloud too, before their eyes locked, sobering the moment. He leaned toward her slowly, his free hand cupping her cheek gently. His lips met hers softly at first, exploring timidly. Their breathing quickened as the kiss intensified, Shane's fingers winding through her hair, pulling her mouth tighter against his. She gave herself fully to the moment, reveling in the sensations of the wind, the gentle sound of the waves and Shane's body pressed tightly against hers. She moved her hands down his back pulling him closer. He trailed his hands down her shoulders and arms, circling them around her waist. As their movements quickened they lost their balance, tumbling back onto the soft sand. Neither was fazed, giggling for a moment before losing themselves in each other as the waves crashed next to them.

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"I need your help with something," Delaney said into her cell phone.

"Yeah, sure. What do you need?" Fin sounded curious. They had become fast friends, almost inseparable—except for the time she carved out for Shane.