Merry with a Playmaker (Love Beach Holiday Collection)

Chapter Ten

The crowd's chatter fades as Evan leads me away from the rugby field, his hand guiding me. We step into a quieter area, sheltered by a small grove of trees dotted with twinkling holiday lights. The crisp December air catches in my lungs.

He turns to face me and I meet his eyes, their rich brown depths reflecting the warm glow. Flashes of our college days, him in his rugby jersey and me with my trusty calculator, flicker through my mind. "So, Merry Mischief," the old nickname slips out, "still crunching numbers and masterminding wins?"

"You know me." I shrug, aiming for nonchalance. "Strategizing by day, side-eyeing romance by night. Some things never change."

Evan chuckles, the rumble of it vibrating between us in the small space. His gaze remains steady on mine as he takes a deep breath, broad chest expanding. The air seems to thicken, charged with an electric anticipation that raises goosebumps along my arms. I stud the determined set of his chiseled jaw.

"Merry." He reaches out, catching my fingers in his much larger hand. Rough calluses from years of rugby scrape against my skin and I suppress a shiver. "We've known each other a long time. Been through a lot together." His thumb absentmindedly strokes my knuckles as he seems to gather his thoughts, brows furrowed.

My traitorous heart picks up speed, drumming against my ribcage. I swallow against the sudden dryness in my throat. Uh oh. I know that look. That's Evan's "Serious Discussion" face. The one he wears when he's about to barrel past all my walls like an overeager forward blitzing a defensive line. Danger, Mer. Danger.

Green eyes lock onto mine. "I don't want to dance around this anymore, Merry. What we have... it's always been more than just friendship." Evan's deep voice wraps around me, his French accent more pronounced with emotion. "I know you feel it too. This connection between us."

I wet my parched lips, heart thundering in my ears. Resist the smolder, Mer. Remember, you're an independent woman, not some swooning romance heroine. "Evan..."

"No more excuses." He brings our joined hands up, pressing a searing kiss to my palm that sends tingles radiating up my arm. "I want more than just a holiday flirtation. More than stolen glances and almosts. I want something real with you, Merry Robinson."

His words hang in the charged air between us, earnest and undeniable. I blink, momentarily stunned. Did he really just...? Evan "Casanova" de Nemours, king of suave and swagger, is standing here baring his heart to me.

A laugh bubbles up my throat, escaping in a strangled sound. "Wow, Evan. You sure know how to sweep a girl off her feet." I aim for a teasing tone, but it comes out breathless. "What's next, a moonlit serenade outside my window?"

Evan's lips quirk, but his gaze remains serious, unwavering. "I mean it, Merry." His other hand comes up, calloused fingers gently grazing my cheek. "You're brilliant, beautiful, and bold in a way I've always admired. What we have is special. I don't want to waste another minute pretending otherwise."

My pulse pounds, skin tingling where he touches me. Damn him and his whispered declarations. My resistance is crumbling.

"We've been down this road before, remember? And it ended with you jetting off to Paris while I watched from the sidelines."

His thumb brushes over my cheekbone, a feather-light caress that sends ripples of goosflesh across my face and down my neck. "I know, and I'm sorry for that. Truly. But I'm not that foolish boy anymore, Merry. I'm a man who knows what he wants." His gaze bores into mine, unwavering. "And what I want is you."

"Evan, I'm not the hearts and flowers type." I gesture vaguely between us.

His hands slide down to grasp mine, his grip warm and steady. "I admire your independence, your brilliant mind. They're part of what makes you so incredible. I'm not asking you to change. I'm asking you to give us a chance."

My heart stutters.

Slowly, hesitantly, I let my fingers twine with his. "Okay. Let's give this a try. But fair warning, de Nemours..." I lift my chin, mustering a teasing smile. "I'm not going to make it easy for you."

His answering grin is blinding, joy and relief etched on every handsome line of his face. "I wouldn't expect anything less, Robinson." He reaches up to cup my cheek "I'm in this for the long haul. No more running. No more hiding. Just you and me, figuring it out together."

I avert my gaze, my hands fidgeting at my sides as conflicting emotions swirl within me. The logical part of my brain screams “Warning, Will Rogers!” urging me to slow it down and take a step back. I mean, it’s been like a week. Maybe?

The other part yearns for the connection Evan is offering. A chance at something real, something meaningful with my “one that got away.”

Evan takes a step closer, his presence both comforting and unnerving. "Merry, I know this isn't easy for you. But I'm not going anywhere. I'm here, and I'm willing to fight for this—for us."

His words are like a balm to my frayed nerves, soothing and terrifying all at once. I risk a glance up at him. Those deep, soulful eyes that see past all barriers into the heart of who I am.

I lick my lips, my mouth suddenly dry. "I've been on my own for so long. I rather like it. I don’t have to share my stuff."

Evan reaches out, his fingers brushing mine. "I get that.” A ghost of a smile crosses his bitable lips, “I admire that about you—your strength, your determination, your self-reliance. I’m not asking you to lose any of that. I want you to let me in. Allow me to be that someone who appreciates and supports all you are."

"You think you can be that someone ?"

Evan's lips curve into a smile. "I know I can. I see you, Merry Robinson. I see your brilliance, your wit, your incredible heart. And I want to be there for all of it—the triumphs and the challenges, the laughter and the tears."

His words wrap around me like a warm embrace, melting the last of my resistance.

"Okay," I whisper, my voice trembling with a mix of nerves and anticipation. "Let's do this. Let's give us a chance."

The smile that breaks across Evan's face is blinding, his joy palpable. "You won't regret this, Merry. I promise."

His lips find mine, soft and sweet and full of promise, I let myself melt into his embrace. Into the warmth and strength of him, the rightness of this moment. It's terrifying and thrilling and everything I've ever wanted, all wrapped up in one complicated, irresistible package.

The kiss lingers, a perfect moment suspended in time. Evan's lips move against mine with a tenderness that steals my breath away, his touch igniting sparks beneath my skin. I lose myself in the sensations, in the delicious slide of his mouth and the warmth of his sculpted, beautiful body.

When we break apart, I'm dizzy and flushed. "Wow," he murmurs, his voice rough with emotion. "That was even better than I imagined."

I grin, a giddy laugh bubbling up from my throat. "You've been imagining this, have you?"

He pulls back enough to meet my gaze. "Peut etre a time or two. Mais a hundred."

The admission sends a thrill through me, a heady mix of desire and affection. Evan's openness, his willingness to lay his heart bare, is both terrifying and exhilarating. It's a vulnerability I've never allowed myself, a leap of faith I've always been too afraid to take.

But standing here in his arms, surrounded by the lights and the frosty air, I feel a shift within me. A crack in the armor I've worn for so long, a tentative opening of my heart.

I reach up to trace the line of his jaw. My fingertips tingling when they glide across the stubble. "I'm not sure," I confess. "I want to lose myself in us again."

Evan's expression softens, his hand coming up to cover mine. "What if I want to get lost with you?"

Our mouths meet, a quiet, gentle spark building as his arms close around me. Everything else fades into the background, leaving only the steady beat of his pulse beneath my fingers, the way he holds me like I’m the only thing keeping him grounded.

Time seems to stretch and bend, seconds bleeding into minutes as we lose ourselves in each other. Evan's hands are everywhere, skating along my back, tangling in my hair, pulling me closer. My own hands roam restlessly, mapping the contours of his shoulders, his chest, committing every inch of him to memory.

We break apart, and Evan rests his forehead against mine, his warm breath wafting over my face. "That was..."

"Yeah," I agree, my own grin spreading wide. "It was."

We stand there for a long moment, basking in the newfound intimacy between us. The air feels charged, electric with potential and promise. It's heady. Addicting.

Evan's hand finds mine, our fingers intertwining as naturally as breathing. "So, what now?" he asks, his thumb tracing idle patterns on my skin.

"Now," I say, meeting his gaze with a small smile, "we take things one step at a time. No pressure."

Evan nods, his expression serious even as his eyes sparkle. "I can work with that," he agrees, giving my hand a gentle squeeze. "As long as I get to be by your side, I'm happy."

I squeeze Evan's hand as we make our way across the field, savoring the warmth of his touch. The crowd has thinned, but a few stragglers remain, their laughter and chatter floating on the crisp evening air.

"So, what now?" I glance up at Evan, a playful smirk creasing my lips. "I don't suppose you have any more grand gestures up your sleeve?"

His eyes sparkle with mischief. "Oh, I might have a few ideas." He leans in closer, his breath tickling my ear. "But first, I think we deserve a proper celebration. Just the two of us."

"Lead the way, then."