Single And In Love With My Fake Boyfriend (Single Girls Club #1)

Chapter Forty

Callie

After Lincoln and I have been in the water for quite some time, I roll onto my stomach. “We need to get back.”

“Why?”

“It’s another part of the surprise.”

He looks confused, but I don’t have time to explain. Besides, it’ll ruin the surprise if I do.

I tug him until he’s out of the water and follows me back to our spot on the sand. By now, everyone else has left and it’s just the two of us.

I pull out towels from the basket and we wrap them around ourselves as we sit on the blanket. I scoot close to his chest and he wraps his arm around me.

And we just sit.

“What’s going on?” he whispers.

I motion for him to be patient. It took a while to plan this to make sure I time it perfectly. I don’t want to mess up or for us to lose out.

Lincoln patiently waits.

It’s not long before I point out the setting sun. Lincoln shifts in his seat as he stares at the beautiful sight. The sunset has got to be one of the most spectacular things I have ever seen in my life. And sharing it with the man of my dreams just makes it a thousand times better.

Lincoln wraps both arms around me and I rest the back of my head on his chest as we watch the display of nature happening before our eyes. The way the setting sun reflects on the water, creating the magnificent orange and purple color, takes my breath away.

Lincoln buries his chin in my hair. “This is one of the most stunning things I’ve ever seen in my life. Thanks so much for bringing me here, and for sharing this special moment with me. You make me a very happy man, Callie.”

I turn around to face him. “You make me a very happy woman, Lincoln. I…” I plow my fingers through my wet hair. “I didn’t say it before because I was too scared, but I want to say it now. I’m yours until the day I die, too. It’s scary to declare something so profound. Like how can we know if we’ll be together forever? But I feel it deep in here.” I point to my heart. “It’s telling me—no, promising me—that you and I are forever. I’ve never met anyone as amazing and special and sweet and awesome as you. There’s no one I picture myself being with other than you, Lincoln Walker.”

He smiles, not one bit surprised that I declared myself to him for all eternity. “I feel it deep in my heart as well. You’re right that life is so unpredictable. I have no idea where I’ll be next week. One minute I could be playing football and the next I could be in the hospital with an injury. And my football dreams could be gone, just like that.” He places his hands on my cheeks, bends close, and whispers, “But there’s one thing I’m sure about one hundred percent. It’s you, Callie. You’re the only woman for me. For so long I wondered why I wasn’t having luck in the dating department. All around me, my friends were meeting girls and going on dates. And I was alone in my apartment. I didn’t understand it then, but I understand it now. I was waiting for you, Callie Richards, my special girl. I didn’t know you in high school, but you noticed me. You saw something in me that I didn’t see in myself. I regret not knowing you, but I’m happy and honored to know you now. To call you my girlfriend.” He takes a breath and strokes my cheek with his thumb. “Callie, I’m yours forever. You’re the rising sun in my life, the person who makes me complete, who makes me want to be a better person. Callie, my life is nothing without you. My heart bursts with so much love for you.”

My eyes go wide.

He nods. “Yes, I said it. I love you, Callie. And I realize that we’ve only known each other for a month, but time doesn’t matter. My heart burns for you, my entire body aches for you when you’re not with me. Callie, my special, Callie. I want to be yours forever. I want to cry with you when life gets hard, I want to laugh with you at all the crazy little things, I want to feel your frustration when things don’t work out. I want you to be my forever and I’d like to be your forever.”

I search his eyes to see if he’s genuine, and of course he is. I can see from his eyes just how much he cares for me. Like I’m his world. “I’m in love with you, too, Lincoln,” I whisper. “I have been since high school. The amazing kid who put others before himself is an even more amazing man who sits with me today. You make me feel things I never thought imaginable. You give me your whole attention, even if whatever I’m talking about bores you sometimes.”

“Nothing you say can ever bore me.”

I smile. “You’ve been so sweet and kind to me. You always make sure I’m happy and comfortable. I feel like I can be myself around you. You’d never think I’m weird or stupid or pathetic. You make my knees go weak and my heart pound so hard I think I’ll die.” I laugh. “But the most important thing is that you love me and want to give me the world. I want to give you the world, too. I want to be with you forever. And yeah, who knows what life will throw at us? But I want to embark on the road together. I never want my hand to leave yours. I never want to leave your side. I want to support you in your football career and whatever else you decide to do after that. I want to make all your dreams come true.”

He presses his forehead to mine, letting out a deep breath. “I want to make all your dreams come true, too. I don’t want to leave your side, either. And I know I’ve said this already, but I love you, Callie. With all my being.”

“And I love you with all my being.”

He dips his head until his lips close over mine and he kisses me deeply and with so much love. I close my arms around his neck, pushing myself as close to him as I can, like I want to become one with him.

He lies down, pulling me onto him. His hands explore all over my body and mine do the same for him. We’re giving each other everything we have, showing each other just how much we mean to one another. That we can’t live without each other, that we’ll spend the rest of our days making each other happy.

Then Lincoln rolls over until he’s on top of me, propping himself on his elbow, careful not to hurt me. He gazes into my eyes with so much love that it makes my head spin. The smile on his face is so sweet and pure, and I love seeing it. Because I make him feel that way. And he makes me feel like I’m on top of the world.

His finger strokes my cheek. “I just love you so much, Callie,” he murmurs. “I don’t think words can encompass how much.”

I lift my head to peck his lips. “I do know how much. Because I feel the exact same way. When we’re apart, there’s a pang in my heart.”

He nods. “A pang so strong I feel like I won’t make it. I know it’s not healthy to be this obsessed with you, but I can’t help it. You’re part of me and I’m part of you and nothing could ever change that.”

“Soulmates,” I say. “Forever.”

He nods. “Forever.”

He bends close and gives me a long, sweet, warm kiss. Then his lips trail across my cheek, down to my neck, where he pops light kisses all over my skin. I’m tingly all over, my body shuddering in this amazing way that I don’t want to end. Ever.

We make out for I’m not sure how long. It seems like we can’t get our mouths or hands off each other. But we want to take things slow and not rush into anything, so Lincoln rolls over and stares at the sky.

“It’s so beautiful at night,” he tells me. “So peaceful.”

I smile as I marvel at all the stars popping out in the dark sky. “I know. We can’t see the stars back home, but they’re so beautiful.”

“Like diamonds.”

“Yeah. It makes you want to get up and dance the night away, doesn’t it?”

Lincoln gets to his feet, holding out his hand to me. “Then why don’t we do that? Dance the night away.”

My insides turn to goo as I place my hand in his and let him pull me up. Is there anything more romantic than dancing on the beach under the stars with the love of your life? No, there isn’t.

We head to the shore. Lincoln twirls me around before placing his hands on my waist. I lock my arms around his neck, stepping close to him, so close that our chests touch.

He smiles as he rests his hand on the side of my head. I smile back, playing with the hair at the nape of his neck.

“Crap, music,” he says. “One second.” He dashes to get his phone, puts on some music, and places the phone in his pocket. “Where were we?”

I replace my arms around his neck. “Right about here.”

His hands go to my waist and we sway to the beat of the slow song. This dance is a little different from the previous one. While both were done in privacy, we hid our feelings for each other the last time. Now, they’re out in the open.

We stare into each other’s eyes, like we’ve done so many times before. But again, it feels different. Intimate. Somehow, it’s more romantic than kissing.

He caresses my cheek, giving me such a sweet and warm smile that I’m not sure my legs can support me. “What are you thinking about?” he murmurs.

I lay my head on his chest, closing my eyes and releasing a breath. “Just how amazing this moment is. I wish I could bottle it and keep it forever.”

“It will be forever,” he whispers. “Because we’ll share many, many moments like this throughout our wonderful years together.” He moves his lips to my cheek, leaving them there for a little while.

“And when we’re old and gray, we’ll tell these tales to our grandkids.”

“We sure will. They’ll be so sick of how in love we are, they’ll puke.

I laugh and then a rumble goes through him as he laughs.

We stay in this position until the music shifts to a fast-beat song. I lift my head off Lincoln’s chest with a scowl. “Way to ruin the moment.”

He chuckles. “We can have fun with a fast song. Check this out.” He takes my hand and spins me a few times like I’m a ballerina, then dips me.

I gaze into his eyes as he holds me carefully so I won’t crash into the sand. “Man, you’ve got some moves.”

He pulls me up, twirls me a few times, then rests my back against his chest. “Oh, you haven’t seen anything yet.” He does some weird dorky move, similar to the one I saw him do on social media.

I burst out laughing. “That was adorable.”

His eyebrows shoot to the sky. “Adorable?”

“In the sexiest way possible.”

“Ah, okay.” He twirls me again and dips me.

We continue dancing to the beat of fast and slow songs. I prefer the slow ones so we can be wrapped in each other’s arms and sway to the beat, but fast ones are fun, too. It feels like we have all the time in the world, but it’s getting even darker than it was and the moon doesn’t provide us with enough light.

Lincoln lowers himself on the blanket and I sit on his lap. His arms come around me as he holds me like I’m his world.

We watch the stars, telling each other stories of our childhoods, memories, and whatever is on our minds.

Then, when it gets really late, Lincoln takes our towels that are mostly dry and makes pillows out of them. Still holding each other, we lie down on them.

Lincoln tucks me close to him, pressing a soft kiss on my forehead. I kiss his nose, then rub his with mine.

“Love you,” I whisper.

“Love you more.”

“No.”

“Yes.”

I give him a look. “I’ve loved you since high school.”

He kisses my nose. “Doesn’t matter how long it’s been. I’ve fallen for you hard and fast, Callie Richards, and I’ve enjoyed every second of it.”

I smile as I bury my face in his chest. “What have I done to deserve this?” I wonder, more to myself.

“Simple. Just by being you.”

His lips meet mine and we kiss until we need to take a break for oxygen. Then we roll onto our sides and Lincoln drapes his arm over me.

“At least now when we fall asleep together, it won’t be weird and awkward,” he whispers in my ear.

I turn around to face him. “I meant to ask. Did you do that on purpose?”

“No.” He pushes some hair from my face. “But I think my heart and body were trying to tell me something.”

“I think you might be right.”

I don’t know how we’ll manage to get any sleep, but maybe that doesn’t matter. We’re in each other’s arms, on the beach, and the only sounds are the wind and the waves crashing into the shore.

It’s so soothing that I find my eyes getting heavy with sleep.

I can’t wait for the future. For Lincoln and me to fall asleep in each other’s arms every night, to dance together, kiss, tell each other everything that lies in our hearts. Just to be together. And one day, I hope we’ll have kids and raise them in a loving household.

But that’s way in the future. Right now, it’s just me and him and our whole lives.

Together, forever.